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Your app store listing is a conversion funnel: the icon wins the tap, the screenshots and trailer build interest, the description closes it. This playbook tests each element with real mobile players and then validates the complete listing before you spend on user acquisition. Unlike the e-commerce loops, this is a sequential element test — you optimize each listing component in order, then run one combined validation. The loop is designed to be run by an AI agent (Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or any client with PickFu MCP / CLI / API access) or step-by-step by a human.

When to use this playbook

Audience targeting. Because this tests a mobile game, the polls target mobile gamers (mobileyes) in the core 25–44 age range and report results by age and gender. Adjust the targeting to your game’s actual demographic — a kids’ puzzle game and a hardcore strategy game have very different players. Use list_available_targeting to see options.

The sequence

1

Compare icon designs

The icon wins or loses the tap in the store grid. Rank 3–4 icon variations.
2

Test your gameplay trailer

Open-ended feedback on whether the trailer makes players want to download.
3

Rank your screenshots

Rank 4–8 screenshots by download intent to find your strongest ordering.
4

Test your app description

Compare description versions to find the most compelling copy.
5

Validate the full listing

A multi-question survey on the assembled listing confirms it converts before launch.
Sample size and cost. Defaults to 50–100 respondents per element test (ranked tests use 100 for a clearer winner; open-ended uses 50). For a tighter budget, 50 across the board is fine for directional results. The final validation uses 100. See sample size guidance.

Run this playbook with an AI agent

Copy prompt for AI

Paste this prompt into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or any AI agent connected to the PickFu MCP server, CLI, or REST API. The agent will run the entire loop on your behalf — creating polls, reading responses, and iterating until a winning variation emerges.
Want to run this manually? The same sequence is available as a one-click template in the PickFu app (Start the ASO playbook) with pre-filled poll URLs.

Step-by-step (human operator view)

1. Compare icon designs

No icon variations yet? Generate them with generate_image. Create 3–4 concepts varying the hero element (character, key object, color), include at least one character-focused concept (they tend to win in gaming), then iterate to a winner the same way the Amazon main image playbook does — combine the strongest elements of the top two and re-run until one icon clears 35%+ first-place votes.
See an example icon poll →
PickFu ranked poll comparing four mobile RPG game icons with vote share and AI insights

An icon test: candidate icons ranked by download intent, with vote share, the PickFu winner, and an AI summary of what's catching players' eyes.

2. Test your gameplay trailer

See an example trailer poll →

3. Rank your screenshots

See an example screenshot poll →

4. Test your app description

Ranked polls require 3–8 options. If you’re comparing only two description versions, use a head-to-head poll instead — a 2-option ranked poll will be rejected.
See an example description poll →

5. Validate the full listing

Success criteria: a clear winning icon (35%+ first-place votes), screenshots ranked by download intent, a validated description, and a full listing averaging 3.5+ stars on Q1 — with Q4 confirming players correctly read the genre. See an example full-listing validation → These are the demographics most likely to play each genre. You know your audience best — adjust as needed, and use list_available_targeting for the exact trait codes.

Pro tips

  • Character-focused icons beat logos. Across hundreds of gaming icon tests, icons with a character face or figure out-perform abstract logos and text-only icons. Always include a character concept.
  • Test icons at display size. Upload icons at roughly 60×60px — the size they appear on the store shelf. Performance at small size is what matters, not full-resolution polish.
  • Lead with your strongest screenshot. Position 1 gets 3–5× more views than position 4+, so your #1-ranked screenshot should occupy the first slot.
  • Vibrant colors win on the shelf. Saturated treatments consistently out-perform muted or dark ones in icon testing.
  • Re-test after major updates. Re-run the screenshot and full-listing steps after any major update or seasonal re-skin so the listing reflects the current game.

Troubleshooting

Ranked polls need 3–8 options. If you only have two description versions, switch the poll type to head-to-head (exactly 2 options). Add a third version to keep it ranked.
If the multi-select genre answers scatter or point to the wrong category, your icon + screenshots are sending mixed signals. Revisit steps 1 and 3 — the winning assets should make the genre unmistakable at a glance.
Target the demographic that matches your game. A hardcore strategy game tested on casual players gives misleading results. Use list_available_targeting to find the right mobile-gamer and age filters, and report by age + gender to spot segment differences.