How We Boost Conversion With Short Descriptions: The Marketing Approach Behind 80 characters

Learn yellowHEAD’s marketing approach that makes those 80 characters really count!

It takes the human eye 3 to 5 seconds to “scan” the main elements of a product page. The first impression is the most important as it lets users understand if your app is:

1. Trustworthy: This is done through the ratings, reviews and number of downloads.
2. High quality: This is determined through the app size
3. Relevant: The perfect match for their search. This happens through graphics and the Short Description.

The Importance of the Google Play Short Description

The short description is the most critical text for conversion since long descriptions are not part of an app page (you need to tap on “About this app” to see it, which adds another step to the funnel).

It is actually the most important text in your store listing since users look for it to be sure the app meets their three expectations (trust, quality, and relevancy).

TIP: It is important to perform an A/B test between your new variants against the control. Keep testing until you find the right approach that works best for your audience.

It is important to describe the functionality of the app while also being engaging.

We know what you’re thinking: how is it possible to do this with just 80 characters?

Here are some marketing tips that will help you create the best short description strategy:

• App intro:  Explain the app functionality
• App uniqueness: This is the place to explain why a user should download your app and not a competitor. Describe your main features, special events and benefits.
• Seasonality: Interact with your users on the most eventful days of the year. For example, including “Merry Christmas” in December, may be a good start as the first step in your relationship with potential users.
• Stay up-to-date: Express the latest updates of your app
• Be creative: Catchy or witty writing will engage both new and existing users’ attention
• Emotional trigger: Show the users how your app may positively affect their life. For example: emphasize the joy the app will bring if it is a game; how it will make their life easier if it’s a wallet app; or how they’ll find love if it’s a dating app.
• Reviews: Read your reviews! And use the same voice in the short description. Your users are the best copywriters.

Google Play Short Description Tips

Now that you have chosen your direction, let’s be sure that you won’t get rejected! Let’s review the basics:

1. Since the short description is indexed for keywords, it should be written with the most relevant keywords in mind.
2. There is an 80-character limit.
3. Do not include special characters, line breaks or emojis
4. According to the Google Play guidelines, language that reflects or suggests Google Play performance, ranking,  user testimonials, or price is not allowed. For example, avoid the terms “Best,” “#1,” “Top,” “New,” “Discount,” “Sale,” or “Million Downloads.”.
5. Avoid using a call to action such as: “download now,” “install now,” “play now,” or “try now.”
6. Do not use capitalization for emphasis
7. Don’t use symbols such as: , ★ or ☆ or repeated punctuation, for example, ?, !!, ?!, !?!, <>, \\, –,***, +_+, …, ((, !!, $%^, ~&~, ~~~)

To finalize, always remember that localizing your short description for different markets and languages is crucial! But that’s for another blog post.

Thanks for reading!  And If you would like more information on how to optimize your app to maximize conversions, contact our ASO team.