App Store Metadata Fields
App Store metadata fields are the text inputs that affect how an app is discovered and presented in the App Store — primarily the name, subtitle, keyword field, and developer name, each with different character limits and ranking weight.
The App Store metadata fields relevant to keyword ranking are: App Name (30 characters, highest ranking weight), Subtitle (30 characters, second-highest weight), Keyword Field (100 characters, lower weight but exclusively for supplementary terms), and Developer Name (sometimes indexed, lower weight).
The Long Description, promotional text, and what's new fields are visible on the product page but are not indexed for search ranking. They affect conversion (users may read them) but not discoverability.
Characters in the name and subtitle are precious because they serve two purposes simultaneously: algorithm eligibility (getting the app to appear in results) and human conversion (making users want to tap). The keyword field characters serve only the algorithm, which is why they can be used more aggressively for term coverage without worrying about readability.
Apple's character limits include spaces. A 30-character name like 'Habit Tracker — Daily Goals' uses all 30 characters. Hyphen, colon, and em dash are common separators between brand name and keyword phrase within the name character limit.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the app description help with App Store search?
- On iOS and macOS, no. Apple does not index the long description for search. On the Mac App Store specifically, the first paragraph of the description may have some indexing — but it is a much smaller signal than metadata fields. Write the description for conversion, not ranking.
- What happens if I leave the keyword field blank?
- Your app is indexed only for terms in the name, subtitle, and developer name. You lose the 100 characters of additional reach the keyword field would provide. For most apps, a well-researched keyword field meaningfully expands the search terms the app can appear for.
Related terms
- 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.
- Keyword CannibalizationKeyword 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.
- 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.
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Put this into practice
Score App Store keywords by popularity and difficulty across 109 storefronts — the numbers behind app store metadata fields.
Start keyword research