What information is needed for a Google Play Store listing?

You’ve designed a brilliant app, built it, and signed up for a Google Play Publisher Account, but you need to create the perfect Google Play listing to show it off to the world.

To create an amazing listing, it is very useful I have a checklist of each item. Without going into the developer console and looking around, there is very little information about what is required for your listing.

Below, I’ve published the checklist I send to my clients, with all the required information for a Google Play Store listing. Hopefully, it’s useful for you too!

1. App name

Used as the name of your application in search results and on the details page. It can be different from the name that is displayed on the user’s home screen once they have downloaded your app. You can use a maximum of 30 characters.

I recommend you try and put the main keywords you think people will be searching for inside the title, for example use Magic Doctor — Symptom Checker instead of just Magic Doctor.

2. Short description

A short description description about your application. Carefully select a set of keywords that best represent your app and use them in your app description. You can use a maximum of 80 characters.

3. Full description

A longer description description about your application which will be displayed on the full Play Store listing page. You can use a maximum of 4000 characters. You should read Google’s guidelines for what is allowed in descriptions.

4. Category

This changes which category your application is shown under in the Play Store. If you are listing a game, choose from:

  • Adventure
  • Arcade
  • Board
  • Card
  • Casino
  • Casual
  • Educational
  • Music
  • Puzzle
  • Racing
  • Role Playing
  • Simulation
  • Sports
  • Strategy
  • Trivia
  • Word

If you are listing an application, choose from:

  • Art & Design
  • Auto & Vehicles
  • Beauty
  • Books & Reference
  • Business
  • Comics
  • Communication
  • Dating
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Events
  • Finance
  • Food & Drink
  • Health & Fitness
  • House & Home
  • Libraries & Demo
  • Lifestyle
  • Maps & Navigation
  • Medical
  • Music & Audio
  • News & Magazines
  • Parenting
  • Personalisation
  • Photography
  • Productivity
  • Shopping
  • Social
  • Sports
  • Tools
  • Travel & Local
  • Video Players & Editors
  • Weather

5. App icon

The app icon as a 512 x 512px 32-bit PNG with transparency. This can be different than the app icon displayed on the user’s home screen.

6. Screenshots

Between 2 and 8 screenshots for each device type which is supported (phone, tablet, Android Wear, and Android TV). They should be JPEG or 24-bit PNG (no alpha) with a minimum length for any side of 320px and a maximum length for any side of 3840px. These screenshots should ideally not include the system bar along on the bottom of the device, but should contain the status bar.

7. Featured graphic

1024 x 500px JPG or 24-bit PNG (no alpha). This is displayed at the top of your app store listing and may feature a play button in the center if you provide an promotional video (do not include this play button in the actual graphic).

8. Promotional video

A Youtube URL to a video which promotes your app. On the Play Store desktop website this is used as the first screenshot and on the Play Store on Android Phones it is played with a play button overlaid on top of your featured graphic.

As you need to provide this before the app is uploaded and public, it is common to set the video as unlisted in Youtube so only people with the link can view it. You can switch this to public whenever you like.

9. Contact details

You can provide these contact details for the application, which will be included in the app store listing:

  • A website address for the application (optional)
  • An email address (required)
  • A contact phone number (optional)

10. Pricing

You must decide how your application is priced. You can choose from either free, or paid. If you choose to have a paid application, there are many options and it is best to review the official documentation for guidance.

11. Privacy policy URL

If you application collects any personal information or your application is designed for children, you must provide a website URL to your privacy policy.

Further Reading

I hope the checklist was useful for you!

I have written a similar article about the information you need to submit to the Amazon App Store. If you are releasing an iOS app, I have written a similar article for what information you need for an Apple App Store listing.

If you need help with developing or improving your mobile app, please get in touch with me.