Keyword Cannibalization
Keyword cannibalization in ASO occurs when an app's multiple metadata fields target the same keyword, wasting limited character space rather than covering additional search terms.
The App Store's 100-character keyword field is already indexed alongside whatever terms appear in the app name and subtitle. If your name is 'Habit Tracker — Daily Goals' and your subtitle is 'Habit Tracker & Streaks', both instances of 'habit tracker' are already indexed. Repeating 'habit tracker' in the keyword field wastes 13 characters that could cover an entirely different search term.
The rule is: words already in your title or subtitle do not need to appear in the keyword field. The keyword field is for supplementary terms that extend your reach beyond what's already in the visible metadata.
Cannibalization also applies within the keyword field itself — repeating a word between keyword field entries (e.g., 'habit,daily habit,habit streak') wastes the repeated occurrences. Apple indexes each word individually, so 'habit,daily,streak' covers the same ground more efficiently.
Frequently asked questions
- What if my most important keyword is already in my app name — should I still put it in the keyword field?
- No. Apple already indexes it from the name, which is higher-weight than the keyword field. Use the keyword field character space for terms not covered by your name or subtitle.
- Can I use plurals and singulars of the same keyword?
- Apple handles common plurals and singulars as the same stem for most English terms — 'tracker' and 'trackers' are treated as equivalent. You generally do not need to include both; use the saved character for a different term entirely.
Related terms
- App Store Search Ranking FactorsApp Store search ranking factors are the signals Apple's algorithm uses to determine which apps appear at the top of results for a given keyword — primarily metadata relevance, user engagement, and app quality indicators.
- App Store Optimization (ASO)App Store Optimization is the process of improving an app's visibility in App Store search results and its conversion rate from search impressions to installs.
- Title vs. Subtitle KeywordsIn App Store Optimization, keywords in the app title carry the highest ranking weight; subtitle keywords carry secondary weight — both are more impactful than the keyword field.
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Put this into practice
Score App Store keywords by popularity and difficulty across 109 storefronts — the numbers behind keyword cannibalization.
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