What decides whether my app shows up in search?
On the App Store, three fields carry most of the weight.
- App name, up to 30 characters: Apple matches searches against it. Use your brand plus the main thing people search for.
- Subtitle, up to 30 characters: a second chance to include important words.
- Keyword field, up to 100 characters: seen only by Apple. Do not repeat words already in the name.
What makes people install after they find it?
Screenshots, above all. The first three appear in search results, so they must show the app's main benefit at a glance, with a short caption on each. The rating comes next: below about four and a half stars, installs fall noticeably.
How do I get more and better ratings?
Ask at a happy moment, such as just after a task is completed, using the store's built-in rating prompt. Never ask at launch. Reply to negative reviews; people often raise their rating when a problem is acknowledged and fixed.
Do updates matter?
Yes. Regular updates signal an active app to the store and to users, and each update resets the prompt for a fresh rating. Write release notes that say what changed; returning users read them.
What can a listing audit not tell me?
Downloads, conversion rate and retention are visible only in your own developer account. A public audit can check the listing itself: name, description, screenshots, ratings, update rhythm, languages and size.