26/02/2026
The game has changed, but keywords still play a crucial role in A*O. What no longer works is optimizing for individual keywords in isolation.
Modern app stores no longer view keywords as separate entities; they have become much better at understanding the meaning and intent behind them. That is why A*O today revolves around Semantic Clusters.
Here is how teams are shifting from "keyword optimization" to "semantic optimization":
Step 1: Identify 3-5 Core Themes for Your App
Ask yourself:
Which space should your app OWN?
Where can you WIN, rather than just show up?
Example: For Spotify, the themes might be: "music," "podcasts," and "audiobooks."
Step 2: Build Keyword Clusters for Each Theme
Stop creating a single, massive keyword list. Instead, build specific lists for each theme that include:
Core keywords
Close variants
Long-tail phrases
"Problem-solving" searches
Brand + Generic mixes
Example: The "music" cluster might include keywords like "download music," "online music," "songs," "playlists," etc.
Step 3: Track Performance by Cluster, Not Individual Keywords
Instead of looking at keywords one by one, evaluate the performance of the entire cluster.
Focus on:
Visibility for the whole cluster.
Organic installs per cluster.
The relevance and competition level of the entire group.
Step 4: Decide to Reinforce or Diversify
When a cluster shows good keyword efficiency and growth potential:
Reinforce: Add more keywords from that cluster into your metadata.
Optimize: Create Custom Product Pages (CPP) and Custom Search Results (CSL) tailored to that specific search intent.
When a cluster underperforms:
Decide if this is a space you truly want to own.
If not, Diversify: Replace those keywords with a different cluster you want to focus on reinforcing.
Link Tool For Tracking: https://aso.media?ref=8092ro