Blog / ASO · Growth
App Store optimisation checklist for 2026
A practical ASO checklist for the App Store and Google Play: metadata, screenshots, localisation, ratings, custom product pages and the in-app changes that lift conversion.
· 2 min read · Vasoo
App Store optimisation is the ongoing work of being found and being chosen in the store. This is the checklist we run for our own apps and for clients. Work through it in order; the early items compound.
Metadata
- ■App name uses the brand and the highest-value keyword within the character limit
- ■Subtitle (App Store) and short description (Google Play) carry the next most valuable terms
- ■Keyword field (App Store) has no duplicates of words already in name or subtitle
- ■Long description leads with the outcome, not the feature list
Creative
- ■First two screenshots show the retention moment, with a caption that reads without the image
- ■Preview video opens on the result, not the splash screen
- ■Icon reads at 60 pixels and stands out against neighbours in search results
- ■Custom product pages for the top paid and organic keyword themes
Localisation
- ■Listing localised for every market that produces installs
- ■In-app experience localised to match, at least for onboarding and paywall
- ■Screenshots re-captioned per language, not just translated
Ratings and reviews
- ■Review prompt fires after a success moment, never on launch
- ■Every review answered, negative ones within days
- ■Ratings reset only with a major version and a reason
Measurement
- ■Impressions, product page views, conversion and installs tracked monthly per country
- ■Paywall and onboarding tests run with enough traffic to be significant
- ■Keyword rankings tracked for the terms in the keyword map
Our App Store optimisation service runs this checklist with monthly reporting. Start a project to request a listing audit.