App Store Keyword Ranking Value Calculator

Understanding the app store keyword ranking value — concept and principle

App store optimisation (ASO) work, such as improving your title, subtitle, keywords and screenshots, aims to move your app up the search results for valuable keywords. A higher rank means more people tap through to your product page. This calculator estimates how many extra installs and how much extra value per month you would gain by moving from your current rank to a target rank for one keyword. It works with any currency.

How it is calculated

• Extra installs per month = monthly searches × (tap rate at target rank − tap rate at current rank) × install rate after tap.
• Extra value per month = extra installs × value per install.

Tap rate is the share of searchers who tap your listing at a given position; install rate is the share of those visitors who install. Value per install can be your average revenue or lifetime value per new user, or the cost of a paid install you would otherwise buy.

The principle

Searches are a fixed pool of demand. Your rank decides what fraction of that pool reaches your product page, and the product page decides how many of those visitors install. Only the difference in tap rate between the two ranks creates new installs, so the model multiplies the search volume by that gain and then by the page conversion. It assumes the install rate and the value per install stay the same when visitors come from a better position.

Worked example

1. Tap rate gain = 12% − 3% = 9 percentage points.
2. Extra product page visits = 40,000 × 9% = 3,600.
3. Extra installs = 3,600 × 35% = 1,260 per month.
4. Extra value = 1,260 × $2.50 = $3,150.00 per month.

How to read the result

The figure is the upper value of reaching the target rank, which you can compare with the effort or budget needed to get there. Rank the keywords on your list by this number to decide where to focus. Because it scales with your tap-rate assumptions, estimate them from your own store analytics where possible rather than from generic position curves.

Common mistakes

• Using search popularity scores as if they were exact monthly search counts.
• Assuming a target rank you are unlikely to hold, or ignoring competitors' moves.
• Using revenue per install that already includes paid users, which overstates the value of organic installs.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I find tap and conversion rates?

Store analytics such as App Store Connect and Google Play Console report impressions, product page views and conversion rates for search traffic.

What value per install should I use?

Use the average net revenue per new user over a sensible period, or the cost per install of an equivalent paid campaign.

Does ranking higher change the install rate?

It can, because visitors from better positions may be more or less intent-driven. Re-check the install rate after the move.

Sources: Apple, App Store Connect Help — App Analytics metrics · Google, Play Console Help — store listing acquisition reports