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Martech Edge Interview with Thomas Kriebernegg, General Manager, SplitMetrics Agency
How does the color choice of an app's icon influence its conversion rate, particularly in the finance category?
A well-designed, professional icon can make a strong first impression, and first impressions are everything for finance apps that strive to build a powerful brand and a sense of security around it.
Our ASO Benchmarks & Mobile Trends Report 2024 has found that finance apps can see a substantial boost of an average of 12% in conversion rates by incorporating bold colours into their icons and screenshots. Vibrant visuals encourage users to explore product pages more deeply, with the average time spent increasing by 1.35 seconds or more.
43% of the top finance apps use blue icons, followed by green and black colors. However, it makes sense to switch to red for app businesses operating or launching in Eastern markets. We found that for the Chinese market, red gives an average conversion boost of 5%.
What role do seasonal updates play in App Store Optimization (ASO), particularly for shopping apps?
Seasonal ASO updates around the holidays, special offers and other relevant seasonal events can lead to increased conversions by up to 14% for shopping apps. It is no surprise as seasonal and holiday deals are a huge attraction for shoppers looking for timely bargains. That’s why app marketers need to make sure that their product pages are optimised in time for these events. Highlighting seasonal offers, discounts, and promotions grabs users' attention and encourages them to explore more.
In terms of wider ASO for shopping apps - They have have notably higher conversions and engagement rates in the App Store than Google Play. This suggests a more effective user experience or stronger brand trust among iOS users. For app marketers, it means that they may need to focus on developing a recognizable brand that can drive immediate installs.
ASO is not everything though and it has to go hand-in-hand with brand recognition, specifically for shopping apps. Users in the shopping category tend to install apps immediately (direct install rate of 23%). This indicates the importance of brand recognition for shopping apps. Since few visitors install the app after exploring it (engagement rate of 41%), it is clear that users typically know what the app offers beforehand.
Why is A/B testing considered essential in app marketing, and what are its benefits?
Each app and brand is different and A/B tests can help you see what works best for your app.
Our research highlighted that seemingly minor things in app marketing can make a big difference - what may appear to be a small decision on color, font type or icon can actually determine whether your app lives or dies in this crowded marketplace.
Our ASO report revealed that app developers and marketers can make very minor tweaks to their storefront and see a substantial boost in user engagement. The challenge is understanding where and how to make these changes, which is why testing is so important because it removes some of these unknowns.
Once you implement any changes, it is important to keep monitoring and optimising. Ultimately, a one-size-fits-all strategy will not work in app marketing, you need a considered and fluid strategy where every small detail matters
How does SplitMetrics' research suggest that minor design choices can influence an app's success in the marketplace?
Our research of close to 200 apps and 3,500 A/B tests across Google Play and the Apple App Store has revealed the small changes that make a big difference to whether an app is successful or not. Simply optimising your app’s icon can land up to 25% more users. App icons with a clear and simple icon background tend to fare better, experiencing a conversion rate increase of over 26% across all categories.
As mentioned before, even color can have a huge impact but also - what may seem as a minor thing - how your app screenshots are presented in the storefront. Nearly half of app users only view the first two screenshots and only 7% see the fifth screenshot on display in the app store listing, suggesting that the first two screenshots matter the most when it comes to gaining new users.
How does the report suggest that app marketers should approach optimization strategies, and why is a one-size-fits-all approach discouraged?
The main challenge is understanding where and how to make the changes and the main way to find that out is to test different choices. Our report provides a foundation for app marketers and uncovers some of the unknowns. However, not all apps are the same and different trends, seasonality or socioeconomic situations at different points in time may have a different impact. After putting a lot of effort into optimising your app, don’t just sit back and hope to see perfect results. Throughout the campaign you should be analysing your marketing performance and asking the right questions. Did the new texts and creatives bring you more users and conversions? Or was it your paid UA traffic that led to an increase or decrease?
It’s a game of asking the right questions and ongoing testing of different keywords, colors and designs.
What impact can optimizing an app's icon have on user acquisition according to SplitMetrics' research?
Our ASO report found that app marketers who optimise their app icons can land up to 25% more users. At the same time, some may also experience even more dramatic Tap-Through Rate (TTR) growth. Across all categories app icons with a clear and simple icon background tend to fare better, experiencing a conversion rate increase of over 26%.
