ASO Audit

Analyze App Store and Google Play listings against ASO best practices. Fetches live listing data, scores metadata, visuals, and ratings, then produces a prioritized action plan.

When to Use

• User shares an App Store or Google Play URL
• User asks to audit or optimize an app listing
• User wants to compare their app against competitors
• User asks about app store ranking, visibility, or download conversion

Before Auditing

Check for product marketing context first: If .agents/product-marketing.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing.md, or the legacy product-marketing-context.md filename, in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.

Phase 1 — Identify Store & Fetch

Detect store type from URL

Apple:  apps.apple.com/{country}/app/{name}/id{digits}
Google: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id={package}

If the user gives an app name instead of a URL, search the web for: site:apps.apple.com "{app name}" or site:play.google.com "{app name}"

Fetch the listing

Use WebFetch to retrieve the listing page. Extract every available field:

Apple App Store fields:

• App name (title) — 30 char limit
• Subtitle — 30 char limit
• Description (long) — not indexed for search, but matters for conversion
• Promotional text — 170 chars, updatable without new release
• Category (primary + secondary)
• Screenshots (count, order, caption text)
• Preview video (presence, duration)
• Rating (average + count)
• Recent reviews (visible ones)
• Price / in-app purchases
• Developer name
• Last updated date
• Version history notes
• Age rating
• Size
• Languages / localizations listed
• In-app events (if any visible)

Google Play fields:

• App name (title) — 30 char limit
• Short description — 80 char limit
• Full description — 4,000 char limit, IS indexed for search
• Category + tags
• Feature graphic (presence)
• Screenshots (count, order)
• Preview video (presence)
• Rating (average + count)
• Recent reviews (visible ones)
• Price / in-app purchases
• Developer name
• Last updated date
• What's new text
• Downloads range
• Content rating
• Data safety section
• Languages listed

If WebFetch returns incomplete data (stores render client-side), note gaps and work with what's available. Ask the user to paste missing fields if critical.

Visual asset assessment

WebFetch cannot extract screenshot images or caption text. Take a screenshot of the listing page to get visual data:

1. Navigate to the listing URL and capture a full-page screenshot
2. Assess the screenshot for: icon quality, screenshot count, caption text, messaging quality, preview video presence, feature graphic (Google Play)
3. If browser tools are unavailable, ask the user to share a screenshot of the listing page

Promotional text (Apple): This 170-char field appears above the description but is often indistinguishable from it in scraped HTML. If you cannot confirm its presence, note this and recommend the user check App Store Connect.

---

Phase 1.5 — Assess Brand Maturity

Before scoring, classify the app into one of three tiers. This determines how you interpret "textbook ASO" deviations — a deliberate brand choice by a household name is not the same as a missed opportunity by an unknown app.

Tier definitions

How tier affects scoring

Dominant apps get adjusted scoring in these areas:

• Title: Brand-only or brand-first titles are valid (score 8+ if brand is the keyword). These apps don't need generic keyword discovery.
• Description: Score purely on conversion quality, not keyword presence. If the app is a household name, a well-crafted brand description beats a keyword-stuffed one.
• Visual Assets: Lifestyle/brand photography instead of UI demos is a legitimate conversion strategy. No video is acceptable if the product is hard to demo in 30s or brand awareness is near-universal.
• What's New: Generic release notes at weekly+ cadence are acceptable (score 8+). At scale, detailed changelogs have minimal ROI and risk backlash.
• In-app events: Missing events for utility apps with massive install bases (Uber, WhatsApp) is not a penalty. These apps don't need discovery help.
• Localization: Score relative to actual market, not absolute count. A US-only fintech with 2 languages (English + Spanish) is appropriately localized.

Established apps get partial adjustment:

• Brand-first titles are fine but should still include 1-2 keywords
• Strategic description choices get benefit of the doubt
• Other dimensions scored normally

Challenger apps are scored strictly against textbook ASO best practices — every character, screenshot, and keyword matters.

Key principle: Before docking points, ask: "Is this a mistake or a deliberate choice by a team that has data I don't?" If the app has 1M+ ratings and a dedicated ASO team, assume their choices are data-informed unless clearly wrong.

---

Phase 2 — Score Each Dimension

Score each dimension 0-10 using the criteria in references/scoring-criteria.md. Apply the brand maturity tier adjustments from Phase 1.5.

Reference files for platform specs and benchmarks:

• references/apple-specs.md — Official Apple character limits, screenshot/video specs, CPP/PPO rules, rejection triggers
• references/google-play-specs.md — Official Google Play limits, screenshot specs, Android Vitals thresholds, policies
• references/benchmarks.md — Conversion data, rating impact, video lift, screenshot behavior, CPP/event benchmarks

Dimensions and Weights

Final score = weighted sum, out of 100.

Score interpretation

---

Phase 3 — Competitor Comparison (Optional)

If the user provides competitor URLs or asks for comparison:

1. Fetch 2-3 top competitors in the same category
2. Run the same scoring on each
3. Build a comparison table highlighting where the user's app is weaker/stronger
4. Identify keyword gaps — terms competitors rank for that the user's app doesn't target

If no competitors are specified, suggest the user provide 2-3 or offer to search for top apps in their category.

---

Phase 4 — Generate Report

Use the template in references/report-template.md to structure the output.

The report must include:

1. Score card — table with all 6 dimensions, scores, and grade
2. Top 3 quick wins — changes that take <1 hour and have highest impact
3. Detailed findings — per-dimension breakdown with specific issues and fixes
4. Keyword suggestions — based on title/description analysis and competitor gaps
5. Visual asset recommendations — specific screenshot/video improvements
6. Priority action plan — ordered list of changes by impact vs effort

Report rules

• Every recommendation must be specific and actionable ("Change subtitle from X to Y" not "Improve subtitle")
• Include character counts for all text recommendations
• Flag platform-specific differences (Apple vs Google) when relevant
• Note what CANNOT be assessed without paid tools (search volume, exact rankings)
• When suggesting keyword changes, explain WHY each keyword matters

---

Platform-Specific Rules

Apple App Store — Key Facts

• Title (30 chars) + Subtitle (30 chars) + Keyword field (100 bytes, hidden) = indexed text
• Keywords field is bytes not chars — Arabic/CJK use 2-3 bytes per char
• Long description is NOT indexed for search — optimize for conversion only
• Promotional text (170 chars) does NOT affect search (Apple confirmed)
• Never repeat words across title/subtitle/keyword field (Apple indexes each word once)
• Keyword field: commas, no spaces ("photo,editor,filter" not "photo, editor, filter")
• Screenshots: up to 10 per device. First 3 visible in search — 90% never scroll past 3rd
• Screenshot captions indexed since June 2025 (AI extraction)
• In-app events: max 10 published at once, max 31 days each. Indexed and appear in search
• Custom Product Pages (up to 70) in organic search since July 2025. +5.9% avg conversion lift
• App preview video: up to 3, 15-30s each. Autoplays muted — +20-40% conversion lift
• SKStoreReviewController: max 3 prompts per 365 days
• Apple has human editorial curation — quality and design matter more
• See references/apple-specs.md for full specs, dimensions, and rejection triggers

Google Play — Key Facts

• Title (30 chars) + Short description (80 chars) + Full description (4,000 chars) = indexed text
• Full description IS indexed — target 2-3% keyword density naturally
• No hidden keyword field — all keywords must be in visible text
• Google NLP/semantic understanding — keyword stuffing detected and penalized
• Prohibited in title: emojis, ALL CAPS, "best"/"#1"/"free", CTAs (enforced since 2021)
• Screenshots: min 2, max 8 per device (not 10 like Apple)
• Feature graphic (1024x500, exact) required for featured placements
• Video does NOT autoplay — only ~6% of users tap play (low ROI vs iOS)
• Android Vitals directly affect ranking: crash >1.09% or ANR >0.47% = reduced visibility
• Promotional Content: submit 14 days early for featuring. Apps see 2x explore acquisitions
• Custom Store Listings: up to 50 (can target churned users, specific countries, ad campaigns)
• Store Listing Experiments: test up to 3 variants, run 7+ days, 1 experiment at a time
• See references/google-play-specs.md for full specs and policy details

What Apple Indexes vs What Google Indexes

---

Common Issues Checklist

Flag these if found. Items marked (tier-dependent) should be evaluated against the app's brand maturity tier — they may be deliberate choices for Dominant apps.

Always flag (all tiers):

• Rating below 4.0
• Last update > 3 months ago
• Google Play description has no keyword strategy (under 1% density)
• Google Play missing feature graphic
• Apple keyword field likely has repeated words (inferred from title+subtitle)
• Category mismatch — app would face less competition in a different category
• Fewer than 5 screenshots

Flag for Challenger/Established only (not mistakes for Dominant apps):

• Title wastes characters on brand name only (no keywords) (Dominant: brand IS the keyword)
• Subtitle/short description duplicates title keywords
• Description first 3 lines are generic (Dominant: may be brand-voice choice)
• No preview video (Dominant: may be rational if product is hard to demo)
• Screenshots are just UI dumps with no messaging/captions (Dominant: lifestyle/brand shots may convert better)
• Only 1-2 localizations (score relative to actual market, not absolute count)
• No in-app events or promotional content (Dominant utility apps may not need discovery help)

Flag for all tiers but note context:

• No developer responses to negative reviews (note volume — responding at 10M+ reviews is a different challenge than at 1K)
• Generic "What's New" text (acceptable at weekly+ release cadence for Established/Dominant)

---

Task-Specific Questions

1. What is the App Store or Google Play URL?
2. Is this your app or a competitor's?
3. What category does the app compete in?
4. Do you have competitor URLs to compare against?
5. Are you focused on search visibility, conversion rate, or both?
6. Do you have access to App Store Connect or Google Play Console data?

---

Related Skills

• cro: For optimizing the conversion of web-based landing pages that drive app installs
• ad-creative: For creating App Store and Google Play ad creatives
• analytics: For setting up install attribution and in-app event tracking
• customer-research: For understanding user needs and language to inform listing copy

---

Supporting file: evals/evals.json

{
  "skill_name": "aso",
  "evals": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "prompt": "Here's our app on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/example/id123456789. Can you audit our listing and tell me what to fix?",
      "expected_output": "Should check for product-marketing.md first. Should detect this is an Apple App Store URL and run the full ASO audit workflow. Should fetch the listing and extract Apple-specific fields (title 30 chars, subtitle 30 chars, description, promotional text 170 chars, category, screenshots, video, ratings). Should classify the app's brand maturity tier (Dominant/Established/Challenger) before scoring. Should score all 6 dimensions (Title & Subtitle 20%, Description 15%, Visual Assets 25%, Ratings & Reviews 20%, Metadata & Freshness 10%, Conversion Signals 10%) with weighted total out of 100 and a grade. Should output a scorecard, top 3 quick wins, detailed findings, keyword suggestions, visual recommendations, and prioritized action plan with specific 'change X from Y to Z' recommendations including character counts.",
      "assertions": [
        "Checks for product-marketing.md",
        "Identifies as Apple App Store URL",
        "Classifies brand maturity tier",
        "Scores all 6 dimensions with weights",
        "Provides scorecard with grade",
        "Lists top 3 quick wins",
        "Recommendations include character counts",
        "Recommendations are specific (X to Y format)"
      ],
      "files": []
    },
    {
      "id": 2,
      "prompt": "We're a small fintech startup with about 5,000 downloads. Our Play Store listing has a 2.8 rating and we haven't updated the description in 8 months. Help us figure out what to fix first.",
      "expected_output": "Should recognize this as a Challenger-tier Google Play app. Should immediately flag the always-flag issues: rating below 4.0 (critical), last update >3 months ago. Should apply strict Challenger scoring against textbook best practices. Should focus on Google Play-specific guidance: full description is indexed for search (target 2-3% keyword density), no hidden keyword field, feature graphic required (1024x500), max 8 screenshots, Android Vitals affect ranking. Should prioritize fixing the rating issue (response strategy, in-app review prompts) and refreshing the description with keyword strategy. Should recommend updating the listing soon to break the >3 month stale signal.",
      "assertions": [
        "Identifies as Google Play app",
        "Classifies as Challenger tier",
        "Flags rating below 4.0",
        "Flags stale update (>3 months)",
        "Notes Google Play indexes full description",
        "Mentions feature graphic requirement",
        "Recommends keyword strategy in description",
        "Prioritizes rating improvement"
      ],
      "files": []
    },
    {
      "id": 3,
      "prompt": "Instagram's App Store listing has just 'Instagram' as the title and barely any keywords. Should they fix that?",
      "expected_output": "Should classify Instagram as a Dominant-tier app and apply tier-adjusted scoring. Should explain that brand-only titles are valid for Dominant apps (score 8+ if brand IS the keyword) because users search by brand name, not generic keywords. Should NOT flag this as a missed opportunity. Should explain the key principle: 'Is this a mistake or a deliberate choice by a team that has data I don't?' Should note that other dimensions (screenshots, description, what's new) are also evaluated against tier — lifestyle/brand photography and brief release notes are acceptable for Dominant apps. Should contrast with what would be a problem for a Challenger app.",
      "assertions": [
        "Classifies Instagram as Dominant tier",
        "Explains brand-only titles are valid for Dominant",
        "Does NOT flag the title as a problem",
        "Contrasts Dominant vs Challenger treatment",
        "Cites the 'mistake vs deliberate choice' principle"
      ],
      "files": []
    },
    {
      "id": 4,
      "prompt": "Compare our app https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ourapp/id111 against these two competitors: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/competitor1/id222 and https://apps.apple.com/us/app/competitor2/id333",
      "expected_output": "Should run Phase 3 competitor comparison. Should fetch and score all three apps with the same 6-dimension framework. Should build a side-by-side comparison table highlighting where the user's app is weaker or stronger across each dimension. Should identify keyword gaps — terms competitors target that the user's app doesn't. Should produce a prioritized list of competitor-informed changes. Should call out platform-specific considerations consistently across all three apps.",
      "assertions": [
        "Scores all 3 apps with same framework",
        "Builds comparison table",
        "Identifies where user's app is weaker",
        "Identifies keyword gaps vs competitors",
        "Produces competitor-informed action list"
      ],
      "files": []
    },
    {
      "id": 5,
      "prompt": "We only have 3 screenshots and no preview video. Does this really matter that much?",
      "expected_output": "Should explain that screenshot count and video presence are heavily weighted in the Visual Assets dimension (25% of total score). Should cite specific data: Apple allows up to 10 screenshots per device with the first 3 visible in search, and 90% of users never scroll past the 3rd. Should note Apple screenshot captions are indexed for search since June 2025. Should cite the conversion benchmark: app preview video delivers +20-40% conversion lift on iOS (note Google Play video has lower ROI — only ~6% tap play). Should recommend adding 5-8 screenshots minimum with caption text, and a 15-30s preview video. Should flag fewer than 5 screenshots as an always-flag issue across all tiers.",
      "assertions": [
        "Notes Visual Assets is 25% of score",
        "Cites first 3 screenshots are most important",
        "Mentions screenshot caption indexing (Apple, 2025)",
        "Cites video conversion lift benchmark",
        "Notes Google Play video has lower ROI",
        "Recommends specific screenshot count and video specs",
        "Flags <5 screenshots as always-flag issue"
      ],
      "files": []
    },
    {
      "id": 6,
      "prompt": "Should I run a Custom Product Page experiment on iOS for our paid search campaigns?",
      "expected_output": "Should reference Apple-specific facts: Custom Product Pages (CPP) — up to 70 — appear in organic search since July 2025 with +5.9% average conversion lift. Should explain CPPs let you test variants of screenshots, video, and promotional text against specific traffic sources (e.g., paid search keywords). Should recommend matching CPP variants to the keyword intent for the campaign. Should cross-reference the ab-testing skill for proper experiment design and the ads skill for the campaign side. Should note this is an iOS-only feature (Google Play has Store Listing Experiments and Custom Store Listings as equivalents).",
      "assertions": [
        "Identifies Custom Product Pages as iOS-specific",
        "Cites +5.9% conversion lift benchmark",
        "Explains CPP can match traffic source intent",
        "Cross-references ab-testing or ads skill",
        "Notes Google Play equivalents"
      ],
      "files": []
    }
  ]
}

---

Supporting file: references/apple-specs.md

Apple App Store — Official Specs & Guidelines

All data from developer.apple.com as of March 2026.

Character Limits

Keywords field is 100 bytes, not 100 characters. Non-Latin scripts (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean) use 2-3 bytes per character, reducing effective keyword count significantly.

Screenshot Specs

• Formats: JPEG, PNG
• Apple auto-scales from required base sizes to smaller devices

App Preview Video Specs

• Count: Up to 3 per app
• Duration: 15-30 seconds
• Max file size: 500 MB
• Codecs: H.264 (10-12 Mbps, up to 30fps) or ProRes 422 HQ
• Audio: Stereo, 256 kbps AAC or PCM, 44.1/48 kHz
• Formats: .mov, .m4v, .mp4
• Behavior: Autoplays muted on product page (iOS 11+)

Custom Product Pages (CPPs)

• Max: 70 additional pages (plus 1 default)
• Customizable: Screenshots, promotional text, app previews, deep links (iOS 18+)
• Keywords: Each keyword combo must be unique to a single CPP
• Review: Submitted to App Review independently of app updates
• Organic search: CPPs appear in organic search results since July 2025
• Performance: +2.5 percentage points higher conversion on average vs default

Product Page Optimization (A/B Testing)

• Treatments: Up to 3 vs original
• Testable: App icons, screenshots, app preview videos
• NOT testable: Title, subtitle, description, keywords
• Concurrent tests: 1 per app
• Max duration: 90 days
• Icon constraint: All icon variants must be in the published app binary
• Confidence: Apple recommends 90% threshold (Bayesian method)
• Cannot modify a test once started

In-App Events

• Max approved: 15 in App Store Connect at once
• Max published: 10 on App Store simultaneously
• Max duration: 31 days per event
• Pre-event promotion: Up to 14 days before start
• Badge types: Challenge, Competition, Live Event, Major Update, New Season, Premiere, Special Event

Event card image: 16:9, min 1920x1080, max 3840x2160 Event details image: 9:16, min 1080x1920, max 2160x3840

Not suitable: Repetitive daily tasks, price promotions without new content, general awareness campaigns.

Ratings & Reviews

• SKStoreReviewController: Max 3 prompts per 365-day period
• System controls display frequency (may show fewer than 3)
• Do not use custom buttons to request reviews
• Developers can respond to all reviews in App Store Connect
• Summary rating is territory-specific

Metadata Rejection Triggers (App Review Guidelines)

Sources: developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/, developer.apple.com/app-store/search/, developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/

---

Supporting file: references/benchmarks.md

ASO Benchmarks & Conversion Data

Industry data from AppTweak, SplitMetrics, Sensor Tower, and others. Updated March 2026.

Conversion Rate Benchmarks by Category

Average CVR (page view to install):

• iOS overall: 25.0%
• Google Play overall: 27.3%

*Above 100% = some users install from search without visiting product page.

Source: AppTweak 2025 Benchmarks Report (H1 2024 data, US market)

Rating Impact on Conversion

Critical thresholds:

• 4.0 stars = minimum for Apple featuring, user trust, conversion viability
• 4.5+ stars = optimal zone. Sweet spot: 4.1-4.9
• 5.0 stars can look suspicious to users
• Below 3.5 = sharp visibility drop on both stores
• 79% of users check ratings before downloading
• 50% reject apps below 3 stars

Sources: AppFollow, MobileAction, Sensor Tower, Troof.ai

Preview Video Impact

iOS: +20-40% conversion lift (video autoplays on product page) Google Play: Minimal lift (only ~6% of visitors tap to play)

• Autoplay introduced in iOS 11 caused +47% conversion jump
• Users who watch video are 2x more likely to install
• Average watch time: 4-6.5 seconds (first 5 seconds are critical)
• 50%+ of viewers watch to the end

Takeaway: Video is high-ROI on iOS, low-ROI on Google Play.

Sources: StoreMaven, SplitMetrics, Leanplum

Screenshot Impact

• 90% of users do not scroll past the 3rd screenshot
• Average scroll rate: only 17%
• Users spend 6-10 seconds scanning before deciding
• First screenshot decides everything
• Well-designed screenshots lift conversion 20-35%
• A/B test winners see 10-25% improvement
• Optimal count: 4-5 for utility apps, 5-6 for complex apps
• More than 6: diminishing returns, can cause decision paralysis
• Top 200 apps update screenshots 2-4 times/year
• Top Google Play games update visuals up to 8x/year
• 57% of top games A/B tested screenshots at least 2x in 2024

Sources: AppTweak, ASOMobile, Sensor Tower

Custom Product Pages (Apple CPPs)

• Average conversion lift: +5.9% for apps, +3.5% for games
• Best cases: up to +8.6%
• Organic referral: +2.5 percentage points (156% lift vs 1.6% baseline)
• Apple Ads CPP CVR: 55.8% in 2024 (up from 42.1% in 2023)
• Only 31% of apps and 26% of games use CPPs (low adoption = opportunity)
• Screenshot reordering alone produced +16.6% installs in one case

Sources: AppTweak, SplitMetrics, MobileAction

Custom Store Listings (Google Play CSLs)

• Up to 50 custom versions per app
• Case study (Lockwood/Avakin Life): +57% CVR over 2 months
• Can target inactive/churned users (28+ days no activity)

Source: Phiture, MobileAction

In-App Events (Apple)

• 55% of top 200 apps use them regularly
• +15-20% more impressions from editorial/browse placements
• One case: +124% surge in total impressions
• One case: +50% impressions AND first-time downloads
• Search CVR uptick: +10.3%
• Re-downloads increase: +15.5%
• Boost is short-lived -- KPIs drop to baseline when event ends
• Optimal: 2-4 active events per month

Sources: Phiture, AppTweak, Appalize

Promotional Content (Google Play)

• Apps with featuring see 2x explore acquisitions (official Google)
• +2% 28-day active users and +4% revenue on average

Source: Google Play Console documentation

A/B Test Impact Thresholds

Source: SplitMetrics, MobileAction

---

Supporting file: references/google-play-specs.md

Google Play Store — Official Specs & Guidelines

All data from support.google.com and developer.android.com as of March 2026.

Character Limits

Prohibited in Metadata (enforced since Sept 2021)

Title, Icon, Developer Name:

• Emojis, emoticons, repeated special characters
• ALL CAPS (unless registered brand)
• Performance claims: "top," "best," "#1," "free," "no ads"
• Misleading store performance or endorsement
• Calls-to-action: "update now," "download now"

Short Description:

• Same performance claims as title
• Calls-to-action
• Unattributed testimonials

Screenshots, Feature Graphic, Video:

• Time-sensitive taglines
• Calls-to-action ("Download now," "Play now")
• Must authentically showcase app functionality

Screenshot Specs

• Recommended phone size: 1080x1920 (portrait)
• Format: JPEG or 24-bit PNG (no alpha)
• Max file size: 8 MB each

Note: Google Play max is 8 screenshots per device, not 10 like Apple.

Feature Graphic

• Dimensions: 1024 x 500 px (exact, required)
• Format: JPEG or 24-bit PNG (no alpha)
• Displayed at top of listing and in featured placements

App Icon

• Dimensions: 512 x 512 px
• Format: 32-bit PNG (with alpha)
• Max file size: 1,024 KB
• Shape: Full square (Google applies 30% corner radius automatically)
• Prohibited: Ranking claims, download counts, deal text, emoji

Preview Video

• Format: YouTube URL (public or unlisted)
• Duration: 30 seconds to 2 minutes recommended
• No ads, no monetization, must be embeddable, not age-restricted
• Does NOT autoplay (only ~6% of visitors tap to play)

Store Listing Experiments (A/B Testing)

• Variants: Up to 3 per experiment (plus control)
• Testable: Icon, feature graphic, screenshots, video, short description, full description
• Concurrent: Cannot run more than 1 default graphics experiment simultaneously
• Audience: Signed-in Google Play users only
• Metrics: First-time installers + retained first-time installers (1-day retention)
• Duration: Run at least 7 days (weekday/weekend variance)
• Localized: Test across up to 5 languages simultaneously

Custom Store Listings

• Max: 50 per app (100 for Play partners)
• Customizable: Title, short/full description, icon, screenshots, feature graphic, video
• Targeting: Country/region, pre-registration, install state, Google Ads campaigns, inactive/churned users (28+ days)
• 2025 addition: Gemini AI auto-generates text for CSLs in Play Console

Promotional Content (LiveOps)

• Submit 4+ days before start (standard review)
• Submit 14+ days before for featuring requests
• Impact: "Over twice as many explore acquisitions during featuring" (official Google)

Android Vitals — Ranking Thresholds

Apps exceeding these thresholds get reduced visibility in search and recommendations.

Consequences: Reduced search visibility, warning labels on listing, quality alerts to users before install. Recovery: Google checks daily using 28-day rolling average.

Search Ranking — Official Factors

Google confirms these affect ranking:

1. Metadata relevance — Title carries most weight. NLP scans title + short desc + full desc.
2. App quality — Android Vitals (crash/ANR rates)
3. Ratings and reviews — Star rating + review text. 85% of featured apps have 4.0+
4. Install volume and velocity — Total installs + daily/weekly frequency
5. Engagement and retention — Session frequency, duration, retention rates
6. Update frequency — Regular updates signal active maintenance
7. Localization — Regional keyword/visual adaptation. 59% of US apps localize titles.

Sources: support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/4448378, support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9898842, developer.android.com/topic/performance/vitals

---

Supporting file: references/report-template.md

ASO Audit Report Template

Use this structure for all ASO audit reports.

---

Header

# ASO Audit: {App Name}
**Store:** {Apple App Store / Google Play}
**URL:** {listing URL}
**Audit date:** {date}
**Brand tier:** {Dominant / Established / Challenger} — {one-line justification}
**Overall Score:** {score}/100 (Grade: {A/B/C/D/F})

---

Score Card

| Dimension | Score | Grade | Key Issue |
|-----------|-------|-------|-----------|
| Title & Subtitle | X/10 | {grade} | {one-line summary} |
| Description | X/10 | {grade} | {one-line summary} |
| Visual Assets | X/10 | {grade} | {one-line summary} |
| Ratings & Reviews | X/10 | {grade} | {one-line summary} |
| Metadata & Freshness | X/10 | {grade} | {one-line summary} |
| Conversion Signals | X/10 | {grade} | {one-line summary} |
| **OVERALL** | **{weighted}/100** | **{grade}** | |

Grade scale per dimension: 9-10 = A, 7-8 = B, 5-6 = C, 3-4 = D, 1-2 = F

---

Top 3 Quick Wins

Highest-impact changes that take under 1 hour:

### 1. {Action verb} — {specific change}
**Impact:** {High/Medium} | **Effort:** {<15 min / <30 min / <1 hour}
**Current:** {what it is now}
**Recommended:** {exact replacement, with character count}
**Why:** {one sentence explaining the impact}

### 2. ...
### 3. ...

---

Detailed Findings

Title & Subtitle Analysis

**Current title:** "{title}" ({X}/30 chars used)
**Current subtitle/short desc:** "{subtitle}" ({X}/30 or /80 chars used)

**Issues found:**
- {issue 1}
- {issue 2}

**Recommended title:** "{new title}" ({X}/30 chars) — {rationale}
**Recommended subtitle:** "{new subtitle}" ({X}/30 or /80 chars) — {rationale}

Description Analysis

**First 3 lines (above fold):**
> {quoted text}

**Issues found:**
- {issue 1}
- {issue 2}

**Keyword density (Google Play only):** {X}% — target: 2-3%
**Top keywords found:** {keyword1} (Xn), {keyword2} (Xn), ...
**Missing high-value keywords:** {keyword1}, {keyword2}, ...

**Recommended first 3 lines:**
> {rewritten text}

Visual Assets Analysis

**Screenshots:** {count} ({store} shows first {3/all} in search)
**Preview video:** {Yes/No}
**Icon assessment:** {description}
**Feature graphic (Google Play):** {Yes/No}

**Screenshot audit:**
1. {screenshot 1 description} — {pass/issue}
2. {screenshot 2 description} — {pass/issue}
...

**Recommendations:**
- {specific visual change 1}
- {specific visual change 2}

Ratings & Reviews Analysis

**Average rating:** {X.X} stars ({count} ratings)
**Recent review sentiment:** {Positive/Mixed/Negative}
**Common complaints:** {theme1}, {theme2}
**Developer responses:** {Yes, active / Sporadic / None}

**Recommendations:**
- {specific action 1}
- {specific action 2}

Metadata & Freshness

**Last updated:** {date} ({X days/months ago})
**Localizations:** {count} languages
**Category:** {current category}
**In-app events/LiveOps:** {Yes/No}

**Recommendations:**
- {specific action 1}
- {specific action 2}

Conversion Signals

**Price model:** {Free / Freemium / Paid}
**IAP count:** {count}
**Downloads (Google Play):** {range}
**Social proof visible:** {awards, press, badges — or "none"}

**Recommendations:**
- {specific action 1}
- {specific action 2}

---

Keyword Suggestions

| Keyword | Rationale | Where to Place | Priority |
|---------|-----------|----------------|----------|
| {keyword} | {why this keyword} | {title/subtitle/description/keyword field} | {High/Med/Low} |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |

Note: Without paid ASO tools, exact search volume is unavailable. These suggestions are based on category analysis, competitor metadata, and semantic relevance. Validate with AppTweak, Sensor Tower, or MobileAction for volume data.

---

Competitor Comparison (if applicable)

| Metric | {Your App} | {Competitor 1} | {Competitor 2} |
|--------|-----------|----------------|----------------|
| Title keywords | ... | ... | ... |
| Rating | ... | ... | ... |
| Screenshots | ... | ... | ... |
| Video | ... | ... | ... |
| Description keywords | ... | ... | ... |
| Last updated | ... | ... | ... |
| Overall ASO score | ... | ... | ... |

---

Priority Action Plan

Ordered by impact (high to low), grouped by effort:

### Do This Week (Quick Wins)
1. {action} — {expected impact}
2. {action} — {expected impact}

### Do This Month (Medium Effort)
3. {action} — {expected impact}
4. {action} — {expected impact}

### Plan for Next Quarter (High Effort)
5. {action} — {expected impact}
6. {action} — {expected impact}

---

Limitations

Always include this section:

What this audit cannot measure without paid ASO tools:

• Exact keyword search volume and difficulty scores
• Historical keyword ranking positions
• Download and revenue estimates
• Apple keyword field contents (hidden from public view)
• Install conversion rate data (only available to app owner in console)
• A/B test results from previous experiments

For these data points, consider using AppTweak ($69/mo), Sensor Tower, or MobileAction ($69/mo).

---

Supporting file: references/scoring-criteria.md

ASO Scoring Criteria

Score each dimension 0-10 using the rubrics below. Apply brand maturity tier adjustments from Phase 1.5 of the main skill.

---

Brand Maturity Adjustments (apply to all dimensions)

Before scoring, determine the app's tier: Dominant, Established, or Challenger.

Dominant apps (Instagram, Uber, Spotify, WhatsApp, Netflix):

• Brand-only titles score 8+ (the brand IS the keyword)
• Lifestyle/brand screenshots score same as captioned UI screenshots
• Generic What's New at weekly+ cadence scores 8+
• Missing in-app events for utility apps is not a penalty
• Description scored on conversion quality only, not keyword presence
• Localization scored relative to actual market footprint
• Missing preview video is acceptable if brand awareness is near-universal

Established apps (Duolingo, Strava, Notion, Calm, Cash App):

• Brand-first titles with 1-2 keywords score normally
• Strategic description/visual choices get benefit of the doubt
• All other dimensions scored normally

Challenger apps (most apps):

• Scored strictly against textbook ASO — every character and feature matters

Key principle: Before docking points, ask: "Is this a mistake or a data-informed choice by a team with more information than I have?"

---

1. Title & Subtitle (Weight: 20%)

Challenger rubric:

Dominant/Established adjustment: Brand-only titles (e.g., "Instagram") are valid if the brand has high search volume. Score 8+ for Dominant apps where brand recognition eliminates the need for generic keywords. Evaluate whether unused characters represent waste or intentional simplicity.

Check for:

• Characters used vs limit (title: 30, subtitle/short desc: 30/80). "Near max" = within 3 chars of the limit (27+/30, 77+/80)
• Primary keyword in title
• Keyword duplication between title and subtitle
• Whether app purpose is immediately clear
• Unnecessary words (articles, prepositions) consuming space
• Special characters or claims ("#1", "best") that risk rejection (Apple)

---

2. Description (Weight: 15%)

Apple App Store

Google Play

Check for:

• First 3 lines quality (visible before "Read More")
• Feature-benefit framing (not just feature lists)
• Social proof (downloads, awards, press mentions)
• Call to action
• Keyword density (Google Play only - count target keywords / total words)
• HTML formatting usage (Google Play)
• Promotional text presence and quality (Apple)

---

3. Visual Assets (Weight: 25%)

Check for:

• Screenshot count (minimum 5, ideal 8-10)
• Caption/overlay text on screenshots (one message per screen, 5-7 words max)
• First 3 screenshots (highest conversion impact on Apple)
• Preview video presence and quality
• Icon distinctiveness (no text in icon, bold shapes, stands out)
• Feature graphic presence (Google Play - mandatory for featured placements)
• Screenshot storytelling flow (do they tell a coherent story?)
• Localized visual assets (for non-English markets)
• Caption keywords (Apple - indexed since June 2025)

---

4. Ratings & Reviews (Weight: 20%)

Check for:

• Average rating (target: 4.0+ minimum, 4.5+ ideal)
• Total rating count
• Recent review sentiment (last 5-10 visible reviews)
• Common complaint themes (bugs, crashes, pricing, UX)
• Developer response presence and quality
• Rating trend (improving or declining, if visible)
• Review recency (fresh reviews signal active user base)

---

5. Metadata & Freshness (Weight: 10%)

Check for:

• Last update date and recency
• Number of supported languages/localizations
• Category selection (is it the best fit? less competitive alternative?)
• In-app events (Apple) or promotional content (Google) presence
• Data safety / privacy nutrition label completeness
• Age rating appropriateness
• Version history quality (do release notes communicate value?)
• What's New text quality

---

6. Conversion Signals (Weight: 10%)

Check for:

• Price transparency (free, freemium, paid - is it clear?)
• In-app purchase list quality (do IAP names communicate value?)
• Download range (Google Play - 10K+, 100K+, 1M+ signals trust)
• Developer name/brand recognition
• "Editors' Choice" or featured badges
• Press mentions or awards in description
• Related apps from same developer (portfolio trust signal)
• Privacy practices transparency

---

Calculating Final Score

Final Score = (Title * 0.20) + (Description * 0.15) + (Visuals * 0.25)
            + (Ratings * 0.20) + (Metadata * 0.10) + (Conversion * 0.10)

Scale to 100: Final Score * 10

Example: Title: 7, Description: 6, Visuals: 8, Ratings: 9, Metadata: 5, Conversion: 7

(7 * 0.20) + (6 * 0.15) + (8 * 0.25) + (9 * 0.20) + (5 * 0.10) + (7 * 0.10)
= 1.4 + 0.9 + 2.0 + 1.8 + 0.5 + 0.7
= 7.3 → 73/100 → Grade: B