What separates a beauty app that blends into the App Store from one that immediately captures attention and drives downloads through App Store Optimization (ASO)? The answer goes far beyond branding alone. Every element of an app listing contributes to how visible, engaging, and competitive an app becomes within the App Store ecosystem. From metadata and app icons to screenshots and visual hierarchy, ASO influences how users discover an app and whether they feel compelled to install it. 

In this week’s App Store Spotlight, we are taking a closer look at the Cult Beauty app and analyzing how its ASO strategy compares to that of a major beauty category competitor, e.l.f. Cosmetics. While Cult Beauty excels in several foundational areas, there are also meaningful opportunities to enhance visibility, improve readability, and create a more compelling user experience across the App Store listing.

WHY DO ASO AUDITS MATTER?

A complete ASO audit examines every visual and textual component of an App Store listing to determine how effectively an app attracts and converts potential users. Developers cannot rely on a single element to carry performance because the App Store experience is highly visual, highly competitive, and heavily influenced by user behavior.

An effective ASO strategy evaluates the following areas: • App Title • App Subtitle • App Icon • App Screenshots • App Store Videos • App Keyword Optimization • App Conversion Optimization

Each of these elements shapes how users perceive an app before they ever install it. Visibility may help users discover an app, but strong creative assets and clear messaging help convert impressions into downloads.

CULT BEAUTY’S APP ICON AND APP METADATA

Cult Beauty takes a minimalistic approach with its app icon. The icon features a clean white background paired with black text displaying the brand name. There are no additional design elements, gradients, symbols, or imagery competing for attention. From a branding standpoint, the icon aligns with the company’s sleek and modern aesthetic. Minimalism can be effective within the beauty category because it often communicates sophistication and luxury. However, minimalistic icons must still create a visual distinction among competitors. Since many beauty brands lean into simple typography and monochromatic palettes, there is always a risk of blending into the surrounding search results rather than standing out.

The app title for Cult Beauty is “Cult Beauty: Beauty & Makeup.” The subtitle is “Shop Make Up, Hair, & Skincare.” Overall, the metadata is highly relevant to the app’s category and functionality. The title clearly identifies the brand while incorporating strong category keywords such as “beauty” and “makeup.” These terms help reinforce relevance for users searching within the cosmetics and skincare space.

The subtitle also clearly communicates the app’s offerings, but there is some keyword repetition between the title and subtitle. Since “makeup” already appears within the title, Cult Beauty could potentially benefit from diversifying subtitle keyword coverage to target additional search opportunities.

A revised subtitle, such as “Shop Cosmetics & Skincare,” could offer a broader range of keywords while remaining highly relevant to the app’s core offerings. This type of refinement may appear small, but even subtle metadata adjustments can influence discoverability and keyword rankings over time.

This is also an excellent example of why mobile A/B testing remains essential for long-term ASO success. Testing one subtitle variation against another can provide developers with valuable insight into user engagement, conversion behavior, and keyword visibility. The most effective ASO strategies evolve continuously based on real user data rather than assumptions alone.

THE IMPORTANCE OF APP STORE SCREENSHOTS

In the Apple App Store, developers can include up to 10 screenshots or a single preview video paired with 9 screenshots. These visual assets are among the most influential conversion drivers in an app listing because they shape a user’s first impression before the product page is even opened.

For ASO best practices, the first three screenshots are especially critical. Apps are frequently discovered through keyword searches, and in those search results, users are only shown a condensed preview of the listing. This limited view typically includes the app icon, title, subtitle, and the first three screenshots. App developers have only a brief moment to capture attention and communicate value.

A strong screenshot strategy requires more than attractive visuals. Screenshots must remain readable and engaging even when displayed at a significantly reduced size. Text, design elements, device mockups, and messaging all need to scale effectively for smaller search result previews.

Cult Beauty’s App Screenshot Strategy

Cult Beauty currently uses eight screenshots in its App Store listing, leaving room for two additional if the brand chooses to expand its visual storytelling. The overall aesthetic remains consistent with the company’s branding. Cult Beauty heavily relies on real-life imagery combined with a soft and minimal visual approach. While this creates a polished and luxurious tone, the execution weakens the impact of the screenshots from an ASO perspective.

One of the most noticeable issues is readability. The screenshots feature thin, light-colored typography layered over light imagery backgrounds. Even within the full App Store listing, the messaging can become difficult to read. When these screenshots appear within keyword search results at a condensed size, the problem becomes significantly more pronounced.

Users should never struggle to identify an app’s core value proposition within the first few seconds of viewing screenshots. Clear messaging hierarchy and immediate readability are essential for conversion optimization. Another issue concerns the iPhone mockups used across screenshots 2, 3, 6, and 7. The device mockups are so small that the interface details they show are nearly impossible to interpret. This significantly reduces their effectiveness because users cannot meaningfully engage with the visual information presented.

Device mockups should enhance storytelling rather than function as decorative placeholders. If users cannot understand what is happening within the mockup screens, the design element loses strategic value. The screenshots also lack enough variation in layout and visual structure from one image to the next. Since most screenshots rely on similar compositions, the browsing experience begins to feel repetitive. Adding stronger design variety could help maintain user attention while improving message clarity. Cult Beauty already has a strong brand aesthetic, but ASO requires balancing aesthetics with functionality. Beautiful visuals alone are not enough if the messaging becomes difficult to absorb quickly.

APP STORE COMPARISON: CULT BEAUTY VS E.L.F. COSMETICS

For this App Store Spotlight, we compared Cult Beauty against e.l.f. Cosmetics, another major beauty app operating within the same category. The e.l.f. Cosmetics app title is “e.l.f. Cosmetics and Skincare.” The subtitle is “Shop Makeup & Get Rewards.” At a metadata level, the two brands are fairly similar. Both titles clearly communicate category relevance while integrating high-value beauty-related keywords. The e.l.f. Cosmetics subtitle also avoids repeating keywords already included in the title, allowing the brand to expand keyword variety more effectively. The app icon strategy is similarly minimalistic. e.l.f. Cosmetics utilizes a black background with the brand name displayed in white text. Much like Cult Beauty, the icon focuses heavily on typography and brand recognition rather than illustrative design.

The largest difference between these two listings becomes immediately apparent when analyzing screenshots. While Cult Beauty prioritizes muted luxury aesthetics, e.l.f. Cosmetics leans into vibrant colors, bold typography, and stronger visual contrast. Each screenshot feels visually distinct from the previous one, helping maintain user engagement as viewers continue scrolling.

The typography used throughout the e.l.f. Cosmetics screenshots are significantly larger, bolder, and easier to read. Black text contrasts strongly against lighter backgrounds, while highlighted words create additional emphasis and hierarchy. This improves readability dramatically, especially within smaller keyword search previews.

The iPhone mockups are also much larger and more strategically integrated into the overall design. Users can clearly see the in-app experience being showcased, which strengthens communication and helps reinforce app functionality. e.l.f. Cosmetics also incorporates subtle design accents such as arrows, sparkles, stars, and graphic overlays that add visual movement without overwhelming the screenshots. These elements create a stronger sense of energy and engagement throughout the listing.

The brand still incorporates real-life imagery, but it balances those visuals more effectively with text hierarchy and app interface presentation. Screenshot messaging remains concise, easy to scan, and focused on quickly communicating key app benefits. Most importantly, the first three screenshots successfully establish the app’s primary value propositions without becoming overly text-heavy. This aligns closely with strong ASO conversion principles because users can immediately understand what the app offers before even opening the full listing.

WHY CONTINUOUS APP A/B TESTING MATTERS

No App Store listing should remain static indefinitely. User behavior changes constantly, search trends evolve, competitors update their creative assets, and seasonal shopping habits influence engagement patterns across categories. Developers who fail to adapt their ASO strategy over time risk losing visibility and conversion momentum.

This is why ongoing mobile A/B testing plays such a critical role in App Store success. Developers should continuously test metadata variations, screenshot layouts, typography adjustments, messaging strategies, and visual hierarchy improvements one element at a time. Controlled testing provides actionable insight into what resonates most effectively with target audiences. Keyword research and competitor analysis also remain essential for long term performance. Understanding how competing apps position themselves allows brands to identify opportunities for differentiation while staying aligned with changing consumer behavior.

ASO tools further strengthen this process by helping developers monitor keyword rankings, analyze performance metrics, and gather real user data that can guide future optimization decisions. The strongest App Store strategies are built through consistent iteration and refinement over time.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Cult Beauty demonstrates several strong ASO fundamentals through its clean branding, relevant metadata, and cohesive visual identity. The app title and subtitle align well with the beauty category, while the minimalistic branding supports the company’s luxury aesthetic effectively. However, there are clear opportunities to improve screenshot readability, visual hierarchy, messaging clarity, and design variation. The current screenshots prioritize aesthetic consistency at the expense of immediate readability and engagement, particularly within smaller keyword search previews where first impressions matter most.

By refining typography, enlarging interface mockups, introducing stronger visual contrast, and experimenting with more varied screenshot layouts, Cult Beauty could create a more impactful App Store experience that better supports conversion optimization. Comparing the listing against e.l.f. Cosmetics highlights how bold visual hierarchy, larger text, stronger contrast, and more dynamic layouts can dramatically improve the effectiveness of screenshots without sacrificing brand identity. Strong ASO requires balancing creativity with usability. The most successful App Store listings communicate value clearly, engage users instantly, and evolve continuously based on performance data and testing insights.

LET’S CHAT!

Your App Store listing is often the first interaction users have with your brand, which means every visual and textual element must work together to drive visibility, engagement, and conversions. From metadata optimization and keyword research to screenshot strategy and mobile A/B testing, ASO requires continuous refinement to remain competitive in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

If you are ready to strengthen your app’s performance and uncover new growth opportunities through strategic ASO, our team is here to help. Connect with Gummicube today to learn how our ASO services can help your app stay competitive, visible, and optimized for long-term success.