Are Your Screenshots Getting Downloads? Live Product Page Teardown

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Kicking Off: Why Screenshots Matter So Much

Hello everyone. Welcome to a brand new live stream.

Ariel is going to talk about screenshots today. And if you know anything about Ariel’s live streams, you know how much Ariel loves screenshots and how important they are.

Before getting started, Ariel mentions some new framing, some tea (peach tea, in New York City, winter, gray sky), and live chat intros from all over the world: Cambridge, Egypt, Macedonia, Morocco, London (with tea, of course), Brazil, Taiwan, Albania, Germany, Spain, Pakistan, Ireland, and more. The weather sounds pretty miserable in several places—winter everywhere except maybe Australia.

There were some technical hiccups with the stream kicking off on the wrong event, but things are working now and people are shuffling in.

Ariel received more than 120 submissions for this teardown—actually 137, the biggest list so far. Ten apps were chosen at random for a live teardown. The goal is to walk through them, talk about what’s good, what’s bad, and what can be improved.

The key point: these lessons are not just for the app on the screen. The patterns and learnings are universal and apply to almost any app.

If you have questions, Ariel is watching the chat while doing the teardown.

The overall goal: learn how to make better screenshots because they are now twice as important in iOS 17 (Ariel says iOS 26, clearly meaning the current iOS with screenshot indexing) and also on Google Play.

General Rules Ariel Emphasizes

Throughout the teardown, Ariel keeps returning to a few core rules:

• Don’t duplicate keywords in the app name + subtitle.
• Avoid big, unbacked claims like “best” or “most intuitive” on your first screenshot.
• Always show the app. Don’t rely only on illustration covers.
• Use as many screenshots as possible (Apple gives you 10). Fill them with value.
• Show why people need your app: who it’s for, when they use it, and what they get.
• Always A/B test your screenshots (on both App Store and Google Play).
• Reinforce your main keywords in screenshots for iOS screenshot indexing.
• Speak to use cases, not just features.

Ariel also uses Appfigures’ Keyword Inspector live to check keyword popularity and competition and to illustrate choices.

App 1: World Clock Time Shifter – “Best World Clock for iPhone”

First app: World Clock Time Shifter – Best World Clock for iPhone.

This is supposed to be a screenshot teardown, but Ariel can’t ignore an obvious ASO issue: keyword duplication.

• App name: has “world clock”.
• Subtitle: also has “world clock”.

On the App Store, if you repeat the same keyword in name and subtitle, the second occurrence (subtitle) obliterates the strength of the first. The app name is the strongest ASO field—wasting it on duplication is a big miss.

Ariel’s immediate fix: remove “Best World Clock for iPhone” from the subtitle and use those characters for other relevant keywords.

Problem: Big, Unbacked Claim

First screenshot: “The most intuitive world clock you have ever seen.”

Ariel has seen this pattern many times:

• Big claim (“best”, “most intuitive”) makes most users think:
  • “How many ratings does it have?”
  • “If it doesn’t have a billion ratings, it’s probably not the best.”

If users don’t believe the first screenshot, they won’t feel good continuing. Instead of:

“The most intuitive world clock you have ever seen”

Ariel would say something like:

“An intuitive world clock”

Drop the superlatives. You can’t back them up.

Problem: Where Is the App?

In the current set, the first “screenshot” looks like a cover slide with illustrations. Ariel can’t tell if this is the actual app UI or just artwork.

That creates questions:

• “Is this what I’m getting?”
• “Is this just a promo slide?”

Users rarely investigate out of curiosity unless the app is already famous. Most apps are free and numerous; if you’re not clearly showing your value, people move on.

Fix:

• Show actual UI, or illustrate it in a way that’s obviously in-app.
• Wrap real UI in a device frame or clear context so it “feels” like an app.

Problem: Only Three Screenshots

This app only has three screenshots. Apple gives you 10.

Ariel sees missed opportunities to show:

• Who it’s for:
  • Stock traders tracking market hours.
  • People with friends/family in different time zones.
  • Business users with global meetings.
• When and why you’d use it.

Right now, none of that is clear. Ariel recommends:

• Remove keyword duplication (name/subtitle).
• Tone down bold claims.
• Show clear UI.
• Use more screenshots for:
  • Different scenarios.
  • Various user types.
  • Use cases and outcomes.

Quick Keyword Inspector Check

Ariel pulls up “world clock” in Appfigures’ Keyword Inspector:

• Popularity: fairly low, some volume.
• Competition: not extreme.

This means:

• There are downloads; you can enter this niche.
• Fixing the app name/subtitle duplication could already help visibility.

Takeaway:

Always show why people need your app and what they’ll use it for.

Ariel parallels this with how Appfigures shows its own new App Intelligence features: showing the product in action. Your screenshots should do the same.

Q&A: Keyword Duplication and Combos

Question (Bal): Is it worth using keyword combos if combos reuse the same keyword? E.g. world clock time vs world clock / clock and time.

Ariel’s answer:

• Always better to use a single mention of each word.
• Apple and Google auto-combine words for you.
• If you repeat words in your keyword list, the ones closer to the beginning may get eliminated or lose “juice”.
• Same for name and subtitle.

So: no repetition needed. Use more unique words instead.

App 2: Mindly 2 – Mind Mapping

Next app: Mindly 2 – Mind Mapping. Think visually map ideas.

No duplication in name/subtitle. Good.

First Impressions

Ariel likes the first-glance design:

• Good colors.
• Clean layout.
• Clear concept: mind mapping.

First screenshots:

• “Capture ideas – Turn thoughts into meaningful connections.”
• “Enrich your ideas – Add notes, images, attachments for clarity.”
• “Collaborate effortlessly – Share your maps with friends and colleagues.”

That’s solid structure.

Concern: One Concept Spanning Two Screens

Some screens seem to use two screenshots to tell one idea. Ariel finds that potentially wasteful:

• You have only 10 images.
• In search, users often only see the first 1–3.
• Doubling one concept could reduce variety.

Ariel’s advice:

• If you’ve tested this layout and it converts better, keep it.
• Otherwise, test a version where each screenshot stands alone.

Always A/B Test Screenshot Changes

Ariel pauses to stress:

• Never blindly replace screenshots if they aren’t outright terrible.
• Always run an A/B test:
  • Apple: Product Page Optimization.
  • Google Play: Store Listing Experiments.

Create a second set based on what you learn here and test it, don’t just overwrite.

What’s Missing: Why Do I Need a Mind Map?

The screenshots show what the app does, but not why someone needs it.

Potential user questions:

• “I already capture ideas in a notes app—why circles?”
• “Is this simpler or more complicated?”

Ariel wants to see use cases, like:

• Planning a project.
• Organizing a research topic.
• Brainstorming for writing or design.
• Learning a complex subject.

Users might arrive because someone told them “use a mind map” or they clicked a link from somewhere. Screenshots should show when and why Mindly 2 is better than just a notes app.

Keyword Strategy from Screenshots

Ariel notes the text includes:

• ideas, thoughts, connections, organize, images, notes, attachments, clarity.

These are all picked up by iOS screenshot indexing. Good.

But they’re somewhat generic. Ariel suggests:

• Research more related keywords.
• Use screens to reinforce those: project planning, brainstorming, study notes, etc.

Keyword Inspector: Mind Mapping vs. Mind Map

Ariel checks “mind mapping”:

• Popularity: 5 (very low).
• Not much activity.

Then checks “mind map”:

• Slightly better popularity.

Lesson:

• “Mind map” is better than “mind mapping” as a primary keyword.
• Adjust the name accordingly; align screenshot text with real search demand.

Q&A: Ratings, Apple Search Ads, and ASO

Question: New app, ~10 installs/day, 3 ratings/week. Search Ads conversion rate changes seem to affect keyword rankings (lower CR → lower rankings, etc.). Is ASO really that sensitive to conversion rate?

Ariel’s answer:

• There is no direct correlation between Apple Search Ads campaign performance and organic ASO ranking.
• If there were, anyone could pay a bit and climb the charts.
• What is happening: your campaign is:
  • Bringing users.
  • Generating new ratings.
  • Those fresh ratings can influence ranking very quickly, especially for low-competition keywords.
• Impressions might not rise dramatically, but rankings can move off just a few ratings.

So:

• Apple Search Ads do not directly boost ASO.
• But ratings, which often come via campaigns, do impact ranking.

Optimize for collecting ratings:

• Ask at the right time (not in onboarding).
• Experiment with when/how you prompt.

Q&A: Are Screenshots Indexed for Keywords in iOS?

Question (Leonoro): Is iOS already obtaining keywords from screenshots? Any tips?

Ariel’s answer:

• Yes, introduced around iOS 17.
• Apple has no formal documentation, but empirical evidence shows:
  • Screenshot text is read and indexed.
  • It seems to reinforce existing keywords more than adding totally new ones.

Ariel mentions there’s a detailed guide explaining how it likely works and how to structure screenshot text to help both:

• Conversion.
• Algorithmic relevance.

Q&A: Language Indexing Across Locales

Question: Do keywords from the app’s primary language get indexed across all locales?

Ariel’s answer:

• No, it depends on the country.
• In the U.S. specifically, there are about 10 locales that index into the US store.
• Other countries have different setups.

Ariel points to a guide with the full breakdown and recommends using this to get more indexed keyword capacity.

App 3: Inscribe – AI Chat and Documents

Next app: Inscribe – AI chat and documents. Offline AI, PDF, notes, audio, ask AI anything.

Screens:

• “Ask AI – Ask anything. Chat with your content using private offline AI.”
• “Offline and private – AI power on your device. No network required.”
• “Smart AI summaries – Record important information. Loved by students and professionals.”

What Ariel Likes

• The core value is clear: local, private AI for your documents.
• Offline and private is compelling, especially as AI usage grows.
• Good density of strong keywords:
  • AI, private, offline, summaries, record, notes, PDFs, etc.

From an algorithm perspective, that’s strong: iOS screenshot indexing will pick these up and reinforce them.

Main Nitpicks

1. “Ask AI anything” is misleading here.

   • If Ariel wants to ask anything, they’d go to ChatGPT, Claude, etc.
   • This app is about your content—PDFs, notes, audio.
   • It should say something like “Ask AI anything about your documents / PDFs / notes”.

2. Text size and contrast.

   • Some body text is small with tight padding.
   • This can be harder to read quickly.

Ariel suggests:

• Make the main benefit text large, bold, and immediately clear.
• Use subtext sparingly and with enough spacing.

Use Cases and More Screenshots

Inscribe only uses a limited number of screenshots, but the app likely has more features and use cases.

Ariel suggests adding slides for:

• Students: summarizing lectures, PDFs, study notes.
• Professionals: analyzing reports, contracts, research.
• Other segments (e.g., lawyers, researchers, journalists) if relevant.

Even if these go toward the end of the set, they’re valuable for users who scroll.

Keyword Strategy in Screenshots

Ariel reiterates:

• In screenshots, repetition of key terms (like “AI”) is good.
• Unlike in name/subtitle/keyword list, repeating keywords in screenshots reinforces them.
• iOS seems to treat screenshot text as a kind of keyword weight amplifier.

So, repeating “AI”, “offline”, “private”, “notes”, “PDF” etc., in multiple captions is good.

Narrowing the Positioning

One more strategic point:

• Ariel warns against trying to be a general ChatGPT competitor.
• Inscribe should niche down deliberately:
  • “Your docs + AI”, not “ask anything AI”.

That helps with:

• Clear messaging for users.
• Easier keyword targeting.
• Differentiation from huge general-purpose AI tools.

The app’s creator is in the chat, and Ariel invites them (and everyone) to share results if they make screenshot changes.

Q&A: Do 3–4 Star Ratings Help?

Question: Does the volume of ratings help even if they’re 3–4 stars, or should I optimize only for high ratings?

Ariel’s answer (for App Store):

• For ranking, volume of ratings matters more than their exact score.
• Any rating (1–5) is a signal that users care enough to respond.
• Apple’s algorithm sees volume as engagement.

On Google Play it’s more complex; quality and behavior patterns matter more. But on iOS, even a large number of 1-star ratings can push ranking up (though obviously this is bad for actual business and conversion).

Q&A: App Videos vs Screenshots

Question: What about app videos?

Ariel’s take:

• In some niches, videos convert very well; in others, not at all.
• If you do use video, it must look professional:
  • Polished visuals.
  • Good pacing.
  • Clear message.
• Users are very sensitive to low-quality video; they might not know why they dislike it but they’ll feel it.
• A simple “UI walkthrough” video sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t—it depends on your audience’s familiarity and expectations.

Again: test it. Video is more expensive to produce, but test if it helps your niche.

App 4: Elma – Nutrition Companion

Next app: Elma Nutrition Companion.

There’s a video on the product page. Ariel uses this as a live example of video done well:

• It shows exactly what the user will get:
  • Track using voice.
  • Type entries.
  • Track via photo.
  • See recommendations.

It’s feature-focused but always tied to user benefit.

Screenshots

Key captions include:

• “Nutrition coach – Track calories, macros, and micronutrients all in one intelligent food tracker.”
• “Just say it naturally – Log meals in seconds using voice. The fastest way to use a food tracker.”
• “Snap, scan, done – Use the built-in barcode scanner to track packaged foods instantly.”
• “Goals you care about – From energy to weight loss.”
• “Elma score” (a scoring system that shows up late in the sequence).
• “Proactive insight – Personalized to you.”
• “Track, streak, win.”
• “Trusted sources.”

What Ariel Likes

• Very good keyword usage inside captions (nutrition, calories, macros, micronutrients, tracker, voice, barcode scanner, etc.).
• Clear and strong benefit-first headlines.
• Good visual design, colors, structure.

Small Suggestions

• The caption “Use the built-in barcode scanner to track packaged foods instantly” is paired with what looks like a restaurant dish rather than packaged food—consider aligning the visual.
• The Elma score is a strong differentiator but appears late. Ariel would move it earlier in the lineup and A/B test screenshot order.
• Test variations with more food visuals; for a nutrition app, appealing food photos can draw the eye.
• Play with colors and contrast to see if any variation improves conversion.

Overall, Ariel gives Elma a very strong thumbs up.

App 5: Math Solver – AI Study Helper

Next: Math solver – AI study helper, homework helper, and math scanner.

ASO Issue: Duplicate “Math” and Weak Subtitle

Name: Math solver, AI study helper. Subtitle: Homework helper and math scanner.

• “Math” appears twice.
• “Helper” appears twice.

Ariel would:

• Keep “Math” only in the app name (strong field).
• Use subtitle for complementary keywords (homework, study, algebra, geometry, etc.).

Screenshots

Some captions:

• “Solve any math problem.”
• “Best study app” with a fake Apple-style feature badge.
• “Math solver – Scan problem – Calculator.”
• “Scan – Solve – Learn – Step-by-step solution.”
• “Math quiz.”
• “Built-in calculator.”
• “Solve now widget.”

Problem: Fake “Best” + Fake Badge

Ariel strongly dislikes:

• “Best study app.”
• The fake Apple-feature look.

Unless you have:

• A million+ reviews.
• 10 million+ users.

…claims like “best” without proof are harmful. Even with those, Ariel would still avoid the word “best” and simply show hard numbers.

What Works

• “Solve any math problem” is a great first message.
• Scan → solution → explanation is clearly presented.

Ariel would:

• Replace the fake badge slide with something more honest and value-driven.
• Show a real handwritten problem in the scan example (current one looks typed).

Use Cases and More Screenshots

Currently there aren’t 10 full screenshots.

Ariel suggests more slides for:

• Use in homework.
• Test prep.
• Classroom support.

Even if, realistically, many users just want to cheat, the app can legitimately frame itself as a learning tool (step-by-step explanations, quizzes, practice).

From an algorithm standpoint:

• Add more screenshots to:
  • Introduce more related keywords.
  • Reinforce primary ones.

Design Tweaks

• Text is large with tight padding and heavy outlines; it could look more polished.
• These cosmetics probably don’t kill conversion but are worth iterating on.

App 6: Memoir – 1 Second Video Diary

Next: Memoir – 1 second video diary, private journal, and time capsule.

Good: No keyword duplication.

Screenshots

Captions include:

• “Create your life movie – 1 second video diary every day.”
• “Organize your memories – Life chapters neatly saved.”
• “Add music and captions.”
• “Share your movie with friends.”
• “Don’t forget a single moment – Share montage with friends.”

What Ariel Likes

• Very simple composition: screenshot + text, no fancy background, no patterns.
• The UI itself is colorful and vibrant, so minimal framing works well.

What’s Missing: A Hook Before UI

Ariel recommends adding one extra first screenshot that:

• Has minimal or no UI.
• Focuses purely on why you’d want a “life movie.”

Something like:

• “Remember your year in 3 minutes.”
• “See your life at a glance.”

And then: “Create your life movie – 1 second video diary every day.”

This helps users who don’t immediately understand why a 1-second-a-day diary matters.

Keyword Usage in Screenshots

Current captions don’t fully reuse good subtitle terms like:

• diary
• journal
• time capsule

Ariel suggests:

• Thread those words into screenshot captions so iOS screenshot indexing can reinforce them.
• If some words (e.g. “time capsule”) aren’t strong keywords, adjust the subtitle and screenshot copy to match what people actually search.

More Screenshots and Use Cases

Again, not all 10 slots are used.

Ariel recommends:

• More shots with people:
  • People + dogs.
  • Couples.
  • Friends.
  • Trips.

People love seeing people and can more easily imagine themselves using the app.

Also, think about the narrative arc:

1. Why this app exists.
2. What you do day-to-day.
3. How it feels after weeks/months.
4. How you share or re-watch.

Each screenshot should pull users one step deeper into that story.

App 7: Mindful Birthday Tracker

Next: Mindful Birthday Tracker.

Ariel is intrigued partly because “Mindful” echoes Ariel’s own first name.

Screens show things like:

• “Be the friend you want to be – Track upcoming birthdays and special dates.”
• “Always remember – Never forget a birthday again with notifications.”
• “Copy – Send – Collect – Cheer – Use links to stay mindful even when your mind is full.”
• “Unlock best friend energy – Stay organized – Dark and light mode.”

Very Niche App

This is a hyper-specific app: a dedicated birthday and special-date tracker.

Ariel wonders whether people will seek a stand-alone app for something calendars already do, but likes the concept.

Messaging: Too Generic

Phrases like “Be the friend you want to be” are inspiring but generic:

• There are many ways to be a good friend.
• Only one of them here is remembering birthdays.

Ariel wants to see more direct messaging:

• “Never forget your friends’ birthdays again.”
• “Keep track of every important date in one place.”
• “Get gentle reminders so you always show up.”

Keyword Research: Birthday Countdown

Ariel checks “birthday reminder and countdown”: popularity 5, low interest.

Then checks “birthday countdown”:

• Surprisingly strong popularity.
• Low competition.

Idea:

• Add an actual countdown feature next to each contact.
• Rename (or extend) the app to include “countdown” in the title.
• Update screenshots to use “birthday countdown” in captions.

Appfigures shows little revenue in this niche; not a guaranteed goldmine, but there is organic keyword opportunity.

Clarity of Purpose

Is this:

• A mindfulness app?
• Or a birthday tracker?

Ariel suggests going all-in on birthday reminder/countdown for clarity.

Layout and Legibility

Screens have a lot of text and not a lot of spacing.

Given iOS screenshot indexing:

• You want text to be clear and separable.
• Overcrowded text might still be read by AI, but more clarity is safer and better for users.

App 8: AI Voice Notes – Create Perfect Notes and Text with AI

Now a Google Play app: AI note / voice notes – create perfect notes and text with AI.

First screenshot has:

• “Create perfect notes and text with AI”
• A big, multi-line list of features ending with “and more”.
• Gradient backgrounds, multiple badges.

Problems with the First Screenshot

Ariel calls this overload:

• Too much text.
• List of many features.
• Ends with “and more”.

For the first screenshot, Ariel wants:

• One single idea that sells the app.
• Large, clear text.
• Minimal clutter.

“Create perfect notes and text with AI” is a decent starting line, but “perfect notes” is vague.

Better: define “perfect” in terms of outcome:

• “Never lose an idea again.”
• “Turn your voice into organized notes.”

Other Screens

• “Take quick notes.”
• “Translate audio to text.”
• “Analyze with AI.”
• “Chat with notes.”

Again, Ariel wants more specificity:

• “Take quick notes” – others already do this. Make it: “Record your thoughts, we transcribe them.”
• “Translate audio to text” – good; should probably be up front.
• “Analyze with AI” – analyze what? Likely summaries or structure; say it explicitly.
• “Chat with notes” – people don’t care about “chat” per se; they care about getting answers from their notes quickly. Phrase it around that outcome.

Niche Down

Like with Inscribe, Ariel suggests:

• Don’t try to be “AI for everything”.
• Focus on a high-value use case:
  • Meeting notes.
  • Lecture notes.
  • Daily journal.

Make the first screenshot about that one specific thing.

Wrapping Up: Core Screenshot Lessons

Ariel recaps the big themes visible across all the teardowns:

1. Niche down your screenshots.

   • Don’t be generic.
   • Speak clearly to a specific user and scenario.

2. Show the value clearly and concretely.

   • What does the user get?
   • How will life be better?
   • When and why do they use your app?

3. Reinforce your main keywords.

   • Thread key phrases through multiple screenshots.
   • Use screenshot text to support name + subtitle + keyword list.

4. Don’t duplicate keywords in name and subtitle.

   • One mention per field is enough.
   • Use freed characters for new, related keywords.

5. Avoid unbacked claims and fake badges.

   • “Best”, “#1”, fake Apple-feature ribbons hurt credibility.
   • Use proof (ratings, users) or stay modest.

6. Use all available screenshots.

   • Apple gives 10; use them for:
     • Features.
     • Use cases.
     • Different user types.

7. Always A/B test.

   • Don’t swap everything blindly.
   • Test variations in:
     • First-screen headline.
     • Order of screenshots.
     • Colors, layouts, and inclusion of people.

Ariel’s Future Content Idea

Because there were 137+ submissions and only 10 fit into one live stream, Ariel is considering a new format:

• Shorter, standalone teardown videos.
• Maybe:
  • One app per video.
  • Three apps making the same mistake.
  • Three apps Ariel really likes.

Ariel invites feedback on which format viewers would prefer.

Closing and Upcoming Live Streams

Ariel wraps up with a few final notes:

• If you liked the teardown, hit the like button and subscribe.
• Ariel is close to 7,000 subscribers and has two more live streams coming in the next two weeks:
  1. A live session on competitive analysis using Appfigures’ new App Intelligence tools.
  2. Another live stream with a mystery guest.

Ariel emphasizes again:

• Niche down in screenshots.
• Show value and use cases.
• Reinforce keywords.
• Avoid duplication.

Then signs off: see you next week.

✨ This transcript was generated and enhanced by AI and may differ from the original video.