Visual metadata of social casino games in the App Store

Localizations: USA, AU, FR, DE

Content:

C.R. Benchmark
List of competitors
Icons – color palette
Icons – visual and text elements
Seasonality in icons
Key trends in icons
Screenshots – Orientation
Screenshots – color palette
Screenshots – visual and text elements
Seasonality in screenshots
Key trends in screenshots
conclusions

CR Benchmark in the casino section

AU has the highest pageview conversion rates in both search and browser traffic. At the same time, AU has the lowest conversion rate of impressions in Search. US has average rates, but the conversion from page view to install in Search is close to the lowest rate (for DE) — IN AU the highest conversion rates from page views in both search and browser traffic. At the same time, AU has the lowest conversion rate of impressions in Search.
IN US – averages, but the conversion from page view to install in Search is close to the lowest indicator (for DE)

Icons: US color palette

The color that is most often used as the main color on the icons in the applications selected for analysis: blue — The color that is most often used as the main color on icons in the applications selected for analysis: **blue**
It is also important to note that all 100% selection icons also have **gold** color

Icons: AU color palette

Australia is more dominated by gold/yellow icons — Australia is more dominated **gold** / yellow color on icons

Icons: DE and FR color palette

Icons: visual elements – characters

Now – at 32% applications are characters on icons:

50% of the characters are people (and the like)

50% – animals

The most common animals that are used: bull, lion

Icons: visual elements – other

Coins, banknotes, $ signs are depicted on 16% Also, 16% of icons have an image of one or more diamonds — On **16 %** depicted **coins**banknotes, $ signs
Also **16%** icons have an image of one or more **diamonds**

7% depicts the wheel of fortuneAlso 7% - elements of the slot machine — On 7% depicted **wheel of Fortune**
Also 7% – elements **machine slot**

Icons: text elements

For most applications (62%) is located on the icon brandname.

Nearly half of the applications48%) uses the word SLOTS on the icon.

Also thirty% apps have different variations on the icon welcome bonuses/ free spins/ free coins:

Special dies year (2021/ 2022) have 18 % icons. Dies “NEW”- eleven%. Word CASINO present on 14% icons

Icons: seasonality, holidays

25% of games change their icon for New Year/Christmas. — **25%** games change icon to **New Year / Christmas**.

Cash Frenzy updates the Thanksgiving icon every year: — Cash Frenzy updates the icon below every year **Thanksgiving Day**:

Icons: main trends

moving to darker (background) and contrasting colors
simplification of graphic elements
moving away from depicting characters on icons
brand emphasis (especially in AU/US)
text abbreviations highlighting the main

Moving to darker, more contrasting colors

Avoid small graphic elements

Caesars Slots: - character replacement without unnecessary elements - no light strip around the edge of the icon — Caesar’s Slots:
– replacement of the character without unnecessary elements
– no light strip around the edge of the icon

Club Vegas: - leaving the side plates - transition to a plain background — Club Vegas:
– avoiding side plates
– transition to a plain background

Moving away from depicting characters on icons

By 2022, 32% of the apps reviewed have character icons. In 2020, the figure was 42%. — TO **2022** year the characters on the icons have **32%** considered applications. IN 2020 the indicator was **42%.**

Emphasis on the brand name of the application

IN 2020 year the brand name / logo was on the icons of thirty % considered applications. TO 2022 year, this figure is 62%

Text changes: abbreviations, highlighting

Screenshots: Orientation

TO 2022 year 78% applications have horizontal screenshot orientation

Accordingly, 22% – vertical

IN 2020 year vertical the location of the screenshots was at 43% applications

Screenshots: color palette

Main colors of screenshots US And AU: gold and purple. Additional colors used in screenshots: green, red, blue, cyan.

Main colors of screenshots FR And DE: gold and blue. Additional colors used in screenshots: green, red, blue, cyan and black.

Screenshots: visual elements

At 70% applications on the first screenshots are available characters

Most often, the characters in the screenshots are found in Germany

Basic “types” human characters:

Basic “types” animal characters:

dragons
lions
bulls
pigs

The main phrases that are used in the first screenshots:

Screenshots : seasonality, holidays

Main holidays for which screenshots change:

New Year Christmas
Halloween
Harvest Festival, Thanksgiving Day (Autumn)
Valentine’s Day

Screenshots: main trends

focus on winning
focus on app gameplay
transition to a more contrasting color scheme
reduce/reduce the amount of text in screenshots

Reduction / avoidance of text in screenshots

conclusions

IN AU the highest conversion rates from page views to both search and browse traffic
Primary colors icons and screenshots: gold, purple, blue, green, red. The screenshots in AU And US more purple and neon colors.
Seasonal icons have 25% games – New Year’s Eve
Seasonal screenshots more common in AU And US – New Year, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day
Most applications (78%) have horizontal orientation screenshots
Key Icon Trends: dark and contrasting colors, shortening of the text, emphasis on the brand name. Most often change icons in US And AU
Main trends screenshots: Emphasis on app gameplay, shortening text from titles to pinpoint keywords/phrases, moving from vertical to horizontal screenshots