DEV Community: ASO Playbook

App Store subtitle examples: stop repeating your app name

ASO Playbook — Mon, 18 May 2026 06:50:26 +0000

The App Store subtitle is only 30 characters. That is too small for brand fluff.

If your title already says what the app is, the subtitle should add a new search angle or make the install feel more obvious. Most indie listings do the opposite. They repeat the app name, repeat the category, or use words like "simple" and "powerful" that do not help Apple or the person scanning search results.

The subtitle has two jobs

Apple can use your app name, subtitle, and keyword field for search. Users can also see the subtitle on the product page and often in search results.

So the line has to do two jobs at once:

add relevant keyword coverage
help a human understand the app faster

That sounds obvious until you audit real listings. A lot of subtitles are basically decorative.

Weak pattern: "Simple habit tracker"

Better pattern: "Morning routines"

If the title already contains "Habit Tracker," the better subtitle adds a specific use case instead of spending 30 characters on words the title already covered.

Bad subtitle pattern: brand echo

A lot of indie apps write the subtitle like a tiny billboard for the brand.

Bad:

HabitFox: Build habits with HabitFox

Better:

HabitFox Habit Tracker: Morning routines

The better version is still plain. That is fine. Plain usually wins in metadata.

It gives Apple "habit tracker" in the title and "morning routines" in the subtitle. It also gives the user a more specific reason to care. For a new app, the brand usually has no search demand yet, so repeating it is expensive.

Treat the subtitle like rented space in a very expensive airport. Every word needs a job.

Subtitle examples by category

Habit app

Weak: "Simple daily habit builder"

Better: "Morning routines"

Why it works: if the title already says "Habit Tracker," the subtitle can move into a concrete moment instead of repeating daily habit language.

Budget app

Weak: "Track money and expenses"

Better: "Bills and cash flow"

Pair that with a title like "Budget Planner" and you get more useful combinations: budget bills, cash flow planner, money bills, expense planner if expense lives in the keyword field.

Focus timer

Weak: "Powerful focus timer"

Better: "Deep work sessions"

"Powerful" does not tell the user anything. "Deep work sessions" points to a real job the app helps with.

Sleep sounds app

Weak: "Relaxing sleep sounds"

Better: "Rain, fan, white noise"

If "Sleep Sounds" is already in the title, the subtitle can carry sound types users actually search for and recognize instantly.

Language app

Weak: "Learn any language fast"

Better: "Travel phrases first"

The second version is narrower, more believable, and easier to match with screenshot copy.

When to choose keyword coverage over conversion copy

It depends on what the title already covers.

If your title is mostly a brand name, the subtitle probably needs the category.

Example:

Luma: Photo editor

That subtitle is doing necessary category work because "Luma" alone tells Apple and users almost nothing.

If the title already has the category, the subtitle can be more specific.

Luma Photo Editor: Film presets

Now the title handles the broad category, and the subtitle gets to add a sharper reason to click.

Do not make the subtitle carry everything. Thirty characters cannot explain your whole product, keyword strategy, and positioning. Pick the missing piece that matters most.

Quick rule:

Brand-only title? Use the subtitle to name the category or main job.
Category title? Use the subtitle to add use case, audience, or outcome.
Crowded category? Go narrower than the obvious head term.
Weak screenshots? Make the subtitle and first screenshot tell the same story.

A 10-minute subtitle audit

Put your title, subtitle, and 100-character keyword field in one note. Circle every repeated word.

If the subtitle repeats the title, rewrite the subtitle first. That change is visible to users and can free the keyword field to cover missing pieces instead of patching vague metadata.

Then test the line against a stranger question: would someone understand the app faster after reading this?

If not, it is probably decorative. Decorative copy is expensive in App Store metadata.

A good subtitle is not clever. It is compressed. It adds one useful idea the title did not already say.

Soft CTA: want the title, subtitle, keyword field, and first screenshot reviewed together? Paste your App Store URL into ASO Playbook and start with the free audit: https://asoplaybook.ai

Original source: https://asoplaybook.ai/blog/app-store-subtitle-examples-ios-apps

The Indie iOS Founder’s ASO Checklist Before Launch

ASO Playbook — Sun, 17 May 2026 06:53:22 +0000

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:

outcome
mechanism
trust or proof
secondary benefit
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

Low App Store Downloads: Diagnose Visibility vs Conversion First

ASO Playbook — Sat, 16 May 2026 06:49:13 +0000

If an iOS app has low downloads, “do more ASO” is too vague to be useful.

The first split is simple:

Visibility problem: not enough qualified people are seeing the product page.
Conversion problem: people are seeing it, but the page does not convince enough of them to install.

Those two problems need different fixes. Rewriting keywords will not rescue a vague first screenshot. Redesigning screenshots will not help much if the app is barely appearing for realistic searches.

Start with the funnel

Look at App Store Connect before changing metadata.

If impressions and product page views are low, inspect:

title and subtitle keyword coverage
whether subtitle repeats title words
whether the 100-character keyword field uses realistic long-tail terms
whether the app is trying to win broad head terms like “fitness,” “notes,” or “timer” too early

If product page views are reasonable but installs are weak, inspect:

first screenshot promise
subtitle clarity
ratings and review recency
description opening lines
pricing/trust objections

What visibility problems usually look like

A visibility issue often starts in metadata. The title may be mostly a brand name, the subtitle may repeat the same words, or the keyword field may be filled with broad terms that established apps already dominate.

A better pattern is to make the title/subtitle carry the clearest category and outcome, then use the keyword field as extra building blocks. For example, a focus app might use metadata to support combinations around focus sessions, pomodoro, deep work, and distraction blocking instead of chasing “productivity” alone.

What conversion problems usually look like

A conversion issue often appears in the first five seconds of the product page.

The app may have a clean UI, but the first screenshot only says “Dashboard.” The description may list features but not explain the outcome. The subtitle may be technically accurate but too generic to help a user choose.

A stronger screenshot sequence tells a story:

outcome users want
how the app creates it
trust/privacy/proof
useful secondary benefit
best product moment

Real report pattern from ASO Playbook

In one generated ASO Playbook report for a focus timer app, the score moved from 71 → 86 and the report included 56 keyword rows. The useful part was not a magic ranking promise. It was the diagnosis: tighter title/subtitle intent, a keyword field built around realistic combinations, and screenshot copy that made the first-frame promise clearer.

That is the loop indie founders need: identify the weakest link, rewrite that part, then measure again.

Quick checklist

Before you rewrite everything, ask:

Are impressions low, or are installs low after views?
Does the title include a category or intent word a user would actually search?
Does the subtitle add new meaning, or repeat the title?
Is the keyword field using all 100 characters without wasting repeats?
Does screenshot #1 explain the outcome at thumbnail size?
Does the description answer the buyer’s real objection in the first few lines?

If you want a concrete teardown, paste your App Store URL into ASO Playbook or view the focus timer report here: https://asoplaybook.ai/report/6404e5e9-5390-4b71-bb42-c642c173b711

The First App Store Screenshot Is Usually Your Biggest Conversion Leak

ASO Playbook — Fri, 15 May 2026 06:48:16 +0000

Many App Store pages lose the sale before users read a word of the description. The first screenshot is often the reason.

Search intent: this is for indie iOS founders who are getting impressions or product-page views, but not enough installs. The goal is not to make prettier screenshots. It is to make the user understand the outcome quickly enough to keep considering the app.

Your first screenshot appears in the decision moment

In App Store search results and product-page previews, the first screenshot helps users decide whether the app is worth a tap. It has to work at thumbnail size, on a phone, while the user is comparing alternatives.

A screenshot that only shows a dashboard may be accurate, but it often fails to explain the promise. Users need to see the outcome quickly.

UI is not the same as value

A clean interface helps. But a clean interface without a clear outcome is still vague.

A habit app screenshot that says “Dashboard” tells less than one that says “Build a 7-day streak.” A budgeting app screenshot that says “Reports” tells less than one that says “Find where your money went.”

Quick checklist:

Use one short headline, ideally four words or fewer.
Show real UI, not only abstract marketing graphics.
Make the text readable at search-result size.
Avoid claims like “#1” or “best” unless you can prove them.

A simple five-frame sequence

The best screenshot sets usually create a story instead of repeating the same screen from five angles.

A practical order:

Frame 1: the outcome users want.
Frame 2: how the app creates that outcome.
Frame 3: trust, proof, privacy, or reliability.
Frame 4: a useful secondary feature.
Frame 5: the best moment in the product experience.

That sequence gives the page a job: explain the promise, show how the app delivers it, reduce doubt, and make the product feel useful.

When screenshots are the real ASO problem

If your app gets product-page views but installs are weak, screenshots may matter more than keywords. Keywords can bring the right user to the page; screenshots help decide whether that user believes the app is worth trying.

A simple diagnosis:

Low impressions: start with title, subtitle, keyword field, category, and realistic search terms.
Decent views but weak installs: inspect screenshots, subtitle clarity, ratings, pricing clarity, and first-line description copy.
Search result taps but poor product-page conversion: the first screenshot and first visible promise are prime suspects.

ASO Playbook includes screenshot headline rewrites and a conversion-first screenshot sequence for your exact app: https://asoplaybook.ai

Originally published at https://asoplaybook.ai/blog/first-app-store-screenshot-conversion.

How to Use the App Store Keyword Field Without Wasting 100 Characters

ASO Playbook — Thu, 14 May 2026 03:02:54 +0000

The App Store keyword field is small, private, and very easy to waste.

For indie iOS apps, it is also one of the few places where careful ASO work can still create a real search advantage.

What Apple actually indexes

Apple keyword search primarily uses the app name, subtitle, keyword field, in-app purchase names, and developer name. The keyword field is not visible to users, but it gives Apple extra words to combine with your title and subtitle.

The important thing to remember: the App Store description is not a keyword-ranking field. The description matters for conversion after someone opens the product page, but adding keywords there does not make Apple rank you for those terms.

Quick map:

App name: 30 characters, highest search weight.
Subtitle: 30 characters, high search weight and visible in search results.
Keyword field: 100 characters, private, comma-separated.
Description: conversion copy, not keyword ranking text.

Do not repeat title and subtitle words

Repeating a word from the title or subtitle inside the keyword field usually wastes space. Apple already has that word.

The keyword field should add new building blocks, not echo visible metadata.

Example: if your title is Budget Tracker and your subtitle includes Bills & Money Goals, do not spend keyword characters on budget, tracker, bills, money, or goals unless you have a very specific localization reason.

Use combinations, not stuffed phrases

Apple can combine individual words.

A compact keyword field such as:

focus,pomodoro,timer,deep,work

can support multiple phrases:

focus timer
pomodoro timer
deep work
deep focus
pomodoro focus

That is why phrase stuffing is usually weaker than word coverage. You want the smallest set of words that creates the most realistic buyer-intent combinations.

The indie app sweet spot

New and small apps should usually avoid head terms like notes, fitness, photo, or music. Those results are crowded with Apple, Google, established consumer brands, and apps with thousands of ratings.

A better path is narrower intent:

offline budget tracker
morning routine planner
gym workout log
toddler sleep sounds
medication reminder for seniors

These phrases may be smaller, but they are more winnable and often convert better.

A simple keyword-field checklist

Before you submit your next App Store version, check this:

Did you use all 100 characters without adding irrelevant words?
Did you remove spaces after commas?
Did you avoid repeating title/subtitle words?
Did you avoid competitor names and Apple trademark terms?
Did you prioritize buyer-intent combinations over broad category words?
Did you keep the field specific to the app's actual use case?

The goal is not to make the metadata look busy. The goal is to help Apple understand the exact searches where your app is a credible result.

Originally published on ASO Playbook: https://asoplaybook.ai/blog/app-store-keyword-field-100-characters

ASO Playbook turns an App Store URL into a concrete ASO rewrite: title, subtitle, keyword field, description, screenshot copy, and a 90-day action plan.