Why Keyword Research is Still Important for ASO in 2025

App Store Optimization (ASO) has changed significantly, but keyword research remains the foundation of app discoverability. 

With millions of apps competing for attention, selecting and optimizing the right keywords is essential for visibility, rankings, and downloads. 

While AI-driven recommendations and personalized search results are growing, search-driven discovery is still the predominant way users find new apps. And in 2025, strategic app keyword research is more critical than ever to remain ahead of the competition.

The Evolving Role of Keywords in ASO

Keyword optimization has always been at the core of ASO, but in 2025, its role has expanded. 

App store algorithms are increasingly advanced, considering factors like user intent, engagement metrics, and contextual relevance when ranking apps. 

While in the very early days of ASO you could get quick wins by adding high-volume keywords into your metadata, this basic keyword strategy is no longer effective. 

To provide their users with high-quality apps, app store algorithms have evolved to prioritize user intent and relevance over raw keyword density. This means stuffing your metadata with keywords could result in lower visibility.

Instead, apps need to align their keyword strategy with how users actually search and update their apps’ metadata with those keywords that truly connect with user needs.

With the steady introduction of AI in the app stores, search queries are to evolve even more and become more conversational, reflecting users’ speech patterns and more specific as users look for exact solutions rather than general terms. 

Instead of searching for “fitness app,” users will look more and more for “home workout app for beginners” or “30-day weight loss challenge”, long-tail, high-intent keywords becoming essential for better rankings and conversion rates.

The Competitive Landscape: Why Keyword Research is Essential

With millions of apps available, competition is higher than ever. And while your app may be amazing, that doesn’t matter if your audience can’t find it. 

Here’s why app keyword research is still your secret weapon to standing out in front of the right audience:

• Keyword research is key to understanding your audience: Through careful keyword research, you can uncover unique insights about your audience that you can leverage to optimize your app page and messaging on screenshots. By understanding which keywords drive most downloads to your app, you can identify which use cases people are searching for and update your app screenshots to match that search intent. 

For example, research on AppTweak shows that the dieting app MyFitnessPal ranks and generates hundreds of downloads from generic keywords such as “calorie counter,” “calorie tracker,” and “food tracker.” The app can leverage these keywords in its messaging and screenshots to highlight its value proposition and in custom product page/ promotional content to target different audiences.

Screenshot of AppTweak’s All Ranked Keywords feature highlighting which keywords drive most downloads to MyFitnessPal’s app. 

• Competitor analysis reveals keyword gaps: Studying what keywords your competitors rank for (and which ones they don’t) can give you an edge. Leverage those insights to update your metadata and increase your app’s visibility.
  
• Localization opens up new markets: There is a lot of growth in localizing your apps and games. Keyword research is still key to breaking through in new markets. Users in different regions search in different ways. Optimizing for those differences by localizing your app page can help improve the user journey, conversion, rankings on localized keywords, and overall app exposure and visibility.
  
  For example, the music app Spotify has localized its metadata and screenshots for the US and France. They didn’t simply translate their screenshots. They leveraged insights and cultural nuances to make screenshots more relevant in each market. 
  
  
  Screenshot of AppTweak’s Localization Insights highlighting how Spotify leverages user data and keyword insights to make their app page more relevant in each market.
  
  
• Search algorithms reward precision: Generic keywords are often dominated by big brands, but targeted, niche keywords give smaller apps a better chance at ranking and attracting highly specialized audiences. Careful keyword research can uncover these opportunities.

The Connection Between Keywords and Paid Strategies

Your paid ad performance is directly tied to strong app keyword research. 

Both Apple Search Ads and Google App Campaigns rely on keywords to match your app with the right audience. If your organic keyword strategy is weak, your paid campaigns will suffer, too.

Here’s how strong keyword research improves both organic and paid growth:

• Optimized metadata = better ad performance: If your app’s metadata is packed with high-intent, relevant keywords, your ads are more likely to show up for the right searches at a lower cost. 
• Your Apple Search Ads campaigns can tell you which keywords actually convert: If a keyword is driving lots of paid installs, it’s worth incorporating into your organic ASO strategy.

Keyword research isn’t just for organic search — it’s a key driver of paid success, too. 

Common Keyword Research Mistakes to Avoid

1. Targeting broad keywords
   General terms like “play” or “fitness” may attract traffic but come with high competition and unclear user intent. Instead, use specific keywords like “workout planner for beginners” to improve ranking and attract the right audience.

2. Neglecting user intent
   Simply using high-performing keywords isn’t enough; they need to align with what users are searching for. Metadata should be clear, engaging, and naturally integrated to improve trust and downloads.

3. Neglecting keyword placement
   The app title holds the most weight in search rankings, followed by the subtitle. Keywords should be strategically placed for maximum visibility rather than stuffed into descriptions.

4. Keyword stuffing
   Overloading metadata with keywords makes your app look spammy and can hurt rankings. Prioritize natural, readable descriptions that highlight your app’s benefits while optimizing for search.

5. Overlooking long-tail keywords
   Phrases with three or more words, like “pill reminder app,” may have lower search volume but attract highly relevant users and face less competition, leading to better conversion rates.

6. Translating rather than localizing keywords
   Direct translations can miss cultural nuances. Instead, research how users in different regions naturally search for apps (e.g., “takeout” in the U.S. vs. “takeaway” in the U.K.).

7. Updating keywords too often or not enough
   Frequent changes can hurt rankings, while never updating means missing trends. A balanced approach—reviewing keywords every 3-4 weeks—ensures long-term visibility.

Conclusion

Effective ASO keyword research is an ongoing process that requires strategy, analysis, and adaptation. By targeting relevant keywords, understanding user intent, and optimizing your metadata, you can improve your app’s visibility and attract the right audience.

Regularly monitoring and refining your keyword strategy ensures your app stays competitive as market trends and user behavior evolve.

If you’re serious about scaling your app, investing in the right ASO tools is a must. The right keyword research tools can help you discover the right keywords, analyze competitors, and track performance, making a vital but time-consuming process easier.

AppTweak is the leading App Store Marketing & Intelligence Platform for apps & games driven by data science.