Start
Starting audit and score
A score and priority list for a live app, based on its store page, rating, crash rate and retention.
- Each store separately
- First ranking measurement for target searches
App development
From the idea to the page in the store: we separate what goes into the first version, build the app, take it through App Store and Google Play review, then set up its page so it can be found in store search.
With an app that is already live, I usually start with the store page and the crash report.
- iOS
- iPhone and iPad; App Store review, privacy labels, test builds with TestFlight.
- Android
- Phones and tablets; Google Play data safety form, closed testing tracks.
- Web
- The version that runs in the browser; pages that show up in search and links into the app.
- ASOApp Store Optimization
- Ranking in store search, and the people who see the page going on to download.
03.1The work in three parts
When the app goes live, the work is half done. The store page, the rating and the retention of the first weeks are the second half.
aWhat we do
- Scope of the first versionWhich workflow is in the first version and which waits for later; with the reasons.
- DevelopmentiOS, Android and web; shared code or separate code, decided by what the work needs.
- Store releaseAccounts, certificates, privacy declarations, replies to review rejections.
- Store visibilityName, subtitle, keywords, visuals and experiments.
bWhat we deliver
- A working appSource code in your repository, build steps written down.
- Store pagesTexts, visuals and the keyword list.
- Measurement setupWith an event list that explains which event is tracked and why.
- Handover noteHow to ship a new version, when the certificate needs renewing.
cHow we measure
- StoreRanking for target searches; conversion from page view to download.
- RetentionShare of people who open the app again on day 1, 7 and 30.
- QualityCrash-free session rate, launch time, store rating.
- ReleasesThe same measures before and after every release, dated.
03.2Store page elements
The elements on a store page that affect search and the decision to download. Click the numbers on the phone or the list.
Store page
Which fields count in search and which only persuade
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App name
30 characters · Counts in search
- What it does
- The field with the most weight in App Store search; the first line people read in the list.
- How to prepare it
- The brand name and the single most important concept. Stuffing keywords causes trouble in app review.
- How to measure it
- Ranking for target searches, week by week.
-
Subtitle
30 characters · Counts in search
- What it does
- Shows under the name and counts in search.
- How to prepare it
- Does not repeat words from the name; carries the second most important concept.
- How to measure it
- Ranking for target searches before and after the subtitle change.
-
Icon
1024 × 1024 · Visible in search
- What it does
- The first thing that catches the eye in search results.
- How to prepare it
- One shape that reads at a small size; it should stand out next to competitors’ icons.
- How to measure it
- Conversion from view to download, through a Product Page Optimization test.
-
Screenshots
first three matter most · Drives conversion
- What it does
- The first three screenshots show in search results; most people decide without opening the page.
- How to prepare it
- The first screenshot is a one-sentence value and a real screen. The rest each show one workflow.
- How to measure it
- Tests between screenshot sets; the difference in conversion rate.
-
Keyword field
100 characters · Hidden, counts in search
- What it does
- Users never see it; the store uses it for search.
- How to prepare it
- Comma-separated with no spaces; words already in the name and subtitle are not repeated.
- How to measure it
- Ranking tracked for every word added; words that do not work are replaced in the next version.
-
Promotional text
170 characters · Does not count in search
- What it does
- Sits above the description; can be changed without shipping a new version.
- How to prepare it
- Used for current news or time-limited information.
- How to measure it
- Product page conversion next to the dates of each change.
-
Description
4,000 characters · Does not count in search
- What it does
- For the person who opens the page and reads; it does not count in App Store search.
- How to prepare it
- The first three lines show before “more”; that is where you say what the app does.
- How to measure it
- Time spent on the page and conversion.
-
Ratings and reviews
average and count · Drives conversion
- What it does
- Affects both conversion and ranking.
- How to prepare it
- The rating prompt is shown inside the app at the moment a task finishes successfully. Reviews get replies.
- How to measure it
- Average rating per version and share of reviews replied to.
-
App name
30 characters · Counts in search
- What it does
- The field with the most weight in Google Play search.
- How to prepare it
- The brand name and one concept; capital letters, emoji and words like “best” break the rules.
- How to measure it
- Ranking for target searches.
-
Feature graphic
1024 × 500 · Top of the page
- What it does
- Shows at the very top of the page and in some lists.
- How to prepare it
- Little text, one idea; it has to read on a small screen too.
- How to measure it
- Conversion difference through a store listing experiment.
-
Icon
512 × 512 · Visible in search
- What it does
- The first thing that catches the eye in search results.
- How to prepare it
- One shape that stays inside the edges; Play applies its own mask.
- How to measure it
- Icon test; conversion from view to install.
-
Short description
80 characters · Counts in search
- What it does
- Shows under the name and counts in search.
- How to prepare it
- Says what the app does in one sentence; includes the main search term naturally.
- How to measure it
- Ranking and conversion together; one should not drop while the other rises.
-
Screenshots
at least two · Drives conversion
- What it does
- The main story, browsed by swiping.
- How to prepare it
- Each screenshot is one workflow; the first two are the most common tasks.
- How to measure it
- Tests between screenshot sets.
-
Full description
4,000 characters · Counts in search
- What it does
- Counts in Google Play search; that is the difference from the App Store.
- How to prepare it
- Written in natural sentences; repeating keywords counts as a policy violation.
- How to measure it
- Ranking for long-tail searches after the description changes.
-
Ratings and reviews
average and count · Drives conversion
- What it does
- Affects both ranking and conversion.
- How to prepare it
- The in-app review prompt is shown at the right moment; reviews get replies.
- How to measure it
- Rating per version, share of reviews replied to.
-
Store listing experiments
Play Console · Measurement tool
- What it does
- Tests image and text options with real visitors.
- How to prepare it
- One variable per experiment; no decision before enough visits come in.
- How to measure it
- The experiment’s own report: difference in first installs and the confidence interval.
03.3Related packages
The three packages that most often go with app work.
Research
Competitor research
A table drawn from the names, subtitles, visuals and reviews of apps in the same category.
- Searches competitors target
- Complaints that keep coming up in reviews
Release safety
Compliance and risk review
Privacy declaration, permissions and store rules; to see the risk of a review rejection before release.
- Data collection list
- Permission texts
Write the link to your app or your idea.
If it is live, the store link is enough; if not, the three workflows the first version must have.