Usually one of four things: the word isn't in your name, subtitle or keyword field; the top results for that term are much bigger apps; you're looking in the wrong country; or the change is too recent to judge. Apple says search ranking uses text relevance (title, keywords, primary category) and user behavior such as downloads and ratings (Apple: App Store search), so check relevance first and competition second.
Checklist
| Reason | How to check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The term isn't in your metadata | Look for the word in your name, subtitle and keyword field for that localization | Add it to the field that fits; don't repeat words across fields (Apple) |
| The top 10 is too strong | Search the term; note rating counts of the top 10 | Target a longer, more specific phrase (keyword difficulty guide) |
| Wrong country | Search in the storefront you care about | Each storefront has its own results and reads its own localizations |
| Too recent | Note when the new version went live | Wait for a few checks before judging |
| The term doesn't fit the app | Would a searcher download your app? | Drop it; user behavior is a ranking factor |
The same term is a different contest in each country
For "habit tracker" on Oct 13, 2026:
| Country | Fewest ratings in top 10 | Top-10 apps with < 1,000 ratings |
|---|---|---|
| US | 2,469 | 0 |
| UK | 101 | 4 |
| Germany | 62 | 4 |
| France | 0 | 6 |
| Türkiye | 1 | 6 |
| Japan | 16 | 3 |
Data: iTunes Search API (`itunes.apple.com/search`, entity=software, limit=50), fetched Oct 13, 2026 ~13:30 TRT. The Search API's order is close to, but not guaranteed identical to, what an iPhone shows, so treat positions as indicative.
A small app with no chance on the US page for this term may be competitive on the French or Turkish page, if it has a good localization there.
How to confirm you're ranking at all
Search the exact term on an iPhone set to that country and scroll, or use a rank tracker. If you're not in the first results, a tracker that reads deep (TrackASO reads up to the top 250) tells you whether you're at #80 or nowhere.
FAQ
Why doesn't my app show up when I search its keyword? Most often the word isn't in your name, subtitle or keyword field, or the top results are much bigger apps. Check relevance first, then competition.
What does Apple say affects App Store search ranking? Apple names text relevance (title, keywords, primary category) and user behavior, such as downloads and ratings.
Can my app rank in one country but not another? Yes. Each storefront has its own results. For 'habit tracker' on Oct 13, 2026, the US top 10 had no app under 1,000 ratings, while France and Türkiye each had 6.
How long after an update should I wait before judging rankings? Give it several checks over a number of days rather than judging the first day.
Do I need App Store Connect access to check my rankings? No. Rankings come from public App Store search results.
TrackASO tracks these ranks in the cloud with no Mac app and no App Store Connect access required: every tracked keyword is checked every night, with 175 countries to choose from. $9.99/month or $79.99/year, taxes may apply.
Related reading: how long to wait before judging a change.