The three most important elements of an app’s store page are the icon, the name, and the price. The icon grabs the user’s attention and may arouse the interest of a casual visitor. The name can be another clue as to what the app is about. The lower the price, the more chance the app has to be downloaded (at least in general). The rating is important too – anyone can easily skip over an app that has less than three stars. But the essential element that can increase the value of the application, show the use and the attractive interface, is the collection of screenshots. We often see high-quality apps as those that are equally good functionally and aesthetically. At the time of the first impression we can evaluate only the aesthetic part, which is in the icon and screenshots.

A great app can easily crash due to poor and uninteresting screenshots. Discovery of new apps usually happens through a simple mobile search. The more compelling and visually appealing the first screenshot, the better the app will be against its rivals. People decide to buy things, guided by emotions and facts; good screenshots can give you both. The images here will influence much more than the text.

There are several questions you should ask yourself. What is the real value that your user will get? What makes your app different from the rest? How can your app look better/smarter/more fun than others? What are your strengths? When you get the answers, proceed to come up with the idea for your first and most important screenshot.

Rule 1. The first screenshot is the main one: it must clearly show what the application does, as well as convey the message.

If it does exactly what you want it to do, you may be tempted to read on and download it. And if you don’t have to look at the second and third screenshots to understand what the app is all about, let alone read the description, it’s perfect. Everyone is always in a hurry: Nobody wants to get too deep into the details, unless this person is interested in a catchy icon and the first screenshot, which should contain some text that hits you, carries your message. It all happens in a matter of seconds, so no pointless splash screens on the first screenshot, even if they look so good.

Rule #2. Your screenshots do not have to be actual screenshots.

Yes, Apple requires app page screenshots to be the size of an actual screenshot. But the content may differ. A screenshot isn’t just a screenshot – it’s your powerful marketing weapon to attract people and sell the app, so it should be treated that way. There must be an explanation, just a line of text that will advertise and sell the product you offer, while showing its value.

Rule #3. Get value from every screenshot you have.

The classic example is the Apple App Store. There you have five screenshots and you need to extract value from all of them, with each subsequent screenshot containing minor information. However, every screenshot is crucial, especially in larger apps, each one can influence the visitor. Be sure to show the features of your app as the real value a person will get.

Rule #4. Avoid exaggerating.

If your app is a file manager, txt/pdf/doc/iWork/image viewer and editor, mp3/wav/whatever player, with cloud support, file and folder sync, social media sharing and cloud storage, and a million other features – don’t collect this crap on screenshots. This does not make them flashy, but rather repellent. Get to the point with as few words as possible.

We can conclude this with a piece of advice, quite common but important: read the guidelines carefully so that there are no contradictions, which can cause your application to be rejected, which in turn means spending time redoing and resubmitting (however, this will be the job of your designer, who surely knows all about these guidelines, and who can consult you to make the choice). Test your screenshots, see which ones work best, analyze the results, and improve them before submitting. And don’t forget about localization if it really matters in your particular case. A great (or just bad) screenshot can easily make all the difference.