in-app-events

SKILL.md

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

Check for app-marketing-context.md

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

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

App Store Connect → Your App → In-App Events → +

Fill all required fields + upload image

Submit for review (typically 24–48 hours)

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