Investigación de palabras clave para App Store: Guía ASO (2026)
Keyword research is how your app gets found in search — the discovery half of ASO. On iOS it feeds a hidden 100-character keyword field; on Google Play it feeds your visible, indexed description. This guide covers how to find the right terms and the rules for using the iOS keyword field efficiently.
How the iOS Keyword Field Works
Apple gives you a private 100-character keyword field that users never see. You enter single words separated by commas, and Apple combines them with your app name and subtitle to build the set of searches you can rank for. Because the field is small, every character counts — the rules below are about not wasting any.
| Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| No spaces after commas | Spaces waste characters. Use word,word,word to fit more terms in 100 characters. |
| Don't repeat words | Apple combines your keyword field with the name and subtitle, so repeats are wasted. |
| Use singulars, skip plurals | Apple stems words, so 'timer' generally covers 'timers'. Spend characters on new terms. |
| Skip your app name and category | Apple already indexes these. Don't spend the keyword field on words you already rank for. |
| No competitor or trademarked names | Using another brand's name risks rejection and rarely helps ranking. |
Finding the Right Keywords
- Start from the job: list the words a user types when they have the problem your app solves, not your internal feature names.
- Study competitors: read the names and subtitles of the top apps for those searches to see which terms they target.
- Check volume vs difficulty: a mid-volume term you can actually rank for beats a head term dominated by giants.
- Mine your own data: App Store Connect search terms and user reviews reveal the language people actually use.
Where to Put Them
Your strongest terms belong in the app name and subtitle, which carry the most ranking weight; secondary terms go in the keyword field. On Google Play there is no keyword field, so the same research goes into your short and full description in natural language.
Localize to Rank in More Markets
The keyword field is per-localization. Translating it (and your subtitle) opens each storefront as a separate ranking surface and can surface your app for searches you never ranked for in English. Combined with localized screenshots, it is one of the highest-leverage organic-growth moves an indie can make.
Source check: Apple's App Store search documentation.
Guías de ASO relacionadas
- ASO guide: the full picture keyword research is one part of.
- Write a description that converts: where keywords matter on Google Play but not iOS.
- Screenshot localization guide: localize the keyword field per storefront to rank in more markets.
Preguntas frecuentes
How does the App Store keyword field work?
iOS gives you a hidden 100-character keyword field, separate from the visible description. You enter single words separated by commas with no spaces. Apple combines these with your app name and subtitle to decide which searches you appear for.
Should I use plurals in the keyword field?
Usually not. Apple stems words, so the singular form generally covers the plural. Spend the limited 100 characters on additional distinct terms instead of both singular and plural versions of the same word.
Does Google Play have a keyword field?
No. Google Play has no hidden keyword field — it indexes your title, short description, and full description. So on Play, keyword research feeds your visible copy; on iOS, it feeds the hidden keyword field.
Can I use competitor names as keywords?
Avoid it. Apple's guidelines prohibit using trademarked terms and other brands' names, and doing so can get your app rejected. Focus on the words real users type to describe the problem your app solves.