Solo developer Chris Farroki argues why indie app builders must prioritize App Store screenshot optimization rather than treating it as an afterthought.
“People don't understand how big of a deal the app store screenshot is because it is the first impression that a user has with your app when they go to the app store. And if you don't have a good first impression, that's the difference. It's like, there's no point in increasing retention if they're not going to download it. For anyone who's doing YouTube I equate this to the title thumbnail. It's literally the equivalent of, if you have a bad title thumbnail, no one is going to watch your video.”
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