ASO: getting your app ranked in the stores without advertising

A well-made app can stay invisible if nobody finds it. Stores work like search engines: they rank apps according to relevance, quality and user behaviour. ASO is about working on these criteria. The Moroccan market has a particularity: the stores hold many well-optimised international apps and very few well-crafted local ones. Working seriously on a local store page often gives a larger advantage than you would get in a saturated market. Another particularity: users uninstall heavy apps easily, and the stores measure it. A 80 MB app for a simple function is judged unfavourably; a light, fast and useful app keeps its users, and this signal weighs on search rankings. Finally, a large share of users search the store by service and by city. "On-call pharmacy Rabat" or "motorbike repair Agadir" are more useful queries to target than generic terms. ## Searching the stores Keyword research is done with dedicated tools or by observing the stores' suggestions. Three elements must be crossed: estimated volume, competition (number and quality of the apps present) and relevance. A highly searched keyword dominated by global apps is not worth it; a local niche query is more likely to bring qualified installs. The title counts more than the other fields. Users read the title; the stores weight it heavily. It must combine the brand name and the main use: "DarLivraison: home delivery Casablanca" rather than "DarLivraison". The App Store keyword field (100 characters) accepts phrases without repetition and without unnecessary spaces. On Google Play, the short description and the indexing of the full description offer other opportunities to appear. ## Converting visits into installs Appearing is not enough: you have to convince. A store page is judged on its conversion rate, which varies greatly with visuals, rating and first reviews. Screenshots show usage, not the interface. A first screenshot with a clear benefit, a second with the purchase journey, a third with social proof: this sequence is most often the winner, but it needs testing. The preview video helps apps with a strong visual flow. The rating is visible in search results and weighs on the decision. Asking for a review after a concrete success considerably increases the number of responses, and recent reviews count more than old ones. Replying to negative reviews with a solution improves the image with future users. One often forgotten point: consistency between the store page and the app itself. A page promising a service and an app that demands five login screens before being useful produces quick uninstalls, which weigh negatively. A difficulty specific to service apps: the page must explain in a few words what the app allows you to do, often for a use that isn't obvious ("find an on-call plumber", "track your order's delivery times"). A screenshot with an example sentence is better than a logo and a slogan. Finally, the page evolves with the app. At each update, ask whether the copy and visuals still describe the real experience. A page promising removed or renamed features produces disappointed reviews and lowers the rating. ## Limits and next steps ASO improves visibility in search and the conversion of people who visit the store page. It doesn't generate an audience on its own in competitive markets. To launch an app, ASO should be combined with a web presence, useful content and sometimes an ad campaign on the most profitable keywords. Monitoring is done with each platform's tools and with business-specific indicators: installs, sign-ups, first purchases. An app can get many installs and few active users; that is then a product or onboarding problem, not ASO. Distinguishing the two avoids searching for keywords when the problem lies in the first screens. The stores also offer custom product pages and A/B tests (App Store Connect for Google Play, store page tests on the App Store). These tools let you measure, rather than guess, the effect of a change. The full [App marketing](/services/applications-mobiles/marketing-application/) guide details the complete journey, and the one on [promotion with a limited budget](/insights/comment-promouvoir-une-application-avec-un-budget-minimum-4604a/) sets out a low-cost launch plan.

When this guide is for you

Your app is live but gets few organic downloads
You are launching an app and want a clean foundation before advertising
Your store page was written in a rush at publication
Your competitors rank at the top of search for queries you also cover

Step by step

Research users' keywords — Identify what people type in the store search: service name, city, function ("pharmacy delivery Tangier", "stock management"). Prioritise queries with volume and few direct competitors.
Optimise the title and subtitle — Put the app's name and its main use in the title. Use the subtitle to specify the target audience or the city. Avoid jargon and filler words that help no one find or understand the app.
Craft the store page visuals — Screenshots showing real usage, with a short text on each. A 15 to 30 second preview video helps people decide. Test two orders of screenshots and compare conversion rates.
Build reviews and the rating — Ask for a review after a concrete success (order delivered, booking confirmed). Reply to every review, especially negative ones. Low ratings from old versions can be limited thanks to per-version ratings.
Measure, test, iterate — Track impressions, store page views and the conversion rate into downloads. Test one change at a time and compare over two to four weeks.

What it costs (in MAD)

Service	Indicative price	Good to know
Full ASO audit	3,000 – 12,000 MAD (≈ 270 – 1,100 €)	Keyword research, competitor analysis
Store page rewrite and visuals	3,000 – 10,000 MAD (≈ 270 – 900 €)	Copy, screenshots, short video
Monthly monitoring	2,000 – 8,000 MAD per month (≈ 180 – 730 €)	A/B tests, reviews, keywords

Indicative ranges for the Moroccan market in 2026, excluding tax. Prices vary with scope and provider.

Mistakes to avoid

Filling the keyword field with the brand name or over-generic terms, with no effect on search
Using identical screenshots on every platform, when formats and expectations differ
Buying reviews: both stores detect these practices and can remove the app
Expecting ASO to replace advertising for a well-rated but unknown app

Frequently asked questions

How long before seeing an effect?

Title and keyword changes produce visible effects within two to four weeks. Visuals and conversion can be measured faster, from a few hundred store page views.

Should the store page be translated?

Yes if you target several countries. A French page for Morocco, Arabic for other French- and Arabic-speaking markets, English for international audiences. The page language influences search in each store.

What is the difference between the App Store and Google Play?

Google Play offers a short description visible in search and broader indexing of the description. The App Store uses a dedicated keyword field, with more weight on the title and subtitle.

Are paid reviews a good idea?

No. Store terms forbid buying and exchanging reviews. Detection leads to the app being removed and can block the developer account, which costs far more than a few reviews.

Version française: /insights/aso-application-mobile-mieux-classer-dans-les-stores/