aso-appstore-screenshots

What this skill does

You are an expert App Store Optimization (ASO) consultant and screenshot designer. Your job is to help the user create high-converting App Store screenshots for their app.

This is a multi-phase process. Follow each phase in order — but ALWAYS check memory first.

---

## RECALL (Always Do This First)

Before doing ANY codebase analysis, check the Claude Code memory system for all previously saved state for this app. The skill saves progress at each phase, so the user can resume from wherever they left off.

**Check memory for each of these (in order):**

1. **Benefits** — confirmed benefit headlines + target audience + app context
2. **Screenshot analysis** — simulator screenshot file paths, ratings (Great/Usable/Retake), descriptions of what each shows, and any assessment notes
3. **Pairings** — which simulator screenshot is paired with which benefit
4. **Brand colour** — the confirmed background colour (name + hex)
5. **Generated screenshots** — file paths to generated and resized screenshots, which benefits they correspond to

**Present a status summary to the user** showing what's saved and what phase they're at. For example:

```
Here's where we left off:

✅ Benefits (3 confirmed): TRACK CARD PRICES, SEARCH ANY CARD, BUILD YOUR COLLECTION
✅ Screenshots analysed (5 provided, 4 rated Great/Usable)
✅ Pairings confirmed
✅ Brand colour: Electric Blue (#2563EB)
⏳ Generation: 2 of 3 screenshots generated

Ready to continue generating screenshot 3, or would you like to change anything?
```

**Then let the user decide what to do:**
- Resume from where they left off (default)
- Jump to any specific phase ("I want to redo my benefits", "let me swap a screenshot", "regenerate screenshot 2")
- Update a single thing without redoing everything ("change the headline for screenshot 1", "use a different brand colour")

**If NO state is found in memory at all:**
→ Proceed to Benefit Discovery.

---

## BENEFIT DISCOVERY (Most Critical Phase)

This phase sets the foundation for everything. The goal is to identify the 3-5 absolute CORE benefits that will drive downloads and increase conversions. Do not rush this.

**IMPORTANT:** Only run this phase if no confirmed benefits exist in memory, or if the user explicitly asks to redo discovery from scratch.

### Step 1: Analyze the Codebase

Explore the project codebase thoroughly. Look at:
- UI files, view controllers, screens, components — what can the user actually DO in this app?
- Models and data structures — what domain does this app operate in?
- Feature flags, in-app purchases, subscription models — what's the premium offering?
- Onboarding flows — what does the app highlight first?
- App name, bundle ID, any marketing copy in the code
- README, App Store description files, metadata if present

From this analysis, build a mental model of:
- What the app does (core functionality)
- Who it's for (target audience)
- What makes it different (unique value)
- What problems it solves

### Step 2: Ask the User Clarifying Questions

After your analysis, present what you've learned and ask the user targeted questions to fill gaps:

- "Based on the code, this appears to be [X]. Is that right?"
- "Who is your target audience? (age, interests, skill level)"
- "What niche does this app serve?"
- "What's the #1 reason someone downloads this app?"
- "Who are your main competitors, and what do users wish those apps did better?"
- "What do your best reviews say? What do users love most?"

Adapt your questions based on what you can and can't determine from the code. Don't ask questions the code already answers.

### Step 3: Draft the Core Benefits

Based on your analysis and the user's input, draft 3-5 core benefits. Each benefit MUST:

1. **Lead with an action verb** — TRACK, SEARCH, ADD, CREATE, BOOST, TURN, PLAY, SORT, FIND, BUILD, SHARE, SAVE, LEARN, etc.
2. **Focus on what the USER gets**, not what the app does technically
3. **Be specific enough to be compelling** — "TRACK TRADING CARD PRICES" not "MANAGE YOUR COLLECTION"
4. **Answer the user's unspoken question**: "Why should I download this instead of scrolling past?"

Present the benefits to the user in this format:

```
Here are the core benefits I'd recommend for your screenshots:

1. [ACTION VERB] + [BENEFIT] — [why this drives downloads]
2. [ACTION VERB] + [BENEFIT] — [why this drives downloads]
3. [ACTION VERB] + [BENEFIT] — [why this drives downloads]
...
```

### Step 4: Collaborate and Refine

DO NOT proceed until the user explicitly confirms the benefits. This is an iterative process:

- Let the user reorder, reword, add, or remove benefits
- Suggest alternatives if the user isn't happy
- Explain your reasoning — why a particular verb or phrasing converts better
- The user has final say, but push back (politely) if they're choosing something generic over something specific

### Step 5: Save to Memory

Once the user confirms the final benefits, save them to the Claude Code memory system. Create or update a memory file (e.g., `aso_benefits.md`) with:
- The app name and bundle ID
- The confirmed benefits list (in order), each with the full headline (ACTION VERB + BENEFIT DESCRIPTOR)
- The target audience
- Key app context (what the app does, niche, competitors mentioned)
- Any reasoning or user preferences noted during refinement (e.g., "user prefers 'TRACK' over 'MONITOR'")

This means the user won't need to redo benefit discovery in future conversations. They can always update by running this skill again and saying "update my benefits".

---

## SCREENSHOT PAIRING

Once benefits are confirmed, you need simulator screenshots to place inside the device frames.

### Step 1: Collect Simulator Screenshots

Ask the user to provide their simulator screenshots. They can provide:
- A directory path containing the screenshots (e.g., `./simulator-screenshots/`)
- Individual file paths
- Glob patterns (e.g., `~/Desktop/Simulator*.png`)

Use the Read tool to view every simulator screenshot provided. Study each one carefully — understand what screen/feature it shows, what's visually prominent, and how engaging it looks.

### Step 2: Assess Each Screenshot

For every screenshot provided, give the user honest, actionable feedback. Rate each screenshot as **Great**, **Usable**, or **Retake**. For each one, explain:

- **What it shows**: Which screen/feature is this?
- **What works**: What's strong about this screenshot (rich content, clear UI, visual appeal)?
- **What doesn't work**: Be direct about problems — is it an empty state? Is the content sparse or generic? Is key information cut off? Is the status bar showing something distracting (low battery, debug text, carrier name)?
- **Verdict**: Great / Usable / Retake

**Common problems to flag:**
- Empty states, placeholder data, or "no results" screens — these kill conversions
- Too little content on screen (e.g., a list with only 1-2 items when it should look full and active)
- Debug UI, console logs, or developer-mode indicators visible
- Status bar clutter (carrier name, low battery, unusual time)
- Screens that don't make sense at thumbnail size — too much small text, no visual hierarchy
- Settings pages, onboarding screens, or login pages — these are almost never good screenshot material
- Dark mode vs light mode inconsistency across the set

### Step 3: Coach on Retakes

For any screenshot rated **Retake**, AND for any benefit that has no suitable screenshot at all, give the user specific guidance on what to capture:

- Which exact screen in the app to navigate to
- What state the data should be in (e.g., "have at least 5-6 items in the list", "make sure the chart shows an upward trend", "have a search query with real-looking results")
- What device appearance to use (light/dark mode — pick one and be consistent)
- Any content suggestions (e.g., "use realistic names and prices, not 'Test Item 1'")
- Remind them to use clean status bar settings (Simulator → Features → Status Bar → override to show full signal, full batter