I Tried This Keyword Trick… Rankings Exploded

If you're stuck on page 2 or 3 in the US App Store and tired of guessing which keywords to target, you're not alone. I tried a single keyword trick—focusing on high-intent, measurable terms and locking them in title and subtitle—and my rankings actually moved. This post walks you through the exact approach so you can test it yourself.

TL;DR — Stop spreading your metadata across dozens of weak keywords. Pick 3–5 high-intent terms with real search volume and achievable difficulty, put the strongest in your title and subtitle, and track daily. Stellar gives you the volume and difficulty data you need to pick the right ones in the US.

Table of contents

• What I Changed
• The Trick in Plain English
• Why It Worked
• How to Replicate It in the US
• What to Avoid
• Next Steps

What I Changed

Before the trick, I was doing what a lot of teams do: guessing keywords from intuition and stuffing a long list into metadata. I had no clear view of which terms had real search volume in the US or how hard they were to rank for. Result? Flat rankings and no idea why.

The change: I started using real data—Apple Search Ads–backed popularity and a Top 10 difficulty score—to pick a small set of high-intent keywords. Then I put the top 1–2 in the title and subtitle and left the rest for keyword field and iteration. I tracked daily so I could see what moved. Stellar gave me that data in one place, so I didn't have to juggle spreadsheets or guess.

The Trick in Plain English

Do this:

1. Get popularity and difficulty for the US store — Use a tool that shows search popularity (from Apple Search Ads) and Top 10 difficulty. Try Stellar for unlimited keywords and fixed pricing.
2. Filter to "winnable + valuable" — Keep only keywords that have decent volume and difficulty you can realistically reach (e.g. Top 10).
3. Put the best 1–2 in title and subtitle — Use the strongest term in the first 30 characters of your title; support it with one more in the subtitle. Keep it readable for humans.
4. Track daily — Watch rankings and historical graphs. When something moves, you'll know whether it was the trick or something else.

That's the trick. No black hat, no algorithm hack—just focus and data.

Why It Worked

The algorithm rewards relevance and consistency. When your title and subtitle clearly match high-intent search terms that have real volume, the US App Store can show you for those queries. When you spread thin across dozens of weak or irrelevant terms, you don't build enough relevance on any one query to rank.

Concentrating your metadata on a few strong keywords also makes it easier to measure. With daily tracking, I could see exactly which terms moved and by how much. That made the next iteration obvious.

If you haven't yet, check your keyword list against real popularity and difficulty on Stellar. You might find you're under-investing in a few terms that could move the needle.

How to Replicate It in the US

1. List seed keywords — From your app's features, benefits, reviews, and competitor keywords. US-specific phrasing matters.
2. Run them through a data tool — Get popularity (Apple Search Ads) and Top 10 difficulty for the US store. Drop terms that are too hard or too low volume.
3. Sort by "opportunity" — High volume + achievable difficulty = priority. Put #1 in the title, #2 (and maybe #3) in the subtitle.
4. Set up daily rank tracking — So you can see the effect. Stellar gives you daily updates and historical graphs for the US and 60+ stores.
5. Revisit in 4–6 weeks — Adjust based on rankings. Double down on what's working; trim what's not.

What to Avoid

• Don't stuff — Readable title and subtitle beat keyword soup every time.
• Don't target only huge terms — They're often impossible to rank for. Mix in mid-volume, winnable keywords.
• Don't set and forget — US search behavior changes. Refresh your list and metadata every few months.

Next Steps

1. Audit your current title and subtitle — Do they match the highest-intent, winnable keywords in your space? If not, find those keywords on Stellar.
2. Lock the trick — Pick 3–5 terms with real volume and achievable difficulty; put the best in title and subtitle.
3. Track and iterate — Use daily rankings and history to see what moves. Then repeat.

I tried this keyword trick and rankings actually moved. You can run the same playbook with the right data—Stellar gives you that so you're not guessing.