ASO Glossary

App Store Promotional Text

Definition

A 170-character marketing line at the top of an App Store description, editable without an app update.

What Is App Store Promotional Text?

Promotional text is a 170-character field at the top of the App Store description that is editable without submitting a new app build for review. It appears above the app description on the listing page, formatted as bold text. Unlike the title, subtitle, and description, promotional text does NOT contribute to keyword ranking — it is purely a marketing field. Its value lies in agility: you can update it within hours to announce a sale, new feature, time-sensitive offer, or seasonal promotion. The text appears above the fold on the App Store product page, making it one of the most-read pieces of copy in your listing — second only to the subtitle.

Why It Matters for App Developers

Promotional text is the only listing field you can update without a Connect submission, making it the right place for time-sensitive messaging: "50% off this week," "Now with iOS 17 widgets," "Featured by Apple in Productivity." Apps that leave this field unused waste a high-visibility slot. Apps that misuse it for keyword stuffing get no ranking benefit (Apple does not index it) and dilute the marketing signal.

Technical Details

170 character limit, no HTML or formatting beyond what Apple renders (it appears in bold). Editable at any time via App Store Connect without app submission or review. Per-locale: each market has its own promotional text. Not indexed for keyword search. Best practice: use for announcements, social proof (press mentions, featured-by-Apple), pricing updates, or feature highlights tied to recent releases. Avoid: evergreen marketing copy that belongs in the description, keyword stuffing (no ranking benefit), or competitor mentions (may trigger review).

App Store promotional text examples (170 characters max)

Spring sale: 50% off Pro until Sunday. Upgrade from the app in one tap.

Time-limited offer. This is exactly what the field exists for, since you can remove it the day the sale ends without shipping a build.

New in 4.2: home screen widgets, offline mode, and a 2x faster editor.

Release highlight. Version-specific news that would go stale in the description belongs here.

Featured by Apple in "Apps We Love". Join 2M+ people planning their week with us.

Social proof. Press mentions and editorial features earn trust above the fold.

Now with family sharing: one subscription covers up to six people.

Pricing update. Announcing plan changes here reaches users before they hit the paywall.

Holiday challenge: log 7 workouts before Jan 1 and unlock the gold badge pack.

Seasonal campaign. Gives returning visitors a reason to install now instead of later.

Back to school: student plan is 40% off with a .edu email through September.

Audience-specific promotion, tied to a calendar moment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is App Store promotional text?

A 170-character marketing field at the top of your App Store description that you can edit any time without submitting a new app build for review. It appears in bold above the regular description and is the highest-visibility editable field on the listing.

How many characters is App Store promotional text?

170 characters, including spaces and punctuation. The limit is per locale, so each market gets its own 170-character field. Unlike the description, you can rewrite it at any time in App Store Connect with no app update and no review.

Does promotional text affect App Store ranking?

No. Apple does not index promotional text for keyword search ranking. It is a pure marketing field. Use it for time-sensitive announcements, not for keyword stuffing.

How often should I update promotional text?

Whenever you have time-sensitive news worth surfacing: a sale, a press feature, a new platform integration, or a major release highlight. Most successful apps update it every 2–4 weeks. Apps that leave it static waste the slot.

What's the difference between promotional text and the description?

The description requires an app update to change and is shown in collapsed/expandable form. Promotional text is editable at any time without an update, appears above the description in bold, and is limited to 170 characters. Use promo text for "what's new this week" and the description for "what the app does."