Why your app gets impressions but no downloads

If people see your app but don't download it, they don't like what they see: your icon, first screenshots and rating in the search results, or your product page after the tap. Or your app shows up for searches where people want something else.

What Apple counts

• Impressions: every time your app is seen on the Today, Games, Apps or Search tab for more than one second. Product page views are included.
• Product page views: every time someone opens your page.
• Conversion rate: downloads and pre-orders, divided by the number of devices that saw your app.

You find all three in App Store Connect under Analytics, also split by source, like App Store search or App Store browse.

Find where people drop off

Compare impressions with product page views. If few people tap your app, the problem is in the search results. If many tap but few download, the problem is on your product page.

If few people tap

• Your first screenshots. Depending on their orientation, the first one to three appear in search results when you have no app preview. They must explain your app at a glance.
• Your rating. It shows right in the search results, and Apple says ratings and reviews can also influence how you rank.
• Your icon and name. Next to the other apps on the screen, is yours clear and different?
• The wrong searches. Search your main keywords yourself. If the apps around yours do something else, people looking for them will scroll past you.

If many tap but few download

• The first sentence of your description. It's what people read without tapping “more”.
• Your app preview. It plays without sound when people open your page, so the first seconds must work muted.
• Your reviews. Recent bad reviews sit right on your page. Answer them, and fix what they're about.
• Your price. A surprise here makes people leave. Say early what's free and what isn't.

Test instead of guessing

Apple's product page optimization lets you test up to three other versions of your icon, screenshots and app previews against your current page. A test runs for up to 90 days. Tests that don't change the icon can go to review without a new app version.

Fermium100 shows your impressions, page views, downloads and conversion from Apple for every country and source. Search preview shows your app in the real search results for any keyword, and you set up Apple's A/B tests from the same place.