How to improve a game's App Store ranking
Follow these steps in order. Each one is something we do on client work.
- Choose the right genre category. Games have sub-categories; pick where you fit.
- Use name and subtitle well. Genre terms players search.
- Lead screenshots with gameplay. Show action, not menus.
- Use an app preview. 15–30 seconds of real gameplay.
- Plan In-App Events. They can appear in search and on your page.
- Test icons. Characters and colours.
App Store game ranking: key rules and context
Categories. Games have subcategories (Puzzle, Action, Casual and more); pick the two where you can compete.
In-app events. Events appear in search and on your page (Apple: in-app events).
Creative. Game icon design, screenshot best practices.
Marketing. Android game marketing applies to both stores in principle.
Worked example (hypothetical)
This example is illustrative. The app is made up, and so are any numbers in it.
Say Tower Siege uses a menu as screenshot one. We'd replace it with a mid-battle shot captioned "Defend 100 levels" (only if the game has 100 levels) and add a 20-second preview.
Common mistakes
- Menus first. No excitement.
- Cinematic trailers as previews. 2.3.4 allows only in-app captures.
- Wrong category. Wrong competition.
- Ignoring events. Missed visibility.
If you want this handled for you, our pricing page lists every fixed package.
App Store text fields and their limits
These are the limits App Store Connect enforces today. Plan your copy against them before you write a word.
| Field | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| App name | 2–30 characters | Shown on the product page and in search |
| Subtitle | 30 characters | Appears under the name |
| Keywords | 100 bytes | Comma-separated, each keyword more than two characters; don't repeat app or company name; no other app or company names |
| Promotional text | 170 characters | Above the description; can change without a new submission |
| Description | 4,000 characters | Plain text, no HTML |
| What's New | 4,000 characters | Required for every version after the first |
Native testing tools compared
Use the store's own test tool before any third-party guesswork.
| Apple product page optimization | Google Play store listing experiments | |
|---|---|---|
| What you can test | Icon, screenshots, previews | Graphics and text (icon, screenshots, descriptions) |
| Variants | Up to 3 treatments vs original | Up to 2 variants vs current listing |
| Localization | Treatments can be localized | Run per language (localized experiments) |
| How winners are judged | Estimated conversion lift with confidence | Performance vs current listing over the test |
How we measure the result
Search changes are slow and noisy, so we judge them on trends, not single days. In App Store Connect, App Analytics shows impressions and product page views by source, including App Store Search. In Play Console, the store performance and acquisition reports show where visitors came from and how many installed. We note the date of every metadata change, then compare the four weeks before with the four weeks after. If impressions rose but installs didn't, the next job is conversion (icon and screenshots), not more keywords. If neither moved, the terms were probably too competitive or not relevant enough, and we go back to research.
Checklist
Copy this list into your release notes or ticket and tick each item off before you ship.
- Genre chosen
- Name/subtitle with genre terms
- Gameplay screenshots
- Preview 15–30 s
- Event planned
- Icon test
Sources
- Apple: Search on the App Store (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Apple: Product page optimization (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Apple App Store Connect Help: App preview specifications (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Apple: App Review Guidelines (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Apple App Store Connect Help: App information (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Apple App Store Connect Help: Platform version information (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Apple App Store Connect Help: Overview of product page optimization (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Play Console Help: Run store listing experiments (accessed 26 October 2026)
Questions
Do games rank differently?
Same signals; more competition.
Which category should my game use?
The most relevant where you can compete.
Do in-app events help?
They add discovery surfaces.
Should I localize games?
Yes for major markets.
Can you help?
Yes.
Can game previews use cinematic footage?
No. Guideline 2.3.4 says previews may only use video screen captures of the app itself.