Promotional Text
Promotional text is a 170-character field shown on the App Store product page that can be updated at any time without a new app submission, but it is not indexed for search.
Promotional text sits above the description on the product page. Because it can be edited without a binary resubmission, it's the fastest metadata field to update for time-sensitive messaging: a seasonal sale, a new feature announcement, a limited-time offer.
It carries no search-ranking weight. Apple does not index promotional text for keyword search, so writing it as a keyword dump wastes the field's actual purpose, which is conversion messaging for someone already viewing the product page.
The practical use case is speed. If a seasonal keyword campaign in your title and subtitle needs a supporting message ('Back-to-school sale — 50% off Pro'), promotional text is the field to update immediately, while the name and subtitle changes queue behind the next app review.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I put keywords in promotional text to help ranking?
- No benefit. It is not indexed for App Store search, so keywords placed there help nothing but readability for a human visitor already on your page.
- How fast can promotional text changes go live?
- Promotional text updates don't require a new binary or a full app review the way most metadata changes do, so it can go live much faster than the title, subtitle, or keyword field.
Related terms
- What's New TextWhat's New text is the release-notes field shown for an app update — it is not indexed for search, but it can affect a user's decision to update or reinstall.
- App Store Metadata FieldsApp Store metadata fields are the text inputs that affect how an app is discovered and presented in the App Store — primarily the name, subtitle, keyword field, and developer name, each with different character limits and ranking weight.
- Seasonal Keyword CalendarA seasonal keyword calendar maps the recurring windows when specific App Store categories see predictable demand spikes, so metadata updates can be timed ahead of the peak rather than during or after it.
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Put this into practice
Score App Store keywords by popularity and difficulty across 109 storefronts — the numbers behind promotional text.
Start keyword research