Smart Metadata Editor for App Store Optimization in ASO.dev
Managing your app’s meta information is a key aspect of your App Store Optimization (ASO) strategy. It is essential to ensure that your app ranks well in search results, meets App Store requirements, and attracts potential users.
Input Fields
Each input field contains several buttons:
- Metadata Editor: Quick access to the metadata editor.
- Bulk Metadata Editor: Quick access to the bulk metadata editor.
- Translate: Translates text from the primary localization to the current language.
- Reverse Translate: Translates the current text in the input field back to the base language set in your profile settings.
- Show Differences: If the value differs from the last saved version, this button will show the difference.
- Copy from Previous Version: Copies content from the last modified version.
For fields that affect search results in the App Store, such as Title, Subtitle, and Keywords, additional keyword analysis features are available:
- Keyword Breakdown: The entered text is automatically split into individual keywords.
- Display Metrics: Relevant metrics for each keyword are shown, including:
- Current App Rating: The current rating of your app for this keyword.
- Search Ads Popularity (SAP): The popularity of the keyword in Apple Search Ads—hovering over it shows the date of the last update.
- Difficulty: The competitiveness of the keyword.
- Total Number of Apps: The number of apps using this keyword.
- Suggestions: The number of suggestions for this keyword in the App Store.
- Keyword Management: Buttons to add or remove keywords from your keyword list.
- Edit Field: Options to remove or add this keyword directly in the current input field.
For the Keywords field, Keyword Recommendations are also available, based on:
- Current App Keywords: Keywords for which your app already has search queries.
- User’s Keyword List: Keywords from your personalized keyword list.
- Competitor Apps: Keywords used by competitor apps.
Each input field has a dynamic border that reflects the current state, unless disabled in the page Settings:
- Blue: Indicates that the field has been changed.
- Red: Displays when there is no data in the field.
- Gray: Shows when the field has no changes and is filled.
Additionally, each input field displays the character count and maximum field length, helping to ensure compliance with App Store requirements.
Settings
App Preview
Turn on the App Preview feature to see how your app will look on real device in the App Store.
You also control this setting with the display of the side panel with the preview.
Try to fix App Store Connect API
To fix the error where the Apple App Store Connect API in the metadata editor incorrectly returns the list of app versions, a setting “Try to fix App Store Connect API” has been added.
Enabling this option activates the fix, but it may slow down the editor. The setting is not saved, and you need to enable it again each time you start aso.dev, as the problem is likely temporary.
Changes indicator
Before each input field, a vertical colored stripe is displayed as a status indicator.
By default, the indicators are visible, but they can be turned off using the “Hide change indicators” setting.
Color scheme:
- Red: field is not filled
- Blue: field has been changed
- Gray: field has not been changed
Versioning Settings
You can manage your app’s versioning more flexibly.
By default, when the major version is increased, the minor version remains unchanged (for example, version 1.2.3 will become 1.3.3).
However, you have two configurable options in the settings:
- Update Minor Version: Automatically increments the minor version while keeping the current major version. For example, version 1.2.3 will become 1.2.4.
- Reset Minor Version on Major Update: When the major version is increased, the minor version resets to zero. This means version 1.2.3 will become 1.3.0.
Keywords Settings
Settings allow you to hide or show certain features such as keyword suggestions, keyword parameters (SAP, difficulty, total apps, current app rank), and validation messages.
Localization Providers
You can configure the translation provider of your choice (Google Translate, DeepL, Chat GPT, Claude AI) in the ASO.dev settings and also set stop words for translations.
Google Translate
Google Translate is available by default as a free translation provider in ASO.dev.
If you don’t have API keys for other providers, Google Translate will be used automatically.
DeepL, Chat GPT, Claude AI
DeepL, Chat GPT, and Claude AI are paid translation providers that offer more accurate and high-quality translations compared to Google Translate.
These providers use advanced technologies and AI models to ensure a high level of translation accuracy.
To use these providers, you need to obtain an API key, enter it in the settings, and, if necessary, select a model or specify additional parameters.
How to Set the Priority of Translation Providers
You can change the priority of translation providers by dragging their cards in the list.
The order determines which provider will be used first when translating content.
Disabling a Translation Provider
To disable a specific translation provider, simply toggle the switch to the “Off” position.
This provider will no longer be used for content translation.
You can also change the order of providers to adjust their priority.
Excluding Specific Keywords or Phrases from Translation
If you need to exclude certain words or phrases from translation, such as brand names, follow these steps:
- Enter the keyword or phrase you want to exclude from translation.
- Click the “Exclude” button.
Excluded words or phrases will remain in their original language and will not be altered during translation.
This is especially useful for maintaining consistency with brand names, technical terms, and other important phrases.
Creating a New Version
Easily create new versions of your apps in App Store Connect - enter the version number, and ASO.dev will fill in all the necessary metadata for an update in the App Store.
Copying from a Previous Version
To simplify the update process, ASO.dev copies metadata from previous versions, including the Promo Text field, allowing for easy adaptation of existing descriptions, keywords, etc. You only need to enter “What’s New” and select a build.
Automatic Localization
ASO.dev automatically localizes metadata for all languages supported in App Store Connect.
You can edit each language separately.
We create a new locale with one click, translating all data from your app’s base localization.
Selecting a Build
For each new version, you can select a build from the list of available ones, ensuring a smooth transition from development to publication.
A button is located next to the app version number input for easy access.
Age Rating Editor
A button displays the current age rating and it’s located next to the app version number input for easy access.
Saving Directly to the App Store
All metadata changes can be saved directly in App Store Connect without the need to manually transfer information, significantly saving time.
Submission for Review
After filling in “What’s New” and selecting a build, submit the app for review in App Store Connect, even from a phone.
Metadata Validation
ASO.dev checks the metadata for compliance with App Store Connect requirements, which helps avoid errors during publication. It also ensures you optimally use keywords in your metadata.
Keyword Suggestions
ASO.dev offers keyword suggestions, helping to optimize metadata for search in the App Store. Suggestions display the current position of your word (Rank), the popularity (SAP) of the keyword, and also show the keywords of your competitors.
Highlighting Changes Made
The change highlighting feature allows you to quickly identify all corrections made to the metadata.
Import and Export of Metadata
ASO.dev supports the import and export of metadata, allowing you to export all the metadata of your app and copy it to another one of your apps. This is convenient when you support a mobile and macOS app, or when you want to transfer metadata from one app to another.
Integration with Fastlane
ASO.dev supports the import and export of metadata from Fastlane, allowing you to use ASO.dev alongside your existing tools.
Support for All Types of Applications
ASO.dev supports all types of applications, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS. Currently, we only show positions and popularity for keywords for iOS applications.
Importing Metadata from Another Version of the App or Platform
You can choose another version of the app or platform and import metadata from it.
This is especially useful for transferring metadata from iOS to other platforms (e.g., macOS, visionOS, etc.) or copying data between apps or rolling back changes to a previous version.
Copying metadata is available by clicking the “Copy from the previous version” button at the top of the page.
In opened window, you can see available platforms (if any) and app versions for data transfer.
Next to each version, there is a checkbox that allows you to import all values from that version or select only the necessary fields.
All localizations of the selected fields will be copied, not just the current one.
The differences icon shows only the changes in the selected localization to avoid cluttering the interface.
When selecting fields for copying, a “Clear selection” button appears to reset the selected fields.
After selecting the necessary fields, click the “Copy” button.
After copying, the metadata is not saved automatically — you need to click the “Save” button to apply the changes on App Store Connect.
Bulk Metadata Editor
With the bulk editor, you can simultaneously edit the same metadata field for all localizations, significantly simplifying the process of updating and maintaining information consistency.
The easiest way to fill in “What’s New” for all localizations is to use the bulk editor. You fill in the information in the main localization, and ASO.dev automatically translates the information into all other localizations, or you can copy information from the previous version.