AI in Strategy, Product, and Data

Had a great session with Ariel Michaeli of Appfigures on ASO.

Here are some nuggets (best for last 😜):

Screenshots that convert - Show real UI immediately; avoid illustration-only cover slides. - First screenshot must deliver the core value fast. - Skip superlatives; they trigger skepticism and reduce trust. - Use simple, readable, spaced-out text; avoid dense or small fonts. - Every frame should answer “what does this do for me?” not “look at my feature.”

Messaging & positioning - Be hyper-specific: focus on the exact job your app solves. - Don’t claim broad capabilities like “ask AI anything”; anchor it in user context (docs, notes, PDFs, voices). - Add use case–specific screenshots (students, professionals, etc.). - Reduce ambiguity: no guessing about what the app actually does.

Keyword strategy - Never duplicate a keyword in title + subtitle; it weakens ranking. - Screenshots should repeat target keywords; repetition strengthens relevance. - Low-popularity keywords can still win if competition is low. - Match screenshot keywords to metadata; unrelated terms don’t help.

Conversion psychology - Ambiguity kills downloads; clarity boosts confidence. - Users rarely view all screenshots; first 2–3 do the heavy lifting. - Visual consistency signals quality; mixed styles look unpolished. - Don’t make users think; spell out benefits explicitly.

Store page optimization - Use all 10 screenshots to maximize messaging and persona coverage. - Highlight unique angles (offline, private, voice-powered, document-based). - Lead with the strongest value driver, not the prettiest slide. - Videos must look polished; low-quality video hurts more than helps.

Ratings & reviews - Rating volume matters more than sentiment on iOS; even low-star ratings help ranking.

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