· ASO / Mobile acquisition
Improving app-store acquisition through research-informed experimentation
At Surfshark, I designed App Store screenshot sequences for acquisition experiments — using research, previous test learnings and performance signals to decide what to communicate and how to frame the product.
01 · Why the listing mattered
People decide in seconds whether an app feels worth trying.
The screenshot sequence had to quickly explain what Surfshark does, why it matters and why the product feels trustworthy. I designed the gallery as one connected story rather than a collection of promotional images.
02 · From question to test
Start with the question, not the visual.
Each round started with a question. Together with the ASO stakeholder, I used previous results, acquisition priorities and research inputs to decide what we wanted to learn, then turned that into the message hierarchy, visual direction and screenshot sequence.
- 01Research + prior learnings
- 02Hypothesis
- 03Direction
- 04Launch
- 05Learning
- 06Iteration
Win the first scan
What must somebody understand immediately?
Treat the sequence as one story
Each frame should build understanding instead of behaving like an isolated poster.
Change with a purpose
Broader tests explored different directions; tighter iterations focused on more specific variables.
03 · Testing different directions
Two different ways to frame the same product.
We deliberately tested two very different approaches. One led with the product and its features; the other led with people, situations and benefits.
Because several elements changed together, this was useful for deciding which direction to explore next — not for proving that one headline, image or screenshot caused the result.
A
Product-led clarity
Direct functional claims, consistent structure and prominent product evidence.
VPN made simple
Secure your Android device
One account, multiple devices
B
Benefit-led context
Human situations, outcome-oriented messaging and selective product evidence.
Your internet, your rules
Wi-Fi safety
24/7 security
04 · Moving upstream
From executing briefs to helping shape the hypothesis.
Over time, I started joining the work earlier — participating in user interviews, working directly with acquisition stakeholders, and helping turn research, previous learnings and performance signals into hypotheses before visual execution began.
The brief stopped being the starting point.
05 · Impact
One experiment stood out commercially.
One ASO experiment using assets I designed was later highlighted internally as contributing to billing growth.
My responsibility covered the creative side of the experiment: message hierarchy, visual direction, screenshot sequencing, benefit framing and production-ready execution.
Exact performance figures and attribution details remain confidential.