App Store Screenshot View Rate

What is App Store Screenshot View Rate

Screenshot view rate is the percentage of users that view each screenshot in the gallery section of an app’s product page. 

Storemaven has gained insights on screenshot view rates from studying more than 500M million unique users. Data shows that the view rate drops dramatically after the first impression frame screenshots are seen (what a user sees before they tap or scroll through anything). 100% of visitors are exposed to first impression screenshots but only explorative users (inquisitive users who spend between up to 12 seconds exploring the product page before deciding to install) look beyond the first few. 

It’s worth noting that placing a video on a product page will push the first screenshot to the second slot (or third or fourth if you have 2-3 videos). Data from iOS users show that only 15.15% of users are exposed to a full second screenshot then the rate continues to drop drastically; only 6.52% of users are exposed to the fifth screenshot. Populating all of the 10 screenshot spaces available in the App Store (or 8 in Google Play) won’t be exposed to many, unfortunately only a very low number of users will scroll through to the end. 

Why App Store Screenshot View Rate is Important

Knowing the screenshot view rate is important because it enables the pinpointing of problems in the user journey. A low screenshot view rate shows there may be something wrong or missing from the messaging which is causing users to lose interest and is stopping them from continuing on to install. 

The screenshots used on a product page will have an impact on the screenshot view rate and conversion rates (CVR) too. Users may be more likely to drop from the page if uninviting screenshots are used, or any that are unrelated to the app or game they’re pushing. There’s lots of information in this article that explains best practises for implementing effective screenshots. 

App Store Screenshot View Rates and ASO

Screenshot view rates are one of the metrics that should be monitored in case ASO teams need to be introduced to optimize assets in an effort to improve CVR (optimized screenshots could result in a 28% increase in CVR).

Data shows that most users tend to make download decisions based largely on the quality of an app’s screenshots so in order to increase downloads and drive revenue, it’s vital to have a well-crafted gallery that informs users what the app or game is about. 

There are significant differences between Apple’s App Store and Google’s Google Play Store in terms of product page layout, size and proportion of screenshot to text. Therefore it’s worth researching how to use screenshots effectively to improve view rates and CVR and decrease abandonment rates (users that drop from the page). Storemaven are experts in the field and can assist in the building of a marketing / ASO strategy that will bring out the best an app or game has to offer.