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The US Matrix for App Store Keywords

aso-technique

The App Store keyword field gives you 100 characters per locale. Apple also indexes titles from additional locales that target the same storefront, which means there is a legal, widely-used technique to multiply your US keyword coverage tenfold. Here is exactly how it works.

What is the US Matrix?

Apple's App Store allows apps to have metadata in multiple languages for the same storefront. In the United States, there are 10 "non-English" locales that still target the US App Store, meaning they appear in US search results but are intended for users who have their device language set to one of those languages:

  • Russian (ru)
  • Chinese Simplified (zh-Hans)
  • Chinese Traditional (zh-Hant)
  • Japanese (ja)
  • Arabic (ar)
  • Korean (ko)
  • Vietnamese (vi)
  • Thai (th)
  • Turkish (tr)
  • Romanian (ro)

Each of these locales has its own title field (30 characters). Apple indexes the title field for keywords, not just the keyword field. That means by filling the title field of each of these 10 locales with English keyword phrases relevant to your app, you get 10 additional 30-character blocks of US-indexed keyword real estate. Combined with your English title (30 chars), subtitle (30 chars), and keyword field (100 chars), the US Matrix effectively multiplies your indexable US keyword capacity from ~160 characters to ~460+ characters.

How Apple indexes these locales for App Store Optimization

When an App Store user in the United States searches for a keyword, Apple's algorithm checks the app's metadata for the US English locale first. But it also considers the metadata of any locale that targets the US storefront, including these 10 non-English locales.

The title field carries the highest keyword weight, significantly higher than the keyword field. So a keyword placed in the title of a US Matrix locale is indexed with higher weight than the same keyword placed in the keyword field of the English locale.

This creates an opportunity that most App Store Optimization tools do not surface. Instead of having one 30-character title for US keyword coverage, you effectively have eleven: the English title plus ten additional titles from US-targeting locales. RankPal's metadata editor makes this visible and manageable, showing exactly which locales are configured for US Matrix use.

How to use the US Matrix correctly

The US Matrix only works when done correctly. Here are the rules:

  • Use the title field, not the keyword field. The keyword field in US Matrix locales is either not indexed for US search or carries very low weight. Put your keywords in the title field of each locale.
  • Use English keyword phrases. These locales are targeting US English-language searchers, even though the locale is technically Russian, Japanese, or another language.
  • Avoid repeating keywords already in your English title or subtitle. Repetition wastes capacity. Use US Matrix locale titles for keywords you cannot fit elsewhere.
  • Keep phrases relevant and natural. Keyword stuffing with unrelated terms can hurt relevance signals.

A real App Store Optimization example

Suppose you have a Bible app. Your English locale title might be "Versy - Daily Bible Verse." That gives you "bible", "daily", "bible verse" for US indexing. With the US Matrix, you can add unique, non-repeating keyword phrases to each of the 10 locales:

  • Russian title: "devotional scripture reading"
  • Chinese Simplified title: "prayer journal christian"
  • Chinese Traditional title: "gospel study app"
  • Japanese title: "bible study guide daily"
  • Arabic title: "verse of the day app"
  • Korean title: "christian devotions app"
  • Vietnamese title: "holy bible app free"
  • Thai title: "bible gateway concordance"
  • Turkish title: "kjv niv bible reading"
  • Romanian title: "new testament devotional"

Each of these is a real, relevant English keyword phrase. Together they cover keyword territory that would take years to rank for organically through installs alone: giving your app a chance to appear for high-intent searches it would never have been indexed for with just the English locale.

Limitations and caveats

The US Matrix is a legitimate technique, but it has limits. Apple can change its indexing behavior at any time. The technique is based on observed behavior, not documented API behavior, so treat any rankings gained through US Matrix locales as potentially volatile.

Also: this technique only affects search indexing. It does not make your app more visible in Browse or Featured sections, and it does not improve your install conversion rate. It is a keyword coverage tool: it broadens your surface area for discovery, but the actual install still depends on your screenshots, rating, and app quality.

RankPal's metadata editor shows you which locales are configured for US Matrix use and flags keyword overlap so you do not accidentally waste slots on terms already covered by your English metadata.

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