How to Pick Your First Apple Search Ads Keywords

Start with the job, not the category

Your first Apple Search Ads keywords should come from the job the user is trying to do. A category keyword is often too broad. A job keyword is easier to match with the App Store page and onboarding.

For a running planner, running plan is clearer than fitness. For a budgeting app, budget planner is clearer than finance. For a photo cleanup app, duplicate photo remover is clearer than photo editor.

The question is: what would someone search if they wanted exactly what your app does today?

Use ASO research before spending

Paid search is not a substitute for keyword research. Before bidding, check popularity, difficulty, current ranking, competitor strength, and country differences.

If the top results are huge brands with perfect relevance, your first test may be expensive. If the term has demand and weaker competitors, it may be a better starter keyword.

You want keywords with enough demand to matter and enough relevance that your app can plausibly win the click and install.

Pick a short starter list

For a small first test, pick five to ten keywords. Include the obvious primary term, a few high-intent variants, and maybe one competitor or category term if you can afford the noise.

Do not launch with fifty keywords just because the interface allows it. A broad starter list spreads budget too thin and makes results harder to read.

The first list should be boring, obvious, and easy to diagnose.

Match the page to the keyword

A keyword is not just a bid target. It is a promise. If the user searches 5k training plan, your screenshots and onboarding should not open with a generic fitness tracker pitch.

Before you add a keyword, ask whether the App Store page can make the user feel understood in the first few seconds.

If the page cannot match the intent, fix the page or choose a better keyword.

How AppSprint ASO helps

AppSprint ASO shows popularity, difficulty, competitor rankings, and paid ROAS so first keywords are less random.

AppSprint ASO is built for the app founder workflow around App Store search: research keywords, compare competitors, update metadata, manage Apple Search Ads, and connect revenue so paid search decisions are tied to what actually pays back.