How far ahead should I prepare ASO for a launch?

I start a couple of weeks before launch. That is the time I need to get keywords, metadata, creatives, the category and, on Google Play, the tags ready.

What is an App Store pre-order?

Publishing your listing before the app is out so people can order it in advance. According to Apple, on release day it downloads automatically to the device used to pre-order. For a new app, the release date can be 2 to 180 days after the pre-order is published.

And Google Play pre-registration?

It works in a similar way: users sign up from the listing and, when you launch, Google Play sends them a notification to install, or installs it automatically if they opted in. A pre-registration campaign can last 90 days at most.

What should I measure in the first weeks after launch?

Keywords above all: which ones you start ranking for, which metadata changes to try with others, conversion per keyword and overall listing conversion. Alongside that, icon A/B tests.

Can I get the mini audit if my app is not live yet?

If there is no live listing there is nothing to audit, so we go straight to the proposal and build the listing from scratch before launch.

How much does launch ASO cost?

I do not publish prices: it depends on the app, the platforms and the languages. I send you a proposal with a fixed-price foundation for the launch and optional monthly management for the weeks after.

Services

Pre-launch ASO: launch your app with the listing ready

An app that launches with a half-finished listing wastes its first weeks, which are the ones that teach you the most. I prepare your launch so the app goes live with keywords, listing and creatives ready, and with users already waiting.

Updated 17 October 2026Aitor Fernández

Start with a free mini audit of your store listing: no strings attached, no cost.

Book 20 minutes or send me an email

Who it's for

Indie developers about to ship their first app or game who don't want to waste launch day.
Mid-sized studios that launch several titles a year and need a launch process they can repeat without mistakes.
Companies about to release a new app or enter new markets that want to arrive with the listing ready.

The problem I solve: a lot of apps launch with whatever listing could be put together the night before, with no keyword work and screenshots that weren't designed to convert. The first weeks tell you the most about which searches work, and if the listing isn't ready, that information is lost.

What's included

Before launch (I start a couple of weeks ahead):

Keywords and metadata: keyword research, plus title, subtitle, keyword field and descriptions ready on each store.
Creatives: icon, screenshots and video built to convert from day one.
Listing setup: the right category and, on Google Play, the tags that describe your app.
Pre-orders and pre-registration: getting the listing live before launch so people can sign up and the store tells them on release day. That way you launch with users already waiting.

After launch, in the first weeks:

Keyword tracking: which keywords we start ranking for and which we don't.
Metadata iteration to try other keywords.
Conversion per keyword and overall listing conversion.
Icon A/B tests to win more CTR.

How pre-orders and pre-registration work

App Store: with a pre-order, people order your app before it's out and it downloads automatically to their device on release day. For a new app, the release date can be 2 to 180 days after the pre-order is published (App Store Connect Help).
Google Play: with pre-registration, users sign up from your listing and, at launch, get a Google Play notification to install the app, or it installs automatically if they opted in. Each pre-registration campaign can last 90 days at most.

The experience behind it

I've prepared and measured launches from both sides: for others, and for my own studios and apps.

Redvel Games, as ASO Consultant: the launches of Soccer Star Hero, Idle Clicker Hero and Soccer Star Football Cards.
Atalana Games, my own studio (co-founder and CMO): Idle Island Tycoon and Idle Vikings Tycoon, with over 1M organic downloads right in the middle of the idle games boom.
West520: several social casino app launches.
My own iOS apps: Ferro, which I launched with ASO metadata in 30 languages, and HouseSaver. I design, build and ship them myself, so I also know launching from the publisher's side.

They all lead to the same conclusion: in the first weeks, keywords matter most. Seeing early which ones you rank for lets you correct course before the listing settles.

How we work, in 4 steps

Free mini audit. If you already have a live app, I review your listing and tell you what I'd change first. If it's a launch from scratch, we go straight to the proposal.
Proposal. A fixed-price foundation covering the whole pre-launch, plus optional monthly management for the weeks after.
Paid upfront, no lock-in. You pay before each phase starts and can stop whenever you want.
Work and measurement. I get the listing ready, we launch, and I measure keyword by keyword what works so we can iterate.

Frequently asked questions

How far ahead should I prepare ASO for a launch?: I start a couple of weeks before launch. That is the time I need to get keywords, metadata, creatives, the category and, on Google Play, the tags ready.
What is an App Store pre-order?: Publishing your listing before the app is out so people can order it in advance. According to Apple, on release day it downloads automatically to the device used to pre-order. For a new app, the release date can be 2 to 180 days after the pre-order is published.
And Google Play pre-registration?: It works in a similar way: users sign up from the listing and, when you launch, Google Play sends them a notification to install, or installs it automatically if they opted in. A pre-registration campaign can last 90 days at most.
What should I measure in the first weeks after launch?: Keywords above all: which ones you start ranking for, which metadata changes to try with others, conversion per keyword and overall listing conversion. Alongside that, icon A/B tests.
Can I get the mini audit if my app is not live yet?: If there is no live listing there is nothing to audit, so we go straight to the proposal and build the listing from scratch before launch.
How much does launch ASO cost?: I do not publish prices: it depends on the app, the platforms and the languages. I send you a proposal with a fixed-price foundation for the launch and optional monthly management for the weeks after.

Related service

Free mini audit

Could your store listing be winning more downloads?

If your app is already live, I will review your listing for free and tell you what I would change first. No strings attached, no cost.

Book 20 minutes