How Sadiq Reached the Top 20 in Nigeria: Key Learnings

Taking a new app from almost no chart visibility to the top 20 is a challenge. Alhamdulillah Sadiq reached 17th place in Nigeria’s Play Store Lifestyle category through a focused combination of App Store Optimisation (ASO) and paid advertising.

The journey had its ups and downs, but it offered valuable lessons about keyword research, conversion rates and the importance of continuous improvement.

1. Start with the Right Keywords

Rather than targeting only popular keywords, we analysed our existing performance and researched the Nigerian market to identify relevant search terms and effective creative assets.

We found that some long-tail keywords performed well. These more specific searches often have lower competition, making it easier for a new app to gain visibility.

The lesson is simple: the best keyword is not always the one with the highest search volume. A relevant keyword with manageable competition can bring better results than a popular term that is difficult to rank for.

2. Optimise for Downloads, Not Just Visibility

Getting an app in front of more people is only part of the job. Those people also need a good reason to install it.

We used relevant keywords and improved our Play Store assets, including screenshots and videos, to attract potential users. We also learned that targeting irrelevant keywords can hurt conversion rates. Someone searching for a feature that Sadiq does not offer is less likely to install it.

ASO and advertising should therefore target the right audience, not simply generate more traffic.

3. Learn from Drops and Recoveries

Our initial progress was encouraging. Sadiq moved from being unranked to 90th place, but its ranking and conversion performance dropped significantly after 1 month we started it.

After investigating, we identified irrelevant keywords and underperforming assets in both our store listing and ad campaigns. We removed or improved these elements and continued monitoring performance.

By the next 15 days, the app had recovered and reached 17th place.

This experience showed us why monitoring performance matters. When results decline, it is important to identify the cause and make informed adjustments rather than continue with an ineffective strategy.

4. Test Carefully and Give Changes Time

Regular experimentation is essential for ASO and paid campaigns. A/B testing can help identify which screenshots, messaging and other assets perform best.

However, changing too many things too frequently makes it harder to understand what is actually working. New store assets also need time to gather enough data before their performance can be evaluated.

Seasonality matters too. Search behaviour can change around Ramadan, Dhul Hijjah and other significant Islamic occasions. Adapting to these trends can help an app reach users when their needs are most relevant.

The goal is to test consistently without making unnecessary changes.

5. Look Beyond Keywords and Ads

The experiment also highlighted several opportunities we had overlooked, including app crash rates, release frequency, backlinks and store listing localisation across languages.

These technical and growth factors can support an app’s long-term visibility and performance. Understanding user behaviour is equally important. Talking to users and learning what they mean when they search for terms such as prayer times, Namaz time or Qibla direction can reveal valuable insights.

In competitive markets, sustainable growth requires more than ranking for keywords. It requires understanding users and giving them a reason to choose and keep using your app.

What We Learned

Sadiq’s journey in Nigeria reminded us that app growth takes a combination of research, experimentation and patience.

• Choose relevant keywords: Balance search volume with competition and user intent.
• Focus on conversion: Make sure your store listing matches what users are looking for.
• Monitor performance: Identify what is working and remove what is not.
• Test with patience: Give changes enough time to produce meaningful results.
• Improve beyond ASO: Pay attention to technical quality, localisation and user feedback.

Alhamdulillah, reaching 17th place was an encouraging milestone, but there is still more to learn and improve. We look forward to taking on new challenges and finding better ways to help our apps reach the people who can benefit from them.

Watch the full discussion on Office Hours by Greentech to hear more about our ASO experiment, the challenges we faced and what we would do differently next time.