Why your app gets no downloads: 7 reasons and the fix for each

An app gets no downloads for one of two reasons: nobody sees it, or people see it and don't tap. The first is a words problem. The second is a pictures-and-rating problem. Here are the seven causes we see most, each with a one-minute check so you know which one is yours.

Definition

Impressions: the number of times your app appeared in a search result or a store page. Both App Store Connect and Play Console show it. Zero impressions means a words problem; many impressions with few installs means a conversion problem.

First, find out which half you have

Open App Store Connect (App Analytics) or Play Console (Store performance). Look at the last 30 days.

• Impressions under a few hundred: nobody is seeing you. Causes 1 to 4 below.
• Thousands of impressions, installs under 2% of them: people see you and pass. Causes 5 to 7.

The seven causes

1. 1

   Your name is only a brand

   "Luma" matches nothing anyone types. Check: search the store for the job your app does. If your name has none of those words, this is it. Fix: "Luma: Habit Tracker & Streaks". See the words that rank.
2. 2

   Your second line is a slogan

   "Live better every day" ranks for nothing. Check: does the subtitle or short description contain two real searches? Fix: three jobs, plainly: "Daily habits, streaks, reminders".
3. 3

   You are chasing a search you cannot win

   "notes" is owned by apps with millions of ratings. Check: search your main term; if every top result has 100k+ ratings, you will not appear. Fix: move one word sideways: "voice notes for meetings". Keyword research shows how to find the open doors.
4. 4

   You only exist in one storefront

   Each country is a separate search. Check: are you listed, with localised text, in the countries your users live in? Fix: add the storefronts that matter and translate the name's second half and the first three captions. ASO for Indian apps is an example.
5. 5

   Your first screenshot shows a menu

   Shoppers see three screenshots in search and decide. Check: cover everything but screenshots one to three. Would a stranger know what the app does and why it's good? Fix: result first, four-word caption on each.
6. 6

   Your rating is under 4.3

   The star sits in the search result next to your name. Check: compare your rating to the top three results for your searches. Fix: reply to every low review, fix the top complaint, ask for ratings after a success moment. Templates here.
7. 7

   Your icon disappears at thumbnail size

   Check: shrink the icon to 60 pixels next to the top five icons for your search. Does it stand out, and can you tell what it is? Fix: one shape, two colours, no text.

Things that are probably not the problem

• The description length. Apple doesn't index it for search; Google does, but a longer description does not rank higher. It needs the right words, not more words.
• Not having ads. Most installs come from search. Ads on top of a weak listing send people to a page that doesn't convert.
• The app being new. New apps can rank for specific searches within weeks if the words match and the first installs convert.
• Bad luck. The stores are predictable. If the words match and the page converts, views and installs follow.

The order to fix things

1. Name, then second line. One update.
2. First three screenshots, with captions. Same update if you can.
3. Reply to every low review from the last 90 days. Today.
4. Ship, wait three weeks, check impressions and installs again.
5. Then keywords in the keyword field or description, and new storefronts.

If you want the diagnosis done for you, the free audit above runs the checks on your listing and tells you which of the seven you have. The 30-point checklist does the same by hand.