Apple Search Ads (ASA) is Apple’s native advertising network – a collection of highly engaged audiences looking for an app that will solve their problem, or catch their attention. With favorable ads that blend into publisher content, Apple Search Ads offers a unique way to tap into new audiences and drive valuable installs.
If you are investing in ASA, you probably want to make sure that your investment will be worth it. This is why the best way to start should be with a complete overview of everything that’s possible with it.
There is a lot to learn about ASA. They have made some big changes recently and as a developer, getting your ads to perform well can be time-consuming and confusing. Here’s everything you need to learn to master it from A-Z.
What Is Apple Search Ads (ASA)?
ASA is the advertising platform that displays your ads in the App Store. It was launched by Apple in September 2017 to support its plans to become a significant mobile advertisement provider. According to Apple’s website; “Apple Search Ads helps people discover your app when they search on the App Store, matching customers with your app right when they’re looking.”
Where Is Apple Search Ads Available?
ASA is available in a lot of countries but there are still some countries where the platform is not available yet. According to its website, advertisers in Apple are still trying to work on making the platform available for all countries.
You can see the list of countries ASA is available here.
How Effective Is Apple Search Ads?
The effectiveness of the platform may vary depending on your app, your ads, and your strategy. If utilized correctly, ASA is considered to be one of the best ways of advertising for an app and the data supports this claim.
As of 2022, the App Store has 2.184 million apps and games. 500 million people visit the App Store every week, and the reports prove that the platform is successful.
You can read the success stories shared by Apple Search Ads to learn more about how Apple Search Ads works and helps mobile apps reach success.
What is Cost-Per-Tap (CPT) in Apple Search Ads?
CPT is a model; this means you pay every time someone taps on your ad. Your CPT is calculated by dividing your total cost by the number of impressions you’ve received.
When bidding, you will set your Max CPT per Ad Group or Keyword Level. You will only be charged the Max CPT you set, but might lose out on bids if you do not decrease your CPT enough to be competitive with other advertisers.
What is Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA) in Apple Search Ads?
CPA is a metric that plays a key role in measuring the success of your ASA campaigns. It mostly affects your bottom line. In order to ensure high return on investment (ROI) levels, you should test multiple ad sets at a time and identify the winning ones. In a way, it is affected by the Tap-Through-Rate (TTR), the Conversion Rate, and your CPT. Any weaknesses during your user acquisition process can end up increasing your acquisition costs.
Is ASA Just For Apps?
Yes, ASA is a platform that’s created for mobile apps. You can only advertise mobile apps and reach users who are searching for mobile apps.
What Is the Difference Between Apple Search Ads Basic And Advanced?
While the Basic option works with the Cost-Per-Install (CPI) model and allows a maximum budget of $10.000 with up to 50 apps; the Advanced model allows much more options. The Advanced section of ASA allows an unlimited budget with an unlimited number of apps and gives full control of your bids and keywords. It allows catering your ads specifically to different audiences, regions, and more. This section also calculates your bids with a Cost-Per-Click (CPC) model. It’s important to note that the Basic version of ASA doesn’t have these options and targets your audience by machine learning.
In other words, the Advanced section of ASA is where everything happens. Because you can display your ads to the users who are looking for your app.
How Does Apple Search Ads Work?
ASA allows you to create highly relevant ad groups with one or more keywords, and target them by country, language, device type, and ‘App Category’. Apple App Search generates separate search queries for each of the 24 countries where it is available. The platform works by allowing you to bid on keywords, so that your app can appear above organic search results when users type in relevant searches on their iPhones or iPads.
ASA lets you set your own budget, target specific audiences, and measure your ROI with real-time data. It’s also a great way to get people who have already downloaded your app to come back and use it again.
Depending on your keyword, bidding, and localization strategy, the ad platform helps you reach your potential users this way.
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By now, you should be pretty familiar with Apple Search Ads. If you’re just getting started, you know the basics of what it is and how to set it up. ASA is a great way to maximize your App Store Page visibility. Through careful implementation and ongoing optimization, your ASA could be one of the most beneficial places to achieve the goals you have for your mobile app.
