App Store Description: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

Beyond form, the content matters too: to convey a serious image, your texts must be flawless. Typos and grammar mistakes are dealbreakers. They have a major impact on your app's success. On the App Store (iOS) and Play Store (Android), the description can hold up to 4,000 characters — so it's easy to slip up or duplicate a word. Ideally, get someone else to proofread your text. Plus, once your app is live on the store, if you spot an error, it's too late to fix it. You'll have to request a re-submission. It's a shame to re-submit just for typos.

Finally, you need to adapt your text to the platform you're publishing on. On the App Store, for instance, you're not allowed to mention third-party platforms in your descriptions. So words like "Google" or "Android" must be banned from your text, or you'll be rejected. It's also better to use Apple product names like "iPhone" or "iPad" rather than generic terms like "Smartphone" or "Tablet". The Play Store, for example, forbids user reviews inside your description, as well as competing brand names.

When you launch an app project, you have to be pedagogical. Users need to understand in a split second what your app does and what benefits they'll get from it.

Don't hesitate to be as descriptive as possible. Feel free to contextualize your explanations or give examples. Even if some things seem obvious to you, not everyone has your expertise in your field. You should obviously avoid overly technical or "industry" jargon to reach the widest audience.

When you're passionate about your project, you assume everyone has grasped its value: that's wrong. That's why you have to show your users concretely how downloading your app will save them time or give them useful information. The common mistake is to list features without showing how they'll be used day to day. Again, the best approach is to have your text proofread by someone outside your field of activity to get unbiased feedback.

And you have to keep your promises. Beyond being pedagogical, you have to be totally honest about your app's features. Don't get carried away by your passion or your overflowing desire to "sell" your app. Explain your features without overselling. An app is very easy to download but even easier to delete. If you don't deliver on your promises, your user will be disappointed and will remove your app from their phone right away.

While you're filling in your description, your project is almost across the finish line. But don't think success is guaranteed just because your app will be on the stores. You have to make your visitors want to download your app. And to do that, you have to make your case. That's why your texts matter.

Title and subtitle

The texts visible without opening your app page are the most important ones. You have to describe what your app is for, quickly and clearly. No mystery. Be simple and direct. In the title and subtitle, show your name and possibly a clear, catchy tagline. If a browsing user can't immediately tell what your app does, they won't open the description page. Remember, it's best to avoid truncated text.

Full description

On the App Store, the "Promotional Text" field is very handy. It lets you build on your subtitle and spark interest. Use this field to truly promote your app. Highlight an award you've won, your competitive edges, or a quote from an influential blog or site. On the Play Store, the "Short Description" plays the same role.

For the rest of the description, you can go deeper into your app's features. Avoid heaviness, though. Remember the visitor is reading on a small screen. We recommend short paragraphs (4 lines max) and using tabs or lists. You can also put sentences or titles in caps, but be careful not to overdo it. On the Play Store, you can add Emojis in the description. But like with caps, don't overdo it. If your app targets professionals, we recommend not using them at all.

Keywords

To rank more easily in searches, the keywords you add to your description matter. At Apple, you can also add tags to improve your ranking on relevant searches. We recommend avoiding overly generic keywords (or tags). Be precise to stand out from the competition. For example, for a local news app, don't use the word "news" on its own. Instead, pick your city's name, your region, local events or landmarks.

"Call-to-Action"

At the end of your description, feel free to add a call-to-action to convince the last holdouts. You can flag a benefit like "free for life" or create urgency ("Download MyApp and discover the treasures of Ancient Egypt"). You can also add a line like "App built by the creators of.." or "Perfect for..". The goal is to put your visitors in an action mindset.