Free Tools for Keyword Research and ASO

Which tools to use for keyword research and ASO – this is the focus of our new article, based on the free pool of ASOMobile analytics features. Optimization can be simple and budget-friendly.

We are not just talking about competition and a saturated mobile app market – we feel it with every new release. Unique ideas are becoming increasingly rare, and promoting existing ones is becoming more challenging.

Users are increasingly looking for precise solutions to their needs, while app stores continue to update their ranking algorithms, making indexing more complex in an effort to offer users the very best. In these conditions, without a properly built semantic core, our app risks simply remaining invisible.

Semantic core is the foundation of ASO. This is where any optimization begins: from metadata and descriptions to testing and localization. But how can we build it without huge investments of time and money? The good news is that there are free tools that can help us find new keywords, check their relevance, and track our app’s dynamics.

You can read more about keyword strategy here.

We will go through the following steps and stages:

• Keyword research
• Checking queries for relevance
• Building the semantic core
• Localization opportunities for metadata

Where to Look for New Keyword Ideas

Keyword Suggest

One of the most reliable sources is App Store and Google Play autocomplete. When a user starts typing a word, the store suggests the most popular options. These suggestions reflect real audience behavior, meaning they are as close to real demand as possible.

Choose a country, enter a keyword, and you immediately see which options are gaining popularity. This is a quick way to find new ideas for your core, especially for long-tail queries.

Trending Searches and Top Keywords

Want to know what’s trending right now? Use the top queries by country. This is useful not only for discovering new ideas but also for tracking seasonal spikes. For example, in summer searches related to travel and leisure increase, in November and December it’s about holidays and shopping, while the first weeks of January are famous for fitness and healthy lifestyle apps.

It’s also easy to view top queries for all time.

How to Check Relevance and Competition

Text Analyzer

The description in Google Play remains an important ranking factor. With Text Analyzer, you can upload your text or a competitor’s description and see:

• Which keywords occur most frequently
• Whether there is “overstuffing”
• Which queries can realistically drive traffic

This is the best way to quickly improve a text: remove unnecessary parts, add missing keywords, and check keyword density.

Keyword Check

A good query is not just about traffic but also about a reasonable level of competition. Keyword Check shows ranking history, search results for the query, and competing apps. This helps eliminate keywords where the top is dominated by giants, and instead focuses on those where breaking through is realistic.

How to Bring the Core Together

A large amount of fragmented data must be consolidated, which is why we use the next free tool for all selected keywords.

Keyword Monitor

All discovered keywords should be collected in one place. Keyword Monitor allows you to build and organize the core: add words manually or directly from other tools. You can also use analytics’ autocomplete suggestions for almost any search query. Keywords can be checked for relevance using search results without leaving ASOMobile.

The main strength of this tool is tracking dynamics: you can see how your app’s rankings change, which keywords are losing effectiveness, and which start generating traffic. This is no longer a static list, but a living mechanism that evolves daily.

Keyword Builder

App Store optimization requires special attention to the keywords field. Apple strictly regulates its rules: words must be unique, separated by commas, and contain no spaces. Creating the right list manually is long and inconvenient.

Keyword Builder automatically converts the semantic core into the correct format: it highlights unique words, removes duplicates, and prepares the final list for the keywords field. This saves time and reduces the risk of mistakes that could cost visibility in search.

Localization: How to Expand Semantics

In 2025, localization has become an essential step even for small apps. In the App Store, each country has additional locales. For example, the US is indexed not only by English (US) but also by nine more regions. This provides hundreds of extra characters for keywords without affecting the main locale.

If we want to grow globally, we start with localization. Even simply adding English keywords to the Spanish or Italian store can bring dozens of new queries. This is often overlooked, but the absence of a full app translation does not mean we shouldn’t use metadata localization opportunities or additional locales to expand our app’s indexation.

Keyword Trends for 2025

• AI suggestions – artificial intelligence helps expand lists of relevant queries faster than classic manual search.
• The rise of long-tail users search more specifically: “free calorie tracker for runners” instead of “fitness app.”
• Local queries – entering new markets requires considering local features: from slang to popular brands.

In the US, users may search for food with queries like “soda delivery app”, while in the UK, the term “fizzy drink delivery app” is more common. The same applies to brands: in Germany, people may search for “Lieferando Gutschein” (a coupon for a popular delivery service), while in Italy, the popular query would be “JustEat offerte”. The same product (for example, a food delivery or payment app) is searched for with completely different words in different countries.

Conclusion

The semantic core is not a boring routine but the main tool for growing our app. Free tools help us go through every step:

• Find ideas
• Check their relevance and competition
• Collect them into a convenient list
• Expand the core through localization

Effective keyword work not only enhances search visibility but also drives new installs, users, and business growth.

Don’t delay: start building your semantic core today and see how your promotion strategy changes.

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