This document provides an overview of Apple Search Ads, including its launch, targeting options, goals, billing, creatives, interface, insights it provides into app store optimization, early performance and issues, and considerations for using the platform. Key details include unprecedented insights into app store search queries and metrics, affordable cost per installation rates so far, promising post-install metrics, and competitive pressures and rising costs as the platform scales. However, the interface has bugs, attribution can vary, and relevance and inventory are not transparent. Early adoption is recommended to access traffic before costs increase further.

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Apple Search Ads
11/30/2016 @Thomasbcn #APSBerlin

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App Installs Ads
Launch Summer 2015 Fall 2016
Geo Worldwide US only*
Mobile web
App store
iOS & Android
Android
N/A
iOS
Keyword Research
Detailed impression
volume, blended
web/appstore
Indexed impression
volume, US iOS
AppStore
Goals
Prospection
Re-engagement
Prospection
Re-engagement
22% US web search
2% US mobile web search
No App install ads
0% app store search

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App Installs Ads
Billing
CPC & CPI*
(*android only)
CPT
(Optional CPI target)
Targeting
Options beside
keywords
Phones/tablets (bid)
Location (bid)
-
-
Scheduling (bid)
Languages
Phones/tablets (I/O)
Location (I/O)
Gender
Age range
Scheduling (I/O)
-
Match types
Broad
Broad modifier
Phrase
Exact
Search
Broad
Exact
Creatives
User defined
1 line, text only
Automated
2 lines + screens
Ad placements 2(+) 1
Competitive bidding
Position #2
(exc. yours)
Position #1
(inc. yours)

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How to set up Apple Search Ad Campaigns – Incipia
Interface overview

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Interface overview

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Interface overview

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Why?
Unprecedented ASO insights
Affordable CPI so far
Promising post-install metrics
Fraud-free first party traffic
Competitive war
No minimum. First $100 for free (2016)

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Unprecedented ASO insights
Until now:
- ASO tools volume estimates mostly
extrapolated from web data and inconsistent
- query specific data from Adwords only from
web search on iOS, mixed web/store on Android
Now:
- Apple Popularity index
Chrome extension, Apptweak, Mobile action
- Query-level TTR, install conversion
& post-install metrics

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Unprecedented ASO insights

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Market benchmark (US iOS)
Charboost $3.04
Geenapp $1.92
Fiksu up to $4
Singular $2.99 to $8.63
Search Ads:
Mobile Action $0.40
Singular $1.31
Advertisers report $0.24, $0.31, $0.43, $0.71, $0.85
… Hurry up: CPI already raised x1.5-3 since launch
Affordable CPIs for early adopters

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Promising post-install metrics

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But… early days issues
Interface
Scalability
Keyword Match
Relevance
Attribution
Creatives
Impression share

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Interface issues
Login errors
Multiple bugs
Reporting: total, dates, reports
Editing: low limits, bugs
Duplicates management
API documentation

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Scalability & sustainability
Inventory capped and undisclosed
US only so far*
CPT/CPI rising fast
“Initially we had very good results. Very low CPTs and
CPAs, High TTR and CRs. This has dramatically
changed since the beginning of November. Volume is
down and prices are up”, Look

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November trends
Volume ↑↑↑
CPI ↑↑
ROAS ↓

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Keyword match
Exact match: limited volume, not really exact
Broad match: very broad
Search match: exploration (extremely broad)
Negative keywords
No broad modifier, no phrase match
Don’t use special characters!
> Account structure issues

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Attribution discrepancies
20% to 40% discrepancy Apple/MMP is “normal”
- Install definition: “initiated download” vs “first open”
- Apple servers delay to MMP
- IDFA0 users not reported
Each ~ 10% to 20% discrepancy!
Also within the interface at campaign/adgroup level sometimes…
“Apple is responding to our requests too slowly, which
causes discrepancies”, Adjust

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Competitive war

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Competitive bidding

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Tap on high volume brands traffic?

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Miss out, and lose organic traffic!

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Protect your brand
It took Google over a year to correct this

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Relevance score?
Undisclosed value, methodology
Limited leverage
Brand terms CPT surface RS inconsistency

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Other caveats
No creative testing
No bid modifier: I/O
No changelog
No bidding guidance
No post install data optimization or integrated reporting
No impression share / inventory insights
Search match keyword level reporting to MMP?
Impact on organic?! (Incipia)

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Apple Search Ads : takeaway
Unparalleled UA source
Real data insights for ASO
Excellent CPI & ROAS… so far
Still in beta? Interface & tracking issues
> Jump in early & tap in