Keyword Research Guide

Keyword Research Guide

Systematic approach to discovering, evaluating, and selecting keywords for app store optimization.

Table of Contents

• Keyword Research Methodology
• Keyword Evaluation Framework
• Competitor Keyword Analysis
• Keyword Mapping Strategy
• Keyword Tracking and Iteration

Keyword Research Methodology

Phase 1: Seed Keyword Generation

Start by generating initial keyword ideas from multiple sources.

Source 1: Core App Functions

List every action or problem the app solves:

Example for a task management app:
- Create tasks
- Set reminders
- Track deadlines
- Organize projects
- Collaborate with team
- Plan daily schedule

Source 2: User Language Mapping

Match developer terminology to user searches:

Source 3: App Store Autocomplete

Type seed keywords into App Store/Play Store search and record suggestions:

"todo" → todo list, todo app, todo list app, todolist widget
"task" → task manager, task planner, task list, tasks to do
"remind" → reminder app, reminder, reminders widget, remind me

Source 4: Competitor Analysis

Extract keywords from top 10 competitors in category (detailed in section below).

Phase 2: Keyword Expansion

Expansion Techniques:

Keyword Matrix Template:

Phase 3: Keyword Filtering

Remove irrelevant or low-quality keywords:

Exclusion Criteria:

Keyword Evaluation Framework

Keyword Scoring Model

Evaluate each keyword on four dimensions:

1. Search Volume (0-100)

2. Competition (0-100, inverted)

3. Relevance (0-100)

4. Conversion Potential (0-100)

Composite Score Calculation

Keyword Score = (Volume × 0.25) + (Competition × 0.25) +
                (Relevance × 0.35) + (Conversion × 0.15)

Score Interpretation:

Keyword Evaluation Worksheet

KEYWORD EVALUATION

Keyword: "task manager app"
Date: [Date]

SCORES:
├── Search Volume: 72/100 (High - ~25,000/month)
├── Competition: 45/100 (Medium - 4.4 avg rating in top 10)
├── Relevance: 95/100 (Exact match to core function)
└── Conversion: 85/100 (Transactional intent)

COMPOSITE SCORE: 74.5/100

RECOMMENDATION: Secondary Priority
- Include in subtitle or short description
- Not competitive enough for title (dominated by Todoist, Any.do)
- Consider long-tail variant: "simple task manager app"

Competitor Keyword Analysis

Competitor Identification

Step 1: Direct Competitors Apps solving the same problem for the same audience.

Step 2: Indirect Competitors Apps solving related problems or targeting overlapping audiences.

Step 3: Category Leaders Top 10-20 apps by downloads in primary category.

Competitor Keyword Extraction

From App Title:

Competitor: "Todoist: To-Do List & Tasks"
Keywords: todoist, to-do list, tasks, to do

From Subtitle (iOS):

Competitor subtitle: "Task Manager & Planner"
Keywords: task manager, planner

From Description (First 100 words): Identify frequently used terms:

"Todoist is the world's favorite task manager and to-do list app.
Organize work and life, hit your goals, and find productivity..."

Extracted: task manager, to-do list, organize, goals, productivity

Competitor Keyword Matrix

Analysis:

• 100% coverage = Highly competitive, essential keyword
• 60-80% coverage = Important category term
• 40% coverage = Potential differentiator
• <40% coverage = Unique opportunity or irrelevant

Keyword Gap Analysis

Identify keywords competitors miss:

KEYWORD GAP ANALYSIS

Underserved Keywords (Low competitor coverage, decent volume):
1. "daily planner widget" - 2/10 competitors, 5,000 searches
2. "task list for teams" - 3/10 competitors, 3,500 searches
3. "todo with calendar sync" - 1/10 competitors, 2,800 searches

Opportunity Assessment:
- "daily planner widget" → Add widget feature, target keyword
- "task list for teams" → Already have feature, update metadata
- "todo with calendar sync" → Feature gap, add to roadmap

Keyword Mapping Strategy

Keyword Placement Map

Assign each keyword to specific metadata locations:

KEYWORD PLACEMENT MAP

PRIMARY (Title + Keyword Field):
├── task manager (Score: 82)
├── todo list (Score: 78)
└── planner (Score: 75)

SECONDARY (Subtitle + Short Description):
├── reminder app (Score: 68)
├── daily tasks (Score: 65)
└── organize (Score: 62)

TERTIARY (Full Description):
├── checklist (Score: 55)
├── productivity (Score: 52)
├── schedule (Score: 48)
├── deadline (Score: 45)
└── project management (Score: 42)

iOS Keyword Field Strategy

100 Character Optimization:

STEP 1: List all target keywords
task,manager,todo,list,planner,reminder,organize,daily,checklist,
productivity,schedule,deadline,project,goals,habit,widget,sync,
team,collaborate,notes,calendar

STEP 2: Remove duplicates from title
Title: "TaskFlow - Todo List Manager"
Remove: task, todo, list, manager

STEP 3: Remove plurals
Keep: reminder (not reminders)
Keep: goal (not goals)

STEP 4: Prioritize by score and fit
Final 100 chars:
planner,reminder,organize,daily,checklist,productivity,schedule,
deadline,project,goals,habit,widget,sync,team,collaborate

Character count: 98/100

Android Description Keyword Integration

Natural keyword placement in 4,000 characters:

PARAGRAPH 1 (Hook - 300 chars):
Keywords: task manager, todo list, organize
"TaskFlow is the task manager trusted by 2 million users. Create
your perfect todo list and organize everything that matters..."

PARAGRAPH 2 (Features - 800 chars):
Keywords: reminder, checklist, deadline, project
"Set smart reminders that notify you at the right time. Build
checklists for any project. Never miss a deadline with..."

PARAGRAPH 3 (Benefits - 600 chars):
Keywords: productivity, schedule, goals
"Boost your productivity with proven planning methods. Schedule
your day in minutes. Track goals and celebrate..."

PARAGRAPH 4 (Differentiators - 500 chars):
Keywords: widget, sync, team, collaborate
"Beautiful widgets keep tasks visible. Sync across all devices
instantly. Invite your team to collaborate on..."

Total keyword coverage: 14 keywords naturally integrated

Keyword Tracking and Iteration

Ranking Tracking Cadence

Keyword Performance Metrics

Iteration Process

Monthly Keyword Audit:

1. EXPORT current rankings
   - List all tracked keywords
   - Record current position
   - Note 30-day trend (up/down/stable)

2. IDENTIFY opportunities
   - Keywords improving but not top 10
   - Keywords declining from previous position
   - New high-volume keywords in category

3. PRIORITIZE changes
   - Boost: Keywords at position 11-20
   - Maintain: Keywords at position 1-10
   - Replace: Keywords at position 50+ with no improvement

4. IMPLEMENT updates
   - Adjust keyword field (iOS)
   - Update description (Android)
   - Modify subtitle if needed

5. DOCUMENT changes
   - Record what changed and why
   - Set reminder for 2-week check-in

Keyword Testing Log Template

KEYWORD TEST LOG

Test ID: KW-2025-001
Date Started: [Date]
Keywords Changed:
  - Added: "habit tracker" (replacing "goals app")
  - Added: "daily routine" (replacing "schedule planner")

Rationale:
- "habit tracker" has 3x volume of "goals app"
- "daily routine" trending up 40% in category

Baseline Rankings:
- "habit tracker": Not ranked
- "daily routine": Position 87

30-Day Results:
- "habit tracker": Position 34 (+53)
- "daily routine": Position 28 (+59)

Conclusion: Test successful - retain new keywords
Next Action: Target subtitle position for "habit tracker"