5 top tips on preparing your App for the iOS11 update.

Apple have unveiled the features of the new App Store for iOS 11, which will be released in Autumn 2017. There are multiple changes to the App Store product page, which will impact upon your App Store Optimisation efforts. We have outlined the changes below to help you prepare for this release.

1. App Name Limit
The character limit for your App Name is decreasing from 50 to 30. In practice, this means that the app name will no longer be able to support any kind of tag line (more on this below). If your app name currently contains 30 or more characters, we will need a shortened version for future app update submissions. Please note that spaces and commas are included in the 30 character count and that we need to submit an app update to edit your app name.

2. App Subtitle
This is a new feature which aims to replace tag lines. The subtitle is slightly smaller in font and sits directly underneath the app name in the App Store. Apple allow a 30 character subtitle, which means some extra keywords for your app in the form of a short tag line. Please note that editing the subtitle also requires an app update submission.

3. App Preview Videos
Apple will allow up to three 30-second app preview videos. Prior to iOS 11, Apple allowed a single video to be uploaded to the App Store to showcase an app. The preview video sits in the screenshot slots and takes the first slots before any static screenshot images.

4. Screenshots
There are no changes to the dimensions required for the screenshots or the fact Apple allow for up to five screenshots per app. The App Store listing, however, has changed slightly in that users will see the first screenshot and the left half of the second screenshot before having to swipe. We advise publishers to make use of this feature by using their ‘best’ screenshots in the first and second positions to catch the attention of any users browsing the page. Please note that no app update is required when editing screenshots if your app is in the ‘Magazines and Newspapers’ category.

5. Promotional Text
This is another new iOS 11 feature with strong marketing implications. The promo text is a field containing up to 170 characters which will sit directly above the app description on the App Store. Updating the promo text does not require an app update, so this is a very useful tool to promote latest issues or special offers.

Next Steps...
The above features can be implemented on the iTunes Connect now and will be available to any users with access to the iOS 11 beta. Our development team is working hard to ensure a smooth transition from iOS10 to iOS 11 and we would like to make this process as easy as possible for our publishers.

If you have any questions or would like to take advantage of the above (eg submitting a subtitle), please contact your account manager or email support@jellyfishconnect.com. To ensure your email goes to the correct person, please include ‘iOS 11’ in the subject line.