Portfolio: Growth That Ranks

Real case studies showing how strategic SEO/ASO optimization drives measurable results in competitive mobile app markets

3M+
Downloads Achieved
Top 3
App Store Rankings
UA/RU
Primary Markets
10+ weeks
Sustained Rankings
Mobile App SEO/ASO Case Study

Shelter Mobile Game — 3M+ Downloads via SEO/ASO

How we transformed a card game from zero to millions through strategic optimization in the most competitive mobile app category

Project Context

Timeline: 2022–2024 (24-month growth journey)

Team Size: Small team with limited resources

Challenge: Extremely crowded card-game category with established competitors and limited paid acquisition budget

Goal: Achieve sustainable organic growth through app store optimization and SEO strategies

Key Challenges

  • Crowded card game category
  • Limited paid budget
  • Competitive UA/RU markets
  • Need for sustainable growth

Results Achieved

3M+
Downloads
+2.1M from baseline
+38%
CTR Improvement
After icon optimization
+22%
Install Conversion
After description rewrite
10+ weeks
Top 3 Ranking
Sustained in Free & Card Games

Strategy & Execution

App Metadata Optimization

Comprehensive title, subtitle, and keyword optimization across locales

  • Keyword mapping by locale (UA/RU primary focus)
  • Competitor gap analysis using Ahrefs and console data
  • Iterative A/B testing of titles and descriptions
  • Localized content for target markets

Visual Asset Testing

Data-driven optimization of icons and screenshots

  • Icon A/B testing via Play Experiments
  • Screenshot optimization for conversion
  • Visual hierarchy improvements
  • Brand consistency across assets

Review Velocity Management

Strategic timing of review prompts for maximum impact

  • Day-3 retention milestone targeting
  • Review prompt optimization
  • Negative review response strategy
  • Review score monitoring and improvement

Store Listing Experiments

Continuous optimization through controlled testing

  • Metadata refresh cadence optimization
  • Listing element testing
  • Conversion funnel analysis
  • Performance tracking and iteration

Detailed Execution

What I'd Do Next

Creative Automation

Implement LLM-powered tools to draft multiple variants of app descriptions, titles, and marketing copy for faster iteration and testing.

LTV-Based Keyword Prioritization

Develop a system to prioritize keywords based on user lifetime value rather than just download volume, focusing on quality over quantity.

Additional Case Studies

Demonstrating expertise across different SEO verticals and modern search challenges

Content Velocity vs AI Overviews

AI Search Optimization

Testing how publishing frequency and topic clustering impacts AI citation rates in search results.

Challenge

Optimize content strategy for AI-powered search features and overviews

Key Tactics

  • Topic cluster development
  • Publishing schedule optimization
  • AI inclusion monitoring
  • Assisted traffic measurement
  • Content structure optimization

Results

+23%
AI Citations
Increase in AI overview mentions
+18%
Assisted Traffic
Growth in AI-assisted searches
+31%
Topic Authority
Improvement in topical relevance

Note: Ongoing experiment with preliminary results showing positive trends

Interested in Similar Results?

Let's discuss how these strategies can be adapted for your specific market and challenges