Write an App Store Description That Excites With These 5 Tips Here are a few tips that will help you write a description for your mobile app that has the potential to hook users into downloading.
By Rahul Varshneya Edited by Dan Bova
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App store optimization can bring a great deal of organic traffic and downloads for mobile apps. While there are multiple components of ASO that you have to account for, the app description is perhaps the most important of them all. The next step after reaching the app's profile page is to read more about it.
Capturing a user's attention at that stage can make all the difference. The copy has to be precise and give out just the right amount of information to excite the user and at the same time focus on invoking emotions, not presenting facts.
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Here are a few tips that will help you write a description for your mobile app that has the potential to hook users into downloading.
1. 255 characters define your app
That's roughly the number of characters a user gets to see on your app's profile page on the Apple app store without having to tap on the "more" link to read the extended description.
This initial character set is better known as "above the fold" text that appears naturally without the user having to make an effort to dig deeper. Most users will want to read more about your app only if the text here excites them.
Focus on conveying the value of your app and at the same time appeal to their emotions. Many popular apps like to showcase their credibility of statistics such as where they were featured, the number of downloads or the media they were covered by. These are hard to come by for new apps.
Here's a great example of an "above the fold" app description for Rewind Time Tracking app: "The best time tracking solution is the one you don't even have to think about. Rewind automatically tracks your time based on your location. You just have to set up your important places and you're done."
In the first sentence, it appeals to your emotion and in the next, conveys the value proposition.
2. Form of narration
The form and manner of the entire narration of the description should be from the point of view of how a user would use the app, rather than from your own point of view as the creator. The best narrations are those that tell a story that the users can easily identify with.
The users should be able to instantly picture themselves being able to use the app and value its features simply by reading about them. A simpler way to do this would be to imagine yourself as the user and describe the journey you'd take as a passionate user of the app.
3. Describe the problem and solution
Every successful product or app solves a problem for customers. Sometimes, the pain points are obvious, but at times, they are something that you have to make your customers think about.
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For example, products that offer convenience such as Uber or Instacart have had to convey the problems their users typically face. These products solve a problem that customers didn't know they had in the first place.
If your app falls in the category where the problem isn't obvious, communicate up front so your users can resonate with the solution better.
Needless to say, follow it up with how your app solves that problem for the customer. The shorter and more concise the copy, the better.
4. Highlight key features
Even if your app has a gazillion features, focus on mentioning only a few. If your app helps users take notes, save them on the cloud, share it with other users, has social networking, take better pictures with filters – don't mention all these features.
Write about features that showcase your core offering or those that form the positioning of your app. If your app is positioned as the best note taking app -- focus only on those set of features. Let the users discover the remaining features within the app.
Users connect best with one specific use case.
5. Credibility statements
If you've got great press early on in the app lifecycle, be sure to point it out. A third-party endorsement will help to build credibility when there are little or no reviews for your app.
Along the way, you can add download numbers, mention if you've got featured on the app store or mention any awards won. Alternatively, feel free to add a few customer testimonials that you can source manually.
Treat your app store description as the product's advertising copy where you have to get your customers emotionally excited about downloading and using the product.
