Apple Search Ads: 10 best practices to get you started
In the field of digital marketing dominated by the giant Google and its platform Google Adsplatform, new hosts are emerging, such as Apple, which is launching its Apple Search Ads. What are its specific features and benefits, and how can you make the most of it? That's the subject we're tackling today.
First appearing in 2016, Apple Search Ads gave marketers, and more specifically app marketers, the opportunity to develop promotion and downloads directly from the App Store.
Today, iPhones account for almost half of the US smartphone market. So it's easy to see why marketers are interested in being able to run their ads directly in the App Store, in order to connect directly with iOS users.
Today we're giving you a quick overview of Apple Search Ads, how they work and the best way to get started.
What are Apple Search Ads?
Apple Search Ads (ASA) are sponsored text ads designed to increase awareness and downloads of applications in Apple's App Store.
Ads can appear on iOS devices, i.e. iPhones and iPads. Today, 70% of Apple Store visitors use search to find an app. This statistic can only be eclipsed by the fact that Apple's search ads claim an impressive average conversion rate of 50% for downloads.
For companies where mobile apps are an important part of the relationship with their audience, App Store ads can be a valuable asset for tapping into the iOS market.
How does Apple's advertising platform differ from others?
The first difference lies in consumer behavior On the App it's important to note that while Apple search ads may look familiar to Google or Bing advertisers, consumer behavior is very different on this platform. Keyword management differs greatly, with greater effectiveness for single-word keywords than on platforms such as Google or Bing.
In addition to differences in search behavior, the advertising platform has a different approach to creative personalization for Apple search ads.
As an advertiser, you can't upload images or text as you would on other levers. Apple has launched Creative Sets to give you a creative customization tool for your ads.
Creative Sets are ad variations you can create based on a group of keywords or an audience that includes selected screenshots and app previews that advertisers pull from the product page to compare with the first three default screenshots that appear in the App Store.
Tracking also differs. With Apple Search Ads, you can only measure downloads. To track your various elements, you'll need to work with a Mobile Measurement Partner to track application activity.
In iOS phone settings, Apple also lets users opt to "Limit ad tracking" in iOS, which literally limits ad tracking.
If you have strict performance targets or capped budgets, it may be worthwhile not to target users who opt for limited ad tracking.
How to optimize Apple Search Ads?
A) Segment your campaign types
To gain greater control over your performance, you need to segment your campaigns so that you can adjust them according to your marketing objectives.
Example of campaign segmentation:
- Branded vs. unbranded campaign
- User type (tracking On/Off ads, new/old user)
- Themes
- Best-performing keywords
B) Using negative keywords
Eliminating keywords that have a negative impact on your campaigns can be a good lever for optimizing your campaigns. As with Google Ads simply add your negative KWs to the dedicated list.
C) Test several advertising versions
For a greater variety of content , you can create several versions of the same ad.
Apple doesn't allow custom ads to be copied, but does allow you to create "sets" of custom arrangements, screenshots that your app currently makes available.
Once you've got a baseline with your "default" set, you can create new creative sets to see what works best.
D) Optimize your bidding strategies
Opting for higher bids on exact keywords can be effective in boosting your performance, but there are also keywords with high competitive potential, where achieving a higher bid than your competitors will be a handicap in managing your budget. You'll also need to adjust your campaign bids according to their performance.
E) Search Match
Search Match uses several resources to automatically match your ad to relevant App Store searches, including metadata from your App Store listing, information about similar apps in the genre and other search data.
So you need to optimize it to get the best possible results. That's why it's vital to develop your metadata and images.
That's why it's so important to design your application's name, image, description and keywords in such a way that they're attractive and relevant.
F) CPA objective
Thetarget cost per acquisition is the amount you're willing to spend on a conversion. Be realistic when setting the cost you can afford to pay for a conversion. If you set your CPA target too low, you risk missing out on valuable impressions and leads.
How to get your Apple Search Ads campaigns off to a good start
A) Know your goals
What are your objectives ? Are you trying to reach new users? old users? All users? These are all considerations to keep in mind when adapting your campaign parameters.
B) Make sure your application is ready for ASA
Don't forget to ensure that your application and any additional tracking are correctly configured before launching your paid campaigns.
- Do you have a partner to monitor your application's activity?
- Do you have any in-app conversion events other than installation?
- Does your application include a description page to help new users understand how it works?
C) Decide on the most suitable package: Basic or Advanced
To begin with, it's important to understand that there are two packages available: basic and advanced. Although Apple advises you to choose the packages that best suit your budget, there's nothing to stop you opting for a different solution. It's up to you to decide whether you prefer to let Apple's machine learning operate on its own, or whether you want to take control and manage your campaigns from A to Z.
