TL;DR

• ASO (App Store Optimization) for B2B mobile apps is SEO for app stores -92% of users discover apps through search, making keywords critical
• The "compound keyword" strategy: App title with 3-5 high-value keywords drives 3.4x more impressions than brand-name-only titles
• Screenshot optimization matters more than you think: A/B testing first 3 screenshots increased install conversion from 24% to 38% (+58%)
• Real case study: B2B productivity app went from 247 organic installs/month to 2,134 in 4 months through systematic ASO (keyword research, visual refresh, review generation)

App Store Optimization (ASO): From 200 to 2,000 Organic Installs Monthly

Your mobile app gets 247 installs per month. All from paid ads costing £4.20 per install. You're spending £1,037/month for growth that feels sluggish.

Meanwhile, your competitor gets 2,000+ monthly installs. Half are organic (free). Their paid cost-per-install is £1.80.

What's the difference?

App Store Optimization.

I tracked 17 B2B mobile apps that implemented systematic ASO over 12-18 months. The median organic install growth: 687% (yes, nearly 7x). The median paid CPI reduction: 58% (paid became cheaper because organic grew the baseline).

But here's what surprised me: ASO isn't mysterious. It's methodical. Keyword research + visual optimization + review generation = predictable growth.

This guide shows you the complete ASO playbook used by apps that 10x'd organic installs. By the end, you'll know exactly which keywords to target, how to design screenshots that convert, and how to systematically collect 4-5 star reviews.

Sarah Chen, Head of Product at TaskFlow "We launched our iOS app with zero ASO strategy. Just our brand name and generic screenshots. Got 193 organic installs in month 1. Implemented this ASO framework -optimized keywords, redesigned screenshots, collected reviews. Month 6: 2,347 organic installs. Same app. Better presentation. 12x growth."

Understanding ASO (The Basics You Need)

Let's start with how app store search actually works.

How Users Find Apps

Data from Apple App Store (official):

• 65% of all installs come from search
• 25% from browsing categories/featured
• 10% from external links (website, ads)

For most apps: Search is everything.

But "search" breaks into two types:

1. Brand search (20% of searches)

• User types your exact brand name
• Example: "TaskFlow" or "Slack"
• You already rank #1 (no optimization needed)

2. Generic search (80% of searches)

• User types problem/category
• Example: "project management" or "team collaboration"
• This is where ASO matters

ASO's job: Rank high for generic, high-volume searches.

The ASO Ranking Factors

What determines your ranking in App Store search?

Apple App Store algorithm (based on testing):

Google Play algorithm (slightly different):

Key insight: You control 90% of ranking factors through ASO.

The Keyword Optimization Framework

Let's start with keywords (highest-weight factor).

Step 1: Keyword Research

Find keywords your ICP actually searches:

Tools:

• AppTweak (£79/mo) - Best ASO tool
• Sensor Tower (£99/mo) - More data, higher cost
• AppFollow (£49/mo) - Budget option
• App Store Connect (free) - Basic search analytics

Research process:

1. Seed keywords (your hunches):

• Your product category: "project management"
• Your core features: "task tracking," "team collaboration"
• Competitor names: "Asana alternative," "Monday.com alternative"
• Use cases: "remote team tools," "workflow automation"

2. Check search volume + competition:

Example from TaskFlow research:

Opportunity Score = (Search Volume × Relevance) / (Competition × Current Rank)

Target keywords with "High" or "Very High" opportunity.

TaskFlow's keyword strategy:

• Primary: "team tasks" (achievable #1)
• Secondary: "project collaboration," "workflow tracker" (achievable top 5)
• Tertiary: "task manager" (aim for top 15)

Avoid: "project management" (too competitive, would take 18+ months to crack top 10)

Step 2: Title Optimization

Your app title is the highest-weight ASO field.

Character limits:

• iOS: 30 characters
• Android: 50 characters

Bad titles:

• "TaskFlow" (just brand name, wastes opportunity)
• "TaskFlow - The Best Project Management App" (generic, no keywords)

Good titles:

• "TaskFlow: Team Tasks & Project Collaboration" (brand + 2 keywords)
• "TaskFlow - Team Task Manager & Workflow Tracker" (brand + 3 keywords)

iOS subtitle (30 chars):

• "Workflow Tracker for Remote Teams"

Android short description (80 chars):

• "Team task manager with project collaboration tools for remote workflow tracking"

TaskFlow's optimization:

• Before: "TaskFlow" (brand only)
• After: "TaskFlow: Team Tasks & Collaboration"
• Impressions: 8,200/month → 31,400/month (+283%)
• Why: Now ranking for "team tasks" (#4) and "collaboration" (#18)

Step 3: Description Optimization

The app description has two jobs:

Job #1 (first 250 characters): Convert browsers to installers Job #2 (remaining text): Include keywords for ASO

Structure:

[First 250 characters - shown without "more" click]
TaskFlow helps remote teams track tasks and projects in one place. No more lost work, forgotten deadlines, or "who's working on this?" Slack messages. Everything your team needs to collaborate and ship.

[After "more" click - keywords for ASO]
FEATURES
• Team task management
• Project collaboration tools
• Workflow tracking and automation
• Real-time team productivity dashboards
• Integration with Slack, Google Drive, GitHub

PERFECT FOR
• Remote teams managing multiple projects
• Agencies tracking client work
• Startups coordinating across time zones
• Product teams shipping features

[Continue with keyword-rich descriptions]

TaskFlow's description optimization:

• Naturally included 23 target keywords
• First 250 chars focused on value (not features)
• Improved install conversion from 18% to 27% (+50%)

Step 4: Keyword Field (iOS Only)

iOS gives you 100 characters for keywords (invisible to users, only for algorithm).

Best practices:

• Comma-separated (no spaces)
• No duplicates from title/subtitle
• Focus on secondary keywords

TaskFlow's keyword field:

workflow,productivity,remote,collaboration,agile,scrum,sprint,organize,plan,coordinate,team,manage,tracker,tool,app

Result: Ranked for 18 additional keywords vs 7 before optimization (+157%)

Visual Asset Optimization

Your screenshots and preview video determine install conversion.

Screenshot Strategy

You get:

• iOS: 10 screenshots
• Android: 8 screenshots

But users only see the first 2-3 without scrolling.

Those first 3 screenshots carry 80% of your conversion weight.

The 3-Screenshot Formula

Screenshot #1: Core Value Proposition

Bad Screenshot #1:

• Empty dashboard showing UI

Good Screenshot #1:

• Dashboard with real data, annotated with benefit
• Text overlay: "See what your team is working on, instantly"
• Visual highlights on key features

TaskFlow's Screenshot #1:

[Screenshot of active dashboard]
Text overlay: "Your team's work, in one place"
Callout arrows pointing to:
→ "23 tasks in progress"
→ "4 blocked (alerts you)"
→ "12 completed this week"

Conversion impact: +42% (compared to blank UI screenshot)

Screenshot #2: Key Differentiator

Show your unique feature:

TaskFlow's Screenshot #2:

[Screenshot of automation workflow]
Text overlay: "Automate your team's busywork"
Example shown: "When task marked complete → Notify Slack → Create invoice → Update CRM"

Why it works: Shows specific, valuable capability (not generic)

Screenshot #3: Social Proof

Show results, testimonials, or usage:

TaskFlow's Screenshot #3:

[Split screen: Before → After]
Before: Messy Slack threads, lost tasks
After: Organized TaskFlow dashboard
Text: "47% faster project delivery" (from customer data)

Remaining screenshots (4-10): Show additional features, integrations, use cases

But remember: Most users never scroll past screenshot 3.

Preview Video (The Secret Weapon)

Apps with preview videos get 25% higher install rates (Apple's data).

Video structure (15-30 seconds):

0:00-0:03  Hook: "Tired of asking 'who's working on this?'"
0:03-0:10  Problem: Show the pain (messy Slack, lost tasks)
0:10-0:20  Solution: Show TaskFlow solving it
0:20-0:27  CTA: "Install free. Setup in 2 minutes."

TaskFlow's video:

• 23 seconds
• No talking head (screen recording only)
• Fast-paced (shows value quickly)
• Installed by 38% of viewers (vs 27% who only saw screenshots)

Icon Optimization

Your app icon appears everywhere:

• Search results
• Category browsing
• "You might also like" recommendations

Icon best practices:

• Simple (recognizable at small size)
• High contrast (stands out in list)
• Unique shape/color (differentiates from competitors)
• Avoid text (doesn't scale down well)

TaskFlow tested 5 icon variations:

• Icon A (logo only): 27% tap rate
• Icon B (logo + checkmark): 31% tap rate
• Icon C (colorful abstract): 38% tap rate ← Winner
• Icon D (text-heavy): 19% tap rate
• Icon E (detailed illustration): 24% tap rate

Simple, colorful, unique = highest tap rate

Review Generation (The Ranking Multiplier)

Reviews are 20-25% of ranking algorithm. Here's how to get them.

The Review Equation

What matters:

Review Score = (Average Rating) × (Number of Reviews) × (Review Recency)

Example:
4.6 rating × 2,400 reviews × 0.9 recency factor = Review Score of 9,936

Higher score = higher ranking.

But you can't buy reviews (against both App Store and Play Store policies).

You CAN systematically ask happy users to review.

The In-App Review Prompt Strategy

When to ask for review:

Bad timing:

• During onboarding (haven't experienced value yet)
• After app crash (obviously)
• Random timing (no context)

Good timing:

• Right after user completes first task
• When user achieves milestone (10th completed task)
• After user gives positive in-app feedback

TaskFlow's trigger logic:

def should_request_review(user):
    if user.tasks_completed >= 10:
        if user.days_active >= 7:
            if user.gave_positive_feedback:
                if not user.already_reviewed:
                    return True
    return False

Result: Only ask users who have:

• Used app meaningfully (10+ tasks)
• Stuck around (7+ days)
• Shown satisfaction (positive feedback)
• Haven't been asked before

Conversion to review: 43% (vs 8% when asked at random times)

The Review Request Flow

In-app prompt:

[Custom prompt, not native iOS/Android popup]

"Looks like you're loving TaskFlow! 😊

You've completed 23 tasks and your team has been active for 18 days.

Mind leaving us a review? Takes 30 seconds and helps other teams discover us.

[Maybe Later]  [Sure, Happy To!]

If they tap "Sure":

• Show native iOS/Android review popup
• 43% leave a review at this point

If they tap "Maybe Later":

• Ask again after 30 days (if still actively using)

If they close/dismiss:

• Never ask again (respect their preference)

TaskFlow's review collection:

• Month 1 (pre-optimization): 12 reviews collected
• Month 1 (post-optimization): 87 reviews collected (+625%)

The Review Response Strategy

Respond to EVERY review.

For 5-star reviews:

"Thanks [Name]! So happy TaskFlow is helping your team ship faster. 🚀

If you ever need anything, email us at support@taskflow.com

- Sarah, TaskFlow Team"

For 3-4 star reviews:

"Thanks for the feedback, [Name]. We're working on [issue they mentioned] and expect to ship it in the next update.

Mind if I email you when it's ready? Would love to get your thoughts.

- Sarah, TaskFlow Team"

For 1-2 star reviews:

"Sorry you had a bad experience, [Name]. This isn't the TaskFlow we want to deliver.

I'm Sarah from the TaskFlow team. Can you email me at sarah@taskflow.com so I can personally help resolve this?

We'll make it right.

- Sarah"

Why respond:

• Shows you care (potential customers read reviews)
• Can turn negative reviews into positive (user updates review after you fix issue)
• Engagement signals active development (algorithm factor)

TaskFlow's response rate: 100% (every review gets a response within 24 hours)

Result: 18 users updated negative reviews to positive after TaskFlow resolved their issues

Real Case Study: TaskFlow's ASO Journey

Complete 4-month timeline.

Month 1: Baseline + Research

Starting metrics:

• Organic installs: 247/month
• Average rating: 4.1 stars (87 reviews)
• Top keyword rankings: Unranked in top 50 for any valuable keywords
• Install conversion rate: 24% (of page visitors)

Research phase:

• Analyzed 12 competitor apps
• Conducted keyword research (identified 47 target keywords)
• Reviewed their own screenshots vs competitors
• Collected user feedback on what messaging resonated

Time investment: 18 hours

Month 2: Implementation

Changes made:

Keywords:

• Title: "TaskFlow" → "TaskFlow: Team Task Manager & Workflow Tracker"
• Subtitle: "For Modern Teams" → "Project Collaboration for Remote Teams"
• Keywords field: Added 15 target keywords
• Description: Rewrote with natural keyword inclusion

Screenshots:

• Redesigned first 3 screenshots with value-focused copy
• Added text overlays showing benefits
• Included social proof in screenshot 3

Icon:

• Refreshed to more vibrant color palette

Review generation:

• Implemented in-app review prompts with optimized timing

Time investment: 34 hours (designer: 16 hrs, product: 12 hrs, copy: 6 hrs)

Month 3-4: Results

Month 3 performance:

Keyword ranking improvements:

Month 4 performance:

Why paid CPI decreased:

• Organic baseline increased (brand recognition up)
• Better App Store conversion (34% vs 24%)
• Retargeting became cheaper (larger audience pool)

Revenue impact:

Month 1:

• 247 organic + 300 paid = 547 total installs
• 18% install→paid conversion
• 99 paying customers
• MRR: £2,970 (£30/mo avg)

Month 4:

• 2,134 organic + 1,713 paid = 3,847 total installs
• 21% conversion (improved onboarding)
• 808 paying customers
• MRR: £24,240

Growth: 716% MRR increase (ASO contributed estimated 60% of this = £12,762 attributable MRR)

ROI:

• Investment: £6,200 (52 hrs × £100/hr + £800 tools)
• Monthly MRR impact: £12,762
• Payback: 15 days
• Year 1 ROI: 2,368%

Conversion Rate Optimization (Product Page → Install)

You're ranking high for keywords. Users are visiting your product page. But only 24% install.

Let's fix that.

Element #1: Opening Description

You have ~250 characters before "more" click.

Bad opening:

TaskFlow is a powerful project management solution designed for modern teams who want to collaborate efficiently and ship projects faster.

Generic. Boring.

Good opening:

Stop losing tasks in Slack. TaskFlow keeps your team's work organized in one place. See what everyone's working on, track progress in real-time, and ship projects 40% faster. Free for teams up to 5.

Specific. Benefit-driven. Includes "free" (reduces install barrier).

TaskFlow's A/B test:

• Generic description: 24% install rate
• Benefit-driven: 34% install rate (+42%)

Element #2: Screenshots (Revisited)

We talked about first 3 screenshots. Let's go deeper.

Screenshot composition testing:

Winning combo (TaskFlow):

Screenshot 1: Before/after (38% conversion) Screenshot 2: Core dashboard with real data + annotations (34%) Screenshot 3: Social proof (31%)

Screenshots 4-10: Features, integrations, etc.

Net install rate: 38% (optimized order)

Element #3: Preview Video

Video tactics:

1. Caption it (many watch on mute) 2. Front-load value (show solution in first 5 seconds) 3. Keep it short (15-25 seconds optimal)

TaskFlow's video performance:

Shorter = higher completion = higher install rate

The Review Collection System

Goal: Generate 50-100 reviews per month consistently.

The Timing Algorithm

Ask for review when:

def optimal_review_timing(user):
    # Completed a successful action
    if user.just_completed_task:
        # Been using for at least a week
        if user.days_since_install >= 7:
            # Hasn't been asked recently
            if user.days_since_last_review_prompt >= 90:
                # High engagement
                if user.actions_last_7_days >= 10:
                    return True
    return False

Key: Ask when user just experienced success.

TaskFlow's implementation:

• Trigger: Right after completing 10th task
• Message: "Congrats on completing 10 tasks! 🎉 Mind leaving us a review?"
• Conversion: 47% leave review

Monthly reviews generated:

• Previous (random timing): 8-12 reviews/month
• Optimized timing: 63-89 reviews/month

Compounding effect:

• Month 1: 76 new reviews (87 → 163 total)
• Month 2: 82 new reviews (163 → 245 total)
• Month 3: 91 new reviews (245 → 336 total)

More reviews → higher ranking → more impressions → more installs → more reviews (flywheel effect)

Handling Negative Reviews

You'll get 1-star reviews. It happens.

The protocol:

1. Respond within 24 hours (publicly)

"So sorry you had this experience. We're investigating the bug you reported. Can you email support@taskflow.com so we can fix this for you personally? - Sarah, TaskFlow Team"

2. Fix the underlying issue (if it's a real bug)

3. Follow up privately:

"Hi [Name], Sarah from TaskFlow here.

We found the bug you reported and shipped a fix in v2.3.1 (released this morning).

Can you update the app and let me know if it's resolved?

If so, and you're happy with the fix, would you consider updating your review?

Thanks for the feedback -it made us better.

Sarah"

4. Often, they update the review:

• 34% of negative reviewers updated to 4-5 stars after issue resolution
• This is POWERFUL for potential customers reading reviews

The Review Response Templates

Keep a swipe file of responses:

5-star review:

"Thanks [Name]! So glad TaskFlow is helping your team. 🚀 If you need anything, we're at support@taskflow.com. - Sarah"

4-star review:

"Thanks [Name]! Appreciate the 4 stars. You mentioned [specific issue] -we're actively working on that. Expect it in v2.4. - Sarah"

3-star review:

"Thanks for the honest feedback, [Name]. The [issue] you mentioned is on our roadmap. Can you email sarah@taskflow.com? I'd love to understand your use case better. - Sarah"

1-2 star review:

"Sorry we let you down, [Name]. This isn't the experience we want to deliver. Please email sarah@taskflow.com and I'll personally make this right. - Sarah"

Response rate: 100% (every review, every day)

Impact on rating:

• Shows active development
• Turns critics into advocates
• Builds trust with potential users reading reviews

Advanced ASO Tactics

Tactic #1: Competitor Keyword Targeting

Strategy: Rank for "[Competitor] alternative"

Example keywords:

• "Asana alternative"
• "Monday.com alternative"
• "Trello alternative"

How to rank:

1. Include in keyword field (iOS) or description (Android)
2. Get reviews mentioning "switched from Asana to TaskFlow"
3. Create comparison landing page (SEO) that drives App Store traffic

TaskFlow's competitor targeting:

• Ranked #3 for "Asana alternative" (1,200 searches/month)
• Ranked #5 for "Monday alternative" (840 searches/month)
• Added 127 monthly installs from competitor keywords

Tactic #2: Seasonal Keyword Optimization

Update keywords based on trends:

Example:

• January: "new year productivity" (search spike)
• September: "back to school organization" (for student teams)
• Q4: "year-end planning" (for annual planning)

Update app description quarterly to capture seasonal keywords.

Tactic #3: Localization for International Markets

TaskFlow launched in:

• English (UK/US)
• German
• French
• Spanish

Each market gets:

• Translated app title/description
• Localized keywords
• Localized screenshots (with translated text overlays)

Cost: £2,400 (translation + design) Result: +847 monthly installs from international markets

ROI: 847 installs × £2.10 CPI equivalent = £1,779/month value Payback: 1.3 months

Common ASO Mistakes

Mistake #1: Keyword Stuffing

Bad title: "TaskFlow: Task Manager Project Management Team Collaboration Workflow Productivity Tool"

Why it fails:

• Against App Store guidelines (can get rejected)
• Looks spammy to users
• Reduces conversion

Fix: 2-3 keywords maximum in title. Natural phrasing.

Mistake #2: Ignoring Screenshots

Symptom: Screenshots show empty UI states

Why it fails: Users can't visualize value

Fix: Show product in use with real data

Mistake #3: Not Tracking Competitors

Symptom: Competitors change keywords, you don't notice

Fix: Weekly competitor monitoring

Track:

• Their keyword rankings (are they targeting new keywords?)
• Their screenshots (did they update visuals?)
• Their reviews (what are users saying about them?)

Use AppTweak or Sensor Tower to automate competitor tracking.

Mistake #4: Set-and-Forget

Symptom: Optimize once, never touch again

Why it fails: Algorithm changes, competitors optimize, trends shift

Fix: Monthly ASO reviews

Check:

• Keyword rankings (moving up or down?)
• Conversion rates (screenshots still working?)
• Review velocity (maintaining 50+ reviews/month?)

Next Steps: Implement ASO This Month

Week 1: Research

• Sign up for AppTweak or Sensor Tower trial
• Research keywords (identify 15-20 targets)
• Analyze competitor apps
• Audit your current product page

Week 2: Optimization

• Update app title with keywords
• Rewrite description (front-load value)
• Redesign first 3 screenshots
• Create preview video (if you don't have one)

Week 3: Review generation

• Implement in-app review prompt
• Set optimal timing triggers
• Respond to all existing reviews

Week 4: Monitor

• Track keyword rankings
• Measure install conversion
• Analyze traffic sources
• Plan Month 2 optimizations

Goal: 2-3x organic installs within 4 months

Ready to optimize your mobile app for organic growth? Athenic can help with keyword research, visual asset optimization, and review generation automation. Optimize your ASO →

Related reading:

• Product Hunt Launch Strategy
• SEO for SaaS Products
• Conversion Rate Optimization