Apple Search Ads is a platform that is a subset of App Store Optimization, an effective process of improving the iOS Apps’ visibility by carefully following guidelines and policies set by Apple Store. It is a paid marketing service whose algorithm focuses on keywords searched by the users. Just like ASO, Apple Search Ads also require a well-organized and optimized homepage to capture the user’s attention.
Apple Search Ads specifically have a significant advantage over other platforms for iOS Apps’ user acquisition. It boasts a whopping 50% conversion rate and almost 65% of the users using the search bar end up downloading the application they were looking for. This makes it crystal clear that there is a huge user base which directly correlates to earning more revenue.
What are the Benefits of Apple Search Ads for User Acquisition?
Apple Search Ads are the X factor that provides proper access to the application in front of a target audience. Multiple claims convey that advertising via Apple search is one of the most foolproof and infallible methods of marketing with successful instances backing up the claims. The benefits are as follows:
1. Top visibility
Most of the applications in the app store are downloaded via the search option, it is of extreme significance to have a prime placement for your advertisement. These ads get positions above the organic search results.
Apple-Search-Ads-Advanced-placement(source: Apple)
2. Intent-based search
The ads targeted at the user in the Apple store are displayed according to the keyword matches and not based on the search history of the IDs. This attribute gives it an overwhelming advantage compared to individual behavior-based ad algorithms.
3. Accurate targeting of users
ASA is a keyword-based advertising approach hence all your advertisements will be shown to prospective customers who are interested in a specific category of Apps. Rather than improving the accuracy of targeting advertising audiences, focus on advertising creatives instead. This is one of the key reasons that gives Apple Search Ads the highest accuracy/conversion channels for iOS Apps’ user acquisition.
4. Inexpensive cost per tap/install
Smaller companies cannot generally afford to post ads on such prestigious platforms but in the case of Apple Search Ads, the cost per tap is said to be as low as 25 cents and this gives even the smaller companies a fair chance to compete with the front runners.
5. Extremely easy to set up
The Apple App Store platform is very user-friendly. It has clear instructions and simple options making it very easy to navigate and post the required ad campaign.
Related reading: Apple Search Ads Set-up Tutorial Step by Step(with detailed screenshots)
6. Schedule your ads
This technique is mainly used for the benefit of seasonal apps. This technique allows us to promote the app when in season and save cash when it's off-season. It can also be used to show your ad at a particular time frame.
Before getting started with Apple Search Ads. These best practices may help.
How to Measure Apple Search Ads?
It is essential to understand how well or how efficiently the current ad campaign is performing. This metric paints the bigger picture, enabling us to understand how to further optimize the campaign, improving the revenue. The best practices are as follows:
Identifying the right metrics: The correct parameters which affect the effectiveness must be analyzed. The metrics are used to identify the target audience’s behavior. With a proper understanding of the audience mentality, we can increase the efficiency of the campaign.
Expenditure: This analyzes the total amount spent on the ad campaign. An accurate picture of this expenditure can be drawn by calculating parameters like cost per tap, cost per acquisition, conversion rate, etc. This makes us more cost-effective and hence increases overall efficiency.
Revenue: A proper tab of the revenue generated needs to be maintained. Optimal results can be achieved by calculating and analyzing parameters such as Overall revenue, Revenue by platform, commission, Places that generate maximum revenue and LTV.
Subscriptions: Subscription needs to be analyzed to find out the customer longevity and the extent to which the people are attracted to the subscription plans offered. The above can be optimized by calculating the new, active, renewed and canceled subscriptions along with the churn rate.
Trials: Trials are generally a period where the user has just enough access to familiarize themselves with the app while not giving access to all the features. This trial period acts as the make or break for the app and the data taken from installations during the trial period installs to trial rate and trial to purchase rate are used for further optimization.
- Issues: Issues talk about the number of problems and challenges faced by the app ranging from refunds to cancellations and billing issues to software crashes. These bugs and mishaps help us rectify the mistakes and shortcomings, hence improving the app as a whole.
Know more about Apple Search Ads metrics here: Apple Search Ads: Metrics You Need to Know.
Measure ASA Performance with Appflow.ai
Appflow.ai is an in-app subscription analytics platform to build, analyze, experiment and grow your subscription apps. One of the awesome features Appflow.ai provides is funnel analysis, which can measure the post-install performance of marketing campaigns. Integrated with ASA, Appflow.ai can help track and create post-install funnels at the level of campaigns, ad groups and keywords. Like this:
From the post-install funnel, you can get a lot of insights: which campaign or keyword brings the most valuable users; which is the most effective marketing campaign; how many installs from a specific campaign have converted to subscribers; etc. Knowing these insights can help you reallocate your marketing budgets reasonably and make the best use of them.
You can know more about how to improve Apple Search Ads with funnel analysis.
Appflow.ai's funnel analysis is available on the Free plan(up to $10K/MTR). Create a free account (no credit card required) and start cohort analysis today!
Conclusion
Companies and businesses developed applications by investing tremendous amounts of work and energy into them. The first objective of the company’s advertising team is to increase the number of downloads and build a loyal user base. For that, they spend proper time and money to reach the target audience using Apple Search Ads and measure the effectiveness of the steps taken to market the product.
Hope this article provides good insight into how beneficial Apple Search Ads are and how you can measure the performance of ASA.
What are the Benefits of Apple Search Ads for User Acquisition 2023?
