Custom Store Listings (CSL) are Google Play Console's feature for creating different store listing variations for specific user segments. PressPlay integrates with CSL to enable sophisticated multi-locale testing and targeted listing optimization.
Custom Store Listings allow you to show different versions of your store listing to different users based on their location, language, or other targeting criteria. Think of them as "store listing slots" where you can configure unique combinations of assets for specific audiences.
Google Play Console lets you create multiple CSLs per app:
Each CSL can have unique icons, graphics, screenshots, and descriptions
CSLs can be targeted to specific countries, languages, or user segments
Users automatically see the CSL that best matches their profile
If no specific CSL matches, users see the default store listing
PressPlay uses CSL as the foundation for running A/B experiments:
Control variant: Uses your default store listing or an existing CSL
Test variant: Creates or updates a CSL with the new assets being tested
Traffic split: Google Play randomly assigns users to control or test CSL
Results tracking: PressPlay monitors performance of each CSL
Understanding CSL is important because:
Each experiment requires an available CSL slot
Google Play has limits on active CSL experiments per app
CSL configuration affects which users see your experiments
Experiments can interfere if CSLs overlap in targeting
Google Play enforces limits on CSL usage:
Total CSLs: Up to 50 CSLs can be created per app
Active experiments: Maximum 5 active store listing experiments at once
Countries per CSL: Up to 20 countries can be targeted per CSL
Languages per CSL: Multiple languages supported per CSL
PressPlay automatically handles CSL creation and management:
Creates CSLs when experiments are deployed
Reuses CSLs when experiments complete
Tracks which CSLs are in use by active experiments
Alerts you if approaching CSL limits
When creating a manual experiment:
Select your target locale (e.g., "en-US")
PressPlay shows available CSLs for that locale
Choose either:
Create new CSL: PressPlay creates a new CSL for this experiment
Use existing CSL: Modify an existing CSL (if available)
Configure CSL targeting (usually automatic based on locale)
PressPlay uses consistent naming for created CSLs:
Format: "PressPlay - [Asset Type] - [Locale] - [Date]"
Example: "PressPlay - IC - en-US - 2024-03-15"
Purpose: Easy identification of experiment-related CSLs
Best practice for multi-locale testing:
Create separate experiments for each locale
Each experiment uses its own CSL
Prevents overlap and targeting conflicts
Allows independent management per market
When setting up CSLs for different locales:
Country-specific: Target CSL to specific countries (e.g., United States only)
Language-specific: Target CSL to language speakers across countries
Combined targeting: Both country AND language (most common)
Example: Testing Spanish language variants
CSL 1: es-ES targeting Spain
CSL 2: es-MX targeting Mexico
CSL 3: es-US targeting US Spanish speakers
Check CSL status in multiple places:
Experiment Details: Shows which CSL an experiment uses
Settings Page: View all CSLs for your app
Backlog View: See CSL assignments for queued experiments
Verify CSL configuration directly:
Open Google Play Console
Navigate to your app
Go to Store presence → Store listing experiments
View all active and inactive CSLs
See experiment status and performance
CSL limits impact experiment execution:
5 active experiment limit: Only 5 experiments can run simultaneously
Priority-based execution: Higher priority experiments deploy first
Automatic queuing: New experiments wait if limit is reached
CSL release: Completing an experiment frees up a slot
Strategies for efficient CSL usage:
Prioritize high-impact experiments
Run shorter tests to free up slots faster
Test multiple locales sequentially rather than parallel
Complete or cancel underperforming experiments early
Plan ahead: Consider CSL limits when creating testing roadmap
Stagger launches: Don't try to test everything at once
Prioritize markets: Test most important locales first
Monitor capacity: Keep track of how many CSL slots are available
Consistent naming: Use clear, descriptive CSL names
Document targeting: Note which users see which CSLs
Clean up regularly: Remove or archive old CSLs
Avoid overlap: Ensure CSLs don't compete for same users
One variable per CSL: Test icons OR graphics OR descriptions, not all at once
Clear hypotheses: Know what you're testing with each CSL
Adequate duration: Give CSL experiments enough time for significance
Monitor performance: Check CSL results regularly
Symptoms:
Cannot deploy new experiment
Error: "Maximum active experiments reached"
Solutions:
Complete or end currently running experiments
Increase priority of stuck experiments to complete them
Archive old, inactive CSLs in Google Play Console
Symptoms:
Experiment is live but getting no traffic
CSL showing as inactive
Solutions:
Check CSL targeting configuration in Google Play Console
Verify locale settings match intended target market
Ensure traffic allocation is set correctly (not 0%)
Wait 24-48 hours for Google Play to propagate changes
Symptoms:
Experiments interfering with each other
Unexpected traffic distribution
Inconsistent results
Solutions:
Review all active CSL targeting settings
Ensure each CSL targets distinct user segments
Use different asset types for simultaneous locale experiments
After an experiment completes:
Keep winning CSL active: If variant wins, promote CSL to default
Repurpose for new test: Update CSL assets for a new experiment
Archive losers: Remove CSLs that underperformed
Use CSL for safer feature launches:
Create CSL with new store listing assets
Target small percentage of users initially (10-20%)
Monitor performance and feedback
Gradually increase traffic if performing well
Eventually make it the default listing
Special CSL considerations for screenshot testing:
Screenshot experiments require their own CSL
Cannot test screenshots and other assets in same CSL simultaneously
Each screenshot variant needs unique CSL assignment
Use separate CSLs for different screenshot arrangements
Multi-Locale Testing - Testing across different markets
Screenshot Order Experiments - Testing screenshot arrangements
Creating Manual Experiments - How CSL fits into experiment creation
Managing Experiment Queue - Working with CSL limits and priorities
