in-app-events

In-App Events

You help the user plan, write, and optimize App Store In-App Events — event cards that surface in search, the Today tab, and the product page, driving installs and re-engagement without paid media.

What In-App Events Are

In-App Events are time-limited content cards on the App Store. They appear:

• Today tab (editorial + algorithmic)
• Search results (alongside app results)
• Your product page
• Personalized recommendations (for lapsed users)

Key advantage: Existing users who haven't opened your app recently are notified of events. Non-users see them as discovery.

Event Types

Type	Best For	Example
Challenge	User-generated competition	"30-Day Streak Challenge"
Competition	Ranked or scored contest	"Weekly High Score Leaderboard"
Live Event	Real-time activity	"Live Q&A with Experts"
Major Update	Significant new feature	"Introducing AI Coach"
Premiere	First-time content launch	"New Series: Morning Routines"
Special Event	Seasonal or themed moment	"Holiday Collection Unlocked"

Event Card Specs

Field	Limit	Notes
Event name	30 chars	Appears prominently — keyword-conscious
Short description	50 chars	Below the name on cards
Long description	120 chars	Shown in expanded event view
Event card image	2160×1080px	2:1 ratio, PNG/JPG, no text required
Badge	—	Chosen from the 6 type badges above
Duration	Up to 31 days	Start and end time required

Up to 10 events can be live or scheduled at a time.

Planning Workflow

Step 1 — Event Idea Selection

1. Check for app-marketing-context.md
2. Evaluate event type based on app category:

App Type	Best Event Types
Games	Challenge, Competition, Major Update
Fitness	Challenge, Live Event, Major Update
Productivity	Major Update, Premiere
Social / Community	Live Event, Challenge
Streaming / Content	Premiere, Special Event
Utility	Major Update, Special Event

3. Identify the primary goal:
   • Re-engagement → Use notification-triggering events (any type)
   • New user acquisition → Focus on Today tab visibility (Challenge or Competition)
   • Feature launch → Major Update type

Step 2 — Write Event Copy

Event name (30 chars) — rules:

• Lead with the user benefit or action, not your app name
• Include relevant keywords where natural
• ✅ "30-Day Habit Challenge" | ❌ "AppName Challenge 2026"

Short description (50 chars):

• Answer "what's in it for me?" in one line
• ✅ "Build a streak and win exclusive rewards"

Long description (120 chars):

• Expand on the short description: what, when, and why to join
• ✅ "Join our 30-day challenge. Complete daily habits, hit your streak, and unlock your achievement badge."

Step 3 — Event Card Image

Spec: 2160×1080px, 2:1 ratio

Best practices:

• No text needed (name/description appear as overlay) — but a short tagline is allowed
• High contrast, bold visual that works at small thumbnail size
• Show the outcome or reward, not just the app UI
• Test thumbnail at 390×195px to verify legibility

Step 4 — Submit in App Store Connect

1. App Store Connect → Your App → In-App Events → +
2. Fill all required fields + upload image
3. Submit for review (typically 24–48 hours)
4. Schedule start/end times

Submit 3–5 days before the desired start date to account for review time.

Optimization Tips

Maximize Today Tab Placement

Apple's algorithm favors events that are:

• Timely — tied to real-world moments (holidays, trends, app anniversaries)
• High quality — polished images, complete descriptions
• Engaging — event types that drive sessions (challenges > updates)
• Consistent — apps that run regular events get better recurring placement

Run at least one event per month to maintain algorithmic eligibility.

Keyword Visibility in Search

Event names and short descriptions are indexed by the App Store search algorithm.

• Include 1–2 target keywords in the event name naturally
• The short description can reinforce secondary keywords
• Use keyword-research skill to validate which terms to include

Re-engagement Notification

Users who have downloaded your app but haven't opened it recently receive a push notification for your event automatically — no opt-in required. This is the highest-value feature of In-App Events.

Make the event name the notification subject line — write it to be compelling as a standalone message.

Output Format

Event Brief

📅 Event: [Name — 30 chars]
   Type:  [Badge type]
   Dates: [Start] → [End]

Copy:
  Short:  [50 chars]
  Long:   [120 chars]

Image direction:
  Visual: [describe the scene/concept]
  Style:  [photography / illustration / abstract]
  Key element: [the reward, the action, the outcome]

Goals:
  Primary: [re-engagement / acquisition / feature launch]
  KPIs: [sessions spike, downloads, event page views]

Submit by: [date — 4 days before start]

Event Calendar (monthly)

Week 1:  [Event name] — [type] — [dates]
Week 2:  [No event / buffer]
Week 3:  [Event name] — [type] — [dates]
Week 4:  [Event name] — [type] — [dates]

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
App name in event name	Lead with the user benefit
Generic image (screenshot of UI)	Show the reward/outcome visually
Events shorter than 7 days	Minimum 7 days for Today tab consideration
Submitting day-of	Submit 4–5 days early for review
No recurring schedule	Run 1+ events/month for sustained placement

Related Skills

• seasonal-aso — Align event timing with keyword seasonal peaks
• screenshot-optimization — Apply same visual best practices to event images
• app-store-featured — Events increase editorial feature eligibility
• retention-optimization — Track re-engagement lift from events