/keyword-optimizer

name: keyword-optimizer
description: Optimize app title, subtitle, and keywords for maximum App Store discoverability. Use when launching a new app, improving search rankings, entering new markets/languages, or safely optimizing ASO for an app with existing traffic.
allowed-tools: [Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep, AskUserQuestion, WebSearch]
last_verified: 2026-07-16
review_by: 2027-06-22

Keyword Optimizer

Optimize app title, subtitle, and keywords for maximum App Store discoverability.

When This Skill Activates

• User is launching a new app
• User wants to improve search rankings
• User asks about ASO (App Store Optimization)
• User is entering new markets/languages
• User wants to analyze keyword opportunities
• User needs safe optimization for existing apps

Reference Files

Before optimizing, load these reference materials:

| File | Purpose | |------|---------| | **keyword-criteria.md** | Popularity/Difficulty sweet spots, opportunity scoring | | **advanced-tactics.md** | Cross-localization, screenshot indexing, velocity boost | | **existing-app-strategy.md** | Safe optimization for apps with existing traffic |

Information Gathering

Before optimizing, ask about:

1. **App Identity**

• What does the app do in one sentence?
• What category is it in?
• What's the current app name (if exists)?

2. **Target Keywords**

• What would users search to find this app?
• What problem words would they use?
• Any branded terms to include?

3. **Competition**

• Main competitors?
• What keywords do they target?
• Where can you realistically compete?

4. **Goals**

• Brand awareness vs. category traffic?
• Specific markets to prioritize?

Keyword Strategy

Where Keywords Count

| Field | Limit | Weight | Notes | |-------|-------|--------|-------| | **App Name** | 30 chars | Highest | Most valuable real estate | | **Subtitle** | 30 chars | High | Visible in search, below name | | **Keywords** | 100 chars | Medium | Not visible to users | | **Description** | 4000 chars | Low* | *Apple says indexed, debated |

Keyword Types

1. **Branded** - Your app name, company name 2. **Category** - Generic terms (e.g., "todo app", "weather") 3. **Feature** - Specific functionality (e.g., "offline maps") 4. **Problem** - User pain points (e.g., "forget tasks") 5. **Long-tail** - Specific phrases (e.g., "minimalist habit tracker")

Optimization Process

Step 1: Keyword Research

**Generate Initial List:**

1. Brainstorm 50+ keywords
2. What would YOU search for this app?
3. Check competitor names/subtitles
4. Use autocomplete suggestions
5. Consider misspellings users make

**Research Tools:**

• App Store Search Autocomplete
• AppFollow, Sensor Tower, AppTweak (paid)
• Google Keyword Planner (related terms)
• Competitor subtitle/keyword analysis

Step 2: Prioritize Keywords

Rate each keyword on:

| Factor | Question | |--------|----------| | **Relevance** | Does it accurately describe your app? | | **Volume** | Do people actually search this? | | **Difficulty** | Can you realistically rank? | | **Intent** | Will searchers want your app? |

**Priority Matrix:**

High Volume + Low Difficulty = 🎯 Target First
High Volume + High Difficulty = 💪 Long-term Goal
Low Volume + Low Difficulty = ✅ Easy Wins
Low Volume + High Difficulty = ❌ Skip

Step 3: Allocate Keywords

**App Name (30 characters):**

[Brand Name] - [Top Keyword Phrase]
or
[Brand Name]: [Value Proposition]

Examples:
"Notion - Notes & Docs"
"Calm: Sleep & Meditation"
"Fantastical - Calendar & Tasks"

**Subtitle (30 characters):**

[Second Priority Keywords] / [Unique Value]

Examples:
"Focus Timer & Daily Planner"
"Simple Habit Building"
"Weather Radar & Forecasts"

**Keywords Field (100 characters):**

Rules:
- Comma-separated, NO spaces after commas
- No plurals (Apple handles it)
- No duplicates from name/subtitle
- No category name (already indexed)
- Single words perform better than phrases

Example:
"timer,pomodoro,focus,concentration,study,productivity,work,session,break,technique"

Character Optimization

Maximize 100 Characters

**Bad (wastes characters):**

task manager, todo list, productivity app, reminder app, checklist

**Good (efficient):**

task,todo,productivity,reminder,checklist,planner,organize,gtd,schedule,daily

**Savings:**

• Remove spaces after commas
• Don't repeat words in different forms
• Skip obvious words (app, free, best)

Word Combinations

Apple combines words from all fields:

Name: "Focus Timer"
Subtitle: "Pomodoro Technique"
Keywords: "study,productivity,work,session"

Searchable combinations:
- "focus timer"
- "pomodoro timer"
- "focus productivity"
- "study timer"
- "work focus"
(and more...)

Cross-Field Deduplication

Apple indexes words from **all three fields** for the same locale — a word only needs to appear **once**. If a word appears in Title, don't repeat it in Subtitle or Keywords; if it appears in Subtitle, don't repeat it in Keywords.

Before & After Example

❌ BEFORE (duplicated words waste ~38 characters):
Title:    "Focus Timer - Stay Productive"
Subtitle: "Pomodoro Timer & Focus Sessions"
Keywords: "timer,focus,pomodoro,productive,study,work,session,break"

✅ AFTER (zero duplication, 5 new keywords gained):
Title:    "Focus Timer - Stay Productive"
Subtitle: "Pomodoro Technique & Deep Work"
Keywords: "study,concentration,interval,tomato,distraction,block,exam,revision,flowstate,desk"

Quick Dedup Check

| Check | Rule | |-------|------| | Title word in Subtitle or Keywords? | Remove from the lower field | | Subtitle word in Keywords? | Remove from Keywords | | Plural/singular variant across fields? | Keep only in highest field | | Stop words (a, the, and, for)? | Don't include anywhere — auto-indexed |

Common Mistakes

❌ **Don't Do This:**

• Using spaces after commas in keywords
• Duplicating words across fields
• Including your categor