Ryan Duffy
           

Medium
App store optimization (ASO)




Overview

 In Q1 2023, I product managed the first update of Medium's App Store and Play Store product pages in more than two years. This cross-functional project (Product, Design, and Marketing) included a redesign of all visual assets, a full copy rewrite emphasizing keyword optimization and brand voice, ongoing page variant experiments, the launch of Medium’s first in-app events, and other hygenic improvements.

Roles

 Product manager Strategy Research Copywriting Design

Problem
Product pages are critical touchpoints for any app. Despite the fact that search and exploration drive a huge fraction of Medium downloads, our iOS and Android product pages hadn’t been updated in over two years. 

App screenshots were non-persuasive, copy wasn’t optimized for keyword rankability, important product updates went unmentioned, brand elements were outdated, little emphasis was placed on the benefits of Medium’s paid subscription, and we were missing opportunities to drive more impressions, page views, and conversions by not experimenting with product page optimizations (A/B tests, variants, etc.), in-app events, category testing, or promotional offers for specific audience cohorts (churned users, monthly subscribers, etc.).  

Design

Screenshots are the most valuable real estate on app product pages. By utlizing just four of the available ten slots on the App Store (eight on Google Play), we were missing critical opportunities to tout the many features that make Medium a must-have app.

Starting from scratch, I designed new screenshots to more clearly communicate Medium’s most persuasive value props, and drafted new copy using a friendlier tone of voice to establish a more human connection. 



Copy
Like our app screenshots, product page copy was outdated, perfuctory, and non-persuasive.

Again starting from a blank page, I drafted new copy touting Medium’s key value props with an emphasis on functionality (keyword optimization), legibility (concise, scannable information), and delight (human tone of voice).



Experiments

If you don’t measure, you don’t learn. For the first time ever at Medium, we ran experiments to A/B test variants of several elements of our product pages, including app icons, header images, screenshots, and categories. 

We also launched our first in-app events to give Medium a presence on new surfaces in the App Store and Play Store and increase the potential for new users to discover the app organically. These events generated a monthly surplus of 300k app impressions. 

Results

This project was an immediate success that exceeded all expectations. In the first month post-update:

  • +13% app impressions  
  • +15% product page views 
  • +9% total downloads  
  • +25% conversion rate


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