Enhance your presence on the App Store

When someone discovers your app on the App Store, what they see in those first few moments, drives whether they'll want to learn more about your app, or scroll past it. Today, I'll show you new ways to use images and videos to shape that moment. Hi, I'm Ruhi, an engineering manager on the App Store Connect team.

First, a quick recap of how your app currently appears on the App Store. The product page, screenshots and previews, give people a glimpse into your app, by highlighting the experience or key features. Similarly when your app is shown in the Search Results, by default, screenshots and previews are shown. Here's what's changing for these two places on the App Store! First, your Product Page can now have a Header, and here you have the freedom to use images and videos, outside of your app screenshots and previews.

Product Page Header is the first visual element people will see when they land on your app and a compelling asset can spark interest. Use this new real estate, to express your visual identity or brand. These assets can be images, or videos. Videos can be a great addition, allowing you to control the narrative of how someone perceives your app.

Your Product Page Header, app icon and screenshots work together, to give people a clearer picture of what your app is all about.

Now, I'll discuss what's changing for App Store Search Results.

Instead of showing the default app screenshots, you can use an impactful image or video, to make your app stand out in the Search Results. Choose assets that clearly communicate your app's core value and features, in a way that encourages people to tap and learn more about your app.

You can also use these images and videos to create Ads to boost your app's discovery. Set them up on the Today tab or Search Results using Apple Ads. Additionally, leverage these assets with Custom Product Pages, to better connect with your audience. I'll illustrate how you can do that with a few examples.

Exercise App's website is marketing Yoga classes with a banner on top to get the app.

And the website is linked to the app's Custom Product Page. Now, you have the ability to customize the header, and use the same marketing visuals that you used on your website. Additionally, when people download the app, you can deep-link them directly into the Yoga offering, for a consistent experience from app discovery to installation.

Using Custom Product Pages, you can also show a tailored asset for different search keywords, to make your app's search result more relevant and compelling.

Similar to the website example, consider using the same assets on your header, as your Search Results, for a seamless customer experience.

Additionally, use Product Page Optimization in App Store Connect, to test different visuals and see exactly which ones your audience respond best to, whether it's your app's logo, core value or a new feature.

Apps and games across all the categories on the App Store, can take advantage of these images and videos. For example, outdoor apps could show aspirational imagery. Travel apps could promote popular destinations. Or games could showcase gameplay or interesting characters. You can update your product page header and search result visuals, on both iOS 27 and iPad OS 27. Now, I'll discuss how to setup this rich media using App Store Connect. There are 2 ways to submit to App Review.

First, the flow that you are familiar with, through your app's version page. On your version page, upload the assets that you intend to use. Then use the new Preview functionality, to review how your app looks on the App Store with these new assets. You can view them for both iPhone and iPad, across different orientations and languages.

Once you make sure that everything looks good, submit your version for review like you do today. Once your version is approved and released, the assets on your Product Page Header and Search Results, are also live on the App Store. The second way to submit these assets for review, is through the new Asset Library in App Store Connect! Asset Library, is a centralized place to manage all your app's assets, across platforms, sizes and the different placements. Asset Library includes, your existing screenshots, preview videos, in-app event media and your new marketing images and videos. And these new marketing visuals, are called creative assets, in App Store Connect.

Similar to the version submission, first, upload your creative assets directly to Asset Library. Once you have uploaded, submit them for review. In this flow, you submit your creative assets standalone, without updating your version, or indicating where you plan to use them in the future.

So your assets can be approved, either as part of your app version submission, or directly through the Asset Library flow. Once they are approved, all of them are available in your Asset Library. One big advantage of Asset Library, is that approved assets are ready to be used across your app's Product Page Header and Search Results, without going through additional reviews. I'll illustrate with an example! This is the current Product Page Header with a summer hiking asset.

And these are some approved assets in the Asset Library. A winter hiking asset is selected, to replace the summer asset, publishing changes directly to the App Store without a new submission.

And there it is! Cool! Getting your assets approved ahead of time, gives you the flexibility to update your app's Product Page Header and Search Results in real-time. To automate these flows, you can upload and submit to Asset Library, using the App Store Connect API as well. Additionally, you can use the Apple Ads Platform API to automate ad setup flows, which includes open-source client libraries for Swift and more.

As a next step, start preparing the images and videos, that you'll use to showcase your app on the App Store. Then, upload your assets to Asset Library, for use on your Product Page, Search Results, and more. Finally preview your app before you submit for review.

I am very excited to see how you use these new visuals, for your app on the App Store and what it unlocks for you! Thank you for watching!