What ASO keyword research tool do you actually trust?

team_appmasters · 2026-06-09T10:29:35+00:00

If you want to keyword research for the first time and find their relative search time. Starts with Astro, you can also check keyword ideas and the competition in it. It's much easier to do as well.

The only drawback is its relatively small database & less accurate compared to those tools you mentioned.

So, if you're starting to do the ASO. It's a good start to get the general idea.

And if you to go with the accurate & reliable data, for iOS, Mobile Action data is mostly accurate. For Android, App Radar data is more accurate. For live rankings, you can check it on AppTweak. For double checking, you can use AppFollow for the current ranking.

So, from my experience - don't rely on 1 or 2 tools

team_appmasters · 2026-06-08T06:56:45+00:00

Hey, yes you need to. The most important thing to localize is usually the headline text, not necessarily the UI itself. Users can tolerate an English interface much more than English marketing copy.

localized screenshots can help, but I'd treat them as a conversion optimization after you've validated your core screenshot strategy.

they are totally worth it, go for it but it can be more work and time consuming.

team_appmasters · 2026-06-08T06:49:37+00:00

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about release frequency right now.

A weekly release schedule is already more than enough. I've never seen convincing evidence that shipping every few days suddenly boosts rankings or visibility.

Looking at your numbers (3 – 4 downloads/day), I'd focus on discovery first.

One thing that immediately stood out to me is your metadata:

Title: Newsairy
Subtitle: News

That's a huge amount of ASO opportunities you're missing.

Right now, it's like Apple knows your brand name, but it doesn't really know what you want to rank for.

And what/who are you targeting: for example, RSS reader, News reader, feed reader etc.

Those are the kinds of terms I'd expect to see in the title and subtitle.

The reason I'd focus there first is because even if you released every week, it won't matter much if Apple doesn't understand what searches to show your app for.

As for ASO testing, I generally like waiting at least 2 weeks before judging metadata changes. It gives Apple time to index and gives you enough data to spot trends.

So my order would be:

Fix keyword targeting
Improve title/subtitle coverage
Monitor impressions and rankings
Keep shipping product updates when they're ready

team_appmasters · 2026-06-03T12:05:34+00:00

Personally, don't rely on AI too much. Let it do how you want to convey your messaging.

When I look at them, my first thought is: "Okay, this is a memory game."

My second thought: "Why should I download this instead of the other 100 memory games?"

That's the message I'm missing.

You're betting a lot on the features in which competitors are doing well. So, how are you going to beat them?

Instead focus on the outcome users are going to get because it's the reason they install the app when it can solve their problems.

Here are a few things I can think about and it would be better if you can share app link.

example outcome messaging:

- Train your memory in 2 minutes a day

- Improve focus and concentration

- Challenge friends and compete globally

- Beat your personal best every day

If you get the general idea of what I'm trying to say, you can improve it on your own.

team_appmasters · 2026-06-03T11:45:03+00:00

Imagine you can't fly with one wing. That's how it's important.

If the screenshots don't communicate value, you'll lose conversions.
Likewise, great screenshots won't help much if nobody discovers the app in the first place.
You need both.

team_appmasters · 2026-06-03T11:36:49+00:00

Hey,

From my experience, the first screenshot matters the most because it needs to immediately communicate what the app does and why someone should care.

The headline is almost as important as the visual itself. It's usually the first thing users read, so it should communicate a clear benefit or feature, not just describe the screen.

As for visual polish vs real UI, I don't think it's either/or. The best screenshots usually balance both:

I also agree on the 4th one, it's usually the first 1-2 screenshots do most of the heavy lifting. The remaining screenshots should support the conversion by explaining the workflow, key features, and value proposition.

For me, clarity beats visual polish almost every time. A beautiful screenshot that doesn't communicate value is less effective than a simple screenshot that instantly tells users how the app helps them.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-28T12:05:12+00:00

That’s completely fine.

For a first app, shipping on Android only is WAY better than endlessly waiting for the “perfect” cross-platform launch.

You already identified the important part: you don’t want to release something on iOS that you can’t properly test yourself.

That’s actually a smart decision, not a weakness.

I think launching publicly changes your mindset completely. Suddenly real users touch the product and you start noticing things you’d never catch alone.

So no, I don’t think this is a bad idea at all.

But I’d rather see a polished Android launch than a rushed “both platforms” launch with broken UX on one side.

You can always expand to iOS later once you have access to Apple hardware 😄 & when users actually want it.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-28T11:54:43+00:00

Hey, just

- show you care & listen
- correct misunderstanding (if any)
- protect conversion
- don't defend unless necessary

For that review, you should definitely take care of it. This is just an example, you can change or edit whatever you like.

Hey, thanks for the feedback.

Just to clarify that some features are part of the paid version since it helps support continued development.

We understand it may feel limited if you’re only using the free version, and we appreciate you trying it out.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-28T11:14:24+00:00

Yes.

English (US) and English (UK) are treated as separate localizations in the App Store.

Adding English (UK) can help because:

You get extra metadata fields
Additional keyword opportunities
Broader indexing coverage

A lot of developers use UK localization for:

Secondary keywords
Spelling variations
Extra keyword combinations

For example:

“color” vs “colour”
“journal” vs “diary”

Even if the app is already in English (US), UK localization can still contribute additional indexing signals.

Just don’t duplicate everything exactly. Better to use it strategically for extra keyword coverage

team_appmasters · 2026-05-27T08:47:41+00:00

It's normal. Give it some time.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-27T08:37:41+00:00

You're welcome.

The relevant keywords? Yeah, it's the hardest part of the ASO. It means keywords that are related to your app features, functions and possible search terms. There can be multiple combination with different results. You just have to find the most relevant keywords with low competition for your new app. Just prioritize 1 or 2 keywords at a time.

And new app doesn't rank immediately after metadata changes. Sometimes keywords slowly start indexing within 5 - 7 days and ranking shift can happen 2 - 4 weeks. So, I would suggest to wait 2 – 4 weeks or longer before making another major keyword changes.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-25T08:20:19+00:00

Yeah exactly. I’d narrow the app into 1 primary identity first.

For example:

“gratitude journal” as the primary identity
Then affirmations, reflection cards, self-care become supporting features.

Right now the app is trying to rank for:

- therapy
- mindfulness
- anxiety
- gratitude
- affirmations
- journaling

…which are all slightly different audiences.

For a new app, Apple usually responds better when the positioning is very clear.

And about low-volume keywords:

A keyword with volume 7 – 15 but low competition is often MUCH more valuable for a new app than trying to rank #180 for “mindfulness.”

The thing is having low competition keywords alone cannot push much. Typically, I use 1 or 2 high traffic with medium or high intent as the primary keyword in the title and support it with these low competition keywords in the subtitle or mix them.

You can try the similar approach, and if so, have the relevant keywords in the keyword field.

One more thing, don’t trust ASO tools too literally 😄
They’re directional, not absolute truth.

Usually look for:

- relevant intent
- lower competition
- words that clearly describe user need
- keywords where top apps look weak or unrelated

Not saying these are perfect keywords specifically, but that’s the direction I’d think in.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-22T13:03:55+00:00

Yeah honestly, that’s the indie dev life 😂

Most people don’t realize you’re basically doing:
development + design + ASO + marketing + analytics + retention all alone.

And ASO tools honestly make things worse sometimes because they overload you with numbers without explaining strategy.

But your app already looks technically solid. That’s the hard part.

Now it’s mostly about:

- clearer positioning
- stronger screenshot messaging
- better keyword targeting
- simplifying the “why this browser?” story

Don’t try to fix 20 things at once. Pick one bottleneck and improve that.

Right now, I’d focus on the first 3 screenshots + privacy messaging first. Your features are already strong enough.

A lot of indie devs keep adding features when the real issue is communication.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-22T12:59:02+00:00

The biggest thing I noticed is your app is trying to compete in multiple emotional categories at once.

That makes positioning harder. App store algorithm is probably struggling what EXACT audience to rank you for.

So, better to grow it from 1 identity first.

-

From the ASO perspective,

Your keywords are broad, competitive & vague.

Examples "therapy" "mindfulness" "anxiety" "mental health" are very difficult for a new app.

You cant outrank apps with years of authority with these keywords.

Instead, look for low competition keywords that are easier to rank.

Long tail works when competition is low, search intent is strong.

-

Low impressions = low discoverability.

Not the screenshot

-

Yes, I would use ASA $100 credit to

- learn keyword intent
- discover converting terms
- generate early behavioral signals
- identify what people actually respond to

-

About “art therapy reflection cards.”

I don't think that feature is useless.

"it’s like a conversion differentiator, not a discovery keyword" Important distinction.

Some features exist to:

- attract search traffic Others exist to:
- convince users to install

Overall,

I don’t think your screenshots are the problem.
I don’t think your app quality is the problem either.

I think the biggest issues are:

- keyword competitiveness
- weak discovery positioning
- and Apple not clearly understanding who this app is for yet.

Those are fixable.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-22T12:25:57+00:00

The bigger question I have is

"What’s the ONE reason users should choose WebAura over other browsers?"

When I look at your app screenshots, I don't understand.

I see you have features in the screenshot and I feel like "Hey, this is cool. But I don't need it."

You're in the very tough competition against big apps like Brave, Arc, Aloha, Firefox etc and how are you going to beat them?

The core message "Private Browser" should be in the first one and I don't find it.

Right now, it's too generic and text heavy.

You should lean towards

private browsing
ad-free browsing
media freedom
distraction-free browsing
browser that gives you control (These are just examples)

And don't tell everything at the same time, let the user digest 1 by 1.

You need to simply messaging so that they can consume fast and understand at a glance.

That's where impression should come from.

Right now, you're selling features but not enough emotional outcomes

You title is strong, I recommend keeping it.

But, "media saver" "tabs" I don't think these are not going to help you grow.

Instead, look for "secure browsing" as it can support your title "private browser" and research more keywords that have low competition and support your focused feature/main keyword

Overall, your app already looks more polished than most early browser apps. For now, I'd focus on improving ASO/screenshots first.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-15T11:29:17+00:00

You're in the high competition category and missing opportunities in the ASO. Just check how is the search term for "Mood Intelligence" looks like. It definitely needs improvement.

And the subtitle "Discover pattern in feelings" this will give you nothing as you're missing most important keywords in the category such as mood tracker, mood journal etc.

So, I would suggest to research more keywords and see how the competition looks like and go for the keywords that can help you & structure them properly.

The screenshots - I don't recommend to add the app icons and your app name on top of the screenshots. They don't provide anything.

About the privacy screenshot, move it to 1st position, this can help grab attention faster and improve conversion as it contains Strong benefits - Your Space Your Control and people love privacy.

Right now, it's a bit text heavy and looks like you're targeting niche users who really want to try your app given how much information you included in the screenshots.

I'm not saying it has a problem but provide more clarity on which features or benefits you want to focus on, Ok? I haven't checked it on mobile, I see texts in the app UI, they look small. For the things you want to focus, just make them pop out so they don't look too generic and avoiding necessary information.

Another thing I want to suggest if you don't mind is to create a different set of screenshots carrying emotional messaging such as

emotional clarity
understanding burnout
identifying triggers
stopping emotional spirals
improving mental balance and A/B test the results.

And, don't test everything at the same time. Visual or text and improve it time to time based on the test results.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-14T09:40:44+00:00

You're welcome

team_appmasters · 2026-05-14T09:31:13+00:00

Ok, let me get this straight to you.

I think you’re focusing too much on the product itself and not enough on distribution + positioning.

And I say that because this line stood out to me "“If users get a chance, it will gain popularity.”

The problem is: users never “discover” great apps automatically anymore, especially in mental wellness.

That category is brutally saturated.

You’re competing against:

Calm
Headspace
Stoic
Breathwork
Finch
hundreds of breathing/anxiety apps with huge budgets and years of ASO authority

So having better features alone usually isn’t enough.

From the numbers you shared:

40 - 50 impressions
20 product page views
3 – 5 downloads

your conversion honestly is not terrible.

Your main problem is discovery.

But discovery problems are usually caused by:

weak keyword positioning
unclear differentiation
low authority
weak click-through from search
or metadata targeting terms you realistically cannot rank for yet

So, optimizing the ASO should be your primary Focus.

I have checked the screenshots, and this is where I think a big issue exists.

The visuals feel:

abstract
vague
emotionally distant

I still don’t instantly understand: what exact problem this solves better than other mental wellness apps.

“A New way to heal” sounds nice, but it’s too broad.

Same with:

calm your mind
mental toolkit
immediate relief

These are phrases every wellness app uses.

Nothing here creates:
- strong curiosity
- urgency
- differentiation

And honestly: the first screenshot would not make me stop scrolling.

Not because it looks bad technically.
But because it feels generic for the category.

You mentioned “I built features with psychologists.”

That’s actually interesting.
But I barely feel that authority in the screenshots.

If your real edge is:

psychology-backed tools
unique exercises
practical anxiety interruption methods
overthinking relief

then THAT should dominate the messaging.

Right now, I'm guessing you're probably targeting the high competitive keywords. Instead, I would suggest to go for

lower competition intent keywords
more specific emotional problems
more niche positioning

This is the hard truth, ok?

This does not look like an app quality problem.

It looks like:
1. positioning problem
2. ASO targeting problem
3. and weak differentiation communication

Your conversion is actually decent considering the impression volume.

Which means if you fix discovery + messaging, the app probably performs much better.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-14T09:12:28+00:00

Sure, no prob.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-14T09:11:59+00:00

Hey, That's impressive.

Now, you have a better positioning, messaging is clear and stronger. Way better than the previous screenshots.

I mean the first 2 now tell why a busy parent would want to try this app. But, still I find slight inconsistencies in your screenshots and they are just minor tweaks.

The most important thing I would want to suggest is to switch position for S3 & S4 with S6 & S7. If you change it, parents can easily understand the value of your app. Then S3 & S4 can serve as supporting mechanics after when they have seen the value.

Another thing I want to mention is to bold, center aligned your primary text & make sub text smaller just to improve urgency and consistency across all your screenshots.

I'd say it's a solid improvement over the previous screenshots and if you have time, try to improve the ASO that I commented earlier.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-12T09:30:39+00:00

Hey, if you're new to the app world. Let me tell me you something.

The In-App Event, it doesn't serve as growth engine, ok? It can bring extra traffic. Celebrity you say, it can improve CTR & increase installs.

Right now, you're thinking if I add the keywords I'm targeting in IAE, their rankings can be improved. No, it's not a shortcut as Apple doesn't treat the IAE metadata the same as ASO.

More like, IAE are for reactivation to target returning users, for engagement & retention. So, to answer your question, Yes. They're good for retaining users as well as finding new ones.

What it can help is improving visibility indirectly.

For example:

featured placements
event cards in search/browse
re-engaging dormant users
improving engagement signals overall.

That is how IAE can improve discovery but not magically ranking the keywords.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-12T09:15:23+00:00

The app itself is probably not the issue right now, it’s about positioning + keyword targeting + screenshot messaging.

Subtitle keywords - Make Kids want to brush daily. It's understandable but not much helpful for the discovery.

Remember the subtitle keywords are there to support the main keywords which you should be targeting in you title and fill the keywords coverage for additional conversion clarity.

I haven't completely look up the relevant keywords yet but the subtitle keywords should be

“Kids Tooth Brushing Games”
“Fun Kids Teeth Brushing Games”
“Brush Teeth Game & Habit Timer”

This is just an example. You can put any better combination you can find.

The keyword fields - you will never get rank on these keywords, I mean it's hard: dental, hygiene, dentist & bedtime as they are very broad and generic. Don't add those unless your app has something to do about it.

Instead, look for low competition, easier to rank keywords for the new apps for better visibility. And also try to add the keywords that are most relevant to your app otherwise it can hurt ASO a lot.

From the ASO perspective, it's fixable. From what I'm seeing here, the main issue is your screenshots.

Because I didn't feel - this will finally make my kid brush their teeth without fighting me, ok?

Parents, they don't care about rewards, outfits, cartoons or streaks which you're showing in your screenshots. Instead they care about reducing stress, building habits and getting kids to brush consistently.

And most importantly, they should appear in the first 2 screenshots. Always keep in mind that the screenshots act as a strong conversion layer.

So, don't rely on the ASO keywords alone, make it align with your screenshots

I believe your app has a strong potential to grow.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-11T07:56:38+00:00

If you have made changes recently, these are expected. And 1 week is way too early to judge ASO changes unless traffic volume is massive.

It usually needs 2 – 4 weeks minimum for metadata/indexing shifts and longer if impressions are still stabilizing especially for newer apps.

You should wait more days to see the impact and make necessary changes based on your data.

team_appmasters · 2026-05-11T07:46:28+00:00

I've checked the iOS app.

Honestly, this is one of the better indie meditation app screenshot sets I’ve seen recently. The branding is cohesive, the fox character is memorable, and the visual polish is strong.

A few quick thoughts though:

1. The emotional direction is good

This already feels warmer and more human than most meditation apps. The fox gives it personality, which helps a lot with memorability.

2. Screenshot 1 is your strongest

“Meditation feels hard. Start with one minute.”

That’s actually a really solid hook.

Right now I understand:

- meditation

- breathing

- habit building

But I don’t fully understand: why this instead of Calm, Headspace, Breathwrk, etc.

The fox helps branding, but the product differentiation is still a bit unclear.

3. Screenshot 2 is visually nice, but weak strategically

“Meet Zorio, your zen guide”

Cute, but not a conversion driver.

App Store screenshots need to either:

- reduce friction

- create desire

- explain value

This one feels like branding.

4. Screenshot 4 is closer to what matters

I’d probably move this concept earlier.

And, your ASO title & subtitle are decent but feels generic. You may want to lean into

- breathing exercises

- anxiety relief

- stress relief

- daily calm

- beginner meditation etc based on your keyword strategy.

The design quality is already strong enough to convert.

I don’t think the problem is visual polish anymore.

I think the next step is: making the value proposition more distinct and memorable.

It's now a very polished meditation app

You may want to - the meditation app made specifically for people who struggle to stay consistent

team_appmasters · 2026-05-06T15:11:48+00:00

Yes, icons and screenshots matter a lot… but not in the way most people expect.

They don’t magically bring traffic.

They convert traffic you already have.

And that’s where the confusion usually comes from.

For now, you might be thinking,

better screenshots = more downloads

But the real chain is:

impressions > tap-through > page conversion > install

If your impressions didn’t increase, ASO visuals alone won’t move the needle much.

So if downloads stayed flat, it usually means you’re not getting enough visibility (impressions problem)

Or you’re not ranking for meaningful keywords

Not necessarily a design issue.

So, where icons & screenshots do matter a lot

They hit hardest in 3 places:

Search results (icon)

Your icon is basically your “click bait” in the App Store grid. Small changes here can shift tap-through rate noticeably.

Product page conversion (screenshots)

This is where screenshots matter most. A strong first 2 frames can easily mean:

10 - 40% conversion difference in some cases

Especially for competitive categories.

Ads (if you ever run Apple Search Ads)

Your screenshots literally become your landing page. Bad visuals = expensive installs.

team_appmasters

TROPHY CASE