Promotional Text Counter
Keep your App Store promotional text within the 170-character limit.
Promotional text is the 170-character block that appears at the very top of your App Store description — and it holds a superpower no other iOS metadata field has: you can rewrite it at any moment, without submitting a new app version and without waiting for App Review. Sale this weekend? New feature shipped? Update it in minutes.
The trade-off is that Apple does not index promotional text for search at all. Keywords here earn zero ranking benefit, so write it purely for the humans deciding whether to download. Use the counter above to keep your announcement inside the limit.
How to write promotional text that converts
- 1
Draft your announcement in the field above and watch the 170-character count.
- 2
Lead with the time-sensitive hook — a launch, discount, award, or seasonal event — since this line renders above your description.
- 3
Skip keyword stuffing entirely; this field is not indexed for search, so every character should sell.
- 4
Publish the update in App Store Connect — it goes live without app review, so refresh it for every promotion.
The only App Store field you can change without a release
Every other text field on an iOS product page — name, subtitle, keywords, description — locks until your next app version passes review. Promotional text is the exception: edits publish on their own, typically within an hour, with no build and no review cycle. That makes it the App Store’s closest thing to a live banner you fully control.
Teams that use it well treat it as a rotating slot: a launch announcement this week, a limited-time offer the next, a “featured by Apple” brag after that. Because it displays above the description fold on your product page, it is often the first — and only — body text a visitor reads before hitting Get.
What belongs in 170 characters (and what doesn’t)
Strong promotional text is specific and perishable: “Version 5.0 is here — offline mode, widgets, and 50% off Premium until Sunday.” Weak promotional text restates the subtitle or lists generic adjectives. If the line would still be true in six months, it belongs in your description instead; the promotional slot earns its keep by staying fresh.
Two cautions: first, since the field is not search-indexed, do not sacrifice persuasive copy for keywords — they do nothing here. Second, the text still falls under Apple’s metadata rules, so pricing claims must be accurate and expired offers must come down. A promo line advertising a sale that ended is both a policy risk and a conversion killer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the promotional text character limit?
Promotional text is capped at 170 characters per localization. It renders at the top of your description on the App Store product page, above the fold on most devices.
Can I really update promotional text without app review?
Yes — that is its defining feature. Changes save in App Store Connect and publish without submitting a new build or going through App Review, usually appearing on the store within an hour. It is the only iOS text field that works this way.
Does promotional text help App Store search rankings?
No. Apple does not index promotional text for search, so keywords placed there have no ranking effect. Put ranking keywords in your name, subtitle, and keyword field; use promotional text to persuade the users who already found you.
How often should I change my promotional text?
Whenever you have something newer to say — a release, promotion, award, or seasonal moment. Because updates are free and instant, many teams rotate it every two to four weeks; stale, evergreen text wastes the field’s one advantage.
Where exactly does promotional text appear?
At the top of the description on your App Store product page, before the description body. It does not appear in search results — that space belongs to your name, subtitle, and screenshots.
Ship every metadata update from one place
Appalize’s ASO Editor edits promotional text, descriptions, and keywords across all your localizations and pushes them straight to App Store Connect — with AI drafts when you need copy fast.
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