Third-parties are having a tough time connecting to prospective and current users due to recent tracking and security upgrades put out with iOS 14. As a result, with Apple Search Ads, Apple is grabbing the opportunity to establish complete control over app store advertising. However, let us expand on this idea in this article and go over this service in further detail.

Apple Search Ads have been available for a few years. The online advertising sector, on the other hand, is still catching up to them. Apple is still figuring out how to run its ad network. Since the service’s introduction, they’ve been routinely releasing upgrades and new features.

Apple Search Ads (ASA) are paid ads that display at the top of the Google results page of Apple’s App Store for iPhone and iPad. Apple first introduced ASA back in 2016.

Let’s find out more about them.

ShyftUp is a global full-service mobile user acquisition firm based in San Francisco. Our key offering is boosting mobile app users with an ROI-driven strategy. App Store Optimization (ASO) and Paid User Acquisition are the two primary services we focus on to help you build your user base. We want to break down ASA for you so you can easily kick off your Paid User Acquisition efforts.

What are Apple Search Ads?

Apple Search Ads (ASA) is a way for advertisers to engage with a potentially profitable target audience. Marketers can share their software or app with users who have demonstrated interest in specific topics by bidding for relevant phrases so that, the app can appear on top when a user queries a particular keyword in the app store.

It’s easy to understand why advertisers would invest in Apple Search Ads to connect with iOS users, given that iPhone handsets currently account for up to 45 percent of the US smartphone market, according to Statista.

Apple Search Ads are an effective acquisition technique because your app is displayed to consumers already searching for functions that your app provides, hence, help to gain impressions.

How is Apple’s ad platform different than the others?

While Apple Search Ads may appear similar to Google or Bing mobile ads, consumer behavior on this platform is vastly different.

How people interact with app store search differs significantly from how they engage with a traditional search engine. Some of the most popular keywords on app stores are single-word head terms that are unlikely to score well on Google or Bing.

Aside from the changes in search behavior, the ad platform takes a different approach towards creative customization for Apple Search Ads.

You can’t upload graphics or text like you can on some other channels as a mobile marketer. Apple introduced Creative Sets to give you more control over your mobile app store ad creatives.

How to optimize your Apple Search Ads?

  • Sort your campaigns into categories

If you want more control over your results, segregate your campaigns so you can scale and tweak them as needed depending on your app store search and marketing objectives.

Here are some ideas for segmenting your campaigns strategically:

  • Non-Branded vs. Branded
  • Kind of customer (New vs. Returning, LAT On vs. Off)
  • Themes or categories that are similar.
  • In its campaign, it’s an exact match.
  • The discovery (Search Match & Broad Match)
  • Keywords with the best results.

  • Increase your bid for targeted search keyword

As a mobile marketer, you should adjust prices for your campaigns based on results, such as increasing bids for exact match keywords.

These keywords indicate that a person is looking for your specific keywords, meaning that search intent meets a better match. More significant bids for a particular Apple Search Ads campaign will effectively change the equation, especially since Apple only shows one ad per search term.

  • Use negative keywords to your advantage

If you notice that some keywords are wreaking havoc on your app store optimization efforts, include them in your unfavorable keyword list.

  • To uncover new keywords, use Discovery Campaigns

Use Discovery Campaigns to see what other keywords you might want to include in your exact match advertisements. Include an excellent fit negative to the search match effort when you have it to your precise campaigns.

  • Test a variety of creative setups 

Apple does not allow you to create new ad wording, but you may create “sets” of bespoke presentations of your app’s screenshots. You can set up new creative settings to see what works once you’ve established a foundation with your “default” setting.

How to get started with Apple Search Ads?

  • Know what you want to achieve

Are you attempting to reach out to new, returning, or all users? These are all things to bear in mind while modifying your campaign’s settings.

  • Check if your app is ready for ASA

Before launching your sponsored ads, make sure your app and any other third-party tracking are set correctly.

  • Choose between Basic and Advanced based on your needs

For starters, app marketers should be aware that two tiers of Apple Search Ads are available: Basic and Advanced.

Apple Search Ads – Basic:

    1. If you have a monthly budget of less than $10,000.
    2. Pay only for the installations you want at the price you wish (CPI).
    3. Apple’s AI and algorithm handle the remainder.

Apple Search Ads – Advanced:

    1. You can target keywords, audiences, and areas if your monthly budget is $10,000 or more.
    2. You must be able to handle your bids.

With the rise of mobile transactions, Apple Search Ads are an excellent addition to the marketing mix for app marketers. We propose targeting prospective and current clients to companies for whom reach and installations are significant in the marketing and sales KPIs.

Do you need help with your user acquisition efforts? Contact us today, and let’s discuss the many ways we can work together to reach your goals.