One of the main elements of any app store listing is the app screenshot. People will scroll through these images to determine if they want to download an app. With Placeit, you can easily mockup your screenshots and get them ready to be published in the App Store and Google Play. But what about designing them? Follow these design best practices to make sure your app screenshots are driving the most conversions possible.
Know Your Audience Before You Start Designing
The first and very vital step to designing good app screenshots is knowing your audience. Having a target audience is required in app development, app marketing, and app store optimization. Making and publishing screenshots is part of app store optimization, the process of increasing app visibility in the app stores. As a result, you must know your audience before you start designing. This is also part of practicing user-centric design.
Take, for example, these 2 fitness apps pictured below. They are made by the same developer but one is targeted towards men and the other towards women. Notice how their screenshots are designed to engage with either a very male dominant or female dominant audience.
Better Me developed 2 separate apps to target men and women
When you have a good grasp of who will be using your app, you’ll be able to make app screenshots that are more appealing to them.
Keep Your App Screenshots Simple
There are specific trends that go around app stores. At the moment, people appreciate a minimalistic approach. Simple screenshots are easier to digest. People can know right away what an app is about and decide if they need to download or not.
Cluttered images will only confuse app store visitors. Regardless of how good your actual app is if your screenshots look too busy, people will move on. They don’t want to spend more than a couple seconds figuring out what functionalities your app has. By keeping your app screenshots as simple as possible, you’ll increase your conversions.
Balance, a meditation app, keeps their app screenshots simple
If you need help determining which features would be best to highlight, you can contact an App Store Optimization agency and let them take the task over for you. Their expert team has the experience and knowledge to know exactly what kind of screenshots users respond well to in your app niche. You can work with them to create compelling screenshots that you need to get more app downloads.
Include Text in Your App Screenshots
To further help users understand what your app does, include text in your app screenshots. The text should correspond with the image and describe the feature that is highlighted. Be careful not to stuff your screenshots with too much text. One or two lines is enough to get your message across. If you can’t condense your feature into one or two sentences, then either your explanation or your function is too complicated. Again, keep it simple.
VSCO makes sure their app screenshots are engaging for different audiences
Moreover, the text has to be in the language of your users. When your app is available in Spain (Spanish), the text should be in Spanish. If it’s available in the US (English), then it should be in English. People are more likely to download an app that’s in their native language. It’s crucial to your app conversion rates that you don’t overlook translating your screenshots.
Apps that are available in multiple languages and countries need to have translated screenshots for each one. Uploading these images to App Store Connect and Google Play Console can take hours, up to 10+ hours for 10 countries. But, App Radar’s Media Manager completes the upload in just 1 click. All you have to do is place your screenshots for every country and device size in one folder, drag and drop, and you’re done! You can start managing your app screenshots with the Media Manager for free.
Build a Storyline
Your app screenshots can sit as static images, or they can come together to tell a story. In the App Store, you have up to 10 slots for screenshots, so use them wisely. Each image should take the user on a journey through your app. They should see first and foremost, your main features, then the benefits of downloading your app.
You’re also giving them a sneak peek of your app. So don’t place anything in your screenshots that users can’t find in your app. They’ll be disappointed when their expectations aren’t fulfilled and end up uninstalling your app. You don’t want that.
Airbnb builds a story with their app screenshots that appeal to travelers
Instead, focus on highlighting the best parts of your app. Ask yourself, what’s the most useful, most entertaining, or even coolest feature? Then place these elements in your screenshots.
Using an app screenshot manager like App Radar’s Media Manager will make building a storyline easier. In the Media Manager, you can easily rearrange your images by dragging and dropping. Once you’re satisfied with the order of your screenshots, you can publish the changes directly to App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Try the Media Manager for free today!
Design for Smartphone Device Sizes
To make sure your app screenshots look their best, you have to keep device sizes in mind. Both the App Store and Google Play are used on smartphones with varying screen sizes. Uploading images that are not in the correct resolutions will either cause your app listing to look unprofessional or get it rejected from the app stores altogether.
We’ve made it easy for you. Here are your guides to:
For iOS, you do not need to make screenshots in every size if you don’t have the time. Instead, just upload the ones that are required. Don’t forget iPad sizes, too, if your app runs on tablets.
Designing App Screenshots Summary
Mobile users use app screenshots to choose which apps they want to download. Make sure your app stays ahead of the competition by designing screenshots that drive conversions. Follow these best practices, and you’ll be in good shape. Don’t forget to update your screenshots when you update the UX/UI or features in your app.
Need a better way to upload and manage your app screenshots? App Radar’s Media Manager allows you to upload screenshots for every locale and device size in just 1 click. Learn more about the Media Manager and try it free today!
Author Bio:
Genie is the Marketing Manager at App Radar. She drives exciting in-house campaigns and collaborations to get the word out about app marketing and growth strategies.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geniepatra/
App Radar helps game and app businesses, to reach success through App Store Optimization, Apple Search Ads, and Google UAC. If you are interested in working with App Radar as a future partner or customer, feel free to reach out to hello@appradar.com.
Upload Your Best App Screenshots
Displaying the right app screenshots on any app store can help your app increase its downloads. Entice your audience with attractive images. We tell you how to do this!
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