app store optimization plan

In June 2021, Apple introduced a brand new App Retailer Join performance that has been long-awaited by App Retailer Optimization practitioners: product web page optimization, a brand new function permitting app builders to conduct inventive A/B testing immediately within the App Retailer. Although the performance was not launched immediately with iOS 15 and is simply anticipated to return out “later this 12 months”, we now have gathered crucial info and recommendation that can assist you prepare to begin operating exams on day 1.

What is going to product web page optimization seem like?

In accordance with Apple’s bulletins at WWDC 2021, product web page optimization will permit entrepreneurs to examine as much as three variants with the unique product web page. Entrepreneurs will solely have the ability to submit creatives (icons, screenshots, and app previews) for exams operating as much as 90 days both globally or in particular locales. As well as, whereas all examined belongings will must be reviewed by Apple, builders will have the ability to submit screenshots and app previews they need to take a look at impartial of submitting their total app for overview (take a look at icons will nonetheless must be submitted with a brand new app binary).

As for piloting exams and overviewing outcomes, Apple confirmed builders will have the ability to run world or native exams however haven’t but disclosed how statistical significance shall be decided or what breakdown of site visitors pushed to every variant shall be accessible.

Which product web page optimization exams do you have to run first?

Though we now have but to see the specifics behind Apple’s new A/B testing instrument, a serious query is what components entrepreneurs ought to put together to check first. As usually in ASO, there isn’t a one reply for everybody, however listed below are some ideas that can assist you plan your testing backlog:

1. Prioritize exams primarily based on the energy of your hypotheses

Developing with inventive hypotheses is as a lot a problem of wanting inward – assessing which components of your product or model matter most to your current customers – as outward – evaluating your belongings with rivals’ and greatest practices to establish particular consumer expectations or methods to face out. Prioritizing which exams to run first, nonetheless, has a way more “inwards” focus as the worth of a speculation relies on the impression a outcome could have. It’s particularly vital to contemplate right here that a take a look at’s worth ought to be primarily based on what could also be discovered from the result, and never solely the anticipated impression on a selected KPI (an awesome outcome you’ll be able to’t clarify is hardly scalable).

Subsequently, keep in mind to validate the actual speculation behind a brand new asset by asking the way it might have an effect on the consumer and/or which stakeholders could profit from the take a look at outcomes. For example, testing a brand new background colour might be both trivial or important relying on why the brand new colour is being examined (e.g. to measure if customers have a colour choice or to enhance the legibility of components in your asset).

Lastly, a great way to make sure a take a look at is price placing on the high of your backlog is to ask somebody in your staff to check the previous and new belongings whilst you measure how briskly they establish what was modified and consider how simply they can clarify why the change is being examined.

2. Check belongings primarily based on variations in consumer expertise

An vital consideration for A/B testing creatives on iOS additionally regards the need to check totally different belongings than on Google Play. In recent times, regardless of many ASO practitioners highlighting the variations between iOS and Android customers, we now have noticed that most apps and video games use the identical creatives (with minor changes) on each shops. This conduct was usually defined by the necessity for apps to scale their inventive efforts, and little or no challenged since no iOS A/B testing instrument was accessible to try to concretely measure the supposed variations between working softwares.

Inversely, apps that did show totally different creatives on the App Retailer and Play Retailer had been assumed to have measured variations in consumer behaviors via some inside product metrics justifying their selection of various belongings. Whereas this may increasingly not have all the time been true, it might at the least imply there isn’t a easy reply as as to whether iOS and Android customers are totally different, however slightly that every app ought to look to its inside metric to find out its personal reply.

Nonetheless, one consideration that ought to impression your testing course of and the hypotheses you prioritize is that every one App Retailer customers work together with a distinct consumer interface (UI) to Play Retailer customers:

  • The UI for Play Retailer search outcomes solely reveals every app’s icon, title, score, dimension, and Google tags, with customers having to open an app’s retailer itemizing web page to obtain the app. However, App Retailer search outcomes prominently present the first three portrait belongings (or the primary panorama asset)within the app’s inventive gallery (consisting of the app preview video and screenshots), and likewise give customers the chance to obtain the app instantly.
  • In the meantime, the shop itemizing UI on Google Play could be very totally different from app product pages on the App Retailer:
    • Play Retailer listings normally present three to 4 portrait belongings (or one to 1 and a half panorama belongings) primarily based on a selected peak ratio which limits the dimensions of the inventive gallery to about 20% of the display screen. Contrarily, solely about one and a half portrait belongings – or one panorama asset – is displayed on the App Retailer product web pageand takes up almost 50% of the display screen.
    • Movies on the Play Retailer are all the time in panorama orientation and don’t essentially autoplay, as an alternative generally requiring customers to faucet on the function graphic. However, movies on the App Retailer might be both in panorama or portrait format and autoplay seamlessly, making the poster body a lot much less outstanding as compared.

These UI variations are subsequently more likely to impression how customers understand the identical inventive idea if duplicated on each shops as an alternative of being tailored per platform. Because of this, you might contemplate testing totally different variations of the identical preliminary idea per retailer to raised perceive whether or not customers react to the identical worth proposition.

3. Account for design & overview occasions to plan to your iOS exams

Final however not least, don’t forget to contemplate how a lot time a design staff may have to craft particular belongings to your upcoming exams in addition to the truth that your creatives can solely be examined as soon as they’ve been reviewed by Apple. Bear in mind – app icons can nonetheless solely be modified by way of an app binary add which is able to power you to program your app icon exams after a brand new app submission. The excellent news is that screenshot and app preview video exams received’t require an app binary submission; however, all belongings must endure Apple’s asset overview course of to make sure they don’t contravene App Retailer tips. This may immediately impression how sensible your testing schedule shall be and should hinder efforts to check time-specific belongings which can must be applied immediately with out testing.

In conclusion, regardless of sure unknowns, builders ought to begin making ready to A/B take a look at belongings on the App Retailer by:

  • Confirming which hypotheses match inside staff priorities
  • Making certain future inventive belongings can match the App Retailer consumer interface
  • Accounting for time wanted for take a look at belongings to be designed and reviewed by Apple