Crafting top-notch app store videos for maximum organic conversion

Standing out from the crowd and capturing users' attention is a challenge that every app developer faces. Among the various elements that contribute to app discoverability and user engagement, promotional app store videos have become an essential tool in the arsenal of app marketers and developers, offering a dynamic way to showcase their creations to potential users.

These short, engaging videos provide a sneak peek into an app's features, functionality, and user experience, playing a vital role in capturing users' attention and driving downloads. Let’s go over the basics of creating a stellar video, and how to take it up a notch for increased conversion and scalable app growth.

There are a few elements that you’ll need to get right to be successful with this medium. The first is differentiating between platforms. While both iOS and Android aim to showcase an app's strengths, each platform has distinct requirements.

App previews, tailored for iOS devices, are concise and captivating videos that autoplay without sound in the search results of the App Store and on individual app listing pages. Apple allows up to three videos per listing. App previews are limited to a strict 15-30 second timeframe and should offer engaging visuals and a clear call to action. Without the inclusion of audio on autoplay, Apple encourages short, enticing copy to indicate what the video is about to the viewer.

In contrast, app promo videos, designed for Android users, usually require users to press play. These videos can incorporate more detailed demonstrations of the app's features as Google allows videos up to two minutes in length. The Google Play Store permits only one promo video but offers a feature graphic thumbnail to entice users to click play.

Ready to get started with a video for one or both platforms? Here’s the step-by-step process.

1. Brainstorm storytelling ideas.

Creating an impactful app preview within a limited time frame can be a daunting task. To overcome this challenge, consider organizing brainstorming sessions. These sessions provide a creative space for your team to generate innovative ideas for your video. Remember, during brainstorming, there are no bad ideas–even seemingly irrelevant suggestions can lead to fresh, innovative approaches.

2. Select strategic highlights.

Imagine your app’s video as a storefront window display–don't overwhelm viewers with too much content. Instead, choose just a few key features that reflect the essence of your app and resonate with your audience. Focus on how you are solving problems or adding value for your audience.

3. Piece together a storyboard.

Once you know what is going into the video, convert your ideas into a structured, sequential format using storyboards. Consider the duration and pace of your video, making each second count without speeding through. Storyboards serve as visual blueprints for your video, outlining shot sequences and flow. This not only helps you conceptualize the final product but also aids in presenting the vision to stakeholders.

4. Incorporate animated graphics.

Integrating animation graphics into your app preview can enhance user understanding and engagement. Animation serves as an informative tool, highlighting key features or demonstrating app functionality. This approach is particularly effective since many viewers watch promotional videos without sound. Whether it's text pop-ups or functional demos, identify where in your storyboard animations can emphasize elements that might otherwise go unnoticed.

5. Format for upload.

Familiarize yourself with the formatting requirements for App Store preview videos and Google Play Store promo videos to ensure your video will be approved by the corresponding platform.

Creating an effective app store video isn't as simple as throwing together a few visuals and hoping for the best. Here are a few of the mistakes commonly made and how you can avoid them when crafting your own video.

Neglecting a clear storyline

One of the most significant blunders is failing to establish a clear and coherent storyline. Your app store video should tell a concise yet engaging narrative that showcases your app's key features and value proposition. Avoid overwhelming viewers with a cluttered or disjointed sequence of visuals. Instead, guide your video through a seamless flow.

Overloading with information

While it's tempting to cram every detail into your video, remember that less is often more. Overloading your app store video with information can lead to viewer fatigue and confusion. Focus on the core features that set your app apart, delivering a succinct and impactful message. A good practice is to divide your video into segments, highlighting each feature briefly and leaving viewers intrigued enough to explore further.

Skipping professional quality

Quality matters. Poor production quality, blurry visuals, and inaudible audio can quickly turn potential users away. Invest in professional equipment and editing software to create a polished and visually appealing video. Clear visuals and high-quality audio enhance your app's credibility and leave a positive impression on viewers.

Failing to optimize for sound-off viewing

Even on the Google Play Store, where a user must actively choose to play the promo video, many users watch videos with the sound turned off. Incorporate clear on-screen text, animations, and visual cues to convey your message effectively even without sound. This strategy caters to users who may be browsing in public spaces, those with auditory impairments, or in situations where audio isn't suitable.

Neglecting the rest of your ASO

While a compelling video is essential, it's just one piece of the puzzle. App store optimization (ASO) encompasses various elements, including keyword optimization, app description, screenshots, and ratings and reviews. Focusing solely on creating an impressive video while neglecting these other factors can result in missed opportunities for visibility and conversions.

A holistic ASO approach ensures that your app is not only visually appealing but also discoverable and appealing to potential users who rely on different aspects to make download decisions. Learn how to implement a well-rounded ASO strategy that complements your app store video with our ultimate guide.

There are a few things, in particular, that you can do to go the extra mile with your app store video(s).

Get user feedback

User feedback is a goldmine of insights that can significantly shape your app store video's effectiveness. Prioritize involving your target audience during the video creation process. Conduct user testing to understand how different segments of your audience react to your video. Their feedback can help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your video and guide you in making necessary improvements.

Consider conducting A/B tests with different versions of your video. This approach allows you to test different elements, such as visuals, messaging, and call-to-action placements. By analyzing which version performs better in terms of engagement and conversion rates, you can refine your video for maximum effectiveness.

Showcase real in-app footage

Authenticity is a powerful asset in app store videos. Incorporating real in-app footage showcases your app's functionalities and user experience accurately. Viewers want to see how the app performs in real-life scenarios, and using actual in-app footage can build trust and transparency.

Leverage AI tools–but don’t rely on them.

AI-powered solutions offer an array of functionalities that significantly streamline the video creation process. However, these tools should only be utilized as a starting point, with human judgment playing an important role in whittling down and polishing the final product.

Video script generation: The introduction of AI-driven video script generators has revolutionized the way developers conceptualize and organize their promo video content. These tools assist in crafting compelling scripts for titles, intros, highlighting features, and wrapping up the video content, all while minimizing the time and effort required for scriptwriting.

Text-to-speech conversion: Leveraging AI's hyper-realistic text-to-speech capabilities allows you to seamlessly transform your written script into natural and dynamic spoken narratives. With libraries of various voices and languages available across a number of platforms, you can customize the gender, age, style, speed, pitch, and pauses of your AI-generated voices, thereby adding an authentic auditory dimension to your videos.

Auto-subtitle generation: The integration of AI auto-subtitle generators provides a straightforward solution for incorporating clear and precise subtitles into your app promo videos. With just a click, you can generate burned-in subtitles that enhance accessibility and viewer engagement. The option to customize subtitle styles ensures that your videos maintain a professional and polished appearance.

Extensive audio enhancement: Elevating your app promo videos' auditory appeal is simplified with royalty-free music tracks and sound effects. These resources enable you to add layers of ambiance, rhythm, and emotion to your videos, enhancing their overall impact.

By employing strategies like selective highlighting, animation, and concise storytelling, creators can optimize their app promo videos for maximum impact. The tools offered by AI further enhance the video creation process, allowing developers to create captivating videos that resonate with audiences. In a world where user engagement is paramount, a well-crafted app preview can make all the difference in achieving app success.

Learn how to measure the success of all of your marketing efforts, including app store videos, with Adjust’s suite of mobile measurement tools. Or, set up a demo today.