Spam & placement in the store
Keyword spam
When you publish an app on Google Play, you should pay special attention to the app's title and description in its store listing. Those fields are important because they make your app recognizable to users, and they help to drive downloads by highlighting what's great about your app. A memorable title and compelling description are essential to effective marketing, but you should realize that these must follow Google Play policies, just like your app's content.
Many developers unknowingly violate spam policy in their app titles and descriptions in ways that are easy to avoid. In general, you can avoid spam violations in your app title and description by following these best practices:
- Highlight what's great about your app—Share interesting and exciting facts about your app with users. Help users understand what makes your app special.
- Describe your app accurately—Make sure the title and description describe the app function and user experience accurately.
- Don't use repetitive keywords—Avoid keywords that are repetitive or excessive.
- Don't include unrelated keywords or references—Your description should not be loaded with irrelevant keywords in an attempt to manipulate ranking or relevancy.
- Keep it brief—Keep the description succinct and straightforward. Shorter descriptions tend to give a better user experience on devices with smaller displays. Excessive length, detail, or repetition can violate spam policy.
Here's an example app title and description that follows best practices and does not violate Google Play spam policies.
 Best Practice: App Description |
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|---|---|
| App Title | Kids Puzzle: Identify Turtles |
| App Description | This is the perfect app to have a good time with your children. It is designed to help kids learn different species of turtles by using cute pictures and amusing puzzle games.
The rules of Kids Puzzle: Identify Turtles are quite simple. Have your child drag images around the screen to fit them into the shaded region. Phonics is also utilized, as a child can also tap the word below the image and hear the name pronounced. |
The sections below highlight common types of policy violations in an app title and description, illustrated with variations on the best practice example.
Repetitive keywordsYour app description should not include keywords that are repetitive or excessive.
 Description includes repetitive keywords |
|
|---|---|
| App Title | Kids Puzzle: Identify Turtles |
| App Description | This is the perfect app to have a good time with your children. It is designed to help kids learn different species of turtles by using cute pictures and amusing puzzle games.
The rules of Kids puzzle: Identify Turtles are quite simple. Have your child drag images around the screen to fit them into the shaded region. Phonics is also utilized, as a child can also tap the word below the image and hear the name pronounced. KEYWORDS: game, games, fun, funny, child, children, kid, kids, puzzle, puzzle games, sound, turtle, turtles, sea turtles, turtles, turtle, turtles, tortoise, tortoises, tortoise, tortoise, turtles, turtles, turtles, turtles, tortoises, tortoise |
The title or description should not be loaded with irrelevant keywords in an attempt to manipulate ranking or relevancy in Google Play search results.
For example, if your app has nothing to do with Lady Gaga, then she shouldn’t be included in your description. Also, do not add highly searched, irrelevant keywords that are unrelated to the function of the app. This is in breach of policy.
| Description includes unrelated keywords or references |
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|---|---|
| App Title | Kids Puzzle: Identify Turtles |
| App Description | This is the perfect app to have a good time with your children. It is designed to help kids learn different species of turtles by using cute pictures and amusing puzzle games.
The rules of Kids puzzle: Identify Turtles are quite simple. Have your child drag images around the screen to fit them into the shaded region. Phonics is also utilized, as a child can also tap the word below the image and hear the name pronounced. This game is as addictive as Angry Birds, more social than Facebook and Twitter, and has a soundtrack reminiscent of Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. KEYWORDS: Angry Birds, Facebook, Twitter, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga |
Please do not include user testimonials in your app description. They tend to be dubious and are frequently utilized to include references to popular search terms and competitor apps in violation of the policies outlined here. Let your users speak for themselves via Play's comment review system.
| Description includes unrelated keywords or references |
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|---|---|
| App Title | Gems X: Collect Jewels |
| App Description |
Gems X is here! Start collecting Rare Gems and Jewels now. Join the rare Jewel Quest today! Gems X: Matching of Rare Jewels - Collector Saga FREE is not a lite version, but offers all features for you to enjoy. Featuring full touch swiped controls, just like Candy this game is sweet and you'll have a crush on the game in no time. So stop being a shopaholic or fashion icon in the New York model-like lifestyle for a moment and just relax and join the world of collecting rare gems. No shopping stress just pure relaxation! Join the Jewels Quest and be a gem master! This game allows you to collect diamonds and keep your own collection. This is more than a Diamond Dash, it's a diamond (ruby) dash collection allowing you to buy and sell your favorite diamonds (gems / jewels / ruby) to make a full collection. Other class A games by us include Bubble Force, Bubble Popper X, Election Game 2014 and many more. Which is your favorite? Get this candy for your Android device now and breakout of the maze! Lunagames work in progress/coming soon: Mary's Jewelry Parlour; Bedside Fairy tales (Cute Pet Edition Tap Saga), Dragon Chain Crush Galaxy! Gem Dash X. Whats the word from our players:
Break and blast the daily chain and move your booty and join the most totem fun in the galaxy and beyond! Chip into the diamond collecting experience today and build tap into your own Jewels collection. In the office, restaurant, subway or the park; anywhere or anyplace you'll love Gems X! Join today have a blast playing our game! No cheats! Contact us. |
Your app description should avoid excessive detail and references to your other apps or products. For example, you should not list all of the details of content included in the app or its various components, as shown in the example below. Also, the description should not include any references to other apps you’ve published.
| Description includes unrelated keywords or references |
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|---|---|
| App Title | Kids Puzzle: Identify Turtles |
| App Description | This is the perfect app to have a good time with your children. It is designed to help kids learn different species of turtles by using cute pictures and amusing puzzle games.
The rules of Kids puzzle: Identify Turtles are quite simple. Have your child drag images around the screen to fit them into the shaded region. Phonics is also utilized, as a child can also tap the word below the image and hear the name pronounced. Turtles included in the app: Alligator Snapping Turtle, Asian Box Turtle, Bog Turtle, Common Musk Turtle, Common Snapping Turtle, Diamondback Terrapin, Eastern Box Turtle, Eastern Mud Turtle, Eastern Painted Turtle, False Map Turtle, Florida Pond Cooter, Florida Softshell Turtle, Green Sea Turtle, Map Turtle, Matamata Ornate Box Turtle, Red-bellied Side-necked Turtle, Red-eared Slider, Smooth Softshell Turtle, Spiny Softshell Turtle, Spotted Turtle, Western Painted Turtle, Wood Turtle, Yellow-bellied Slider If you like this app try our other free apps: ★ Fun Zoo ★ CD Guns ★ Dessert House ★ Playground ★ 578 Weapons |
Your app's title shouldn't use other products' branding or names at the start of your app title without permission. This implies association and can be misleading for users. Instead, use "for [ product or brand name ]."
| Title starts with other products' branding or name |
Title ends with "for [product or brand name]" |
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| Android MediaPlayer | MediaPlayer for Android |