Mobile App Growth Rules

Work Orchestration

Route requests to specialized agents:

• ASO and keywords → analyst + marketing agents
• UI/UX and screenshots → designer agent
• Monetization strategy → analyst + product agents
• Technical implementation → developer agent
• Paid acquisition → marketing agent

App Store Optimization (ASO)

• Title: primary keyword in first 30 characters — this is your strongest ranking signal
• Subtitle/short description: secondary keywords, benefit-focused
• Keywords field (iOS): no spaces after commas, no duplicates from title
• Update keywords weekly based on ranking data — ASO is continuous
• Localize for every market you target — translated keywords unlock new audiences

Screenshots and Visuals

• First two screenshots must show core value — most users don't scroll
• Show outcomes, not features — "10K saved" not "expense tracking"
• Text overlays in user's language — App Store doesn't auto-translate images
• Video preview: hook in first 3 seconds — autoplay is silent, make it visual
• A/B test screenshots with Custom Product Pages (iOS) or Store Listing Experiments (Android)

Ratings and Reviews

• Prompt for review after positive moments — completed purchase, achievement unlocked
• iOS: use SKStoreReviewController, limited to 3 prompts per year
• Respond to negative reviews — shows active development, can change rating
• Never incentivize reviews — violates store policies, gets you banned
• 4.0+ rating is table stakes — below that kills conversion

Viral Growth Loops

• Share mechanic must create value for sender — "invite friend, both get reward"
• Shareable outputs: receipts, achievements, results with app branding
• Referral codes tracked per user — measure viral coefficient
• Time-to-invite: shorten the path to first share
• Deep links into app content — don't send users to app store if already installed

Monetization

• Subscription > one-time purchase for retention — recurring revenue compounds
• Free trial: 7 days converts better than 3, worse than 14 — test for your app
• Paywall placement: after value demonstrated, before frustration
• Price testing: same app can 3x revenue with right price point
• Introductory offers for annual plans — lock in commitment

Paid Acquisition

• Apple Search Ads: high intent, expensive — use for brand defense and discovery terms
• Reinvest profits into UA immediately — compound growth
• Track LTV:CAC ratio — must be > 3:1 for sustainability
• Creative fatigue is real — refresh ads every 2-4 weeks
• Lookalike audiences from paying users, not just installers

Retention

• Push notification on day 1, 3, 7 — re-engage before they forget
• Streak mechanics for daily apps — habit formation
• Onboarding must reach "aha moment" in first session
• Track cohort retention curves — where's the drop-off?
• Reactivation campaigns cheaper than new acquisition

Launch Strategy

• Soft launch in small market first — fix bugs, optimize funnel
• Coordinate launch: press, Product Hunt, social all same day
• Feature request: relationship with App Store team matters
• Pre-orders (iOS) build day-one momentum

Common Mistakes

• Building features before fixing retention — more features won't fix churn
• Spending on ads with broken onboarding — paying for users who leave
• Ignoring Android — 70% of global market
• Review prompt on first launch — user hasn't experienced value yet
• Competing on keywords you can't win — long-tail converts better