How to Steal Competitor Keywords Legally

Your competitors have already done the keyword research. They've tested which terms drive installs and refined their targeting over months or years.

Competitor keyword analysis isn't copying—it's learning from market validation.

The apps winning at ASO don't reinvent keyword research. They systematically analyze what's already working and identify strategic opportunities.

Here's the framework for ethical, effective competitor keyword intelligence.

Why Competitor Keywords Matter

Validated Traffic Sources

Competitors ranking top 5 for keywords proves those keywords drive actual traffic.

Without competitor analysis: You guess which keywords might work

With competitor analysis: You target keywords with proven traffic and conversion

Gap Identification

Competitor analysis reveals three types of opportunities:

Keywords they target that you don't: Expansion opportunities

Keywords you both target: Competitive battlegrounds

Keywords you target that they don't: Differentiation opportunities

Efficiency

Competitor keyword research accelerates your learning curve by months.

Building from scratch: 3-6 months of testing to identify winning keywords

Learning from competitors: Immediate insight into proven keywords

Identifying the Right Competitors

Not all competitors are worth analyzing.

Direct Competitors (Priority 1)

Apps that solve the same core problem for the same audience.

Criteria:

• Same primary function
• Same target user
• Similar feature set
• Similar positioning

Example for meditation app: Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer

Why analyze: Their keyword strategy directly applies to your app

Aspirational Competitors (Priority 2)

Apps you want to compete with as you grow.

Criteria:

• Same category
• Significantly larger (but not impossibly so)
• 2-3 years ahead in maturity
• Strong ASO performance

Why analyze: Shows what's possible with optimization and scale

Category Leaders (Priority 3)

Dominant apps in your category.

Criteria:

• Top 10 in category
• Household name recognition
• Massive user base

Example: For meditation, analyze top health/wellness apps

Why analyze: Identify category-level keyword patterns and trends

Adjacent Competitors (Priority 4)

Apps in related categories targeting overlapping users.

Example for productivity app: Calendar apps, note apps, time trackers

Why analyze: Find user-type or use-case keywords you hadn't considered

The Competitor Keyword Research Process

Step 1: Identify Keywords They Rank For

Using ASO Tools:

Sensor Tower: Competitor keyword rankings, difficulty scores

AppTweak: Keyword gap analysis, shared vs. unique keywords

App Radar: Competitor keyword discovery

Mobile Action: Keyword overlap analysis

What to extract:

• All keywords they rank top 20 for
• Keywords in their title/subtitle
• Keywords they rank top 5 for (highest priority)

Manual Method (Free):

1. Review their app title and subtitle word-by-word
2. Note obvious keywords
3. Search those keywords in App Store
4. Document their ranking position

Less comprehensive but costs nothing.

Step 2: Categorize Competitor Keywords

Organize by:

Relevance to your app:

• High: Directly describes your core function
• Medium: Describes secondary features
• Low: Not relevant to your app

Difficulty:

• Low (score <30): Easy wins
• Medium (31-60): Primary targets
• High (61+): Long-term aspirations

Traffic potential:

• High volume (10K+ searches)
• Medium volume (1K-10K)
• Low volume (<1K)

Step 3: Identify Keyword Gaps

Three gap types:

Opportunity gaps: Keywords competitors rank for that you don't target

Action: Add relevant high-opportunity keywords to your strategy

Competitive gaps: Keywords you both target where they outrank you

Action: Optimize to improve positioning

Differentiation gaps: Keywords you rank for that they don't

Action: Double down—this is your unique positioning

Gap Analysis Matrix:

| Keyword | You | Comp 1 | Comp 2 | Comp 3 | Opportunity |
|---------|-----|--------|--------|--------|-------------|
| meditation app | 45 | 2 | 1 | 5 | Competitive |
| mindfulness timer | — | 8 | 15 | — | Opportunity |
| breath work tracker | 5 | — | — | 22 | Differentiation |

Step 4: Evaluate Strategic Fit

Don't blindly copy all competitor keywords. Filter for strategic fit:

Add keyword if:

• High relevance to your app (accurately describes functionality)
• You can differentiate or match competitor value
• Keyword aligns with your positioning

Skip keyword if:

• Low relevance (users wouldn't want your app)
• Competitor has unique feature you don't offer
• Keyword conflicts with your differentiation strategy

Example: If competitor ranks for "meditation for kids" but your app targets adults only, skip it.

Platform-Specific Competitor Analysis

iOS Competitor Analysis

Focus areas:

Title (30 characters): Usually 1-2 primary keywords

Subtitle (30 characters): 2-3 supporting keywords

Keyword field (100 characters): Not visible, but tools can infer from rankings

Analysis process:

1. Note title/subtitle keywords explicitly
2. Use tools to identify additional ranked keywords
3. Reverse-engineer likely keyword field composition

Google Play Competitor Analysis

Focus areas:

Title (50 characters): 1-3 primary keywords

Short description (80 characters): Value prop with keyword integration

Long description (4,000 characters): Full keyword strategy revealed

Analysis process:

1. Extract all keywords from title and short description
2. Analyze long description for keyword density and placement
3. Note semantic keyword variations they use

Competitive Keyword Positioning Strategies

Strategy 1: Fill Opportunity Gaps

Target keywords competitors rank for that you're missing.

Prioritization:

• Start with medium-difficulty, medium-volume keywords
• Focus on high-relevance terms first
• Test incrementally (5-10 keywords per optimization cycle)

Strategy 2: Attack Weak Positions

Target keywords where competitors rank 6-15 (vulnerable positions).

Rationale: They're indexing but not dominating—you can displace them

Process:

1. Identify keywords where top competitor ranks 8-15
2. Add to your primary keyword set
3. Optimize aggressively for these terms

Strategy 3: Defend Your Territory

Monitor keywords where you outrank competitors.

Action plan:

• Track weekly for position changes
• Optimize defensively if competitors climb
• Maintain metadata that supports these rankings

Strategy 4: Flank Around Strengths

Find related keywords competitors aren't targeting.

Example:

Competitor dominates "meditation app" and "guided meditation"

You target "meditation timer," "breath work tracker," "mindfulness journal"

Similar users, less direct competition

Tools for Competitor Keyword Analysis

Free Options

App Store Search: Manual competitive ranking checks

Apple Search Ads: Competitor keyword discovery (requires ad account)

Google Play Search: Manual analysis of competitor descriptions

Limitations: Time-intensive, no historical data, incomplete picture

Paid ASO Tools (Recommended)

Sensor Tower ($50-500/month):

• Comprehensive competitor keyword tracking
• Keyword gap analysis
• Historical ranking data
• Difficulty and volume estimates

AppTweak ($79-500+/month):

• Keyword gap reports
• Competitive keyword overlap
• Market share by keyword

App Radar ($29-399/month):

• Competitor keyword monitoring
• Keyword opportunity scoring
• Automated suggestions

Mobile Action ($25-300+/month):

• Keyword gap analysis
• Competitive intelligence reports
• Ranking probability by keyword

Which to choose:

• Limited budget: Start with App Radar (lowest entry price)
• Comprehensive analysis: Sensor Tower or AppTweak
• AI-powered suggestions: App Radar or Mobile Action

Ethical Considerations

What's Legal and Ethical

Allowed:

• Analyzing publicly visible metadata
• Using ASO tools to see keyword rankings
• Targeting the same keywords competitors use
• Learning from their positioning strategies

Not allowed:

• Copying exact title/subtitle phrasing (trademark issues)
• Replicating their screenshots or visual assets
• Claiming their features or achievements as yours
• Misleading users that your app is theirs

Trademark Considerations

General rule: Don't include competitor brand names in your keywords unless contextually appropriate (e.g., "import from [Competitor]" if you offer this feature).

iOS: Apple reviews for trademark violations in title/subtitle

Google Play: Automated and manual review for keyword abuse

Safe approach: Target category keywords, not competitor brand names

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Copying Without Filter

Problem: Adding all competitor keywords regardless of relevance

Fix: Only target keywords that accurately describe your app

Mistake 2: Only Analyzing Top Competitor

Problem: Misses opportunities from other successful apps

Fix: Analyze top 3-5 competitors for comprehensive view

Mistake 3: Ignoring Difficulty

Problem: Targeting high-difficulty keywords just because competitor ranks

Fix: Evaluate whether you can realistically compete for each keyword

Mistake 4: Static Analysis

Problem: Analyzing once and never updating

Fix: Monthly competitor keyword reviews to spot changes

Mistake 5: Neglecting Differentiation

Problem: Becoming a commodity by targeting identical keywords

Fix: Balance competitive keywords with unique positioning keywords

Monitoring Competitive Changes

Monthly Competitor Review

Track:

• New keywords they're ranking for
• Keywords where their position improved significantly
• Metadata changes (title, subtitle, description updates)
• New features mentioned in app updates

Action: Adjust your strategy based on their moves

Competitive Alerts

Set up notifications for:

• When competitor ranks top 5 for your priority keywords
• When competitor updates app metadata
• When competitor launches in new market

Tools: Most ASO platforms offer alert functionality

---

Competitor keyword analysis accelerates your ASO learning curve. Use it to identify opportunities, validate strategies, and compete more effectively.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Competitor Keywords Matter?

Competitors ranking top 5 for keywords proves those keywords drive actual traffic.

Identifying the Right Competitors?

Not all competitors are worth analyzing.

What Is the Competitor Keyword Research Process?

Using ASO Tools:

Platform-Specific Competitor Analysis?

Focus areas:

Competitive Keyword Positioning Strategies?

Target keywords competitors rank for that you're missing.