Your app store listing is your game's first and fastest conversion filter. Players judge your icon in under a second, scroll past screenshots in two, and decide whether to download before they've read a word of your description.
This playbook walks you through an App Store Optimization (ASO) process using PickFu. You’ll test every element of your app store listing – icon, screenshots, description, video preview, and more – so that you can launch (or re-launch) with creative that's been validated by real players, not guesswork.
Goal: Maximize download conversion rate by optimizing every element of your app store listing.
💡 Note: Every business is different, and there are many ways to approach optimizing your app store creative. This is our recommended process based on what we’ve seen work for game studios, but you should adjust the tests based on your specific goals!
When to use this playbook
Use this playbook when:
You're preparing to launch a new mobile game and want to maximize day-one conversion
You've launched but your install rate is underperforming and you need to diagnose why
You're releasing a major update and need to refresh your listing creative
You manage a portfolio of games and want a standardized ASO testing methodology across all of them
You're entering a new market and need to validate whether your current creative translates
What you’ll need:
An active PickFu account (it’s free to sign up!)
At least 2-3 icon design variations
4-8 screenshots from your game screenshot package
A draft game description for your app store listing
You don't need all assets finalized – the goal of this playbook is to figure out which variations win before you commit.
How to use this playbook
Log into your PickFu account. On your PickFu dashboard, you'll see a section called Playbooks. Find the right playbook and click on it!
You'll be redirected to a PickFu project that contains the steps of the playbook, with links to run each test. All the polls you launch from the playbook will be automatically added into this project so you can easily reference all of them. You'll also get an AI-powered report on your results across all tests in the project.
Follow the steps below to run the ASO playbook, get pro tips and best practices, and learn more about supplement tests you can run.
Steps
Step 1: Icon design comparison
Your app icon is the most viewed asset in your entire marketing stack. It appears in search results, top charts, featured placements, and ads.
Studios that test icons rigorously consistently report 5-15% install rate improvements from a single icon change – at zero incremental UA spend. This step identifies which of your icon variations best communicates genre and drives curiosity.
Follow these steps:
Upload 3-4 icon design variations as image options
Use this question: "Which game icon makes you MOST want to download and play a mobile [GENRE] game? Explain what catches your eye."
Set audience to 100 respondents · Mobile gamers · Add any other targeting traits to match your ideal audience
What you'll get: A ranked order of icon preferences with qualitative explanations covering what's catching attention – and what isn't. You'll learn whether players correctly identify your game's genre from the icon alone.
How to use the results:
Look for a clear leader, but weigh close races too. Read the qualitative responses to understand why respondents voted the way they did.
Check for genre clarity. Do respondents correctly identify your game type from the icon alone? If not, it's worth addressing before launch. Mismatched expectations can hurt download quality, not just quantity.
Watch for shelf performance signals. Words like "stands out" or "catches my eye" suggest the icon will perform well in crowded search results. Words like "generic" or "hard to read" are worth taking seriously.
Character-focused icons tend to outperform logos and abstract designs in gaming – if you don't have a character option, it may be worth testing one.
If no clear winner emerges, look for themes across the top two finishers and consider a new variation that combines the strongest elements. You can also test your winning icon against top competitors to see how you stack up in context.
Step 2: Gameplay trailer test
Your app store video preview auto-plays in search results and on your listing page – it's often the deciding factor for players who are on the fence after seeing your icon and screenshots.
Before committing to expensive video production, test your gameplay trailer or preview video with real players to find out whether it's building excitement or raising doubts.
Follow these steps:
Upload your gameplay trailer or video preview as the poll option
Use this question: "Watch this gameplay trailer for a mobile [GENRE] game. Would you download it? What excites you or puts you off?"
Set audience to 50 respondents · Mobile gamers · Same targeting as Step 1
What you'll get: Unfiltered qualitative reactions to your video – what's generating excitement, what's confusing, and whether the trailer communicates the right genre and tone. You'll surface specific moments or elements that land well (or don't) before you've finalized production.
How to use the results:
Look for patterns in what players quote back. Specific mechanics, character moments, or visual styles mentioned repeatedly are resonating; lean into those in your final edit.
Strong reactions tend to be emotional. Phrases like "looks intense" or comparisons to games they love are good signals. Lukewarm responses like "it's fine" or "looks like a typical mobile game" suggest the trailer needs more punch.
Watch for clarity issues. "I don't understand what kind of game this is" or "too fast to follow" are common flags – usually more context is needed early, not just faster cuts.
The first 3 seconds matter most. If multiple respondents say they lost interest quickly, consider front-loading a stronger hook.
Let the feedback feed more than just the trailer. High-performing moments and language from responses can inform your screenshot captions and app description too. High-performing moments and language from responses can feed directly into your screenshot captions and app description.
Step 3: Screenshot ranking
Screenshots are your game's visual sales pitch. Most users only see the first 2-3 before deciding whether to download. The order matters enormously – your #1 ranked screenshot should always occupy position 1 in your listing, since the first screenshot gets 3-5x more views than position 4+.
This step identifies which screenshots drive the most download intent and sets the optimal order.
Follow these steps:
Upload 4-8 screenshots as image options
Use this question: "Which image would make you MOST likely to download and play a mobile [GENRE] game? Tell us what about the image makes you want to play."
Set audience to 100 respondents · same targeting as Steps 1-2
What you'll get: A ranked order of screenshots by download intent, with qualitative explanations of what's working. You'll learn whether character-focused or environment shots perform better for your game, whether action beats static, and what specifically makes players curious.
How to use the results:
Order screenshots by rank. Your #1 should go in position 1 in your listing; the first screenshot gets significantly more views than anything further down.
Character and action shots often outperform environments and static scenes in gaming, but your mileage may vary. Let the data guide you rather than assumptions.
Watch for curiosity signals. Responses like "I want to know what happens" indicate a screenshot is doing its job. "I don't know what this game is" suggests it’s not communicating genre clearly.
Pay attention to the language respondents use about your top-ranked screenshots – recurring phrases are strong candidates for copy hooks in your app description.
If rankings are very tight across all options, respondents may not be differentiating strongly – this can happen when screenshots are too visually similar. Consider testing more varied options in a follow-up round.
Step 4: App description A/B test
Your app description is the final conversion lever for users who made it past the icon and screenshots. Different copy angles (feature-led, emotion-led, social-proof-led) can have dramatically different conversion impacts.
This step finds the framing that best communicates your game's value proposition and motivates the download decision.
Follow these steps:
Add 2-3 description versions as text options
Use this question: "Which app description would make you MOST likely to download this mobile [GENRE] game? What about the description appeals to you?"
Set audience to 50 respondents · same targeting as previous steps
What you'll get: A preference ranking across your description variations, with explanations of what copy elements are driving the decision – specific features, emotional hooks, competitive claims, or social proof.
How to use the results:
Look for a clear winner, but read the qualitative responses regardless. Even a tie tells you something. The why behind preferences is often more useful than the vote count alone.
Note which specific phrases get quoted back. Words or benefits respondents repeat are your highest-performing copy hooks – strong candidates for ad headlines and store listing copy.
Check for comprehension, not just preference. Did respondents understand what kind of game this is from the description alone? If multiple people are confused about the genre or core loop, the copy needs more clarity before launch.
A close race between options isn't necessarily bad. It may mean your variations are more similar than they feel to you, or that different audience segments respond to different angles – check the demographic breakdown if results are tight.
Cross-reference with your screenshot feedback from Step 3. If your top description leans heavily on a feature or tone that your screenshots don't reflect, there's a consistency gap worth closing before Step 5.
Step 5: Full listing validation
Individual asset testing catches component-level issues, but your full listing needs to work as a unit. A great icon that sets wrong genre expectations for the screenshots creates a conversion gap. This multi-question survey validates your complete app store listing (icon + screenshots + description) as a cohesive conversion funnel, and catches any remaining issues before launch.
Steps to follow:
Upload a screenshot of your full app store listing as the context image for Q1
Survey structure:
Q1 (Star Rating): "Based on this app store listing, how likely are you (1–5) to download this game?"
Q2 (Open-Ended): "What's the most appealing thing about this game based on the listing?"
Q3 (Open-Ended): "Is there anything confusing or that would stop you from downloading?"
Q4 (Multi-Select): "What type of game does this look like?" (Strategy / Action / Puzzle / Casino / Sports / RPG / Simulation / Other)
Set audience to 100 respondents · same targeting as previous steps
What you'll get: A holistic conversion readiness score plus specific blockers and selling points. Q4 is especially powerful – it tells you whether players correctly identify your game's genre, which is a direct proxy for whether you'll attract the right audience.
How to use the results:
Q1 (star rating) gives you a conversion readiness baseline. An average of 3.5+ is generally a good sign. Below 3.0 suggests significant issues – dig into Q3 to find the specific blockers.
Q2 surfaces your strongest selling points. The themes respondents mention most often are your best candidates for ad creative and listing copy.
Q3 is your friction audit. Even one or two recurring objections are worth addressing before launch. If multiple people flag the same thing, it’s not an outlier.
Q4 validates genre positioning. If players consistently misidentify your game’s genre, your listing may be sending mixed signals, which can attract the wrong audience and drive up uninstall rates. Some ambiguity is normal, but a wide spread of answers is a flag worth investigating.
Re-run after major updates. Any significant change to your listing (new screenshots, updated description, seasonal refresh) is worth re-validating to make sure it still reads as a coherent whole.
More ASO strategies and bonus tests to run
Bonus test A: Video preview testing
App store video previews auto-play and are increasingly important for conversion, especially on Google Play. Use this poll to test 2-4 video thumbnail variations or short gameplay clips to determine which video creative drives the most watch intent before investing in full video production.
Follow these steps:
Upload 2-4 video thumbnails or short clips as options
Use this question: "Which video preview thumbnail would make you MOST want to watch and learn about this mobile [GENRE] game?"
Set audience to 50 respondents · Mobile gamers · match your genre
What you'll get: A ranked order of video thumbnail performance with qualitative explanations of what's generating curiosity. Useful for prioritizing where to invest in full video production.
Bonus test B: Custom Product Page (CPP) testing
Custom product pages let you create multiple versions of your app store listing tailored to different audiences or ad campaigns (available on iOS 15+ via Apple).
This poll helps you validate which CPP headline, visual package, or landing page variation will perform best before you drive paid traffic to it – so you're not wasting UA budget on an unvalidated page.
Follow these steps:
Create an Open-Ended poll to evaluate a single CPP, or a Ranked poll to compare headline variations
Upload a screenshot of your CPP as the context image, or add headline options as text
Choose your question based on what you're testing:
Single CPP evaluation: "Based on this app store page, would you download and play this game? Why or why not?"
Headline comparison: "Which landing page headline for a [GENRE] game grabs your interest most?"
Confusion audit: "Visit this landing page for a [GENRE] game. What aspects are confusing or unclear?"
Set audience to 50 respondents · Mobile gamers · target the specific audience segment the CPP is built for
What you'll get: Qualitative validation of whether your CPP converts the right audience, plus specific friction points to address before spending on paid traffic.
Bonus test C: Featured graphic / banner testing
When your game gets featured by Apple or Google, the featured graphic is your biggest impression opportunity. Pre-testing featured graphics ensures you maximize conversion during your most valuable visibility window.
Follow these steps:
Upload 2-3 banner variations as image options
Use this question: "Which banner image best represents an exciting mobile [GENRE] game? Which makes you want to learn more?"
Set audience to 50 respondents · Mobile gamers · match your genre
More ASO questions and strategies
Beyond the core steps, here are additional questions you can ask for specific ASO scenarios:
Genre clarity check: "What type of game do you think this is based on this icon alone?" (Open-Ended · 30 respondents) – use when you're unsure if your icon communicates genre clearly
Screenshot first impression: "What do you notice first about this screenshot? What does it tell you about the game?" (Open-Ended · 30 respondents) – use to audit individual screenshots without ranking
Competitor audit: "You see these game icons in the app store. Which one would you tap first? Why?" (Ranked · 50 respondents · include 3-5 competitor icons + yours) – use to understand where you stand on the search results page against direct competitors
Global market validation: Duplicate any poll from this playbook and change the country targeting to validate whether your creative translates to a new market before investing in geo-specific UA spend. Strong performers in the US sometimes underperform in SEA or LATAM due to art style, color, or character preferences.
Pro tips
Character-focused icons outperform logos: Across hundreds of gaming icon tests, icons featuring a character face or figure beat abstract logos and text-only icons. If you have both options, always include a character version.
Test at display size, not full resolution: Upload icons at approximately 60x60px display size – the size they'll appear on the app store shelf. Performance at small size is what matters, not how they look at full resolution.
Lead with your strongest screenshot: The first screenshot gets 3-5x more views than position 4+. Your #1 ranked screenshot should always occupy position 1 in your listing.
Vibrant colors win on the shelf: Vibrant, saturated color treatments consistently outperform muted or dark alternatives in icon testing. If your top-ranked icons are all bright, that's not a coincidence.
Re-test after major updates: Every time you release a major game update, re-run Steps 3–5 to ensure your listing reflects the current game experience. A listing that accurately represents the game also reduces uninstall rates.
Portfolio approach: If you manage multiple games, standardize this playbook across your entire portfolio. One team can run ASO testing for 10+ games using the same methodology and question templates.
Recommended audience targeting by genre
These are the typical demographics who are most likely to play each game genre. You know your audience best, so adjust your targeting as needed.
Genre | Targeting string | Why |
Strategy |
| Strategy core demo |
Casino / Slots |
| Casino skews older |
Sports |
| Sports skews young male |
Casual / Puzzle |
| Casual skews female |
RPG / Fantasy |
| RPG skews younger |
Troubleshooting / FAQs
Q: My icon test didn't produce a clear winner. What now?
If no single icon reaches 35%+ first-place votes, read the qualitative responses for common themes across the top two finishers. Pull the strongest visual elements from each and create a new variation that combines them. Re-run Step 1 with the new variant replacing the weakest performer from round 1.
Q: Can I test screenshots I haven't finalized yet?
Yes. Early-stage screenshots (even mockups or rough frames) are valid for directional feedback. Use 30-50 respondents instead of 100 for early-stage tests to save budget, then re-test with finalized assets before launch.
Q: What audience should I target if my game spans multiple genres?
Target the primary genre you're positioning for in the app store. If you're genuinely 50/50 (e.g., a strategy RPG), run the poll twice – once with strategy targeting and once with RPG targeting – and compare whether the same icon wins both audiences. If different icons win, you have a positioning decision to make.
Q: How often should I re-test after launch?
Re-run Step 3 (screenshots) and Step 5 (full listing) after every major update, seasonal re-skin, or any time your install rate drops more than 10% without a clear UA explanation. For active games, monthly screenshot testing on 1-2 new variations keeps your listing optimized without large budget commitments.
Q: My game is launching in multiple countries. Do I need separate polls per market?
Not necessarily for initial launch. Run the core polls targeting your primary audience first to establish winners. Then duplicate the winning polls, switch the country parameter to your other target markets (Japan, Germany, Brazil, etc.), and re-test with 30-50 respondents to validate. Art style, character design, and other elements can perform very differently across markets.