Tips on how to create app screenshots and videos for the App Store and Google Play

Tips on how to create app screenshots and videos for the App Store and Google Play

When creating app screenshots and movies, app publishers have lots of questions. On this article, we are going to present you resolve on screenshot orientation, amount, background, colour, and dimension. We’ll additionally focus on when it’s value utilizing a video for app preview and what it ought to appear like. 

In response to SplitMetrics, solely 2% of customers learn the total app description. Optimizing screenshots provides a 21-24% conversion uplift; app video previews: 17%. Subsequently, it is rather necessary to decide on screenshots and movies that can assist improve the variety of installs. We’re going to reply the questions that the majority builders have when beginning ASO.

This text is predicated on the Performante information, the place Maria Chernoplyokova shares her tips about optimizing screenshots and previews. We’ve up to date and supplemented this information in accordance with the newest developments and knowledgeable opinion. Learn on to learn how to make your visible optimization simpler.

The App Retailer and Google Play screenshot information

Screenshots: horizontal or vertical? 

A 2021 ASOdesk research discovered that about 96% of the highest apps use portrait (vertical) screenshots. However, after we have a look at video games, the statistics fluctuate considerably — round 80% have vertical galleries.

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One of many main targets of screenshots is to reveal the superior options of your app in comparison with competitor apps. Portrait orientation will help you in providing extra info to your audience. Customers can see three portrait screenshots on the identical time. Should you go for a panorama orientation, there shall be just one screenshot per body.

Consultants additionally notice a better conversion charge for horizontal screenshots. Through the ASOdesk reside stream in Clubhouse, Artem Tkachuk and Ekaterina Sibirko said that horizontal screenshots nearly all the time win in assessments. Typically horizontal screenshots prove to have greater conversion charges — even for vertical video games. Ekaterina Sibirko stated that In case your opponents’ apps above and beneath you within the search outcomes have horizontal screenshots, and yours has vertical screenshots, you’ll be much less noticeable in search outcomes and customers shall be much less prone to click on in your app.

Google recommends including three horizontal screenshots. That is essential for the “Urged” part the place the apps are displayed utilizing one horizontal screenshot. In case your gaming app is vertical, you may add horizontal screenshots after the vertical.

Earlier than making a call, conduct A/B testing of the applying web page with vertical and horizontal screenshots. Evaluate conversion charges, after which make a alternative.

Screenshots: what number of?

With Google Play you’re allowed a most of 8 screenshots. Within the App Retailer, 10 is the restrict. In response to ASOdesk, publishers tend to make use of solely 5–7 screenshots. Solely 12% of publishers make use of the utmost variety of screenshots allowed within the App Retailer. This quantity is just barely greater on Google Play, the place 18% of publishers use all obtainable screenshots.

The optimum variety of screenshots will rely on the specifics of your utility. In case your app has lots of options to indicate, use as many screenshots as attainable. You probably have a easy utility, you may choose fewer screenshots. For example, a easy calculator solely wants a number of screenshots to reveal all the primary options of the app.

Google Play and App Retailer screenshot necessities 

Apple requirements

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  • The variety of screenshots allowed is 10.
  • PNG and JPEG file codecs are allowed. Naturally, these recordsdata needs to be of the absolute best high quality.
  • Screenshots for six.5-inch iPhone XS Max and 5.5-inch units (iPhone 6s Plus, 7 Plus, 8 Plus) are required. The excellent news is that you just now not must add screenshots of various sizes for every iPhone mannequin. The system adapts your photos to the sizes of each different iPhone technology.
  • For iPads, you’re required to add screenshots for 12.9-inch iPad Professional (2nd technology) and 12.9-inch iPad Professional (third technology).
  • Examine App Retailer and Google Play screenshot sizes in the App Retailer specs,

Google requirements

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  • The utmost variety of screenshots allowed is 8. You probably have created a cell sport, it is likely to be featured solely in case the shop itemizing has not less than 3 panorama screenshots.
  • JPEG or 24-bit PNG (no alpha) file codecs are accepted.
  • Google Play additionally has restrictions on the size of screenshots: the minimal is 320 pixels and the utmost is 3840 pixels. Google then adapts your screenshots to consumer units. Nevertheless, the utmost dimensions of your screenshot will be not more than 2.3 instances so long as the minimal dimension.
  • Google doesn’t need you to put any details about the app ranking, productiveness, value, or advert campaigns within the Play Retailer on the screenshots.
  • Google recommends including 3 horizontal screenshots for video games, as a result of “Urged” solely reveals horizontal app banners. For vertical video games, horizontal screenshots will be added after the vertical.

You should definitely all the time look out for the newest updates within the App Retailer and Google Play tips and use primary widespread sense. The screenshots — in addition to your app — mustn’t comprise upsetting and offensive content material. The App Retailer will reject any screenshots which have reasonable weapons in them, for instance. Fantasy weapons should be in a passive place, in a holster, or worn on the again, whereas swords and knives should not be aimed in the direction of the consumer.

How to decide on a screenshot background

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The 2021 report on Visible Optimization developments famous that the highest 38% of free apps within the App Retailer and 42% in Google Play usually select white as a background colour. Brilliant background colours comparable to purple, yellow, and pink are seldom used. App publishers have a tendency to decide on darker, muted shades of blue, black, or inexperienced.

Nevertheless, when you’ve got a purchasing or social networking app, then you may think about using brighter background colours. Naturally, the background has to align along with your model identification and colour scheme. Extra importantly, it mustn’t be distracting. So it’s preferable to go for a stable background.

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The case is totally different with the gaming apps — 68% of publishers of prime video games on the App Retailer and 72% on Google Play add the sport interface on the screenshot with none background. Subsequently, gaming app publishers can simply stand out among the many opponents by merely modifying the screenshots.

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Analyze your opponents and see which screenshot colours they use probably the most. It’s worthwhile to stand out amongst them in order that your utility turns into extra noticeable within the search outcomes.

To make analyzing your opponents simpler, use ASOdesk. The Key phrase Charts instrument will present the opponents’ rankings on your key phrases. This may show you how to decide which apps you’ll have to compete with for every key phrase.

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How to decide on font and textual content colour for app screenshots

With regard to colours and font, select the choices that work nicely along with your model identification. The colour of the textual content has to distinction with the background and be legible. The textual content needs to be massive and simple to learn, even on a small gadget. 48% of the App Retailer publishers and 56% of Google Play publishers use white as their textual content colour.

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Create a number of totally different choices which you could check on varied units. Constantly verify on the primary KPIs (screenshots will affect the set up charge, for instance). Moreover, don’t depend on your private style. Your screenshots must be nice to the attention however it’s advisable that you just keep away from any creative extras.

What textual content needs to be added to screenshots

Your textual content must be legible and visual from the search web page. The extra phrases you embrace, the smaller the font shall be. For instance, the textual content on the Amazon Buying app screenshots is tough to learn from a small gadget.

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So, it’s preferable to put a number of catchy phrases on the screenshot that distinction with the background. Relating to screenshots, much less is unquestionably extra. You should use daring fonts to spotlight an important particulars or just make key phrases or phrases larger.

Add common search queries to screenshots; this can assist reassure the consumer that they want your utility.

If you need, you may embrace a screenshot with any awards and mentions your app might have. Parv Bhargava’s (ASO Guide at Phiture) report on the App Promotion Summit famous that social proof helps acquire customers’ belief and affirms the authenticity of your app. By exhibiting the variety of app customers within the caption, we are able to benefit from this innately human attribute and enhance conversion. It’s important that knowledge on the screenshots is true, in any other case you may get sanctioned by the Google Play moderation.

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By the way in which, you may learn extra in regards to the prime studies from the App Promotion Summit on this ASOdesk article.

Consistently emphasize the issues which have modified in your app. If, for instance, you could have created a brand new characteristic or up to date the app, embrace this on one of many first screenshots.

It’s necessary that the textual content on the screenshots is straightforward to learn. Spotlight app’s greatest options, social proof, and app updates.

Learn how to create screenshots your self

These companies will show you how to generate screenshots with out the help of a designer:

Canva is without doubt one of the most user-friendly companies on the market that may show you how to make vibrant photos. AppLaunchpad generates screenshots proper from the app.
DaVinci Apps additionally makes a speciality of screenshots and presents an enormous variety of predesigned templates.

App Retailer and Google Play app preview video creation information

An ASOdesk report discovered that solely 10% of App Retailer publishers use movies. At 28%, Google Play publishers use movies roughly 3 instances extra continuously.

Lina Danilchik recommends conducting A/B assessments earlier than including movies to your web page. Experiments on SplitMetrics have revealed that movies can negatively have an effect on your conversion charge.

Add movies solely when you’ve got ample content material and features throughout the app. Promo movies are advisable for video games, picture and video editors, streaming companies, on-line purchasing, and meals supply apps.

Portrait vs. Panorama Movies — Which One Ought to You Use

On the App Retailer, your alternative ought to rely on the orientation of the app itself. On Google Play, nevertheless, it is suggested to create the video in panorama even when the app is vertical. Nevertheless, you must notice that your app preview video for Google Play shall be uploaded to YouTube.

Panorama movies are preferable on YouTube as they give the impression of being higher and extra skilled. Moreover, in case your video has a horizontal orientation, you may enlarge the textual content and it will likely be simpler to zoom in and spotlight a number of the app’s options. That is just because you could have extra “house” in panorama. You need to all the time check each choices and monitor the KPIs to ascertain which preview is performing higher.

App Retailer and Google Play movies necessities

App Store

  • You might be allowed so as to add as much as 3 movies.
  • Movies are displayed above the screenshots on the app web page
  • Your video will autoplay in mute within the search outcomes.
  • The app preview have to be 15–30 seconds in size.
  • It’s worthwhile to create a chunk in two totally different resolutions (three, if you need the video to be obtainable to iPad customers).
    The resolutions are:
    1080 x 1920 or 1920 x 1080 (for iPhone 5/6/7/8 and iPhone 6 plus / 7 plus / 8 plus)
    886 x 1920 or 1920 x 886 (for iPhone X and iPhone Xs Max / iPhone XR)
    1200 x 1600 or 1600 x 1200 (for iPad and iPad Professional)
    Your video robotically turns into smaller for some other gadget.
  • The utmost file dimension is 50 MB.
  • The accepted file codecs are .mov, .mp4, and .m4v.
  • After the add, the video can take as much as 24 hours to course of.
  • Lastly, all movies for the App Retailer should be manually authorised by Apple. And there are a number of tips that it’s a must to observe. For instance, you’re solely allowed to make use of captured footage of the app itself.

Apple recommends utilizing QuickTime and iMovie to edit your footage.

Google Play

  • You might be solely allowed one promo video.
  • It have to be between 30 seconds and a pair of minutes lengthy.
  • Your promo video might autoplay inline with muted audio as much as 30 seconds relying on the consumer gadget, setting, community connection, and floor space. Every time your video doesn’t autoplay, a play button is overlaid in your characteristic graphic.
  • You’ll have to create a good-quality, landscape-oriented video. The facet ratio for YouTube movies is 16: 9. The advisable dimensions are: 426 x 240 (240p); 640 x 360 (360p); 854 x 480 (480p); 1280 x 720 (720p); 1920 x 1080 (1080p); 2560 x 1440 (1440p); 3840 x 2160 (2160p).
  • Accepted video codecs embrace .mov, .mpeg4, .mp4, .avi, .wmv, .mpegps, .flv, 3GPP, and WebM. There are principally no restrictions for the precise content material. However it could be preferable to indicate solely Android units and the Google Play Retailer emblem.

Restrict the branding components and concentrate on the demonstration of the app’s options. Don’t add individuals interacting with the app on the video (for instance, touching the display screen). You may solely do that when the primary gaming course of or the app is used outdoors the gadget. You may spotlight the areas that you really want the consumer to concentrate to.

Video size

On the App Retailer, each video can solely be as much as 30 seconds lengthy.  Google Play recommends making movies quick — solely the primary 30 seconds are performed robotically. The preview has to attraction to the consumer from the primary few seconds. This implies you don’t have any time to spare, so put probably the most fascinating and helpful info at the start of the video and be artistic. Your video mustn’t embrace any upsetting or offensive content material.

Video sound

69% of customers watch movies with the pontificate in public locations. Nevertheless, 80% of viewers usually tend to watch the complete video if captions can be found. So make sure you add textual content to your preview video. All the pieces needs to be comprehensible with out sound.

However that doesn’t imply that it’s a must to neglect the narration or background music (verify that there isn’t a copyright violation). The captions have to be legible and mustn’t change too shortly — the customers want sufficient time to learn all the data.

Prime suggestions for optimization of app screenshots and preview

  • Conduct A/B testing. You by no means know which choice will carry the best conversion charge till you check it. Attempt totally different colours and orientations, and evaluate movies and screenshots to seek out the simplest resolution.
  • Analyze your opponents. It’s worthwhile to discover the designs of different utility pages which can be closest to yours within the search outcomes. This may show you how to select the fitting design. In any other case, your utility will get misplaced amongst related competitor apps within the search outcomes.
  • Add search queries, new app options, and social proof to the app screenshots. For the consumer, it’s simpler to learn the textual content within the image than within the app description. That’s why you must all the time spotlight necessary info.
  • Take into consideration consumer consolation first. Your activity is to inform the consumer as a lot in regards to the app as attainable. Subsequently, the pictures within the screenshots needs to be clear, the textual content straightforward to learn, and the video ought to have subtitles.