Once you've approved experiments, the next critical step is assigning them to specific Custom Store Listings (CSLs) and locales where they'll be tested. This assignment process connects your approved experiments to actual Google Play Store listings and determines which users will see which variants during testing.
Assignment is the bridge between experiment approval and live testing. It answers three key questions:
Where will this experiment run? - Which Custom Store Listing
Who will see it? - Which locale(s) or language markets
When will it deploy? - Immediate, scheduled, or manual deployment
Proper assignment ensures that:
Experiments reach the right audience - Tests are shown to users who speak the language and are in the target market
Tests don't conflict - Multiple experiments on the same CSL and asset type are properly sequenced
Results are meaningful - Experiments run in contexts where they can generate valid insights
Resources are optimized - Traffic is allocated efficiently across your testing program
Before assigning experiments, it's important to understand Custom Store Listings:
Custom Store Listings are Google Play's native A/B testing framework. They allow you to create alternative versions of your store listing that are shown to a percentage of users while the control listing is shown to the rest.
Each CSL has:
CSL ID - Unique identifier in Google Play
Name - Descriptive label for the listing
Traffic Allocation - Percentage of users who see this variant
Locales - Languages/regions where this CSL is active
Assets - Icons, screenshots, and text that differ from control
Status - Draft, active, completed, or paused
PressPlay automatically creates and manages CSLs in Google Play based on your approved experiments. You don't need to manually configure CSLs in the Google Play Console—PressPlay handles this through the API.
You can assign experiments to store listings in several locations within PressPlay:
After approving experiments, they appear in your backlog with an "Assign" button:
Navigate to Backlog from the main menu
Locate the approved experiment
Click "Assign to Store Listing"
The assignment interface opens
Within any approved experiment's detail view:
Open the experiment
Click the "Assignment" tab
Configure store listing and locale assignments
Save assignment
For multiple experiments:
Select multiple approved experiments in backlog
Click "Batch Assign" in the actions toolbar
Choose common CSL and locale settings
Apply to all selected experiments
When assigning an experiment, you'll configure several key settings:
Choose which Custom Store Listing will host this experiment:
Create a new Custom Store Listing specifically for this experiment:
CSL Name - Descriptive name (e.g., "Lifestyle Screenshots Test")
Traffic Allocation - Percentage of users who see this CSL (typically 10-50%)
Locales - Which language markets this CSL serves
PressPlay creates this CSL in Google Play and assigns your experiment to it.
Assign to an existing Custom Store Listing:
Select from dropdown of active CSLs
View current configuration and traffic allocation
Check for potential conflicts with other experiments on this CSL
Confirm assignment
PressPlay suggests optimal CSL assignments based on:
Hypothesis Grouping - CSLs used by other experiments in the same hypothesis
Locale Match - CSLs configured for the experiment's target locales
Traffic Availability - CSLs with adequate traffic for meaningful results
Conflict Avoidance - CSLs without conflicting experiments
Specify which language markets will see this experiment:
Test in one language market:
Select from dropdown (e.g., "en-US" for US English)
View market size and traffic estimates
Confirm locale assignment
Single-locale testing is ideal for:
Text experiments specific to one language
Initial testing before expanding to multiple markets
Markets with distinct cultural preferences
Test across several language markets simultaneously:
Select multiple locales from the list
View aggregate traffic across selected markets
Consider cultural differences when selecting
Multi-locale testing works well for:
Visual experiments (icons, screenshots) that work across cultures
Hypothesis testing across diverse markets
Faster results from larger sample sizes
Create and assign to predefined locale groups:
Tier 1 Markets - High-value English-speaking markets (US, UK, CA, AU)
European Markets - Major EU languages (DE, FR, ES, IT)
APAC Markets - Asia-Pacific languages (JP, KR, ZH)
All Markets - Every locale your app supports
Custom Groups - Your own defined locale combinations
When selecting locales, consider:
Traffic Volume - Ensure sufficient traffic for statistical significance
Cultural Appropriateness - Visual and textual elements that work in selected cultures
Language Requirements - Text experiments must match locale language
Seasonality - Time zones and seasonal differences across markets
Strategic Priority - Focus on your most important or fastest-growing markets
Determine what percentage of users see this experiment:
10% - Conservative testing, minimal risk, slower results
25% - Balanced approach, moderate speed
50% - Aggressive testing, faster results, higher risk
Custom - Set any percentage between 5% and 50%
Choose allocation based on:
Risk Tolerance - Higher allocation means more users see unproven variant
Speed Requirements - Higher allocation reaches statistical significance faster
Traffic Volume - Low-traffic apps need higher allocation for meaningful results
Experiment Type - Minor tweaks can use higher allocation; radical changes should start lower
PressPlay can automatically adjust allocation based on performance:
Early Performance - Increase allocation if experiment shows early promise
Underperformance - Reduce allocation if experiment underperforms
Statistical Confidence - Adjust to reach significance at optimal speed
Enable dynamic allocation in the assignment settings for automatic optimization.
Decide when the experiment goes live:
Start testing as soon as assignment is complete:
PressPlay creates or updates the CSL in Google Play
Experiment goes live within minutes
Best for urgent tests or when backlog is clear
Set a specific date and time for deployment:
Choose date and time (in your local timezone or UTC)
Experiment automatically deploys at scheduled time
Useful for coordinating with marketing campaigns or product launches
Assign now but deploy manually later:
Assignment is saved but experiment remains in backlog
You manually trigger deployment when ready
Best for complex testing sequences or when waiting on other factors
PressPlay automatically detects conflicts when assigning experiments:
You can't test multiple variants of the same asset type on a single CSL simultaneously:
Example: Can't run two icon experiments on the same CSL at once
Resolution: Sequence experiments (one after another) or use separate CSLs
Multiple experiments targeting the same CSL and locale create conflicts:
Example: Two short description experiments for en-US on the same CSL
Resolution: Use different CSLs or test in different locales
CSL already at maximum traffic allocation:
Example: CSL using 50% traffic, no room for additional variants
Resolution: Create new CSL or wait for current experiment to complete
When assigning an experiment that would create a conflict, PressPlay shows:
Conflict Type - What kind of conflict exists
Conflicting Experiment - Which experiment is blocking this assignment
Recommended Actions - Suggested ways to resolve the conflict
Impact Assessment - How the conflict affects testing timelines
Assign the experiment to a new Custom Store Listing that doesn't have conflicts.
Schedule the experiment to deploy after the conflicting experiment completes.
Test in a different language market where there's no conflict.
Stop the conflicting experiment and deploy this one instead (only if you have strong justification).
Before finalizing assignment, PressPlay validates the configuration:
CSL Exists - Target CSL is properly configured in Google Play
Locale Availability - Selected locales are available for your app
Traffic Capacity - Sufficient traffic for meaningful results
Asset Compatibility - Experiment assets meet store requirements
Policy Compliance - Experiment complies with Google Play policies
No Conflicts - No conflicting experiments on same CSL/locale
If validation fails, you'll see specific error messages:
Missing Locale - Selected locale not configured for your app
Insufficient Traffic - Too little traffic to reach statistical significance
CSL Limit Reached - Google Play limits number of active CSLs
Asset Requirements Not Met - Experiment assets don't meet technical specs
Resolve these errors before proceeding with assignment.
After successfully assigning an experiment:
Status Update - Experiment status changes to "Assigned"
CSL Creation/Update - PressPlay creates or updates CSL in Google Play (if immediate deployment)
Queue Position - Experiment enters deployment queue if not immediate
Notifications - Team members receive notifications based on settings
Track assignment progress:
CSL Sync Status - Monitor Google Play API sync progress
Deployment Status - Track when experiment goes live
Traffic Verification - Confirm users are seeing the variant
Data Collection Start - Verify data is being collected properly
After assignment, you can manage experiments from the Assigned Experiments view:
By CSL - See all experiments assigned to each Custom Store Listing
By Locale - View experiments grouped by target market
By Status - Filter by deployment status (pending, live, completed)
By Hypothesis - See all experiments in each hypothesis group
For experiments not yet deployed, you can:
Change CSL Assignment - Move to different Custom Store Listing
Update Locale Selection - Add or remove target markets
Adjust Traffic Allocation - Change percentage of users seeing variant
Reschedule Deployment - Change deployment date/time
Unassign - Remove assignment and return experiment to backlog
To optimize your assignment strategy:
Group by Hypothesis - Assign experiments testing the same hypothesis to the same CSL when possible
Prioritize High-Value Locales - Test in your most important markets first
Consider Seasonality - Time assignments with relevant seasons or events
Sequence Thoughtfully - Plan the order of experiments to maximize learning
Balance Traffic - Don't over-allocate to a single CSL, spread tests across multiple CSLs
Avoid Over-Testing - Don't run too many experiments simultaneously—results become harder to interpret
Monitor Capacity - Keep track of available CSL slots and traffic
Leverage Automation - Use PressPlay's smart recommendations for optimal assignment
Batch Similar Experiments - Assign related experiments together to save time
Use Templates - Save common assignment configurations for quick reuse
Schedule in Advance - Plan deployment calendar to maintain steady testing cadence
Document Decisions - Add notes explaining assignment rationale for team reference
Track assignment performance and optimization:
Time to Assignment - How quickly experiments move from approval to assignment
Assignment Success Rate - Percentage of assignments without conflicts or errors
CSL Utilization - How effectively you're using available CSLs
Locale Coverage - Which markets are getting testing attention
Queue Depth - How many assigned experiments are awaiting deployment
Use assignment data to improve your testing program:
Bottleneck Identification - Find where experiments get stuck in assignment
Resource Allocation - Optimize CSL creation and traffic allocation
Market Opportunities - Identify undertested locales
Capacity Planning - Project future CSL and traffic needs
Effective assignment bridges the gap between experiment approval and live testing. By thoughtfully assigning experiments to the right Custom Store Listings and locales, you ensure that your testing program runs smoothly, conflicts are minimized, and results are meaningful. The assignment process is where strategic planning meets execution, turning approved experiments into actionable tests that drive data-driven improvements to your app store performance.
