“Get to the top” sounds like a single goal, but there are several tops and you reach them differently. There’s the top of search results for a specific query, the category charts, and editorial features. The most controllable is search — that’s where we suggest starting. Climbing the category charts is harder and pricier, and an editorial feature can’t be bought at all.
Below is what actually moves an app up and how to structure promotion so growth is durable rather than a one-off spike that collapses afterward.
What affects rankings
Stores don’t publish their exact formulas, but in practice and from official guidance the factors look like this:
- Install volume and velocity. What matters is less the absolute number than the growth rate relative to competitors in your niche. A sharp but steady rise signals the algorithm that the app is gaining traction.
- Post-install behaviour. Did the person open the app, return on day 2–3, keep it installed? Empty installs with no activity barely move rankings and sometimes hurt.
- Listing relevance. This is where ASO matters: if a keyword is in your title and description, the app is eligible for that query. See our ASO guide.
- Rating and reviews. They affect both ranking and conversion. A low rating drags you down on both fronts.
A step-by-step plan
1. Fix the listing first
There’s no point sending traffic to a weak listing — you’ll pay for impressions and conversion will eat them. Start with ASO: keywords, title, icon, first screenshots, rating. It’s the foundation; everything else works at half power without it.
2. Choose your entry queries
Don’t storm head terms on day one. List mid- and long-tail keywords where your app already sits in the top 30 — those are easiest to nudge into the top 10. Each win adds organics, which fuels the next push.
3. Add controlled install flow
To move rankings you need an install flow the algorithm notices. This is where motivated traffic comes in — real users who install the app via a target query. The safety conditions:
- smooth day-over-day ramp-up, no 10× jumps;
- installs via the search query, not a direct link — this builds relevance;
- real people on real devices, not emulators or bots;
- returns to the app on day 2–3, so behavioural metrics look natural.
We cover the upsides, downsides and risks of this traffic in our piece on buying app installs.
4. Lock it in with organics
Once the app climbs for a query, regular users start seeing and installing it. If the listing converts, organics pick up the position and hold it even after paid traffic drops. That’s the goal — not to “stand in the top” but to settle there on real demand.
How many installs do you need
There’s no universal number — it depends on niche and competition. Rough field benchmarks:
| Query competition | Installs per day for top-10 |
|---|---|
| Low (narrow query) | 1–20 |
| Medium | 20–150 |
| High (popular niche) | 150+ |
These are approximate: the exact volume is always calculated for a specific query and region. So it’s wiser to start with a small test, watch how rankings respond, and scale from there.
What not to do
- Sudden spikes. Tens of thousands of installs in a day on a young app is a red flag for anti-fraud. Growth should look natural.
- Bots and emulators. Stores have learned to detect them; those installs get filtered and the account risks penalties.
- Padding the rating with empty five stars. Hundreds of identical blank fives look suspicious. Fewer but meaningful reviews are better.
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Get startedFAQ
How fast will the app climb?
In the App Store ranking changes are usually visible within hours of traffic arriving; in Google Play and RuStore typically on day 2–3 due to slower indexing.
Will the app hold its position if I stop promoting?
If organics built up during the ramp and the listing converts, the position holds and declines slowly. If the traffic was “empty”, with no engagement, the app drops back almost immediately. That’s why we focus on install quality, not just quantity.
Is it safe for the account?
With a smooth pace and traffic from real people the risk is minimal. The danger is sharp bot-driven spikes — those are what to avoid.