ASO Audit

Whatnot ASO Audit Report

Buse Kanal

16 April 2025

Whatnot is a live shopping platform that blends entertainment with e-commerce, allowing users to buy, sell, and stream collectible and lifestyle products in real time. With its growing popularity in the U.S., Whatnot has carved out a unique niche, especially among hobbyist and collector communities. Despite its success, there is still room to improve visibility and conversion in the App Store through strategic App Store Optimization (ASO).

In this audit, we break down Whatnot’s current ASO performance and share actionable insights to help boost discoverability and drive organic installs.

Keyword Research

We conducted keyword research for Whatnot in the U.S. App Store using ASO intelligence tools like Mobile Action. This analysis helps us understand how well the app ranks for relevant and high-volume keywords.

Current Rankings

Here are some of the keywords Whatnot currently ranks for:

“Live shopping” – Volume: 5 – Rank: #1
“sell” – Volume: 42 – Rank: #9
“shop” – Volume: 67 – Rank: #42
“auction” – Volume: 41 – Rank: #1

Competitor Keywords

“mercari” – Volume: 63 – No ranking
“drip” – Volume: 37 – Rank: #32

Title Analysis

Current Title: Whatnot: Shop, Sell, Connect (28/30 characters)

The current title is fully optimized in terms of character length and covers core functionalities. However, Whatnot is not ranking high for the keyword that includes the “connect” keyword.

Suggestions:

We can consider testing an alternative title structure such as:

Whatnot: Buy, Sell & Shopping

Why?

Adds “buy” (Volume: 33), and “shopping” (Volume: 56)” to capture higher volume terms and target higher ranking since the title has the highest weight.

Subtitle Analysis

Current Subtitle: The Live Shopping Marketplace (29/30 characters)

The subtitle is well-targeted and optimized for length. It effectively includes action-oriented keywords like “live shopping” and “marketplace”.

Suggestions:

To further enhance search visibility, we can consider testing a variant that include:

Shop, Bid & Live Market Deals

This approach may help the app rank better for searches such as “market deals” “live market” and “bid live”

Screenshot Analysis

Screenshots are crucial for capturing user attention and communicating core app benefits. Whatnot currently uses vibrant, dynamic visuals that reflect the energy of its live shopping experience.

Areas for Improvement:

Value Proposition: Not all screenshots emphasize what makes Whatnot unique (e.g., live auctions, real-time bidding, hobby community).
Social Proof: Adding statistics like “10M+ items sold” or “1M+ users” could increase credibility.

Recommendations:

Highlight unique features such as “Live Bidding in Real-Time” or “Exclusive Drops.”
Test different orientations and UI mockups for better engagement.

In-App Events

As of now, Whatnot does not appear to be leveraging in-app events (IAEs) in the App Store. This is a missed opportunity to increase discoverability and boost engagement during key promotions.

Recommendations:

Launch IAEs for seasonal sales (e.g., “Spring Pop Culture Auction”) or exclusive card breaks.
Use badges like “Live Event,” “Limited-Time,” or “Exclusive” to attract attention.

Key Takeaways

To strengthen its ASO strategy, Whatnot should:

Refine metadata by incorporating relevant, high-volume keywords.
Optimize title and subtitle with better-aligned search terms.
Improve screenshots to clearly communicate unique value props.
Start using in-app events to gain additional exposure and drive downloads.

By implementing these strategies and testing regularly, Whatnot can improve its App Store visibility and maintain its position as a leading live shopping app.