Promoting your In-App Purchases
With iOS, users can browse In-App Purchases directly on the App Store and start a purchase even before downloading your app. Promoted In-App Purchases appear on your product page, can display in search results, and may be featured on the Today, Games, and Apps tabs. Learn how to effectively increase discoverability for content previously only found inside your app.
Overview
You can choose to promote up to 20 In-App Purchases at a time on your product page, with additional In-App Purchases approved and ready to promote. This gives you the flexibility to change the In-App Purchases that appear on your product page at any time based on your business needs — for example, if you’re planning to launch a limited-time price promotion or offer exclusive content.
Promoting In-App Purchases can also encourage downloads of your app. When a user doesn’t have your app installed but wants to buy a promoted In-App Purchases, they’ll receive a prompt to download the app first. Once the app is downloaded, the transaction will continue in the app.
Ensuring a seamless purchase flow
When a user starts an In-App Purchases on the App Store, they are taken into your app to continue the transaction. Consider presenting the payment sheet as soon as they are in the app to make the process of completing their purchase as easy as possible. Avoid unnecessary interstitials and messaging, as each extra step you require may decrease the likelihood that the user will complete the purchase. If you are offering an auto-renewable subscription, you’ll need to explain how auto-renewal works in the purchase flow within your app.
To learn more about offering subscriptions in your app, see Auto-renewable Subscriptions.
Customizing promoted In-App Purchases
You can customize which promoted In-App Purchases a user sees on a specific device using the SKProductStorePromotionController API. For example, you can hide an item that a user already has on that device, or show the most relevant levels in a game based on their gameplay. Learn more by watching What’s New in StoreKit.
Introductory pricing
You can offer a discounted price or a free trial of an auto-renewable subscription to attract new subscribers. If your auto-renewable subscription is a promoted In-App Purchases, the introductory price will display on the App Store for eligible customers running iOS 11.2 and later.
Creating effective metadata
Promotional image. Each promoted in-app purchase requires a unique promotional image that best represents the In-App Purchases. This image appears on your App Store product page; on the Today, Games, and Apps tabs if your content is featured; and can appear in search results. Please note that consumable In-App Purchases will not appear in search results.
Promotional images should not be screenshots, and should not be confused with your app icon.
We add a framing system to the image you upload to help convey that the In-App Purchases is an addition to the app experience. When an In-App Purchases appears on the App Store in places other than your product page — for example, in search results — your app icon is included in the lower left corner for further context. Ensure that your design isn’t obscured by the frame, and avoid putting important details in the lower left corner. We also recommend that you don’t overlay text on the image.
The file you upload will be a PNG or high-quality JPEG at 1024 x 1024 pixels. While this image is large for scaling purposes, your promotional image is usually seen at small sizes. Make sure that this image gracefully scales down to smaller sizes. For templates to help with the design of your promotional images, see Apple UI Design Resources.
Display name. Make sure that the display names you choose when creating your In-App Purchases will be easily understood by your users and by customers on the App Store. Avoid generic names like “100 gems” and tie the name to your app in some way. For auto-renewable subscriptions, include the duration of the In-App Purchases. In-App Purchases display names can be up to 30 characters long.
Description. The descriptions of your In-App Purchases should make it easy to clearly distinguish the benefits of each offering. Descriptions can be up to 45 characters long.
To learn more about specifications for promotional images, display names, and descriptions, see App Store Connect Help.
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In-App Purchases metadata displayed on a product page.
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In-App Purchases metadata displayed in search results, Today, Games, and Apps tabs.