Monetize Your App
The power of ASA is sometimes overlooked when it comes to improving the App Store performance because many people believe it to be having only a short-term effect on the visibility and conversion rate of an app. With the right strategy, however, ASA can reach far more success for your app than you imagine.
The usual KPIs for app advertising can be related to Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM), Tap Through Rate (TTR), Cost Per Install (CPI), Cost Per Action (CPA), or simply retention rate. Identifying relevant metrics can lead you toward achieving your larger goals and objectives with ease.
Apple Search Ads is a user acquisition channel for brands or businesses to reach relevant audiences for their app. With Apple Search Ads and PPC advertising (Pay-per-click advertising), marketers can significantly improve their visibility in the App Store. The highest bidder gets their ad placed on the results page for a specific keyword – highlighted in blue at the very top of the page.
Appearing first on relevant App Store pages is a valuable branding tool, putting your app ahead of your competitors even if they have effective App optimization. However, this exposure is only as powerful as the strategy behind it: Apple Search Ads still requires marketers to bid on relevant keywords for their ads to convert users successfully.
There are two solutions available to an apple search ads agency: Basic and Advanced, Basic is a simpler way to output App Store Ads. Advanced is more elaborate, providing more considerable options for advertisers to review the strategy and optimize the campaign.
Apple Search Ads Basic
The solution of Apple Search Ads Basic is more fitting for developers to manage or adjust their App Store Ads campaign.
Unlike the model of PPC advertising, one creates an ad to place them at the top of the App Store search results using the cost-per-install (CPI) model by choosing the Basic solution. Users of this solution only need to pay for installs at a cost they choose.
While simple and straightforward, the Basic solution doesn’t grant users any access to the Apple Search Ads Campaign Management and keyword data, giving less information and control to make adjustments or refine the keywords.
There’s a limitation on the number of apps you can promote with Basic.
The maximum monthly budget you can spend is limited to USD10,000 per app for one month. In terms of accessing the features of reporting, basic users can view the data through a quick-view dashboard with metrics measuring the performance of their App Store Ads.
This solution is recommended for those who want high conversion rates with less complicated settings and a fixed budget. You can simplify the process by just setting the goal for your campaign, then Apple will utilize its automation to target the audience and maximize your performance.
Apple Search Ads Advanced
Apple Search Ads Advanced solution is designed for marketing and business professionals of all levels. Developers, advertisers, and marketing personnel from agencies can choose this solution to run App Store Ads at the top of App Store search results or place it on the Search tab located at the top of the list of suggested apps.
With a cost-per-tap (CPT) model which is much more similar to PPC advertising, advertisers will only pay when an App Store user clicks on their ad, with no set maximum budget. The actual amount the advertiser has to pay will be the result of the second price auction.
Compared to the Basic solution, Advanced gives a higher level of control to the advertisers, as they can manage their campaigns with Campaign Management API and the keywords data.
Advertisers can optimize their keywords and change certain settings according to adjusted strategy, it providing a greater level of flexibility. As far as the reporting features go, it is much more detailed.
The Advanced solution is better for marketers who would like to gain access to marketing tools, choose keywords based on their research and data, set or adjust their target audience to see the campaign and those who are familiar with PPC advertising.
The amount of freedom to refine the campaigns will allow more room for marketers and advertisers to optimize, re-strategize, and control costs.
Apple’s algorithms determine the app's appearance on the App Store. Two factors affect app appearance in Apple Search Ads: bid amount and app relevance to keywords you bid for to reach the highest possible impressions, taps, and installs through App Store Ads.
According to Apple, 65% of all app downloads happen after a search on the App Store. Through Apple Search Ads, you can reach the audience with strong download intent by strategically bidding on the relevant keywords of the app. The platform operates on an auction pricing model where you are charged only when a user taps through to your App Store page.
Advertisers may sometimes be confused with Apple Search Ads and Google App Campaigns due to their similarity in advertising for apps solely.
Apple Search Ads are App Store Ads that appear exclusively on the Apple App Store. If an app owner or marketer would like to advertise on the App Store, they must use Apple Search Ads. Google App Campaigns, on the other hand, are more than App Store Ads that can only be displayed on Google Play Store; it can appear on other Google platforms such as Google search, Youtube, and Google Display Network. So if an advertiser likes to promote an app that has been launched on Play store, they are highly recommended to choose Google App Campaign to expand the reach of their app campaign.
Both however have similarities as the way they operate is akin to PPC advertising. For example, you will be able to set your target audience and may have to implement a keyword bidding strategy if needed. Depending on the objectives, you may like to focus on maximizing install rates, driving in-app purchases etc. Each objective requires you to vary your bidding choices.
The main difference is that Apple Search Ads is like a form of PPC advertising that is targeted distinctly at iOS or Apple App Store users. According to Apple official data, currently there are 1.8 billion iOS devices being actively used. Put simply, Apple App Store is one of the biggest app markets that you should not ignore when promoting your apps.
If you are interested in promoting your app with Google App Campaign, or other forms of PPC advertising, please go directly to this page for more information, or have a chat with us to learn more.
While Apple Search Ads is indeed a better fit for generating exposure and popularity in a short-term period, it can go further to initiate a successful performance campaign for your app by making your app stand out from the crowd. When a user is searching for an app, it is likely that they will choose an app that ranks higher on the search results from the almost 2 million available apps on the Apple App Store.
Therefore, utilizing Apple Search Ads can significantly increase your app visibility.
With this opportunity, more actions should be taken to enhance and prolong the exposure. That’s how ASO (App Store Optimization) comes into play by building up on the foundation Apple Search Ads lays.
After attracting targeted users to click onto the App Store product page, an optimized page with rich and precise content can introduce your app better to the app users, enticing them to download the app. It can directly boost conversion rate, land your app at the top of the chart by getting more installs, and receive rave ratings and reviews. Excellent reviews and high ranking can also help raise brand awareness, establishing a clear image of what the app is about.
Additionally, the A/B testing function of ASO means that you can continue to optimize and improve from what goes wrong with your original ad campaign. Overall it can be an essential complementary practice to Apple Search Ads that advertisers want.
Even though ASO is not a compulsory step for clients to take after running an Apple Search Ads campaign, it is still a highly recommended move for all app marketers.