What credibility do App Store Optimization tools have for keyword volume? Why will the use of Apple Search Ads Advanced be key when prioritizing keywords? Why will an attribution platform (3rd party) be key when creating an App Store Optimization strategy and using Apple Search Ads Advanced? About all this in the following article.

Search volume for a keyword in the App Store

When conducting keyword research for their games and mobile apps on the App Store, most App Store Optimization specialists use tools such as Appfollow, Appfigures, Appradar or Apptweak. App Store Optimization tools provide some interesting opportunities to check the potential of a keyword in terms of volume (search popularity for a keyword), the chance of entering the top 10 or the number of competing apps searched for a keyword. One of the most important performance indicators for a keyword when doing prioritization is search volume.

As you can see in the graphics above, the search volume for the keywords merge games, merge, mystery games, homescapes in App Store Optimization tools – Apptweak or Appfollow is the same. Why? This is data taken from Apple Search Ads Advanced. Volume is an indicator from 5 to 100 in Apptweak (0 to 100 in Appfollow), which shows how popular a keyword is in search results. The higher the number, the more popular the keyword.

This is the Search Popularity indicator from Apple Search Ads Advanced (available in countries where it is possible to promote games and mobile apps in the App Store).

Keywords in Apple Search Ads Advanced and data visibility

At this point you may ask me: How is this possible when the popularity of keywords in Apple Search Ads Advanced is shown by “blue dots”?

This data is hidden, but you can check it by inspecting the html code. If you don’t have such skills, you can use, for example, a script from SearchAdsHQ, which, when enabled, will show you quite interesting data.

The number 10800 in green next to the keyword Merge games is the number of daily impressions for the keyword in the country. The higher the popularity of a keyword, the higher the volume in Apple Search Ads Advanced.

App Store optimization, Apple Search Ads Advanced and attribution platform (MMP)

If you are a small game developer, you probably won’t have the resources to check the effectiveness (revenue generation) of Apple Search Ads Advanced for a keyword, and you will do your keyword research based on ASO tools. In the App Store, unfortunately, there is no way to check the effectiveness of an organic keyword in terms of revenue (in-app, subscription), and your indicator that you will consider will only be the position of a keyword.

However, if you have the means to conduct acquisition (user acquisition) in Apple Search Ads Advanced and want to combine this with an App Store Optimization strategy then great.

Combined with an attribution platform like (Singular, Tenjin, Appsflyer, Adjust) Apple Search Ads campaigns will allow you to see how effective (ROAS, sales from in-apps, etc.) a keyword is and which keywords are worth considering for metadata. Of course, in 2022 you won’t be able to see all the installations from Apple Search Ads (because of LAT on iOS‌) on the attribution platform, but you will estimate the results in Excel, for example.

Apple Search Ads Advanced is also a great tool for boosting keyword positions in the App Store, indexing a keyword in search results or checking revenue potential. If you are starting out in Apple Search Ads and want to check their sales potential (% conversion to subscription, in-app, subscription, mobile app sales) then start with words with high-medium volume. It’s also worthwhile for you to simplify your campaign structure and start with tailored keyword campaigns with one keyword per Ad Group.

Combining Apple Search Ads Advanced with the MMP platform and App Store Optimization gives you really great opportunities.