How to create great screenshots for your app on App Store?
Imagine you’ve only 8 seconds to pitch your app to someone to download it. How do you do it? You may think of presenting the essential features of the app. But 8 seconds are too less for words.
It is well known that a picture is worth a thousand words. And that’s where App store screenshots come in.
They are the visual representations of what you want to tell your users about your app to download it. You want to show them the best of what you got. You may see why app store screenshots are important here.
Now the real question comes in, “how do you create visually appealing screenshots for the app store?”
First of all, you would like to research what are the kinds of trendy screenshots that apps have these days. You may check out the App store for some inspiration or may read this article to save yourself the pain of extensive research.
Now let’s look at the considerations for making your screenshots.
The right dimensions
Now let’s look at the dimension specifications required to create the screenshots.
The App store has the following specifications for screenshots of all different device types:
a) You have to add a minimum of 1 screenshot and may add upto four additional ones.
b) The screenshots should have the RGB color scheme, flattened and shouldn’t be transparent. They should have a pixel density of 72 dpi.
c) The file format of the screenshots can be high quality JPEG or PNG.
Let’s have a look at the size of the screenshots for different device types:
Now you’re probably thinking, what the hell, I’ve to create for different device sizes? It’s too difficult.
But hey, you don’t need to do that because the Appstore has introduced a Simplified Screenshot Submission Process:
The design elements (Color, Font, Style)
The App store doesn’t have any specific requirements for the design elements like colors or fonts. But to create appealing screenshots, you need to take care of that. Some of the best design practices involve maintaining a uniform theme. You should try to use the fonts you’ve used in your app to display the additional text. Take proper care while setting the font size.
Maintaining a uniform color scheme in the background images is another way to show a minimalistic view of the app. Besides that you may be creative enough to show custom backgrounds to make a theme. Such designs are visually more appealing. You may see how Waze does it.
Now that you have some inspirations and you know the specifications, let’s discuss what you can put up as screenshots.
You need the make the user download your app by looking at the screenshots. Hence it goes without saying that you need to grab their attention and compel them to download it.
Suggested practices
You need to unleash your creativity to show them the best screenshots. So let’s ponder over a few suggestions.
1) Always have 5 screenshots.
Five screenshots are necessary because that’s the limit Appstore allows you to show for each app. You want to give your best offering to the users and so don’t even think of putting up any less than that.
2) Remember to show them the main screen
You have to show them the core competency of the app and tell them what exactly it does. The main screen is the first one that tells your user what the app is about and its core functionality. Besides, you must have put your best efforts in developing an awesome UI for the main page, so why not put your best foot forward? Highlight them as much as possible.
3) Use engaging captions for your screenshots
Pictures may be worth a thousand words but they may have different interpretations for different people. You want your users to be with what you want to convey. Use brief and crisp captions that keep your user hooked to the images. Remember the idea is to supplement the screenshot and not to replace it. So keep it short and sweet.
4) Show them how your app can be used
To appeal to people, you need to strike their imagination. Show them what they can do with your app. Show them that the possibilities of using your app are endless and it’s upto them to use it as they may. This is the best way to grab the user's attention.
5) Highlight the new features of your app
There are hundreds of similar apps for the one you’ve developed. Why should someone download yours? Of course you may say that you’ve something unique to offer to your users that others don’t. But how does someone know it? Show them that here.
6) Show them how to use your app here
You may make screenshots to create mini tutorials for using your app. If you’ve introduced some core functionality in your app as a different way to do something, what can be a better place to show it if not here?
See how Gboard does it here.
7) Localize your screenshots
You don’t want your app to be limited to a particular demographic. People across different regions have different native languages and they prefer to stick to it. So try to have your text elements in the native language of the region where you’re targeting to launch. This builds a trust in the minds of the people and acts as a catalyst for fast downloads.
8) Enlist your achievements
Trust is an important factor for a new visitor to download your app. You can build that by showing your achievements in the screenshots. You’ve have been featured as the best app in some category, show it here!
See how ever does it!
Tools for creating app screenshots
Now you know the considerations to create beautiful app screenshots for the App store. Let’s discuss the tools that are used to create such screenshots.
1) Adobe Photoshop CC
Anything design and photoshop is the first one that comes to mind. You can create awesome designs as per your requirements using photoshop.
2) AppLaunchpad
It is an online tool developed by us where in you can create beautiful screenshots in seconds without using photoshop. And guess what, you can use those funky Instagram like filters for your screenshots using our tool. You may see more of it here.
Give it your best shot
We know you’ve done a lot of hard work to develop that fantastic app but it is disappointing to not see enough downloads. It is hard to accept but it’s true that people judge the book by its cover and your app by its screenshots. This is the first impression you give your users. Make it a great one.
