Google Play promotional content lets eligible apps and games submit time-limited events, offers, major updates, and pre-order or launch content through Play Console. Approved content can appear in places such as the Apps and Games home pages, search results, and your store listing, reaching new and existing users. Submit genuine, timely content with strong images and concise copy, plan submissions in advance, and measure acquisition and re-engagement against a baseline.
What promotional content is
Promotional content, previously known as LiveOps, is a Play Console feature that lets developers promote timely content in the Play Store. It works much like Apple's in-app events, giving apps and games a way to surface what is happening in the app right now.
Content types include events, such as tournaments, seasonal challenges, or live experiences; offers, such as discounts or free items; major updates, such as new features or content; and pre-orders or launch content. Our in-app events for ASO guide covers Apple's equivalent.
Where it appears
Approved promotional content can appear on the Apps and Games tabs, in search results, in the Events section, on your store listing, and in other surfaces depending on eligibility and relevance. It can reach users who do not have your app, users who have it installed, and lapsed users.
Placement is not guaranteed; Google decides where to show content based on quality and relevance. Strong assets and genuinely interesting content improve the chances of wide distribution.
Eligibility and access
Promotional content is available to eligible apps and games, with eligibility determined by Google and shown in Play Console. Check the Promotional content section of Play Console to see whether your app can submit content and which formats are available.
Content must follow Google Play policies, represent genuine in-app content or offers, and run for specified durations. Submit in advance to allow review time.
Creating strong content
Each submission needs a title, short description, images or video, start and end dates, and a deep link into the relevant part of the app. Images should be eye-catching, clearly show the event or offer, and avoid excessive text. Copy should be concise and specific.
Use deep links so users land directly on the event or offer, not the home screen. Our deep linking guide explains implementation.
Planning a promotional calendar
Plan promotional content alongside your product and live ops calendar. Seasonal events, major updates, and limited-time offers are natural candidates. Spread submissions so users regularly see fresh content, but avoid submitting low-value content that dilutes impact.
Our seasonal ASO calendar and game live ops events guides explain building calendars.
Offers and pricing claims
Promotional content is an appropriate place for time-limited offers, which Google Play's metadata policy restricts in titles, icons, and developer names. Describe offers accurately, with clear terms and dates.
For subscription apps, offers can support acquisition and win-back. Our subscription offer codes and win-back offers guide explains offer strategy.
Re-engagement value
Promotional content can remind lapsed users of your app when they browse the Play Store, giving it a re-engagement role beyond acquisition. Major updates and events are especially effective at bringing users back.
Coordinate with push notifications and email for existing users, as described in our push notification strategy.
Measuring impact
Play Console reports performance for promotional content, such as impressions and clicks. Combine these with installs, re-engagement, and revenue during the content period, compared with a representative baseline. Not every submission will drive installs; some primarily drive engagement or revenue.
Our Google Play Console store performance guide explains reading related reports.
Combine with other Google Play tools
Promotional content works alongside custom store listings, store listing experiments, and pre-registration. For example, a new season can be promoted with promotional content, highlighted in refreshed screenshots, and tested with experiments.
Align messaging across these tools so users see consistent information.
Promotional content for apps, not just games
Games have used live events heavily, but non-game apps can benefit too. A fitness app can promote a seasonal challenge, a finance app a tax-season feature, a language app a new course, and a shopping app a sale event. The key is genuine, time-bound content that gives users a reason to act now.
Think about what changes in your app over the year and which moments matter to your users. Our in-app events for ASO guide includes ideas that translate well to Google Play promotional content for non-game apps.
Common promotional content mistakes
Submitting generic or low-value content wastes opportunities and may limit distribution. Another mistake is weak images with too much text. Missing deep links send users to the home screen and lose context.
Teams also submit at the last minute, missing review windows, or forget to measure results against a baseline.
A worked example: a fitness app's challenge
A fitness app runs a 30-day new year challenge. It submits promotional content two weeks in advance with a bold image of the challenge badge, concise copy, and a deep link to join. It also refreshes the first screenshot to feature the challenge.
The content appears in search and on the store listing during January. Installs and re-engaged users rise compared with the previous month's baseline, and challenge participants retain better.
How to do it, step by step
- Check eligibility in Play ConsoleOpen the Promotional content section to see available formats.
- Plan a content calendarMap events, offers, and updates to product and seasonal plans.
- Create strong assetsPrepare compelling images, concise copy, and accurate dates.
- Add deep linksSend users directly to the event or offer in the app.
- Measure against a baselineCompare installs, re-engagement, and revenue with a representative period.
Before and after examples
Illustrative examples written for a generic app in this category, not client results. Swap in your own product, audience, and data.
Big update!
New: 30-day strength challenge starts January 1
Why it works: Specific content is more compelling.
Dense text describing the offer.
Bold challenge badge with a short headline.
Why it works: Visual clarity improves engagement.
Opens the home screen.
Opens the challenge sign-up screen.
Why it works: Context preserves intent.
Action plan
- Submit genuine, timely content
- Plan a promotional calendar
- Use strong, simple images
- Deep link to the content
- Submit early for review
- Measure against baselines
Metrics to monitor
- Promotional content impressions and clicks
- Installs during content periods
- Re-engaged users
- Revenue during offers
- Retention of participants
Record the baseline, release date, audience, markets, and external changes before interpreting movement. Rankings and conversion are useful signals, but a decision is stronger when activation, retention, and business value confirm that the page attracted the right users.
Frequently asked questions
What is Google Play promotional content?
A Play Console feature for promoting time-limited events, offers, major updates, and pre-orders in the Play Store.
Where does promotional content appear?
In surfaces such as the Apps and Games tabs, search results, and store listings, depending on eligibility and relevance.
Is promotional content the same as Apple in-app events?
They serve similar purposes but are separate features with different formats and eligibility.
Can I promote discounts with promotional content?
Yes, offers are a supported type. Describe terms accurately.
Does every app have access to promotional content?
Access depends on eligibility determined by Google. Check Play Console for your app.
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Platform capabilities and limits can change. Verify current requirements in these official resources:
