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How to write App Store title, subtitle and keywords without wasting space

A practical guide to App Store metadata: how to split jobs between fields, avoid duplicate terms, and keep the final text readable.

April 8, 202610 min read

App Store metadata gets weaker when every field tries to do the same job.

If the title repeats the subtitle, the subtitle repeats the keyword field, and the keyword field repeats everything again, you lose precious coverage without gaining clarity.

Give each field one job

A clean setup usually works like this:

FieldMain jobWhat to avoid
Titlebrand + primary search intentstuffing every possible keyword
Subtitlevalue framing or second intentrepeating the title in different order
Keywordsadditional coveragerepeating terms already visible elsewhere

Good metadata feels compressed, not crowded. The goal is coverage with clarity, not maximum density at any cost.

Where duplicates usually creep in

Duplicates often appear for boring reasons:

  • the same noun appears in title and subtitle
  • keyword lists are copied from brainstorm notes without cleanup
  • brand terms are repeated even when they already exist in the title
A useful review question

Ask: if I remove this term from the keyword field, is it already visible in title or subtitle? If yes, that slot may be better spent elsewhere.

A compact before-and-after check

Text
title: Habit Tracker - Daily Habit Tracker
subtitle: Build habits and track habits every day
keywords: habit, tracker, daily habits, habit tracker, streaks
Text
title: Habit Tracker
subtitle: Build routines that stick
keywords: daily, streaks, goals, planner, routine

Metadata review checklist

  • Make sure each field is doing a different job.
  • Remove obvious repeats across title, subtitle, and keywords.
  • Keep phrasing readable enough to survive first impression.
  • Check the final character count before submission.

Related tool

ASO Metadata Builder

Draft App Store title, subtitle, and keywords with duplicate-term checks.

Open tool

Use notes for strategy, not for stuffing

Positioning notes are useful during drafting. They are not supposed to leak into final copy word for word.

Drafting notes can help you answer:

  • What is the clearest primary intent?
  • What second benefit is worth placing in the subtitle?
  • Which terms are still uncovered after title and subtitle are set?

What to keep from this

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