App Store Promotional Text: How to Use it

July 25th, 2019

App Store Promotional Text: How to Use it
David Quinn

by David Quinn

VP of Strategy & Partnerships at Gummicube, Inc.

The Promotional Text is a section of an iOS app page that provides quick information about the app. This can include short pitches or taglines, but a common purpose is to let users know about promotions and changes for the app. The Promotional Text’s value for conversion makes it a helpful tool for App Store Optimization.

App Store Promotional Text - What is it?

Promo Text is a 170-character section on an app’s App Store page that appears at the top of the description for the app and in the product page view. Essentially, it acts as an additional part of the introduction. While most changes to an app’s listing on the Apple App Store require the app be updated to deploy them, the Promotional Text can be updated at any time.

Promotional Text is not indexed for organic keywords by Apple. If it were used for keyword indexation, developers could theoretically submit new promotional text frequently just to add new keywords. Instead, the purpose of the Promo Text is for conversions.

App Promotional Text Tips

The Promo Text is not required by default, so developers can choose whether or not to include it with their app. It is still a useful tool for developers, whether or not they’re launching a new release of an app. It’s one of the earlier things a user sees on the product page, so it’s key for catching users’ attention and drawing them to read the rest of the description.

Additionally, the Promo Text will appear in Apple Search Ads results from the search page if no creative sets are displayed. That being the case, Promo Text can also be an important conversion factor from both the product page and Apple Search Ads results.

Allowing developers to change the Promotional Text independent of new releases means they can use it as a way to let users known about short-term promotions, events or other topical features.

As a visible asset, promotional text is helpful for conversions even if it doesn’t provide keyword indexation. As such, it is important to keep best practices in mind when writing your Promotional Text.

App Store Promotional Text Best Practices

The Promo Text can be up to 170-characters, although it can be truncated if it goes that long. Developers should describe the core features and promotions in a concise manner and test different lengths and messaging to see what provides the best conversions.

The app’s Promo Text should provide information about the app itself, as users will see it early on. It should be a strong, eye-catching introduction that conveys the purpose and benefits of the app, so users know what they’ll get from it.

At the same time, the Promo Text should be used for any new or ongoing promotions. Since this can be edited at any time, developers can use it to quickly call out sales or special events without needing to launch a new version of the app and update its entire description.

For instance, shopping apps with sales can use their Promotional Text to say something along the lines of “Shop online and save in our Summer Sale – get up to 50% off on everything!” or mobile games can include a mention of a “New PvP season starting now.”

Users reading the Promo Text will want to know the app is relevant to their queries. As such, integrating keywords within the Promo Text is recommended. This will let users know that your app is relevant to their search queries, which can help improve engagement and conversions.

Mobile App Promotional Text Optimization

The Promotional Text provides one of the earliest impressions for users viewing your app’s page. It leads into the description, so it should be engaging while calling out any noteworthy promotions and values.

One of the most important aspects of the Promotional Text is the ability to edit it at any time, regardless of whether or not the app is receiving an update. Although it is not used for keyword indexation, it is still a valuable asset for conversions. Whenever you want to announce something for your app, the Promotional Text is the place to do it.

Want more information regarding App Store Optimization? Contact Gummicube and we’ll help get your strategy started.

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