Apple Search Ads (ASA) are super effective when it comes to bringing your app front and center to your target audience. However, as you may already know, running ads in the App Store isn’t free. Thus, it’s a must that you optimize your ads to get the highest Return on Investment (ROI) possible. In most cases, that doesn’t happen automatically or accidentally. You need to be intentional in taking the right steps to truly increase your revenue and cut costs.
So today, let’s go through some of the most effective ROI optimization tips to improve your ASA campaigns and maximize your income.
What are Apple Search Ads?
Apple Search Ads (or ASA for short) is the advertising platform of the App Store. With more than 1.8 million apps in the App Store, it’s difficult to rank your app with so much competition. Thankfully, the App Store offers ASA to help both emerging and well-established apps become more visible.
The best thing about ASA is that, even though it’s a paid program, it has great potential to improve your organic search visibility and, therefore, contribute to your App Store Optimization (ASO) efforts.
According to Apple, industry-leading apps have seen their conversion rates increase by over 60% from search results ads. Statistics also show that 95% of users who engage with ads on the App Store end up downloading the app.
So yes, ASA is something you should never ignore. But you also need to know how to use it effectively to drive sales and purchases.
That’s why today, we’ll go through some of the most effective ROI optimization tips to improve your ASA campaigns and maximize your revenue.
Apple Search Ads ROI optimization tips
So, let’s go straight to the core of our discussion: how can you improve the results from your Apple Search Ads and gain more profit? Here are some of the most effective tips you should be following:
1. Create the best app
There’s no doubt about it: it’s easier to promote a rockstar app than a mediocre one. By creating a great app, you’re laying a strong foundation for your ads to succeed.
Creating the right app means improving its features, eliminating bugs, enhancing the user interface, updating it regularly, and adapting it based on current demands and user needs. The better your app is, the easier it will be to get more from your ads.
2. Improve your app listing
Your app listing is essentially the landing page for your ads. It’s where your ads direct users. On top of that, Apple pulls elements from your listing and uses them in your ads.
With that in mind, your app listing must be appealing and compelling. When users land on your listing, they should immediately have a good impression. It should be convincing enough that anyone who visits your page would want to download your app. What you don’t want to happen is that you spend on a specific user only for them not to proceed in downloading your app.
So, improve everything from the app icon to the app preview. Focus on every element of your listing, and you’ll likely see your ROI grow.
3. Use Apple Search Ads Advanced
There are two versions of Apple Search Ads: Basic and Advanced. If you’re serious about optimizing your ROI, go with ASA Advanced.
Apple recommends ASA Basic for those who prefer automation. With Basic, all you need to do is set a campaign goal and budget. Apple handles the rest with its automation algorithm.
The downside? You give up control. With ASA Basic, you can’t customize settings or be as specific with how your ads are run. On the other hand, ASA Advanced allows you to fine-tune your strategy and combine Apple Search Ads with ASO for even better results.
Here’s why ASA Advanced is the smarter choice:
- It allows you to specifically target various markets, devices, user types, and demographics.
- Most App Store users disable Personalized Ads, which makes it harder for the App Store to show relevant ads. ASA Advanced solves this by giving you full control over targeting.
- You know your app better than Apple does. With ASA Advanced, you can align your marketing strategy with user intent.
- App marketing isn’t just about downloads; it’s about conversions and revenue. ASA Advanced helps you lead users toward meaningful actions like subscriptions or in-app purchases.
- While ASA Advanced is more complex, Apple has improved the platform, making it easier to use than ever before.
4. Optimize your keywords
Apple Search Ads lets you bid on specific keywords. If you have the highest bid for a keyword, you’ll earn an ad spot. That’s why it’s crucial to target the right keywords. You don’t want to waste money on keywords that don’t bring in users, right?
Thankfully, the App Store already knows a lot about your app through the metadata you’ve provided. Apple will suggest keywords it thinks are relevant. You can review those suggestions to save time, or add your own keywords. Based on your inputs, Apple will generate even more recommendations.
Here are some keyword tips to improve your ROI:
- Know your customer. If you’re part of your target audience, which keywords would you use to search for your app?
- Use both general and specific keywords. General keywords reach a broad audience but can burn through your budget fast. Specific (long-tail) keywords tend to have higher conversion rates, though they reach fewer people.
- Use ad groups. Organize your keywords into ad groups:
- Discovery: Reach a wider audience with Search Match.
- Generic: Reach users broadly interested in your app category.
- Competitor: Target keywords related to your competitors.
- Brand: Appear in searches that mention your app or brand directly.
- Capitalize on high-performing keywords. Use the keyword suggestion tool to find related terms that may also perform well.
- Use negative keywords. These help prevent your ads from showing up in irrelevant searches.
- Do thorough keyword research. Use ASO tools to find keywords with high search volume and low competition. Include long-tail keywords where possible.
People search using keywords, so invest time and effort into choosing the right ones.
5. Use Search Match
Search Match is a helpful feature when running Discovery campaigns. Normally, you provide the specific keywords you want to target. But when you enable Search Match, Apple automatically targets additional keywords related to the ones you entered.
It’s a great way to reach more users, especially when you want to explore new keyword opportunities. You can turn off Search Match at any time in the Campaigns dashboard.
6. Schedule campaigns
Scheduling campaigns allows you to specify the exact date when you want to start and end your marketing campaign. This is super helpful when you want to run an ad campaign for seasonal promotions or other time-sensitive marketing strategies. Of course, if you have a one-time event, scheduling it would also work like magic.
7. Use ad groups
Apple Ads allows you to create ad groups so you can easily manage your ads. You can set each ad group based on your specific goals. For example, you can create an ad group that targets a specific age group. You can also create ads that only show on specific devices, like an iPhone or iPad. You can do this by creating separate ad groups for them.
What’s more amazing about ad groups is that they give you more freedom in setting your budget. For example, you can create an ad group and specify the maximum CPT bids. Think of ad groups as a way to efficiently run campaigns based on your theme, keyword, or strategy.
8. Bid effectively
Your maximum cost-per-tap (CPT) bid plays a big role in how well your Apple Search Ads perform. When you set up a new campaign or ad group, Apple asks you to enter the most you’re willing to pay for a single tap on your ad. That’s your max CPT.
Start with the budgeting basics. What’s a customer worth to you? Or more specifically, how much are you okay with spending to get someone to install your app? Say you’re fine with spending $2.50 to get a new user.
From there, estimate your conversion rate. Think about how many people who tap your ad will actually follow through. Maybe you’ve been running ads for a while and you know that about 40% of people who tap end up installing. If you’re new, take your best guess based on similar campaigns or use 30–40% as a ballpark.
In our example, 40% of tappers install. That means for every 10 people who tap, 4 actually become users. Do the math: divide what you’re willing to spend ($2.50) by your conversion rate (40%). That gives you a target of about $1.00 per tap. That’s your starting point for a max CPT bid. Set your default bid around that number. You can tweak it later if things don’t pan out the way you expected.
When you’re setting up your campaign, Apple will usually suggest a max CPT bid. This isn’t random; it’s based on your app’s category, other similar advertisers, and what tends to work. While you don’t have to follow their suggestion, it’s a helpful starting point, especially if you’re not sure where to begin.
Also, keep an eye on the bid insights in your dashboard. These show how your bids stack up and whether you might be missing out on opportunities because you’re bidding too low.
Your max CPT is just the ceiling. You won’t always pay that full amount. Apple runs an auction system, so you only pay just above what the next advertiser is bidding. Think of it like bidding on eBay. Just because you can pay $1.00 doesn’t mean you will every time.
Bottom line: Don’t just guess your way through setting bids. Start with solid numbers, test them, and adjust as you go. It’s not about bidding the highest. You also need to bid smart.
9. Review recommendations
Apple wants you to succeed. That’s why it gives you recommendations, which you can find in the Recommendations link located in the upper-right corner of the Campaigns dashboard.
These recommendations give you an overview of what’s working well, what’s not, and what you can do about it. Before applying any recommendation, study the metrics and make a data-driven decision.
Optimize your Apple Search Ads today
Running ads in the App Store can be challenging at times. If you want to make sure you’re making the right decisions, get in touch with ShyftUp. As one of the leading user acquisition agencies, they have the experience and expertise to help you run successful Apple Search Ads. Give them a call today!
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