Lazy ASOHow do I rank higher on the App Store as a new app?
Updated 14 November 2026
Pick a search people type that few apps start their name with, then start your app name with it. When no other app does, new apps with 0 ratings reached the top 10 in 20–40% of cases in our scan of 350,712 App Store searches. Screenshots count and update recency barely moved the numbers.
What we measured
We scanned the App Store in 87 countries and followed apps under six months old. 28% of searches had a new app in the top 10, and 67% of those new apps had fewer than 10 ratings, 39% had none. New apps are not locked out. See the research.
| Name of a new app under 100 ratings, counted down to #200 | Reached the top 10 |
|---|---|
| Starts with the search, then more words | 5–10% |
| Search elsewhere in the name | about 3% |
| "Brand: search", after a colon | 1–3% |
| Search not in the name | 2–3% |
Step 1: choose a search few apps start with
New apps with 0 ratings that start their name with the search:
| Other apps starting with it | Top 10 chance |
|---|---|
| 0 | 20–40% |
| 1 or 2 | about 20% |
| 3 or 4 | about 10% |
| 5 or more | about 3% |
An app released in April 2026 sits second for "sky map" in the US with one rating, between apps with 496K and 376K ratings. Its name starts with what people type.
Step 2: put it first in the name
The name allows 30 characters. Start with the search, then add your own word: "Calorie Counter by Numify" is the pattern. After a colon the search counts for about as little as leaving it out, so "Brand: search" is the wrong order. The best short names are often taken, so check yours with the free name check and read is my app name available.
Step 3: fill the other fields with other searches
Apple matches title, subtitle, keywords and primary category, and weighs downloads and ratings. The keyword field has 100 characters, comma separated, no spaces. Use each field for a different search, never repeat words. The keyword field and the subtitle have examples.
What to skip
- Screenshot count: 3 or 4 screenshots reached the top 3 in 12% of cases, 9 or more in 8%.
- Update frequency: from under 2 weeks to over 4 months, 9.4% to 10.7%.
- Waiting for ratings first. Most new apps in a top 10 had none.
Screenshots and updates still matter for conversion. They did not decide who ranks. Ratings help later: see do ratings affect ranking and ranking factors we measured. The full path is in the ultimate ASO guide.
Lazy ASO shows each search with a go, maybe or skip call and a measured top-10 chance, and your AI writes and uploads the listing. Check a name free.