Keywords
How to localize App Store keywords for other countries
Other storefronts often have far less competition. How to choose countries, research keywords locally and measure the result.
Updated · 2 min read
The App Store has 175 storefronts. Most apps compete hard in one or two and leave the rest with default English metadata. Localizing your keywords is one of the cheapest ways to reach more people.
Where to start
- Countries where you already get downloads without trying (App Store Connect shows downloads by country).
- Large storefronts in languages your app already supports.
- Storefronts where your main keyword is popular but the top results are weak or untranslated.
Research, don’t just translate
A literal translation of your English keywords often misses how people search. Germans may search an English loanword; Japanese users mix scripts; Brazilians use different words from Portuguese speakers in Portugal. For each storefront:
- Translate your seed keywords, then check the local autocomplete for each.
- Look at the names and subtitles of the local top 10.
- Score the candidates for popularity and difficulty in that storefront specifically.
- Write a localized name, subtitle and keyword field from the winners.
Extra localizations per storefront
ASO practitioners have long observed that some storefronts index more than one localization. The best-known example is the United States, where Spanish (Mexico) metadata appears to count alongside English (U.S.). Apple doesn’t document this mapping, so treat it as an opportunity to test rather than a rule: use the extra localization for additional keywords and measure whether you rank for them. asorocket’s localization planner lists the localizations each storefront is observed to index, shows which of your keywords each one covers, and proposes keyword fields for the rest.
Measure per storefront
Track your localized keywords in each storefront separately. Changes in small storefronts are easy to miss in global totals, so compare rankings and downloads per country. asorocket tracks any keyword in any of the 175 storefronts, and can compare one keyword across storefronts to show where it is easiest to win.
Related questions
How many languages does the App Store support?
App Store Connect offers metadata in around 40 languages across 175 storefronts.
Do I need to translate my whole app?
Not to start. Localized metadata and screenshots already help people find and understand your app, though a localized app converts and retains better.