Apple App Store ASO Optimization

Overview

This skill enables comprehensive Apple App Store Optimization (ASO) analysis and metadata generation. Analyze existing app listings, generate optimized metadata following Apple's guidelines and character limits, provide competitive insights, and recommend screenshot storyboard strategies.

Core Workflow

When a user requests ASO optimization or metadata review:

1. Analyze the App Context

   • Understand the app's purpose, features, and target audience
   • Identify unique value propositions and competitive differentiators
   • Note any changes or updates the user mentions

2. Load ASO Knowledge Base

   • Reference references/aso_learnings.md for comprehensive ASO best practices
   • Apply competitive analysis strategies
   • Use proven optimization patterns

3. Generate Optimized Metadata

   • Create optimized app name, subtitle, and promotional text
   • Write compelling description with keyword optimization
   • Generate keyword list with strategic placement
   • Ensure all metadata follows Apple's character limits

4. Validate Character Counts

   • Use scripts/validate_metadata.py to verify all metadata meets Apple's requirements
   • Display validation results with character counts and limit compliance
   • Flag any violations with specific corrections needed

5. Provide Screenshot Strategy

   • Recommend screenshot storyboard sequence
   • Suggest messaging hierarchy and visual focus areas
   • Align screenshot strategy with metadata messaging

Apple App Store Character Limits

Critical Limits to Validate:

• App Name: 30 characters maximum
• Subtitle: 30 characters maximum
• Promotional Text: 170 characters maximum
• Description: 4,000 characters maximum
• Keywords: 100 characters maximum (comma-separated, no spaces)
• What's New: 4,000 characters maximum

Metadata Validation Process

After generating recommendations, always validate using the validation script:

python scripts/validate_metadata.py

The script will:

1. Prompt for each metadata field
2. Calculate character counts
3. Check against Apple's limits
4. Display results with ✅ (pass) or ❌ (fail) indicators
5. Show exact character counts and remaining characters

Integration Pattern:

• Generate metadata recommendations
• Run validation script with recommended content
• Display validation results to user
• Adjust any failing fields and re-validate

Output Format

Structure recommendations as:

📱 App Metadata Recommendations

App Name (X/30 characters)
[optimized name]

Subtitle (X/30 characters)
[optimized subtitle]

Promotional Text (X/170 characters)
[promotional text]

Keywords (X/100 characters)
[keyword,list,no,spaces]

Description (X/4000 characters)
[full description]

🎯 Competitive Analysis

[Key insights and positioning recommendations]

📸 Screenshot Storyboard Strategy

[Ordered list of screenshot recommendations with messaging]

✅ Validation Results

[Output from validation script showing compliance]

Krankie: App Store Ranking Tracker

Krankie is an agent-first CLI tool for tracking App Store keyword rankings. Use it to monitor keyword performance, track ranking changes over time, and inform ASO optimization decisions with real data.

Installation

bun install -g krankie
# or run directly
bunx krankie

Key Commands

App Management:

# Search for apps
krankie app search "<query>" --platform ios

# Add an app to track
krankie app create <app_id> --platform ios

# List tracked apps
krankie app list

Keyword Tracking:

# Add keywords to track for an app
krankie keyword add <app_id> "<keyword>" --store us

# List tracked keywords
krankie keyword list

Ranking Checks:

# Run ranking checks for all tracked keywords
krankie check run

# View current rankings
krankie rankings

# See biggest movers (gains/losses)
krankie rankings movers

# View ranking history for a keyword
krankie rankings history <keyword_id>

# Check status of last run
krankie check status

Automation:

# Install daily cron job (default: 6 AM)
krankie cron install --hour 6

# Check cron status
krankie cron status

Agent Integration

All commands support --json flag for structured output:

krankie rankings --json
krankie app list --json

Get agent-friendly instructions:

krankie instructions --format json

Data Notes

• Rankings track positions 1-200; null indicates outside this range
• Data stored locally in ~/.krankie/krankie.db (SQLite)
• Daily re-checks are rate-limited; use --force to override
• Logs available at ~/.krankie/check.log

ASO Workflow Integration

1. Before optimization: Use krankie rankings to establish baseline keyword positions
2. Competitive analysis: Track competitor apps and their keyword rankings
3. After metadata changes: Monitor krankie rankings movers to measure impact
4. Trend analysis: Use krankie rankings history to identify patterns

Resources

scripts/validate_metadata.py

Python script that validates App Store metadata against Apple's character limits. Provides interactive validation with clear pass/fail indicators.

references/aso_learnings.md

Comprehensive ASO knowledge base containing optimization strategies, competitive analysis frameworks, keyword research techniques, and proven best practices. Load this file to inform all ASO recommendations.