App Store name and subtitle: writing the 60 characters that rank

Your app name and subtitle are the two fields with the most weight in App Store search, and the first two lines of text people read in search results. Together they are 60 characters. Few parts of your listing do more per character.

The limits

Field	Limit	Indexed for search	Change requires
App name	30	Yes	A new app version
Subtitle	30	Yes	A new app version
Keyword field	100	Yes	A new app version
Promotional text	170	No	Nothing, any time

Each localization has its own name and subtitle, so these limits apply per language.

The name: brand plus one keyword

The common pattern for apps that are not yet household names is Brand: keyword phrase. The brand makes you recognisable; the phrase tells the store and the reader what you do.

Pick the phrase from your best target keywords: decent volume, difficulty you can realistically win, and an exact description of the app. A phrase that is accurate converts better than a phrase that is popular.

Apple's guidelines ask that names be distinctive and not stuffed with generic terms or prices, so keep it readable: a brand and one phrase, not a list.

The subtitle: the second-best phrase, written for people

The subtitle is indexed too, so it is the place for your second most important keywords. But it is also the line that has to convince someone scrolling search results to tap. The best subtitles do both: they read as a benefit and contain words people search.

The last one names three things people search for, reads like a sentence, and does not repeat a word from the name.

Do not repeat words across fields

A word in the name gains nothing from appearing again in the subtitle or the keyword field. Each field should add new words. Repetition is one of the most common reasons a listing ranks for fewer searches than it could.

Use every character, in every country

An audit of almost any category finds names using 12 of 30 characters and empty subtitles in half the localizations. Each unused character is a search you are not eligible for. Fill both fields in every language you support, written for that market, not translated word for word.

Test, then keep what works

Because changes need a new version, treat each release as an experiment. Change one field, note the date, and watch your keyword ranks for the next two to four weeks. If the new phrase climbs and the old ones hold, keep it. If something important fell, you know what caused it.