THE SHORT ANSWER
Begin with a real product moment and check promotional content access in Play Console. Define the audience, offer or experience, dates, destination, copy, and assets in one brief. Review eligibility and content requirements before submitting, then use the available reports to learn from the event.
1. Choose a moment worth returning for
Start with something that is actually happening inside the app or game: a feature release, a seasonal experience, or an event. Write the user-facing reason in one sentence. If the only reason is ‘we need a campaign this week,’ the product moment may need more work.
Separate a content idea from an approved event. Google Play controls access, eligibility, and review. Verify those details in your own Play Console before promising that a campaign can appear on the store. An entry in a planning calendar is not a Google Play submission.
- Confirm the experience exists and will be ready.
- Check promotional content access in Play Console.
- Identify a specific intended audience.
2. Write one brief everyone can use
Keep the product, event type, start and end dates, time zone, audience, destination, headline, message, and asset requirements together. Name the person responsible for reviewing the copy and the person responsible for the in-app experience.
For a fictional puzzle game's seasonal challenge, explain how players enter, what changes during the event, and what happens after it ends. If there is an offer, be precise about availability and conditions. The copy should help a player decide whether the event is relevant without needing a second explanation.
3. Plan backwards from the start date
Use separate milestones for product readiness, draft review, asset delivery, submission, and launch. Leave room for revision rather than scheduling the first review on launch day. The amount of lead time depends on your team and the store's current review process.
Keep each app's events in its own calendar so names and dates retain their context. Use a combined portfolio view to spot overlapping launches or review bottlenecks. A schedule is useful when it exposes the work that still needs an owner, not just the final date.
4. Review the experience behind the artwork
Read the event copy next to the final artwork and the destination screen. Confirm that a user who taps can reach the promised content and understand any conditions. Check the correct build, regions, language, availability window, and eligible audience.
Submit the reviewed event in Play Console and track its actual status there. Sorted supports planning and preparation; direct promotional event submission is not currently part of its Google Play integration. Keep that distinction visible in your team's process.
- Test the destination on a real device.
- Review claims, artwork, and audience restrictions.
- Record the submission status and final live dates.
5. Separate observations from conclusions
Save the available event reporting with the event brief. Use the metric definitions provided by the source, including date ranges and whether a figure is daily or rolling. Do not add overlapping rolling windows and describe the result as unique people.
An increase during an event is an observation, not proof of causation. Releases, paid campaigns, seasonality, and traffic mix can change the same measures. Write a short retrospective: what launched, what was observed, what remains uncertain, and what you would change next time.
References and editorial notes
These guides combine Google’s published requirements with Sorted’s suggested working process. Examples are illustrative. Check current platform and Search requirements before publishing.
BRING IT INTO YOUR WORKSPACE