How do you know whether an ASO agency is actually good at what they do, or just good at talking about it? With more agencies offering app store optimization services every year, and most of them describing their work in similar terms, the decision can be surprisingly difficult.
A strong ASO partner can improve your app’s visibility, increase organic installs, and reduce your dependence on paid acquisition over time. A weak one can waste months on surface-level work that doesn’t move results. In this guide, we’ll walk through how ASO agencies work, what to look for and avoid, and how to tell the difference between an agency that will actually drive growth and one that’s just going through the motions.
How ASO agencies work
Not all ASO agencies approach the work in the same way. Before evaluating specific agencies, it helps to understand the main differences in how they operate.
Full-service vs. ASO-specialist agencies. Some agencies offer ASO as part of a broader mobile marketing package that includes paid acquisition, CRM, creative production, and analytics. Others focus exclusively on ASO. Neither is inherently better, but the distinction matters. A full-service agency can be useful if you want a single partner managing multiple channels, since learnings from one channel (like paid) can directly inform another (like organic store optimization). A specialist agency may go deeper on ASO-specific tactics but might not have visibility into your other growth efforts.
Ongoing retainers vs. project-based work. Most ASO agencies work on monthly retainers, where they manage your store presence continuously: running experiments, updating metadata, testing creative, and reporting results. Some also offer one-time engagements such as an ASO audit, a localization project, or a competitive analysis. Retainers make more sense for apps that need ongoing optimization across multiple markets. Project-based work can be a good starting point if you want expert input before building in-house capability.
Keyword-led vs. creative-led approaches. Historically, ASO agencies led with keyword research and metadata optimization. That’s still important, but the field has shifted significantly. In most categories, the biggest gains now come from creative testing: icons, screenshots, videos, and feature graphics. The strongest agencies combine both, using keyword data to inform what to say and creative testing to determine how to show it. If an agency talks only about keywords and rankings, they’re working from an outdated playbook.
Proprietary tools vs. off-the-shelf. Some agencies rely entirely on third-party tools like AppTweak, Sensor Tower, or MobileAction for their data and analysis. Others have built their own technology to automate parts of the process, particularly around A/B testing and experiment management. Proprietary tools can be a genuine differentiator, especially for apps that need to test at high volume across many markets or titles. When Wildlife Studios needed to scale creative testing across their portfolio of over 60 gaming titles, they worked with Phiture’s PressPlay platform to deploy 168 experiments in under two months, resulting in 12 million projected additional installs. That kind of speed and scale is difficult to achieve with manual processes alone.
What makes a good ASO agency
A continuous process, not a one-time setup. App store algorithms change regularly, competitors update their listings, and user search behavior shifts over time. An agency that treats ASO as a quarterly refresh rather than an ongoing discipline is unlikely to deliver sustained results. The best agencies build testing cycles into their work, continuously running experiments on metadata, creative assets, and conversion elements.
Connection to the rest of your growth strategy. ASO doesn’t exist in isolation. Keyword learnings should inform paid campaigns. Creative test results should feed back to the product and brand teams. At Phiture, paid and organic teams share learnings through structured reporting flows, so insights from Apple Search Ads (ASA) campaigns feed directly into metadata and creative decisions, and organic performance data informs paid targeting. This kind of integration is worth asking about in any agency conversation.
Category experience. ASO for a gaming app is fundamentally different from ASO for a fintech app or a dating app. The way users search, the role of creative assets, and the competitive dynamics all vary by category. An agency with deep experience in your vertical will understand these differences without needing to be taught. Ask for case studies in your category specifically, not just impressive numbers from unrelated verticals.
When Headspace worked with Phiture on ASO, the engagement was specifically built around the health and wellness category’s unique dynamics. Continuous keyword optimization paired with professional localization delivered a 40% increase in visibility, an 18% increase in installs via search, and 40% more installs in non-English markets. Read the Headspace case study.
Creative testing capability. Metadata optimization is important, but in most categories, the biggest conversion gains come from testing visual assets: icons, screenshots, preview videos, and feature graphics. A strong ASO agency will have the creative resources and testing infrastructure to run experiments at scale, not just occasionally swap out a screenshot and see what happens. Ask how they generate hypotheses for creative tests, how many experiments they typically run per quarter, and how they measure results.
Lion Studios by AppLovin used PressPlay to launch 100 experiments in five weeks, resulting in a 20% global lift in installs for their Found It! app. The speed of iteration made it possible to compound wins across multiple test cycles. Read the Lion Studios case study.
Localization depth. If your app operates in multiple markets, localization is critical. There’s a meaningful difference between translation and true localization. A good agency works with native speakers who understand local search behavior, cultural context, and visual preferences. They’ll adapt keywords, screenshots, and messaging for each market rather than simply translating the English version. Ask whether they localize creative assets as well as text, and how they approach markets where your app has low brand awareness.
When Deezer engaged Phiture for ASO, localization was central to the strategy. The first optimization rounds delivered a 61% improvement in iOS downloads and 53% on Android, driven largely by matching store narratives and creative assets to market-specific user motivations. Read the Deezer case study.
Transparency and reporting. You should be able to see clearly what the agency is doing, what’s working, and what isn’t. Look for agencies that provide regular reporting with specific metrics (keyword rankings, conversion rates, install volumes, experiment results) rather than vague summaries. The best partners will walk you through their findings, explaining not just what happened but why, and what they plan to do next.
A clear methodology. Ask how they prioritize what to work on. A good agency will have a structured framework for auditing your current store presence, identifying the highest-impact opportunities, and sequencing work to compound over time. If the answer is vague or sounds like a generic checklist, that’s a signal.
Red flags when choosing an ASO agency
Promises of guaranteed rankings. No agency can guarantee a specific ranking position. App store algorithms are complex, competitive, and constantly evolving. An agency that promises “#1 for your target keyword in 30 days” is either being dishonest or using tactics that could put your app at risk.
Black hat techniques. This includes practices such as incentivized reviews, keyword stuffing, fake install campaigns, and any other approach that violates app store guidelines. These tactics may produce short-term gains but carry serious risks, including having your app penalized or removed entirely.
No interest in your product or business. If an agency jumps straight into keyword lists without asking about your product, your users, your competitive position, or your growth goals, that’s worth noting. Good ASO work starts with understanding the business, not a spreadsheet of search volumes.
One-size-fits-all packages. Be cautious of agencies that offer standardized packages without adapting their approach to your specific situation. An app with 10 million monthly users and a global presence needs a very different ASO strategy than a new app launching in a single market.
Separation of paid and organic. The most effective ASO strategies use paid campaigns (particularly Apple Search Ads) to test and validate hypotheses before rolling them into organic metadata and creative. An agency that treats paid and organic as entirely separate workstreams is missing one of the most valuable feedback loops in modern ASO.
How much do ASO agencies cost
ASO pricing varies widely. Most agencies work on monthly retainers, which can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands per month depending on scope, number of markets, and level of creative work involved. Some offer one-time audits or project-based work, which can be useful for teams that want expert input before managing ASO in-house.
Very low-cost services often lack the depth needed to produce meaningful results. A high price doesn’t automatically mean high quality. The most useful indicator is whether the agency can clearly explain what you’ll get for your investment, how they’ll measure success, and what a realistic timeline for results looks like. ASO is a long-term discipline, and any agency worth working with will be upfront about that.
Questions to ask an ASO agency before signing
These questions tend to surface important differences between agencies:
- How do you approach the first 30 days of a new engagement?
- What does your testing process look like, and how many experiments do you typically run?
- How do you handle localization for markets where my app has low awareness?
- Can you share case studies from apps in my category?
- How do you connect ASO work to paid acquisition and CRM?
- What tools do you use, and do you have any proprietary technology?
- How do you report on results, and how often?
The answers to these questions will tell you more about an agency’s quality than any sales deck.
Choosing the right ASO agency
Choosing the right ASO agency matters more than most mobile growth teams expect. The right partner doesn’t just optimize your store listing. They help you understand how users find and evaluate your app, they test continuously, and they connect ASO to the rest of your growth strategy so that learnings compound over time.
At Phiture, we’ve been working in ASO since the early days of the app stores, across gaming, fintech, dating, health, e-commerce, and more. We’ve built proprietary tools like PressPlay (for automated creative testing at scale) and Catchbase (for acquisition spend optimization) to help our clients move faster and learn more from every experiment. Our ASO Stack framework provides the strategic foundation, and our team brings the category expertise and creative capability to execute it.
Take a look at our case studies to see how we’ve approached this for other apps, or get in touch to talk through your ASO strategy.
FAQ
What does an ASO agency do?
An ASO agency helps improve your app’s visibility and conversion in the app stores. This typically includes keyword research and metadata optimization, creative testing (icons, screenshots, videos), localization, review management, and reporting. The best agencies also connect ASO to paid acquisition and CRM strategy for a more integrated approach to growth.
How much does ASO cost?
Pricing varies widely depending on scope, number of markets, and level of creative work. Monthly retainers typically range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. Some agencies also offer one-time audits or project-based engagements. What matters most is understanding what you’re getting for the investment and how results will be measured.
How long does it take to see results from ASO?
ASO is a long-term discipline, not a quick fix. Initial improvements in keyword rankings and conversion can often be seen within the first one to two months, but meaningful, sustained growth typically takes three to six months of consistent work. Be cautious of anyone promising dramatic results in weeks.
What’s the difference between ASO and SEO?
Both focus on improving organic visibility through search, but ASO is specifically tailored to the app store ecosystem (Apple App Store and Google Play), which has its own algorithms, ranking factors, and user behavior patterns. ASO also places much more emphasis on visual assets and conversion optimization than traditional SEO.
Can I do ASO in-house instead of hiring an agency?
You can, and some companies do it successfully. ASO requires specialized knowledge of app store algorithms, access to professional tools, creative testing infrastructure, and the ability to stay on top of frequent platform changes. An agency brings all of this along with experience across multiple apps and categories, which can accelerate learning significantly.
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