Launch & distribution
App Store launch and distribution basics
The parts of an iOS launch that affect discoverability (metadata fields, keywords, screenshots, review notes, updates), the Google Play equivalents, and how to localize and test, from Apple and Google documentation.
- By
- LaunchFaro editorial
- Published
- Review
- Not yet reviewed by a named editor
- Next review
- 3 min read
The App Store and Google Play work differently, so one listing does not serve both. This guide starts with the iOS launch basics and then covers the equivalent Google Play fields, localization and testing. It is based on Apple and Google documentation read on 13 October 2026. Nobody at LaunchFaro has run these changes, so it promises no ranking or install results.
Checklist
Step 1
What the stores say about search
Apple says App Store search relevance comes from text relevance (matches against the title, subtitle, keywords and categories) and from user behavior such as downloads, ratings and reviews. It publishes no weights. The Google Play pages we read do not describe a ranking model; they ask for accurate, relevant, non-repetitive metadata and graphics that show the real app. We make no claim about how ratings affect Play search.
Step 2
Choose the searches first
Write down the two or three searches the app should match before touching any field. Apple advises specific terms your audience would actually type. Popular terms bring more traffic but more competition, which is harder for new or small apps. Apple's pages do not give search volumes, so treat any volume you see elsewhere as an estimate.
Step 3
App Store fields
App Store search weights the app name, subtitle and keyword field; the description is for humans. Put the phrases people actually search for in the name and subtitle (30 characters each) and use the keyword field for the rest. Apple's product-page guide states the keyword field as 100 characters, comma-separated with no spaces, while App Store Connect Help states 100 bytes; the two match for plain ASCII, so check the form. Do not repeat words already in the name, subtitle or category, and leave out plurals of words you already use, generic words such as app, competitor names and trademarks you do not own. Promotional text (170 characters) does not affect search ranking; use it for news. Apple's review guidelines also allow Apple to modify keywords that break the rules.
Step 4
Google Play fields
Google Play has no keyword field in the pages we read. The title is 30 characters, the short description 80 and the full description 4,000. Google asks you to lead with what matters, to avoid keyword lists, ranking claims and price promotions, and its metadata policy prohibits spammy or repetitive keywords and anonymous testimonials. Write natural descriptions that say what the app does, with the terms you chose appearing where they are true.
Step 5
Make the page convert
Search places the listing; the page decides whether people install. Screenshots are the conversion surface. Apple notes that the first one to three screenshots appear in search results when there is no preview, so make them answer 'what does this do for me', one benefit each. Google recommends screenshots that show what sets the app apart, with minimal taglines.
Step 6
Review notes and updates
Review notes save days. Include a demo account, explain any permission the reviewer will be asked to grant, and point to where in-app purchases live. After launch, ship small updates regularly: the last-updated date is visible on the listing, and stale apps lose trust before they lose rank.
Step 7
Localize, test and measure
Apple recommends localizing the description, keywords, previews and screenshots for each market you can support in language; Google says its metadata policy applies to every translation and that custom listings are not translated automatically. Both stores offer testing: Apple's product page optimization tests alternate icons, screenshots and previews, and Google's store listing experiments allow up to two variants, one asset at a time. Neither store states a minimum sample size in the pages we read. Choose the metric before the test, change one thing, and record the starting number.
Step 9
Sources read
Apple Developer: App Store product page guidance (developer.apple.com/app-store/product-page/), App Store search guidance (developer.apple.com/app-store/search/), App Review Guidelines (developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/), and App Store Connect Help platform version information. Google Play Console Help: best practices for your store listing, the metadata policy, store listing experiments and custom store listings. Read 13 October 2026; no case studies, tools or third-party ASO claims are used.
