App store optimization (ASO) is important for app marketers or companies, as it helps them increase the visibility and discoverability of their app in the App Store and Google Play. A key part of App Store Optimization is the app description.
An app description is a text that provides information about an app and its features to potential users. It is an essential part of ASO as it helps users find your app and decide if they want to download it in the respective markets.
By optimizing your app’s description, you can increase the visibility and discoverability of your app in the App Store, Google Play and Google Search, which can lead to more app impressions, app product page views, and downloads.
What is an app description?
An app description is a brief summary or overview of an app’s features, functionality, and purpose. It is typically found in app stores or on the app developer’s website and is used to provide potential users with information about the app before they download it. An app description can include details such as the app’s main features, benefits, and any recent updates or changes. There is a limit of 4,000 characters for app descriptions in both the iOS App Store and Google Play.
How do you write an app description?
Writing an effective app description involves a few key steps:
- Understand your audience: Think about the type of person who would be interested in your app and what they are looking for.
- Highlight the app’s main features: Clearly and concisely describe the app’s main features and what makes it unique.
- Use keywords: Utilize relevant keywords that people might use when searching for apps like yours
In order to better define your communication strategy for your app business it is valuable to conduct a Value Proposition Mapping exercise. A clear communication strategy that highlights the overlap between your customer’s needs and wants, and your app offering, will lead to better long-term conversion rate results. You can reach out to Mobtimizers to learn how we can help lead a Value Proposition Mapping Workshop for your business.
It is also important to note that you should optimize your app’s title, screenshots, and video preview as well to maximize the visibility of your app. Read more about that in our ASO Plan article.
iOS and Android key differences
There’s a difference in algorithms and techniques between Google Play and Apple Store. For example, Google Play does not have a space specifically for keywords, as you have in the Apple Store, so you will need to incorporate more keywords within the Android description.
When writing an app description for iOS and Android, there are more differences to consider:
- Keywords: On iOS, keywords must be included in the app’s title, subtitle, and keywords field. On Android, keywords can be included in the app title, short description, and full description.
- In-app purchases: Both iOS and Android require in-app purchases to be disclosed in the app’s description, transparency is highly recommended.
- Language: On iOS, the app’s description must be in the same language as the app’s title and screenshots. On Android, the app’s description can be in multiple languages.
- Formatting: Both iOS and Android app’s description must be in plain text, although some modifications are allowed such as bold, italics, and bullets to draw more attention to specific sections of the description.
It’s important to keep these differences in mind when writing an app description for iOS and Android, so that the description can be optimized for each platform and increase the visibility of the app in their respective app stores.
Short description, subtitle, and promotional text
The Google Play short description, iOS subtitle, and iOS promotional text are all additional fields that can be used to describe your app. They all have different character limits and can be used to supplement your main app description and are of great importance to gain visibility and drive conversions.
- Google Play short description: This is a small text field that appears below the app title on Google Play. It has a limit of 80 characters, so it should be used to provide a quick, concise overview of your app. This can also be A/B tested via experiments.
- iOS subtitle: This is a text field that appears below the app title on the App Store. It has a limit of 30 characters, so it should be used to provide a brief and compelling summary of your app.
- Promotional text: This is a text field that appears on the app’s product page on the App Store before the description. It has a limit of 170 characters and can be used to highlight a specific feature or promotion that your app is currently offering.The promotional text is optional but nevertheless a valuable ASO technique – and it can be changed without a release.
All these fields should be used to supplement your main app description and provide additional information or highlights about your app. It’s also important to use keywords in these fields as well, so that your app can be easily found by users searching for specific features. By using these additional fields, you can provide more information about your app to potential users and make it more likely to be discovered by users searching for specific features.
It’s important to note that the Google Play Store does not have a subtitle field but has a feature graphic. This is a prominent graphic that appears above the screenshots in the Store Listing, and should be used to showcase the app’s unique selling points, or key features.
Keyword density
Keyword density refers to the number of times a keyword or phrase appears in an app description compared to the total number of words in the description. It is a measure of how often a keyword is used in relation to the total number of words in the app description.
In terms of ASO, keyword density is used to help users find your app by including relevant keywords in the app description. When users search for a specific keyword in Google Play, apps with higher keyword density for that keyword will more likely have higher rankings in the search results.
When you are writing your app description, it’s important to strike a balance between including relevant keywords and writing a compelling, engaging description that will encourage users to download your app. If you stuff your app description with too many keywords, it can look spammy and unappealing to users.
Here are some best practices for using keyword density in your app description:
- Research keywords: Use keyword research tools to find relevant keywords that are commonly used by your target audience.
- Use keywords naturally: Use keywords in your app description in a natural and conversational way. Avoid using them too frequently or in a way that sounds forced.
- Use variations: Use variations of keywords, such as synonyms, to avoid keyword stuffing and increase your chances of showing up in search results.
- Use keywords in the title: Make sure to include keywords in the title and short descriptions of your app, as this is one of the first things users will see.
- Keep it updated: Keep your app description updated as you release new features and updates. This will help users understand what’s new and what’s coming in the future.
By following these best practices you can increase the visibility of your app in the app store and make it more likely to be discovered by users searching for relevant keywords.
App description localization
Localizing an app description to specific markets can help make the app more appealing to users in those markets and increase its visibility in the App Store and Google Play. Here are some steps to take when localizing an app description:
- Adapt and localize the app’s description into the target language: Use an App Store Agency or professional translator to ensure that the translation is accurate.
- Use local keywords: Research the keywords that are commonly used in the target market and include them in the app’s title, subtitle, and keywords field as well as in the description.
- Localize the app’s pricing: Consider the purchasing power of users in the target market and adjust the app’s pricing accordingly.
- Test the localized version: Test the localized version of the app with users in the target market to make sure that it meets their needs and preferences.
- Monitor your localization: Monitor the localization of your app, and make changes as needed to optimize its visibility in the target market.
App description template
Here is a basic template that you can refer to, to write an effective app description:
Headline: A short, attention-grabbing sentence that summarizes your app’s main features and benefits.
Introduction: A brief overview of what your app does and why it’s unique.
Features: A list of your app’s key features and how they benefit the user.
How it works: A brief explanation of how to use your app, including screenshots or videos.
User testimonials: Quotes or reviews from satisfied users that provide social proof of your app’s effectiveness.
Call to action: A clear and compelling call to action that encourages users to download or purchase your app.
Keywords: A list of keywords that are relevant to your app and that will help users find it in the app store.
Tools to optimize app descriptions
There are several tools that can be used to optimize an app description for the app store:
ASO tools help analyze and optimize your app’s visibility in the app store by analyzing your app’s title, keywords, and description. Some popular ASO tools include App Tweak, Sensor Tower, and AppFigures.
Keyword research tools help you research and identify relevant keywords that users are searching for. Some popular keyword research tools include Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs.
Copywriting tools help you write effective app descriptions by providing suggestions for headlines, subheadings, and other elements of the copy.
If you’re planning to release your app in multiple languages translation tools can help you translate your app description into different languages.
A/B testing tools allow you to test different versions of your app description to see which one performs better.
By using these tools you can analyze and optimize your app’s visibility in the app store, identify relevant keywords, write effective app descriptions, translate them to other languages, and test different versions to see which one performs better.
Feel free to Contact us to hear how Mobtimizers can help you grow your app business today.
