Metadata
ASO checklist: what to check before you submit an App Store update
Twenty quick checks for your name, subtitle, keyword field and screenshots before you press Submit.
Updated · 2 min read
Most metadata changes only go live with a new version, so a mistake can cost you weeks of rankings. Run through this list before each submission.
Limits and formatting
- App name is 30 characters or fewer.
- Subtitle is 30 characters or fewer.
- Keyword field is 100 characters or fewer, separated by commas, with no spaces after the commas.
- Promotional text is 170 characters or fewer (it isn’t indexed, but it is the first thing people read).
- No duplicate words inside the keyword field.
Wasted characters
- No word in the keyword field that already appears in the name or subtitle.
- No filler words such as “the”, “and”, “for” or “with” in the keyword field.
- No “app” or “iphone”: they add nothing to searches about your app.
- Singular and plural of the same word only when you have checked both rank differently.
- The keyword field is close to full: 90 or more of the 100 characters used.
Rejection risks
Apple’s App Review Guideline 2.3.7 asks for a unique name and keywords that describe your app, without trademarked terms, popular app names, pricing information or irrelevant phrases. In practice:
- No competitor or brand names you don’t own, in any field.
- No prices or “free” in the name or subtitle.
- No claims like “best”, “#1” or “top” that you can’t back up.
- No emoji or decorative symbols in the name.
Keywords you might lose
The most expensive mistake is removing a word you already rank well for. Before you change anything, list the keywords where you rank in the top 50 and confirm the new name, subtitle and keyword field still contain all of their words.
The product page
- The first three screenshots explain the app without the description.
- Screenshots are localized for your biggest storefronts.
- What’s New says something a user cares about.
- If you run product page optimization tests, the test is finished or paused before you change the elements it compares.
After the release
- Note the release date, so you can compare before and after.
- Watch daily ranks for the keywords you added and the ones you kept.
- Compare downloads from App Store search and the conversion rate over two to four weeks. Conversion guide.
Related questions
Can I change keywords without a new version?
No. The keyword field, name and subtitle change with a new version. Promotional text is the one field you can change at any time.
Should I fill all 100 characters?
Yes. Every unused character is a search you could have appeared in.