Why should you use Apple Search Ads in iOS app marketing? Four main reasons.

Will you be able to build the strategy of App Store Optimization with the use of Apple Search Ads? Will you be able, thanks to paid Apple Search campaigns, to boost in organic results the keywords that haven’t been showing in the rank lists so far? Are you able to find in 2019 the keywords that are not ‘ heavily embraced’ by competition apps or games? What type of mobile apps use Apple Search Ads as the main source of paid installs? All this you’ll find in the text below.

Apple Search Ads is a mobile advertising platform available in two versions, Basic and Advanced. When promoting the application in Apple Search Ads Basic, we pay in the model for the installation without the possibility of targeting the user in paid search results. Apple chooses whom to display the ad.

A more extensive version are Apple Search Ads Advanced ads where you have the possibility of broad targeting of keywords (exact match, broad match or matching to search).

Ads in Paid App Store search results are characterized by a high average tapping factor (ATTR) of TTR – 6.06% compared to the average rate of clicks on advertisements on other platforms. Facebook News Feed – 1.46%, Facebook Audience Network – 1.40%, Facebook Messenger – 0.67%, Google Search – 2.6%.

Of course, the TTR (Tap Through Rate) varies depending on the application category (Health and Fitness – 10.07%, Business – 8.12%, Sports – 5.28%, Games – 4.69%). The percentages are from Adstage and SearchAdsHQ.

SearchAdsHQ – Apple Search Ads Benchmarks Report 2019

One of the most important issues is the high level of conversion (CVR) from the tap to the installation. It amounts to 50% -55%. In short, every second tap on the ad will get you the installation of the application or game.

In the below article I’m going to present 4 reasons why you should implement the strategy of gaining users through the Apple Search Ads campaign.

1. Preparing Metadata based on campaign results

There are several factors responsible for search results in the App Store. Some relate directly to the developer, some do not.

The most important factors impacting the position of keywords that the developer influences is the name of the application (visible in the search results, up to 30 characters), the subtitle (visible in the search results to 30 characters) and keywords (invisible in the search results, 100 characters). There are also in-app names, but in this article I focus on the title, subtitle and key words.

By introducing a new application to the App Store and preparing metadata, the developer is often based on such tools as Mobile Action or ASODesk. These tools are very helpful when building an ASO strategy, but real data from the profitability of given keywords will bring you a campaign in Apple Search Ads.

Thanks to it, you can see how real impressions look in the search results, how many in-game purchases or registrations in the application brings you a given keyword and what ROAS looks like from a given advertising campaign.

Based on the results in paid search results, you’ll be able to prepare new metadata for subsequent keywords changes that convert and bring in revenue.

2. Increasing organic keywords in search results

The metadata in the application have a limited number of characters. The number of characters for the title has been lowered for several years. When conducting App Store Optimization audits for our clients, we would like to be able to use 50 characters in the title and 50 characters in the subtitle.

Ideally, we would use 200 characters in keywords in order to be ranked in the top-listed search results (TOP 10).

Unfortunately, the limited number of characters doesn’t allow that. This is where Apple Search Ads comes with help.

In our clients’ campaigns, we see increases for keywords that we do not use in metadata. In addition, these keywords at the time the campaign is launched are outside the search results.

The increase begins to appear in the organic search results by using these keywords in paid campaigns. Most keywords reach the TOP 10 and maintain the position even after ending the promotion of the application or game. One of the better strategies for building a list of keywords are typos (competition name, type of game etc.).

With the Apple Search Ads campaign, you are able to boost such a typo in the search results, additionally getting a low CPA installation (Cost Per Acquisition often mistaken for Cost Per Action).

3. Possibility of finding low CPA keywords

The competition in Advanced campaigns for exact matches and broad matches is huge. A position in paid search results is filled even by a dozen or so mobile apps or mobile games.

An important aspect will be the strategy you have adopted. Do you want to compete in paid search results and pay for the installation of an application or game a dozen zlotych, or find keywords with low and medium search volumes paying a lot less for a valuable installation.

Are you able in 2019 to find keywords not competing with other 15 or 20 apps?

Of course, it will take you some time though. If you have a limited budget, do not use an approximate keyword match. Focus only on exact matches and constantly control CPT (cost per tap for the ad) and CPA (cost for installation). You should measure the results of the campaign on the attribution platform.

4. High tolerance for ads approval for given categories

Compared to the installation campaign on Facebook or in the Universal App Campaigns (UAC). Apple has a high level of “tolerance” for the advertising of selected categories of mobile applications.

For example, betting, bitcoin or loan apps have a big problem with launching a promotional campaign on Facebook (it’s interesting that Coinbase does not have this problem :)) or on Google because of the regulations.

The developer of such applications will never be sure whether the installation campaign will be accepted and whether he will not be forced to look for another source for the application installation.

In Apple Search Ads bitcoin, betting and loan apps do not have this problem. For this type of app, Apple Search Ads is often the number one source for iOS downloads.

Summing up in one sentence, in 2019 Apple Search Ads is a “must-have” when building a marketing strategy for your application or mobile game.

And, how are you getting on with advertising campaigns of you game or application in Apple Search Ads?