Today Tab
Ads appear on the App Store homepage, making this placement useful for launches and seasonal campaigns. Users land on an approved custom product page.
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Advertising for iOS apps and games
Apple Ads Campaigns
in the App Store
We reach users as they search the App Store for an app like yours. We choose placements and keywords, test product pages, and measure what it costs to acquire users and whether they sign up, make a purchase, or subscribe after installing.
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- 14 years of experiencein mobile app and game marketing
- Over 240 millioninstalls generated for clients
- iOS and Androidapps and games across different business models
Where do Apple Ads appear?
We choose placements based on your campaign goal and where users are most likely to discover your app.
Search Tab
Ads appear in the Search tab before a user enters a query, reaching people at the start of their app search.
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Search Results
Ads appear in App Store search results, where two ads for different apps can appear as of 2026. We choose a bidding strategy based on how much control we need over keywords and costs.
Maximize Conversions or Manage Bids
Product Pages
Ads appear on other apps’ product pages as users browse the App Store. This placement is available in 90 countries and regions and can target selected app categories.
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Selected projects
Apps and games
we’ve worked on.
Selected ARPU Brothers projects across app categories and business models.
Bidding strategies for Search Results
With Apple Ads Advanced, you pay per tap (CPT) across all placements. For Search Results, a target CPA helps control the cost per install and gives the campaign an optimization goal.
Maximize Conversions
We set a target CPA, and Apple adjusts bids automatically. The campaign includes an automatically created ad group with Search Match enabled.
We also add ad groups with selected keywords, custom ad variations, and audience settings. Apple sets keyword bids under this strategy, so we focus on the target CPA and keyword selection.
Manage Bids
We set maximum CPT bids and select keywords. Search Results ad groups can also use an optional CPA cap that affects the bid ceiling calculated by the system.
Keyword matching
- Search Match
- Apple automatically matches your ad to searches using your App Store metadata. We use Search Match to discover new keywords to test.
- Broad match
- Broad match helps us test keyword variations. We review actual search terms and exclude irrelevant ones.
- Exact match
- Exact match gives us the most control over the searches that trigger your ad. We use it in single-keyword ad groups, for terms we also want to rank for organically, and for keywords that have already delivered a return on investment.
How do we structure campaigns?
We tailor the structure to the market, the budget, and the number of installs we need to evaluate performance. With a smaller budget, we start where we see the most potential.
Brand protection
We target terms related to your app or brand name and check whether ads drive additional downloads for searches where your app already appears.
Category
We target searches related to app features, use cases, or genres. We group terms by user intent and compare their costs.
Competitors
We target selected searches related to competing apps and assess whether the installs justify the spend.
Search Match
We discover search terms and move promising keywords into a separate exact match test. We use negative keywords where they help reduce overlap between ad groups.
Single-keyword ad group (SKAG)
We use a dedicated ad group when a keyword has enough traffic to warrant its own bid or product page.
How do Apple Ads support organic visibility and App Store Optimization?
Apple Ads lets you promote your app for selected App Store searches. Campaign data shows us which searches drive installs and where we can improve your product page.
- Campaigns for selected keywordsAds help users discover your app directly from search results.
- Download and conversion analysisWe identify which searches drive the most installs and bring in valuable users.
- Metadata and screenshot testingWe use campaign results to decide which keywords and messages to test in the App Store.
After making changes, we track keyword rankings and organic downloads separately.
- More installs
- Ads reach people looking for a specific feature or type of app. A product page that matches their intent helps turn taps into downloads.
- Visibility for new keywords
- We can advertise for searches where your app doesn’t yet appear organically. We then consider relevant terms when updating metadata.
- Keyword validation
- We compare costs, installs, and post-install behavior to decide which keywords to test further.
- Higher product page conversion
- We match messaging and screenshots to user intent. When searches reflect different use cases, we test custom product pages.
- Organic ranking analysis
- More downloads and higher conversion often coincide with better organic rankings. We also account for metadata changes, app updates, and seasonality when evaluating results.
At ARPU Brothers, we use paid visibility to acquire users and test keywords. We apply what we learn from campaigns to plan long-term organic growth.
Explore our App Store Optimization servicesMobile attribution for Apple Ads
We review spend, taps, and downloads in the Apple Ads dashboard. We track post-install results separately in a mobile measurement partner (MMP) platform or in RevenueCat or Adapty, depending on the app’s business model and integrations.
MMP (Airbridge, AppsFlyer, Adjust, Singular, Tenjin)
We combine Apple Ads attribution with spend and in-app events. For each campaign, we measure outcomes such as cost per first purchase, cost per subscription, and return on ad spend (ROAS).
RevenueCat and Adapty
For subscription apps, we analyze trial starts, paid subscriptions, and revenue by campaign or ad group. We compare those results with Apple Ads spend to calculate subscriber acquisition cost and ROAS.
AdServices can attribute an install to a specific Apple Ads campaign even when users don’t opt in through App Tracking Transparency (ATT). We calculate cost per signup and CPA from configured events and compare ROAS across equivalent cohorts and time windows.
How do we get started?
We work through four steps with you, from the first conversation to launch and beyond.
Audit
We review your app, product page, existing Apple Ads account, and measurement setup. We also analyze performance in your MMP.
Campaign plan
We recommend markets, placements, a campaign structure, and a test budget.
Launch and optimization
We launch campaigns, review search terms, bids, and negative keywords, and test product pages.
Reporting and next steps
We report cost per install and post-install conversion, then outline what to change next.
Frequently asked
questions.
Learn where to start with Apple Ads, how we plan budgets, and how we measure results.
How much does it cost to advertise an app with Apple Ads?
Cost depends on the market, competition, placement, and product page conversion rate. We start with a test budget designed to generate enough installs to assess keywords and placements. We set the scope after reviewing your app, campaign goal, and available data.
Which placement should we start with?
If the goal is to drive installs from people actively searching for an app, we often start with Search Results. For launches or awareness campaigns, we also consider other placements.
What’s the difference between CPT and CPA?
CPT (cost per tap) is what you pay when someone taps your ad. CPA is the average cost to acquire one install. We calculate the cost per signup, purchase, or subscription separately using data from your MMP, RevenueCat, or Adapty.
Do Apple Ads improve organic App Store rankings?
Apple Ads gives you paid visibility. Higher download volume and conversion rates often coincide with better organic rankings. Search term and conversion data can also help you choose keywords to test in your metadata. We track organic results separately because a campaign alone cannot guarantee better rankings or that your app will be indexed for a keyword.
Does Apple Ads require SKAdNetwork?
No. Apple Ads uses AdServices, Apple’s attribution mechanism built into iOS. It can attribute an install to a campaign, ad group, and even a keyword, regardless of whether a user opts in to tracking through ATT. That gives us more granular performance data than the aggregated SKAdNetwork reporting used by other ad networks. We configure SKAdNetwork for campaigns on other networks and tailor measurement to each traffic source.
Can you take over an existing Apple Ads account?
Yes. We start by auditing your campaign structure, search terms, bids, budgets, product pages, and measurement setup. We then prioritize changes based on performance and campaign goals.
How soon will I see the first results?
Impressions, taps, and installs typically appear in the dashboard within the first few days. It usually takes several weeks to draw conclusions about keywords, bids, and post-install conversion, depending on your budget and install volume.
What’s the difference between Apple Ads Basic and Advanced?
With Basic, you pay per install and Apple manages your search results ads automatically, with a monthly budget limit of $10,000 per app. Advanced charges per tap and gives you control over keywords, bids, placements, and campaign structure. We usually recommend Advanced for apps looking to scale.
Can we target competitor keywords?
Yes. Apple Ads allows you to target search terms that include other apps’ names. We run these in a separate campaign to control spend and assess whether the installs are worth the cost.
Does Apple Ads work for mobile games?
Yes. For games, we target searches related to genres, game mechanics, and competing titles. We measure performance using metrics such as retention, in-game purchases, and ad revenue.
Can an ad lead to a custom product page?
Yes. We can send users to custom product pages tailored to groups of related keywords. This lets us show screenshots and messaging that match what users are looking for.
Do I need an MMP to run Apple Ads?
You can launch a campaign without one. The Apple Ads dashboard shows spend, taps, and installs. To track what users do after installing, such as signing up, making a purchase, or subscribing, you need an MMP like Airbridge, AppsFlyer, or Adjust, or a subscription platform like RevenueCat or Adapty. With that data, we can calculate the cost to acquire a paying user and the ROAS for each campaign.
How do you report results?
We agree on a reporting schedule at the start. Reports cover spend, installs, CPA, post-install conversion, and ROAS when revenue data is available. We also summarize what we learned from tests and what we plan to change next.
Contact
Your app.
Our plan for growth.
hello@arpubrothers.com Have an iOS app or game? Tell us which market you’re targeting and what you want to achieve. We’ll suggest a campaign structure and test budget.
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