App store optimisation guide
A complete guide to app store optimisation with FuturByte
How app store optimisation works on Apple and Google's stores, what we change and test, how results are measured and how Dubai businesses can prepare for the work.
What app store optimisation is
App store optimisation, usually shortened to ASO, is the ongoing work of improving how an app appears and performs inside the Apple App Store and Google Play. It has two goals. The first is visibility, so the app shows up when people search for the problems it solves or browse its category. The second is conversion, so people who land on the listing understand the app quickly and choose to install it.
Most app downloads still begin inside the stores themselves, through search, browsing or a featured placement. A listing that uses the wrong words, shows unclear screenshots or carries a weak rating can lose those people within seconds, however good the app is. ASO brings the same discipline to that store page that search optimisation brings to a website, using evidence rather than guesswork.
Who ASO suits
ASO helps any business whose app depends on steady new installs. That includes retail and food ordering apps competing in busy categories, service and booking apps that want to reach new neighbourhoods, fintech and wellness apps where trust decides the install, and startups preparing a launch who want to get the listing right from the first day.
It is equally useful for established apps that have stopped growing. A listing written at launch often no longer matches the product, the audience or the way people now search. Refreshing it with current evidence can lift both visibility and conversion without changing a line of the app's code, which makes it one of the most efficient improvements available to a product team.
How the two stores differ
Apple and Google rank and present apps differently, so each store needs its own plan. On the App Store, the app name, subtitle and a hidden keyword field carry most of the search weight, while the long description is not indexed for search. Screenshots dominate the search results view, so the first three images do much of the selling.
On Google Play, the title, short description and full description are all read by the search algorithm, so natural, well structured copy matters a great deal. Google also weighs technical quality signals such as crash rates and battery use. We treat each listing on its own terms rather than copying one onto the other, while keeping the brand and message consistent.
Audit and baseline
Every engagement starts with an audit of your current listings on both stores. We review titles, descriptions, keyword coverage, screenshots, icon, preview video, ratings, review themes, category choice and localisation, and we compare them with the apps that appear alongside yours for your most valuable searches.
We also record a baseline from App Store Connect and the Google Play Console: impressions, product page views, conversion rate, installs by source and current keyword rankings. That baseline is essential. Without it, nobody can say later whether a change helped, so we capture it carefully before anything is touched and share it with you in plain language.
Keyword research for app stores
People search app stores differently from the way they search the web. Queries are shorter, often a single word or a task such as food delivery, prayer times or rent car. We research the terms your audience actually types, estimate their popularity and difficulty, and judge how closely each matches what your app genuinely does.
The result is a prioritised keyword map for each store and each language, showing which terms belong in the title, which suit the subtitle or short description and which go into the keyword field or body copy. We avoid chasing popular terms that do not match the product, because installs from mismatched searches tend to uninstall quickly and can damage rankings over time.
Arabic and English listings
In the UAE and wider Gulf, many users search in Arabic, many in English and many in both. Each language is treated as a separate market for ASO, with its own keyword research, because a direct translation of English keywords rarely matches the words Arabic speakers actually use.
We write Arabic titles, subtitles and descriptions natively rather than translating them, and we design screenshots with right to left layouts and Arabic captions that read naturally. Both stores let you localise listings by language and region, so customers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and beyond can each see a version written for them.
Writing titles and descriptions
Store copy has to work for algorithms and for people at the same time. The title should name the brand and its core purpose clearly. The subtitle or short description should state the main benefit in a few words. The full description should open with what the app does and why it matters, then explain features in clear, scannable sections.
We write copy that reads naturally, avoids keyword stuffing and stays within each store's rules, which prohibit misleading claims and irrelevant terms. Every change is logged with its date, so its effect on rankings and conversion can be traced. Copy is reviewed with your team before release to make sure it reflects the product accurately.
Screenshots, icon and preview video
Visual assets do most of the persuading on a store page. Many people decide whether to install after glancing at the icon and the first two or three screenshots, often without reading a word of the description. We design screenshots that each show one clear task or benefit, with short captions and real app screens.
The icon needs to stand out at small sizes among neighbouring apps in search results, so we test variations of colour, shape and simplicity. Preview videos, where they suit the app, show the product in motion within the first few seconds. All assets are produced at the sizes each store requires for phones and tablets, in both languages.
Testing what works
Opinions about listings vary, so we test. Google Play offers store listing experiments that show different versions of icons, screenshots and descriptions to separate groups of visitors. Apple offers product page optimisation for testing icons, screenshots and previews against the original.
We plan tests one variable at a time, run them long enough to reach a reliable result and adopt only the versions that clearly win. Apple's custom product pages and Google's custom store listings also let us create dedicated versions for specific campaigns or audiences, which can lift conversion from paid traffic considerably.
Ratings and reviews
Ratings influence both rankings and the decision to install. A drop of even a few tenths of a star can noticeably reduce conversion. We analyse review themes to find the issues that frustrate users most and share them with your product team, because the strongest way to improve ratings is to fix what people complain about.
We also help you ask for ratings at the right moment, using the built in prompts each platform provides, typically after a user completes a task successfully. Responding to reviews politely and promptly, in the reviewer's language, shows prospective users that someone is listening, and both stores display those replies publicly.
Technical quality and store signals
Store algorithms reward apps that behave well. On Google Play, Android vitals such as crash rate, frozen frames and excessive battery use can affect visibility. On both stores, high uninstall rates and poor retention send negative signals about the app's quality.
Where these issues appear, we flag them clearly to your developers, or address them ourselves if we built or maintain the app. ASO cannot compensate for an app that crashes, so we look at quality alongside the listing rather than treating the store page in isolation. Improving stability often lifts ratings, retention and rankings together, which makes it some of the most valuable work in any ASO plan.
Events, promotions and seasonal moments
Both stores let apps promote timely content. Apple's in app events and Google Play's promotional content can appear in search results and editorial areas, highlighting a sale, a new feature, a live event or a seasonal campaign.
In the UAE, moments such as Ramadan, Eid, the Dubai Shopping Festival, back to school and National Day shape what people look for. We plan events and refreshed creative around them, so your listing reflects what customers care about at that time rather than staying the same all year. Seasonal screenshots and captions can be prepared in advance and switched on at the right moment.
ASO alongside paid acquisition
Organic and paid installs support each other. Apple Ads and Google App campaigns can bring an app visibility for important searches while organic rankings build, and search term data from those campaigns reveals keywords worth targeting organically.
A well optimised listing also makes every paid click more valuable, because a higher conversion rate means more installs from the same traffic. Where you run paid campaigns, we align the listing and custom product pages with the ads so the message carries through from first impression to install.
How we measure results
We report on the measures that reflect real progress: keyword rankings for priority terms, impressions, product page views, conversion rate from page view to install, and installs by source. Where analytics allow, we also track what happens after install, such as sign ups, first orders and retention.
Reports are short and practical, explaining what changed, what effect it had and what we plan next. Rankings can move for reasons outside anyone's control, such as algorithm updates or a competitor's campaign, so we look at trends over weeks rather than reacting to single days. That patience keeps decisions grounded in reliable evidence.
How an engagement runs
Work usually begins with the audit and keyword research, followed by a first round of listing updates in both languages. After that, ASO runs in monthly cycles of testing, refinement and reporting, with a review call to agree priorities.
Changes to listings are approved by your team before submission. Where your developers manage store accounts, we prepare everything ready to upload; where you prefer, we handle submissions directly with appropriate access. Either way, nothing goes live without your sign off. We keep a shared change log so everyone can see what was updated, when and why.
Launching a new app
For apps that are not yet live, ASO starts before launch. We research keywords, write listings, design screenshots and plan the first rating prompts so the app enters the stores ready to compete from the first day.
A strong first impression matters, because early downloads and ratings help establish an app's position. We coordinate with your launch plan and marketing activity so store pages, ads, website and social channels all tell the same story. In the weeks after launch we watch keyword movement and early reviews closely, adjusting the listing quickly as real data arrives.
How to prepare for a first conversation
It helps to share links to your app listings, access to App Store Connect and Google Play Console data if you can, your main audiences and markets, and any campaigns you run or plan. Notes on what users say in reviews and support tickets are very useful too.
We will review your listings, explain where we see the clearest opportunities and suggest a practical plan. Our clients rate us 4.9 from 23 reviews on Clutch. When you are ready, send our Dubai team a message with your app's name and what you would like it to achieve.
4.9