How to Get the Most Out of Custom Product Pages

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Kicking Off: Why Custom Product Pages Matter

Ariel welcomes everyone to the live stream and sets the stage:

• The topic is custom product pages (CPPs) – what Ariel calls the secret weapon for the App Store.
• Ariel is in New York City, drinking peach tea, and streaming on YouTube, LinkedIn, and X.
• Viewers are joining from all over the world and dropping questions into the chat.
• Ariel has prepared a full slide deck, examples, AI-powered analysis, and some new tech from AppFigures.

Ariel will:

1. Explain what custom product pages are.
2. Show how to use them and how to set them up in App Store Connect (live demo).
3. Break down strategies for CPPs.
4. Analyze competitors and learn from what they’re doing.
5. End with one big problem Ariel sees with custom product pages and a proposed fix.

Ariel will share the presentation later in the description, so there’s no need for screenshots.

Why CPPs Are a Must for Paid Campaigns

Ariel moves into paid campaigns first.

Why are CPPs essential for Apple Search Ads?

• They increase conversion.
• In a world where you pay for every impression, higher conversion = lower cost of acquisition.
• That means:
  • Same ad spend
  • More downloads

Ariel notes:

• Various research (including Apple’s own data) shows double-digit improvements in conversion from using CPPs.
• That’s huge when you think about every dollar spent.
• CPPs are free to create and don’t take that long to set up.

There’s also another benefit:

• CPPs become a great way to test what users actually want.
• You can:
  • Create multiple CPPs
  • Swap them between keywords
  • Quickly see what converts best
• Because Apple Search Ads give results fast, you can:
  • Learn from paid campaigns
  • Then apply those learnings to organic later

Ariel hints they might dig into this more later.

CPP Strategy: What Goes in a Custom Product Page?

Ariel addresses a common reaction:

“Okay, I get what CPPs are, but what am I actually supposed to put in them? Just change colors?”

The answer is no:

• CPPs are not A/B tests for colors or minor tweaks.
• The goal is to match the user’s search intent with tailored screenshots.

Strategy 1: Match Intent and Affinity

Back to the event booking example:

• For a user searching for basketball tickets, your CPP should:
  • Show basketball-specific content
  • Potentially even team-specific content (e.g., “Knicks tickets”)

If someone searches for “Knicks tickets” on the App Store:

• You can create a CPP where:
  • All screenshots focus on Knicks games
  • The messaging clearly addresses Knicks fans
• To that user, the app feels exactly/“acceptly” made for them.

Ariel extends this idea to a service provider app for small businesses:

• Your customers might be:
  • Electricians
  • Plumbers
  • HVAC techs
  • Flooring installers
  • Carpenters
• You can create a separate CPP for each profession.
• Each CPP highlights:
  • That specific profession
  • The features that matter most to them

How do you segment?

• Use reviews and demographics to understand who your users are.
• Identify your main segments and their intents.

Strategy 2: Highlight the Right Features for Each Segment

It’s not just about changing visuals; it’s about relevancy of features.

• For basketball tickets:
  • Show why your app is great for basketball games specifically.
• For movie tickets:
  • If you have exclusive access to certain cinemas, highlight that.
  • That detail might be irrelevant for basketball, so don’t show it there.

Overall:

• Each CPP should:
  • Call out the group you’re targeting
  • Emphasize why your app is the perfect match for them

How Many Screenshots Should You Use?

Apple allows 10 screenshots per page.

From what Ariel has seen:

• Many apps don’t use all 10 in CPPs.
• Historically, this was because CPPs were mostly for Apple Search Ads, where only the first three screenshots show in search.
• Many apps optimized only for that first impression.

Ariel’s view:

• That’s a bad strategy for both Apple ads and organic.
• If you can use more screenshots, you should.
• Even if you feel you “can’t,” you probably still should aim for at least 6–7, ideally 10.

Are Screenshots Being Read by Apple’s AI for Indexing?

Ariel recalls something they said a month and a half ago:

• Apple is now using AI to read screenshots and extract keywords.

Question: Does this apply to CPPs?

• Ariel doesn’t know for sure yet.
• iOS 26 and CPP organic behavior are too new to have solid data.
• Ariel’s current assumption: probably no for indexation for now.

But even if Apple isn’t indexing screenshots:

• You still want your screenshots to:
  • Use the right keywords visually and textually
  • Align tightly with user intent
• If Apple starts indexing them, that’s a bonus.
• If they don’t, you’re still improving conversion.

So, in Ariel’s words, it’s a win either way.

Learning from Competitors: Audible, Peloton, Tinder

Ariel’s favorite way to learn CPP strategy is by analyzing competitors, especially those spending heavily on ads.

Reason:

• Anything tied to money (paid campaigns) tends to receive a lot of attention and iteration.
• Large competitors often:
  • Use CPPs heavily for Apple Search Ads
  • Have already done the hard work of segmentation and testing
• You can learn quickly from what they are doing.

Ariel uses a new AppFigures feature (new App Intelligence) to show how to analyze competitor CPPs.

Example 1: Audible – Segmented Acquisition Funnels

Ariel searches for Audible, one of the highest-earning apps in the US, and loads its profile in AppFigures’ new App Intelligence.

Key observations:

• Audible has 13 custom product pages (out of a max of 35).
• They started about two years ago.
• They are still updating them (last update around June).

Ariel looks at the product pages:

1. “Listen for the thrill – immerse yourself in action and adventure”

   • Screenshots target action/adventure and thrillers.
   • Messaging: pursue the unknown, gear up for great hits, face your fears, etc.
   • Very specific to thrillers and action.

2. Romance and fantasy CPPs

   • Colors and imagery adjust, but the layout remains consistent.
   • The overall style is unified, but the content focus changes.

3. Podcasts CPP

   • Focused on users searching for podcasts.
   • Keywords used in campaigns include:
     • “podcast”
     • “pod cast”
     • “BBC podcast”
     • “free podcast”
   • All of these ad keywords lead to the podcast-focused CPP.

So:

• A user searching for podcasts sees only podcast-related screenshots.
• They are not seeing romance/fantasy or general audiobooks.

Ariel then introduces an AppFigures AI agent built to analyze CPP strategies:

• The AI inspects every screenshot from every CPP.
• It determines the overall strategy.

For Audible, the AI concludes:

• Audible’s CPPs form a segmented acquisition funnel.
• Each CPP targets a specific audience or content intent:
  • Podcast fans
  • Celebrity-focused listeners
  • Audiobook readers
  • Bestseller-seekers
  • Self-help
  • “Pragmatic commuters”
  • Fantasy & romance
  • Action & thriller
• The branding stays consistent across all CPPs.
• All funnels drive users to the same subscription offering.

Ariel notes:

• This is an insight Ariel might not have articulated exactly that way without the AI.
• Audible segments how users are brought in, not what they’re ultimately offered.

Example 2: Peloton – Targeted Landing Pages by Use Case

Ariel then looks at Peloton, another app with strong screenshots.

The AI’s take on Peloton:

• Peloton uses CPPs as targeted landing pages.
• Each CPP focuses on a different use case, such as:
  • Running
  • Yoga
  • Strength training
  • Low-impact workouts
  • Pilates
  • Outdoor workouts
• Strategy:
  • Match different user intents and demographics with tailored visuals and messaging.
  • Keep consistent brand signals.
  • Maximize install conversion and long-term engagement.

Ariel emphasizes:

• If a runner searches for a running app and lands on an app page showing only yoga or low-impact workouts, they might bounce.
• On the App Store, there’s always competition.
• It’s easy for a user to go back and choose another app.

Ariel checks Peloton inside AppFigures:

• Peloton has 8 custom product pages.
• They started around two years ago and haven’t changed them recently.
  • Ariel assumes that if they’re not changing them, it’s probably because they work.

Looking at specific CPPs:

• Peloton has a running CPP:
  • Shows running-specific visuals and messaging.
• Another CPP focuses on yoga-like activities.
• Others show weightlifting or other workout types.

Then Ariel compares to Peloton’s default product page:

• The default is generic and multi-purpose.
• It must cater to all use cases because Peloton doesn’t know what intent brought the user there.
• That generic approach is suboptimal for each individual intent.

With CPPs:

• Runners see running first.
• Strength trainers see weights.
• Yoga users see yoga.

Ariel reaffirms:

• This increases conversion because users immediately see their own use case.
• Without CPPs, they’d see something generic and might conclude the app isn’t for them.

The AI’s analysis of Peloton is accurate: it’s all about use-case targeting with consistent branding.

Ariel notes: the AI for CPP analysis is experimental, in private beta for enterprise AppFigures members, and still evolving.

Example 3: Tinder – Broadening Beyond Hookups

Ariel deliberately picks Tinder as a more complex example.

Why Tinder?

• Tinder tries to cater to everyone.
• It’s a dating app with a strong brand perception (often thought of primarily as a hookup app).

The AI’s view of Tinder’s CPP strategy:

• Tinder segments by user type and intent.
• It also tries to broaden its perceived use case:
  • From just hookups
  • To include social, community, and friendship-driven experiences

This is hard to do with a single set of default screenshots.

Ariel looks at Tinder’s:

Default Product Page

• Very generic and feature-focused:
  • “Starts with a swipe”
  • “Attract people”
  • Various faces and features
• It doesn’t explicitly speak to friendship or non-romantic social experiences.

Given Tinder is already one of the highest-grossing apps in the US, they don’t want to risk messing up a winning formula. But they are boxed into a specific perception.

Tinder’s Custom Product Pages

Tinder has:

• 12 custom product pages
• They started ~two years ago and updated as recently as about a month ago.

Examples:

1. “Everything is better with friends”

   • Screens highlight friendship, double dates, group chat.
   • Shows a more social, non-just-hookup vibe.

2. Other CPPs aimed at specific user groups:

   • Some look clearly male-targeted.
   • Others focus on different types of people or visual identities.

3. Some CPPs are in non-English languages (e.g., likely Japanese), but targeted to English-speaking regions.

   • Ariel notes this is interesting and might be worth investigating separately.

Ariel also points out a pattern:

• Some Tinder CPPs clearly only customize the first couple of screenshots.
• Screenshots 4+ are often identical across some pages.

Ariel’s opinion:

• This is a bit lazy and not ideal.
• Optimizing only the first three screenshots is better than nothing, but you can do more.
• Still, compared to having no CPPs at all, Tinder’s approach is significantly better.

The Big Keyword Problem: CPPs Only Use the Keyword List

Ariel returns to the earlier concern: how Apple decides which CPP to show for which keyword in organic search.

What Apple is doing right now:

• CPP keyword triggers for iOS 26 organic appear to come only from the keyword list, not from:
  • App name
  • Subtitle

This creates a big practical issue:

• Your main, most important keywords usually live in your name and subtitle.
• You can’t just copy them into the keyword list:
  • That would be keyword duplication, which is bad for ASO and considered a “horrible sin,” as Ariel puts it.
• Screenshots themselves aren’t indexed for search (as far as Ariel can tell so far).

So what do you do?

Ariel proposes two main strategies.

Strategy 1: Use CPPs for Long-Tail / Niche Keywords

• Keep your main primary keyword served by your default product page.
• Use CPPs to cover long-tail keywords and niche intents.
• Long-tail and niche keywords usually live in the keyword list already, so they’re compatible with Apple’s current behavior.
• You tie each long-tail keyword to a relevant CPP.

Example:

• Main keyword (e.g., “running app”) stays with default product page.
• Long-tail variants like “5k running for beginners,” “indoor treadmill running,” “running for weight loss” go into keyword list.
• Each of these could be associated with a specific CPP.

Downsides:

• There’s trial and error involved.
• Apple’s indexing behavior may take some time to reflect changes.

But for now, this is practical and plays nicely with how Apple is currently wired.

Strategy 2: Use Apple Ads + CPPs to Discover Winners, Then Move Keywords

This is more advanced and experimentation-heavy.

Steps:

1. Use Apple Search Ads with CPPs.
2. Attach different CPPs to different keywords.
3. See which combinations of:
   • Keyword
   • CPP
   • Messaging yield the best conversion.
4. Once you know which keywords + CPPs work best:
   • Move those winning keywords into the keyword list on the organic side.
   • Possibly move them from subtitle into keyword list if needed.
5. Attach your CPPs to those keyword list entries for organic iOS 26 behavior.

Ariel notes:

• If a keyword is in your name, Ariel wouldn’t move it—your name is your brand and main anchor.
• For keywords in your subtitle, moving them might be acceptable in some cases if the benefits outweigh the loss.

All of this may evolve:

• Apple might change how CPP triggers work.
• They might expand beyond the keyword list.

But for now, these are the two methods Ariel would use:

1. Target long-tail and niche keywords via CPPs.
2. Use Apple Ads to test and then promote proven keywords into the keyword list.

What to Do Next: Action Plan

Ariel wraps up by summarizing what you should do now.

1. Identify your top keywords where intent can be clearly segmented.
2. Segment your users based on:
   • Reviews
   • Demographics
   • Observed use cases
3. Define CPP strategies:
   • For each segment and long-tail intent, decide:
     • What audience you’re targeting
     • Which features matter most to them
4. Create custom product pages in App Store Connect:
   • Use tailored screenshots and messaging.
   • Or at least reorder existing screenshots to align with intent.
5. Attach CPPs to keywords in the keyword list for iOS 26 organic.
6. If you run Apple Search Ads:
   • Attach CPPs to ad groups.
   • Use performance data to refine your CPP strategies.
7. Prepare now, before iOS 26 officially launches, so you’re ready on day one.

Ariel emphasizes:

• CPPs are free.
• They meaningfully improve conversion.
• They’re one of the biggest changes to the App Store in a long time for bridging paid and organic.

Closing and What’s Coming Next

Ariel notes that a lot was covered:

• Why CPPs are a secret weapon for App Store optimization and Apple Search Ads.
• How CPPs improve conversion.
• How to analyze competitors like Audible, Peloton, and Tinder.
• How to create CPPs in App Store Connect step by step.
• Strategies for handling the keyword-list-only limitation.
• A ton of practical Q&A.

Ariel ends with some housekeeping and announcements:

• If your question wasn’t answered in the live chat, leave it as a comment under the video later, because chat disappears.
• If you found the stream useful, like the stream to help it get more visibility.

Bonus: Next Week’s Session

Ariel shares a teaser:

• Next week, an expert guest who knows Apple from the inside will join to talk more about custom product pages.
• The session will dig deeper into:
  • Specific CPP strategies
  • Real-world implementation
  • Getting the most out of CPPs
• Ariel is doing these back-to-back before going on vacation.

If you’re not subscribed to the channel, Ariel suggests subscribing so you get notified when the next session goes live.

Ariel signs off, promising more exciting updates soon and saying they’ll see everyone in the next one.

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