How to Write Great App Store Descriptions

I just added this same post on the Übermind blog moments ago and, since it kept me up until 4:00 a.m., I’m going to repost it here too. Cool? Thought so…

We are fortunate to have incredibly thoughtful readers who love to ask great questions! In the past, we would dialogue with readers and respond to their questions over email, but it recently dawned on us that readers’ questions, and our subsequent answers, are definitely worth sharing with the entire Über-blog community, hence the new “Ask an Übie!” section on the right side of your screen. Go ahead, give it a look.

One of the most frequently asked questions from our reader/developer community is how we manage to publish so many popular apps. That’s a tough question because the answer is, in all actuality, one heck of a moving target! But, I can say that one of the most crucial elements of the app publishing/marketing process is writing a great App Store description. Oddly enough, many fantastic apps have terrible App Store descriptions – in spite of the importance – and are not capturing the maximum amount of potential downloads.

A good app with a bad App Store description is like having a Ferrari with worn out tires – sure, your app may be doing okay in terms of downloads and ratings, but why not take every opportunity to inform potential users of your app’s capabilities and strengths? Even worse, when users do not understand what your app does (and doesn’t do), but download it anyway, they often give poor ratings or reviews because the app did not do what they expected. We’ve learned these lessons the hard way; trust us when we say there are enough challenges trying to make your app standout among the other +230,000 apps on the App Store. If you’re a developer, please, repeat after me, “I solemnly swear that I will never again write a weak-sauce App Store description that could jeopardize my app’s well-being or potential success!”

Great! With that behind us, we can now explore how to write a description that produces downloads. Whether your app is a pragmatic solution to a simple problem or a deeply-engaging user experience, I’m going to give you a framework for writing effective App Store copy. But, before we even go there, first we will understand the psyche and browsing habits of app users while shopping on the App Store.

[click image to enlarge or here to view on Flickr]

Now that you can see what App Store marketers are dealing with, we can move on to copy writing for utility- or experience-focused apps, which are the two most common types of apps on the app store.

“Utility” Apps

We’ll start with the easy stuff. Apps aimed at accomplishing one specific task or feat are some of the most popular iPad and iPhone apps; my personal favorites – I’ll use non-Übermind apps so that you can be sure this post isn’t marketing propaganda – are Evernote (for iPad, iPhone, and Mac), Reeder (for iPad and iPhone), and Convertbot (for iPhone). Evernote is my multi-platform notetaking solution, Reeder is the phenomenal Google Reader-reader, and Convertbot is an easy tool for calculating unit conversions. Though each app also boasts a wonderful user experience, each is focused on solving a true need, just like any other tool.

Here at Übermind, we developed a super-simple, free golf course search and scorecard app named Golfr (view on the App Store), which allows golfers to, well, search for golf courses and score their rounds. Even though Golfr design offers a beautiful user interface, it is a utility app at heart, made evident thanks to its laser-like focus towards accomplishing only a few golf-related tasks with the utmost excellence and the least amount of user input.

Golfr’s App Store description:

Golfr is the best scorecard and course search app. And yes, Golfr is free.

Whether you’re keeping your score or looking for a new golf course to play, you’ll love the beauty and simplicity of Golfr for iPhone or iPod touch. Spend more time focusing on your golf game and less time looking at your phone.

SCORECARD

● Rotate iPhone to landscape to see “Scorecard” view
● Slide finger up or down to adjust your score
● Works for 9- and 18-hole courses
● Saves all your rounds

PERSONALIZED SUMMARY & STATS

● Stats for a specific course or all courses played
● Stats by hole type – par 3, par 4, or par 5
● Track number of birdies, eagles, bogeys, and double-bogeys
● Automatically created from saved scorecards

COURSE SEARCH

● Over 19,000 courses
● Search by golf course name, city, or state
● Search for golf courses near your current location
● Save your favorite courses for easy access

COURSE DETAILS

● Green fees (standard, weekday, twilight, etc.)
● Phone number, web site, etc.
● Distance and par for every hole
● Rating and slope for each tee
● Map directions to every course

OFFERS

● Free service allowing courses to create promotions exclusively for Golfr users
● Courses using Offers show up first in user searches
● Free service to both courses and users
● Email info@golfrapp.com if you are a golf facility looking to create a promotion

Have a great idea or suggestion for Golfr? Send to feedback@golfrapp.com – your feedback helps drive the features that we will add to Golfr.

Thanks for checking out Golfr!

In terms of App Store copy, there is nothing more important than the first line or two of a description, which happens to be text that potential users will see when they land on your app’s App Store page. There is no time for run-on sentences or verbose diction.

Be concise. Be simple. Be honest. A well-know philosopher once said, “It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like ‘What about lunch?’” Oh Pooh, you silly old bear.

“Golfr is the best scorecard and course search app. And yes, Golfr is free.” Notice how the opening line of Golfr’s description adheres to our the “concise-simple-honest” rule. Sure, you can debate “best,” but I’ll bet you a new iPhone 4 that you cannot find a better free scorecard and search app on the App Store (and soon to be Android Market).

Again, we developed Golfr to be simple and useful, thus, its copy should reflect its utilitarian nature. The App Store – fortunately – does not afford us marketers much in the way of creative expression through font. Can you imagine what it would look like if it did? It would be the MySpace of the app market world… oh man, I think I just threw up a little.

“Experience” Apps

So, you built an app that provides users with fun, innovative, or unique experience; perhaps your app has a spiffy user interface or turns a difficult task into a enjoyable one. Either way, your App Store copy needs to convey the essence of your app’s user experience.

If the your app’s experience would predominantly be described as fun, then use fun language to interest potential users. If your app appeals to a niche set of users, then employ their jargon. Here’s a personal example: I happen to be obsessed with the “Getting Things Done“ (GTD) methodology, and when it was time to download a productivity app for iPhone and Mac, I bought OmniFocus – easily one of my top three favorite apps – because its developer was able to tell my just how great this app worked with the GTD methodology by using terminology that a GTD user would understand. Now, if they would just get the iPad version out, I would be a happier man!

Here’s how we decided to convey the fun, approachable photo editing experience of Masque (view on the App Store), our photo “enhancing” (instead of a over-featured Photoshop wannabe) app for iPad:

Add one or many striking effects to your Facebook, Flickr, or iPad Photo Library photos through fun touch interactions!

“The app is an amazing photography tool for iPad”
– TUAW.com

“It works intuitively and looks great”
– Engadget.com

“Masque is the ‘fun’ one”
– AppCraver.com

Make your photos pop with Masque for iPad!

Key Features:

● One-touch importing from your Facebook, Flickr, or Photo Library
● Paint effects on with your finger and unleash your creativity
● Layer multiple effects on top of each other to achieve stunning results
● Share photos to Facebook, Flickr, Photo Library, or email to your friends
● Automatically saves so that you can always continue from where you left off

Advanced Features:

● Use gradients to apply and fade effects across the entire photo – just like real camera filters!
● Adjust the size, opacity and softness of your brush or eraser
● Invert tool magically removes an effect from where it is and applies it to where it’s not

A fun and revolutionary photo app at an amazing price!

● Watch video demos of Masque at www.MasqueApp.com
● Send your feedback, ideas, etc. to feedback@masqueapp.com
● Send your support or help emails to support@masqueapp.com

We owe a huge “Thank you!” to all the users who have sent feedback – we’re working hard to bring your ideas to future versions of Masque as soon as possible!

You’ll notice the diction in Masque’s description is much more animated than in Golfr’s. Yes, Masque is a photo enhancing tool, but it’s the swoopy finger gestures and unique Multi-Touch interaction paradigm which make Masque an smile-conjuring experience.

In addition, I included quotes from popular app review sites to establish credibility. Quotes from non-bias third parties can be invaluable when it comes to marketing your app. For example, Phil Schiller (Senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing at Apple) told the NY Times that one of his favorite iPhone apps was our very own Best Camera; as you would imagine, Phil’s endorsement had an huge impact on sales of this already popular app.

Last but not least, I always thank our users and let them know how to contact us. This isn’t a ploy to win their hearts or some Jedi mind game – far from it. At Übermind, we thank our users as much as possible because they have been incredibly good to us and we feel extremely fortunate to be able to roll out of bed (assuming we sleep of course), come to the Über-offices in Fremont, and spend time working on exciting technology with such enjoyable people.

Oh, and thanks for the great question – this may have been the longest Über-blog post yet!

– Ryan