The Indie iOS Founder’s ASO Checklist Before Launch

Launching an iOS app is not the time to discover that your App Store page is vague.

Here is the short version of the checklist I use when looking at indie App Store pages.

1. Title and subtitle

Your title and subtitle should work together, not repeat each other.

A good pair usually does three jobs:

• says what category the app belongs to
• adds one clear user outcome
• stays inside Apple's 30-character title and 30-character subtitle limits

Avoid unverifiable claims like “best” or “#1” unless you can prove them.

2. Keyword field

Apple's keyword field is only 100 characters, so treat it like a combination engine.

Practical rules:

• remove spaces after commas
• avoid repeating title/subtitle words
• avoid competitor names and trademark terms
• choose realistic long-tail search intent before generic head terms

If your title already says “budget tracker,” the keyword field should add new useful words, not repeat “budget” and “tracker.”

3. Screenshots

Most founders underuse screenshot #1.

A screenshot that only shows a dashboard may be accurate, but it often does not explain why someone should care. The first frame should communicate the user outcome at thumbnail size.

A simple sequence:

1. outcome
2. mechanism
3. trust or proof
4. secondary benefit
5. best product moment

Concrete report pattern: in the ASO Playbook Water Time teardown, the generated report moved the page score from 60 → 85 with 89 keyword rows, and one fix was making screenshot #1 sell the habit payoff instead of just another reminder screen.

4. Description

On Apple's App Store, the description is mainly conversion copy, not a keyword-ranking field.

The first few lines should answer:

• who is this for?
• what problem does it solve?
• why is this app different enough to try?

Keep it human. Do not turn the description into a stuffed SEO page.

5. Ratings and first-week learning

Plan rating prompts around success moments, not first open.

After launch, separate visibility from conversion:

• low impressions → metadata and keyword targeting are likely suspects
• impressions but weak installs → screenshots, positioning, ratings, pricing clarity, or trust may be the leak

Launch ASO is not “set and forget.” It is the first round of learning.

Soft CTA: if you want a concrete second opinion, paste your App Store URL into ASO Playbook and start with the free audit: https://asoplaybook.ai

Original source: https://asoplaybook.ai/blog/aso-checklist-before-launching-ios-app