How to Reverse-Engineer App Store Keywords via Competitors (2025 Strategy)

(Problem) Is your app buried on the 50th page of the App Store results? You are not alone.
(Agitate) In 2025, the "spray and pray" method is dead. Choosing the wrong keywords doesn't just mean zero traffic—it means you are handing potential users directly to your rivals.
(Solution) The good news? You don't need to guess. This guide will show you exactly how to do App Store keyword research by analyzing your top competitors.

Why Competitor Analysis is Better Than Brainstorming

Let’s be honest: sitting down with a spreadsheet and guessing what users type is inefficient.
The most effective ASO strategy is to track the winning strategies of the market leaders. By reverse-engineering their success, you can:

1. Find Validated Keywords: Don't guess traffic; see what is already driving downloads for others.
2. Identify Niche Opportunities: Find the specific terms mid-tier apps are using to grow.
3. Save Time: Skip the "trial and error" phase.

Here is a streamlined 3-step framework to do this using ASOTools and Appark.

Step 1: Broaden Your Horizon (Find the Right Competitors)

The first mistake in App Store keyword research is tunnel vision. You aren't just competing with apps that do exactly what you do. You are competing with any app that ranks for the keywords you want.

How to execute:
Use the Category or Top Charts filter in ASOTools to scan the landscape. Don't just look at the top 3 giants (like Facebook or TikTok). Look for apps ranked #20-#50 in your category.
These "mid-tier" apps often have the most aggressive and optimized keyword strategies because they cannot rely on brand fame alone.

• Action: Create a list of 5-10 direct competitors who are ranking well in your target category.

Step 2: Identify High-Potential Keywords

Once you have your competitor list, you need to see what keywords they are using.

How to execute:
Enter your competitor's app into ASOTools. Look at their Ranked Keywords list.
You are looking for specific criteria:

1. Relevance: Does this keyword describe a feature your app also has?
2. Search Volume: Is there enough traffic? (ASOTools provides this data).
3. Ranking: Is the competitor ranking in the Top 10 for this term?

If you find a keyword where a competitor ranks highly and it has decent search volume, add it to your potential list. This is your "seed list."

Step 3: Validate the Strategy with Real-Time Monitoring

This is the most critical step.
Just because a competitor uses a keyword doesn't mean it's working. You need to verify if a specific update or keyword change actually caused a spike in their downloads.

For this granular verification, we use Appark.ai, which specializes in tracking version updates and trend fluctuations.

Case Study: The "AllTrails" Example
(Note: This data is based on Appark's monitoring analysis)

We tracked AllTrails, a major outdoor app. Using Appark, we noticed a specific pattern:

1. The Event: In early June, Appark's monitoring system alerted us to a major version update. AllTrails updated their description to highlight a new feature: "AllTrails Peak" and "offline trail maps."
2. The Result: Immediately following this update, the Competitor Trend Chart in Appark showed a significant spike in downloads.

The Insight:
By connecting the "Update" (adding keywords like offline maps, trail planning) with the "Result" (download spike), we validated that these are high-converting keywords.

Action:
Use Appark to monitor your top 3 competitors. When you see a "Version Update" followed by a "Rank Spike," steal that strategy.

Conclusion & Next Steps

ASO is no longer a guessing game—it is a data science.

1. Discovery: Use ASOTools to build a broad list of competitors and potential keywords based on search volume.
2. Validation: Use Appark to track version updates and confirm which keywords actually drive growth.
3. Implementation: Update your metadata with these high-confidence keywords.

By combining broad data with real-time monitoring, you reduce the risk of failure and build a strategy based on proven market movements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is App Store Keyword Research?

It is the process of finding words and phrases that potential users type into the App Store search bar. The goal is to target keywords with high traffic and relevance to improve your app's visibility.

2. Why should I use two tools?

Tools like ASOTools are great for broad data (Volume, Difficulty, Rankings), serving as your database. Tools like Appark are specialized for "Event Tracking" (Version updates, Timeline changes), serving as your radar. Using both gives you a complete picture.

3. How often should I check competitor keywords?

Rankings change daily. We recommend doing a deep dive research every month, but you should have monitoring alerts set up (via Appark) to get notified of major competitor changes instantly.