5 Best Practices for Apple Search Ads
Posted on July 3rd, 2024
Are you leveraging Apple Search Ads the right way? Take a look at these recommendations to optimize your paid campaigns and target the right users.
Why It’s Important To A/B Test New Graphics
December 2nd, 2017
by Anh Nguyen
COO & Co-Founder at Gummicube, Inc
In ASO, search visibility is important, but you need to focus on converting a viewer into a user. Your app can be ranked in the Top 10 for all high-volume keywords, but if you’re converting only a small percentage of users, you’re missing a huge mark. It’s a well-known fact that the best way to convert users is by having engaging creatives (icon, screenshots, preview video). Sometimes, however, the icon, screenshots and preview video don’t engage the audience well, resulting in decreased conversion rates. In order to successfully convert users, you have to test your creatives to see what resonates best with your audience. You can turn to A/B testing, the process of selecting an app variable and testing two variants to see which one performs better and converts the highest number of users. Testing your app’s creatives is an excellent way for developers to measure the impact of different variables to provide a more effective experience to users browsing the app store. Color palette, screenshot orientation, the order you position your screenshots, icon design and including a preview video are all variables that can be tested. Receiving quality feedback on which creative variant performed better than another will provide helpful insights that can save you time and money.
Icon
The app icon can make a significant impact on converting users, and even a small change such as the color palette of the icon can stand out among competitors. Your icon is the first piece of imagery a user will see on your app listing, and differentiates itself from other competitors. In iOS search results, a user will immediately see the icon and initial app screenshots. For the Google Play Store search results, the only visual element you see is the icon. This means that the icon is exceedingly important for the Google Play Store and needs to instantly hook users. Let’s say you have a match 3 game and want to convert more users. Try conducting an A/B test to see which designs resonate best with users. Perhaps the test comes back that your audience prefers seeing puzzle pieces, or numbers. Having this knowledge can help your design team come up with an icon that reflects these findings. 
Screenshots & Feature Graphic The screenshots and feature graphic
are the next visuals users will see after the icon. Remember, in iOS search, users can see the first three portrait screenshots or one landscape screenshot in addition to the icon, but can only see the icon on the Google Play Store. Once a user taps the icon, they will see the feature graphic positioned at the top of an app’s page before the app screenshots. The screenshots and feature graphic need to instantly give users a sneak-peek into the app to encourage them to convert. Always ask yourself: Can users quickly glance over your screenshots and grasp the functionality being highlighted? If screenshots are too confusing or not as visually engaging compared to adjacent competitors, they are less likely to convert users. Both the screenshots and feature graphic should highlight the app’s core features in a way that is easily digestible by browsing users. 
A/B testing can help you understand how users are engaging and determine what elements they like most. Perhaps users prefer a splash screen at the beginning of your screenshots, or not at all. Maybe you see increased user engagement when displaying warm colors instead of cool colors in your feature graphic. Conducting an A/B test will ultimately help you understand what your users want to see.
Key Takeaways
Remember, being ranked in the Top 10 for high-volume keywords doesn’t always guarantee that you’re converting users. The success of your creatives can capture the attention of eager, indecisive users browsing through the app stores. You need to start A/B Testing to identify how potential users are reacting to your app’s creatives. A/B testing can be utilized whether you feel unsure of what creatives to go with or want to improve your conversion rates. Start gaining key insights to what app icon, screenshots, feature graphic or preview video engages with your audience best to boost not only your visibility but your conversion.
Similar Articles
Halloween App Optimization - App Store Spotlight
Posted on October 6th, 2023
Ghostly happenings are among us... and in your app listing too? If you aren't leveraging the power of app seasonality to make relevant tweaks to your store listing you're leaving precious engagement and conversions on the table.
App Store Connect Holiday Schedule 2021
Posted on November 8th, 2021
Developers on the iOS App Store should plan in advance of the upcoming Holiday Schedule to allow enough time for apps to get approved during the busy holidays.