The ASO checklist for indie developers (2026)
Every App Store Optimization lever that matters in 2026, in one prioritized checklist — metadata, screenshots, ratings, localization, and the loop that ties them together.
ASO content tends to be either 5,000-word agency pitches or "use keywords!" fluff. This is neither: it's the complete checklist of levers an indie developer actually controls, ordered by impact, with links to deeper guides where a checkbox needs one.
Work through it top to bottom. Most apps we roast fail in the first section.
1. The conversion layer (do this first)
Discoverability without conversion is a leaky bucket — and conversion feeds back into rankings, because Apple promotes apps that convert well for a query.
- [ ] Screenshots 1–3 carry your entire pitch. Benefit-led headline in frame 1, mechanism in frame 2, differentiator in frame 3. Why the first three decide everything →
- [ ] Captions readable at thumbnail scale — ~6 words max, high contrast. Copywriting guide →
- [ ] No splash screens, empty states, or repeated screens anywhere in the set. The 10 mistakes →
- [ ] Icon legible at 60px and differentiated from the top 10 results for your main keyword. Icon guide →
- [ ] Exact dimensions — 1320×2868 or 1290×2796 (iPhone), separate composition for iPad. Dimensions reference →
2. The metadata layer
- [ ] Title (30 chars): brand + strongest keyword. "Sprout — plant care reminders" beats "Sprout".
- [ ] Subtitle (30 chars): second keyword + the pitch. Don't repeat title words; every repeated word is a wasted slot.
- [ ] Keyword field (100 chars): no spaces after commas, no plurals-and-singulars of the same word, no words already in title/subtitle. Apple indexes all three fields together.
- [ ] Description: first three lines sell (that's all that shows before "more"); the rest is for the thorough minority — keywords here don't affect App Store search ranking.
- [ ] In-app purchase names contain keywords too — they're indexed and can surface independently in search.
3. The trust layer
- [ ] Prompt for ratings at success moments with the native
SKStoreReviewController— after the user completes something satisfying, never at first launch. - [ ] Reply to negative reviews. Replies are public; a thoughtful response converts fence-sitters reading your worst review.
- [ ] Below 4.0 stars, stop optimizing everything else and fix the cause — ratings gate all other conversion work.
4. The reach layer
- [ ] Localize your product page for 2–3 high-value storefronts — metadata and screenshot captions. This is the most under-used lever on the list. Which languages first →
- [ ] Consider an app preview video only after screenshots are strong — it replaces your most valuable screenshot slots. When videos help vs hurt →
- [ ] Custom product pages for paid/social traffic if you run any — match the page's first screenshot to the ad's promise.
5. The loop
ASO isn't a checklist you finish; it's a loop you run.
Weekly
Check territory + conversion metrics in App Store Connect
Monthly
One PPO A/B test of a screenshot or icon variant
Quarterly
Re-run keyword research; competitors and queries drift
- [ ] Read your funnel split — impressions→download vs page-view→download tell you whether search assets or the deep page is weak. How to read the numbers →
- [ ] A/B test with Product Page Optimization once you have traffic for significance. PPO guide →
The order matters
The classic indie mistake is running this list bottom-up: obsessing over keyword fields while screenshot #1 is a raw simulator capture. Keywords decide who sees your page; the conversion layer decides what they do — and Apple's ranking rewards the latter with more of the former.
If you want section 1 handled this afternoon: Screenshot Roast scores your current screenshots, names the problems, and redesigns them at exact App Store dimensions — see real before/afters. Then come back for sections 2–5.