Apple Ads Beginner’s Guide: How to Grow Your App Users With Impactful App Campaigns in 2025
Apple Ads (previously known as Apple Search Ads) is a dedicated advertising platform that operates exclusively within the Apple App Store. It is designed to help mobile app and game developers run campaigns to acquire new users and generate revenue. The platform connects advertisers directly with potential customers at the exact moment they are looking for new apps to download.

Apple Ads is critically important for mobile app growth and is widely considered a must-have user acquisition channel. For app marketers focused on generating revenue on the App Store, the platform provides a direct and effective path to connect with high-intent potential customers, making it essential for sustainable success.
If acquiring new app users is your main goal, using Apple Ads is a great option. And today you will learn key aspects to kick-off your first campaign in App Store.
How do Apple Ads work?
Apple Ads uses a second-price auction where advertisers bid for ad placements. The platform operates on a cost-per-tap (CPT) basis, which means advertisers are charged only when a user engages by tapping their ad, not for impressions. This model directly connects ad spending to user interaction.
Campaigns on Apple Ads are highly effective, boasting an incredible average conversion rate that is often around 60%. In some app categories, this performance is even higher, with conversion rates observed reaching up to 79.69%, making it one of the most efficient ad platforms available for mobile developers.
What factors determine if an ad is shown?
Ad space allocation in Apple Ads depends on more than just the bid amount. The final decision is based on a combination of the bid value, the ad’s quality, and the app’s relevance to the user’s search query. An app will not be shown, regardless of bid size, if it is not considered relevant.
How are ads created in Apple Ads?
Ads are created automatically in Apple Ads by using the existing metadata from an app’s product page. The system pulls standard assets like the app’s name, icon, and subtitle to build the ad creative, simplifying the setup process for advertisers.
What are the two versions of Apple Ads?
Apple Ads is available in two distinct versions: Basic and Advanced. Each is designed for different needs, offering unique levels of campaign control, available features, and required management effort, allowing advertisers to choose the path that best fits their resources and goals.
What is Apple Ads Basic?
Apple Ads Basic is a fully automated version of the platform designed for an effortless start. The algorithm handles all campaign optimization within a set budget, making it a user-friendly way for developers with limited time or expertise to begin promoting their app with minimal management effort.
What are the limitations of Apple Ads Basic?
The primary limitation of Basic is the lack of control, as advertisers have no customization options for audience targeting or keyword selection. Ads are also restricted to a single placement in App Store search results, and reporting capabilities are less advanced than the alternative.
Apple Ads Basic also imposes strict caps on campaign scale. Advertisers can promote a maximum of 50 apps and are limited to a maximum spend of $10,000 per app, per month. These restrictions can limit growth potential for apps looking to scale their user acquisition efforts.
What is Apple Ads Advanced?
Apple Ads Advanced provides advertisers with complete control and customization over their campaigns. This version offers extensive options for precise audience targeting, detailed keyword management (including broad, exact, and negative matches), and ad scheduling, allowing for highly strategic campaign management and optimization.
What key features does Apple Ads Advanced offer?
A key feature of Apple Ads Advanced is support for all ad placements, including the Today tab, Search tab, and Product pages. It also enables the use of Custom Product Pages (CPPs) for creating tailored ad variations and deep links (on iOS 18 and later) for a better user experience.
Apple Ads Advanced offers comprehensive reporting and access to Campaign Management and Attribution APIs for advanced data integration. Unlike the Basic version, there are no spending limits or restrictions on the number of apps you can promote, providing unlimited potential for scalability.
What are the management requirements for Apple Ads Advanced?
While powerful, Apple Ads Advanced requires a more in-depth understanding for setup and ongoing management. Managing numerous campaigns, keywords, and ad groups demands significant time and expertise. However, external management platforms can reduce this workload through advanced automation and optimization tools.
Which version of Apple Ads should you choose?
While Apple Ads Basic offers a simple entry point, Apple Ads Advanced is strongly recommended for achieving better optimization and spending efficiency. Most apps will eventually outgrow the limitations of Apple Ads Basic and will need to migrate to the Advanced platform to support continued growth and strategic advertising.
What are the different ad placements in Apple Ads?
Apple Ads provides four main ad placements to engage users throughout their App Store journey:
- Today tab – appears on the App Store’s front page, visible to users as soon as they open the app.
- Search tab – placed at the top of the suggested apps list before a user starts typing a query.
- Search results – displayed at the very top of relevant search results pages for specific user queries.
- Product pages – shown in the “You Might Also Like” section on other apps’ product pages.

Over 650 million people land on the Today tab, the homepage of the App Store, after opening the app. Over 70% of them use the search feature to find new apps by visiting the Search tab
Why are Today Tab ads unique?
Today tab ads are unique because they specifically require a Custom Product Page (CPP) to run. When a user taps the ad, they are sent to this designated CPP. Additionally, assets from the chosen CPP are used to create an animated background for the ad itself on the Today tab.
Why are Search Results ads the most popular?
Search results ads are considered the most popular placement and the primary source of downloads on Apple Ads. By capturing users who are actively searching with high intent, this ad format is the focus for most advertisers looking to drive installations and maximize campaign performance.
How does keyword targeting work for Search Results ads?
For search results ads, advertisers can match their ads to user queries by selecting their own keywords or using platform suggestions. While a default ad is created from the main product page, advertisers can also create ad variations that link to specific Custom Product Pages (CPPs) for more targeted messaging.
What are the main approaches to structuring Apple Ads campaigns?
There are two primary approaches to structuring Apple Ads search results campaigns: a semantics-based structure and a value-based structure. It is also possible to implement a hybrid approach that combines elements from both methodologies to fit specific marketing goals and app maturity levels.
What is a semantics-based campaign structure?
A semantics-based structure is the most common approach, grouping keywords by their theme or user intent. It is highly recommended for beginners due to its intuitive nature and simplicity. This structure is also highly flexible, allowing it to adapt easily as an app grows, expands into new regions, or scales its advertising operations.

What are the four core campaign types in a semantics-based structure?
A standard semantics-based structure typically includes four core campaign types, each with a distinct purpose:
- Brand Campaigns: Focus on your app’s or company’s name.
- Category/Generic Campaigns: Target non-branded terms describing your app’s function.
- Competitor Campaigns: Target the brand names of rival apps.
- Discovery Campaigns: Use broad match and Search Match to find new keywords.
Brand campaigns
Brand campaigns in Apple Ads focus on keywords directly associated with your app or company name. These campaigns are known for having high conversion rates and are a significant source of downloads, even for less-recognized brands. Keywords in these campaigns should almost always be set to exact match.
The primary goal of a brand campaign, beyond user acquisition, is brand protection. It ensures your ads appear for searches directly related to your brand, which prevents competitors from capturing this high-intent traffic. This defensive strategy secures valuable users who are already looking for you.
Category or generic campaigns
Category or Generic campaigns target non-branded keywords that describe your app’s primary category or functionality. The main objective of these campaigns is to reach a wider audience of users who are interested in your app’s genre or are looking for a solution to a problem your app solves.
Competitor campaigns
Competitor campaigns focus on keywords related to apps that are similar to yours, most often using the brand names of your rivals. This “offensive” strategy aims to capture the attention of users while they are actively searching for one of your business competitors.
It is recommended to separate competitor campaigns from other types to improve reporting transparency and performance analysis. This separation also allows you to set a specific impression share goal for this strategic segment, helping you measure how effectively you are appearing on your rivals’ brand terms.
Discovery campaigns
Discovery campaigns are essential for finding new, high-performing keywords to add to your other campaigns. They utilize broad match keywords and the Search Match feature, which automatically matches your ad to relevant search terms, providing a continuous supply of new keyword ideas.
Every Apple Ads account should contain at least one Discovery campaign to ensure continuous growth. For new apps, allocating a significant portion of the budget, such as over 20%, to discovery is crucial for quickly expanding the keyword pool and identifying new opportunities for user acquisition.
What is a value-based campaign structure?
A value-based structure is an advanced approach that organizes keywords based on their profitability or the value users generate. This value is typically measured by metrics like return on ad spend (ROAS), in-app purchases, or subscriptions. This structure still includes standard Brand and Discovery campaigns but organizes other keywords differently.
How do tiered campaigns work in a value-based structure?
The core of a value-based structure is its use of tiered campaigns. Keywords are grouped into tiers, such as Tier 1 for high-value and Tier 3 for low-value, based on the Lifetime Value (LTV) they generate. This allows for a budget waterfalling strategy, where more resources are allocated to top-tier campaigns to maximize profitability.
What are probing or proxy campaigns?
Probing campaigns are an optional component often used in value-based structures to test newly discovered search terms. Their purpose is to verify a keyword’s potential to deliver on post-install goals, like subscriptions or purchases, before it is allocated to a specific value-based tier.
What is required to implement a value-based structure?
A value-based structure is more complex to implement and requires integration with a Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) to track in-app events and revenue. It also relies on having sufficient historical data to accurately assess keyword value, making it more suitable for mature apps with established data tracking.
Can you use a hybrid campaign structure?
Yes, a hybrid approach is possible by customizing semantics-based and value-based structures to incorporate elements of each other. For example, a semantics-based structure can evolve to include more granular category campaigns that function like value tiers, allowing for more precise budget allocation based on performance.
Why are keywords important in Apple Ads?
Keywords are central to Apple Ads as they create the primary connection between app developers and highly motivated users. An effective keyword strategy is crucial for boosting app visibility, strengthening brand recognition, and driving downloads within the App Store. They are the foundation upon which successful campaigns are built.
What are the keyword match types in Apple Ads?
Apple Ads offers three main keyword match types to control how your ads are triggered by user searches.
Exact match
Exact Match provides the highest level of control by displaying your ad only for the precise keyword or its closest variations. This match type ensures high relevancy between the user’s search term and your ad, leading to more qualified traffic.
Broad match
Broad Match allows your ad to appear for a wide range of relevant variations of your keyword. This includes synonyms, common misspellings, and other related searches, making it an excellent tool for discovering new and unexpected high-performing search terms.
Search match
Search Match is an automated feature that matches your ad to relevant search queries without requiring you to bid on specific keywords. It uses your app’s metadata, category, and other data points, acting as a powerful discovery tool for uncovering new keyword ideas.
What is the focus of Apple Ads optimization?
The primary focus of Apple Ads optimization is continuously improving performance by managing keywords and bids to maximize profitability. This requires ongoing analysis and data-driven expertise to adapt to market changes, impacting the daily workflow by making it a dynamic, rather than a static, process.
How do you optimize keywords in Apple Ads?
Keyword optimization in Apple Ads involves evaluating keyword performance and taking specific actions based on data. This includes pausing underperforming keywords that drain the budget and transferring new, promising ones from discovery to dedicated campaigns for more efficient and profitable bidding.
Why is keyword relevance so important?
Keyword relevance is crucial because irrelevant keywords will not generate user engagement, leading to wasted ad spend. Ensuring your keywords align with your app’s purpose and user intent is fundamental to achieving high conversion rates and maintaining the overall effectiveness of your campaigns.
Keyword optimization must be a continuous process because its effectiveness evolves over time. As you gather more data, you gain a clearer picture of whether a keyword truly delivers valuable conversions and in-app goals, allowing for more informed decisions beyond initial performance metrics.
How do market dynamics affect keyword performance?
Market dynamics constantly affect keyword performance due to fluctuations in App Store search trends. Factors like seasonality (e.g., summer travel), major events (e.g., the Olympics), or the rise of new app subcategories (e.g., AI tools) can alter keyword popularity and bidding pressure, requiring ongoing adjustments.
How does bid optimization work in Apple Ads?
Bid optimization works within Apple’s second-price auction, where advertisers bid to maximize their impression share for relevant keywords. While app relevance is critical, proper bid management is a considerable responsibility that requires swift, data-driven reactions to the ever-changing competitive landscape on the App Store.
What are the core activities of bid optimization?
The core activities of bid optimization are part of regular campaign check-ups. This includes increasing bids for top-performing keywords, decreasing bids for underperformers, pausing keywords that fail to deliver goals like conversions or purchases, and unpausing those that show delayed performance.
What principles should guide your bidding strategy?
Your bidding strategy should be guided by clear, data-driven principles directly related to your campaign goals, user LTV, and monetization plan. Long-term adjustments, such as revising your maximum CPT bid values or daily campaign budgets, are also a key part of this strategic process.
How long should you wait before pausing a keyword?
It is recommended that you wait at least four weeks before pausing keywords or significantly reducing their bids. This is because conversions, especially revenue-generating events like subscriptions, are frequently delayed. Pausing too early can cut off a future source of valuable, high-LTV users.
How quickly should you increase bids?
To avoid erratic changes based on short-term data, you should typically allow a 7-14 day window for performance evaluation before increasing bids. This same timeframe is also recommended when transferring well-performing keywords from a Discovery campaign to a dedicated exact match campaign for scaling.
How can you optimize creatives for top keywords?
You can optimize creatives for your most important keywords by using ad variations that lead to Custom Product Pages (CPPs). If a particular keyword is vital to your strategy, you can test a dedicated CPP that perfectly reflects its promise, helping to maximize engagement and conversion rates.
What are ad variations in Apple Ads?
Ad variations in Apple Ads are specific ads created for hand-picked, strategic keywords. Unlike default ads, these variations are designed to lead users to a specific Custom Product Page (CPP) rather than the app’s main product page, creating a more tailored user journey from ad tap to download.
What are Custom Product Pages (CPPs)?
Custom Product Pages (CPPs) are alternative versions of your app’s default product page that are created and managed within App Store Connect. They allow you to present unique messaging, screenshots, and app preview videos to different user segments, completely independent of your main App Store listing.

An example of using custom product pages to showcase different functionalities of the same app. Each has screenshots and promotional text and can be promoted with designated category keywords related to that functionality.
Read the full case study on the SplitMetrics blog.
What are the main uses for Custom Product Pages?
Custom Product Pages have a wide variety of strategic uses for app marketers. For example, an app might use multiple CPPs to highlight various features, each promoted with keywords relevant to those functionalities.
The main applications include:
- Showcasing different features or functionalities of your app.
- Addressing the specific needs and search intents of different audiences.
- Providing customized experiences for seasonal or holiday promotions.
- Serving as dedicated landing pages for external traffic sources.
How do Custom Product Pages improve performance?
Custom Product Pages can achieve significantly higher conversion rates and download numbers due to personalized messaging. By aligning the page’s content—like screenshots and promotional text—with the specific functionality or keyword the user searched for, you create a more relevant and compelling experience that encourages installation.
How do Custom Product Pages relate to app store optimization (ASO)?
Custom Product Pages are highly relevant to app store optimization (ASO) in two key ways. First, they provide a great environment to experiment with new creative concepts for your product page. Second, analyzing the keywords associated with high-performing CPPs can uncover valuable insights for your organic ASO keyword research.
What should you remember about CPP creative assets?
All assets for Custom Product Pages – screenshots, promotional images, videos – must comply with Apple’s technical requirements. This ensures your variations are accepted and deliver a seamless user experience.
What is Apple Ads automation?
Apple Ads automation uses technology to streamline and perform routine campaign management tasks automatically. This process significantly reduces manual workload and empowers marketers to make more efficient, data-driven decisions by handling repetitive actions like bid adjustments, keyword management, and reporting.
Automation is crucial for adapting swiftly to dynamic market conditions in the App Store. By continuously adjusting bids and strategies based on real-time data, automation leads to optimized campaign performance, a higher return on investment (ROI), and improved overall conversion rates without constant manual oversight.
What are the main types of automation?
The three main automation types for managing Apple Ads campaigns are Automated Rules, Condition-Based Strategies, and AI Bid Optimization. These approaches are designed to help user acquisition managers streamline campaign workflows, reduce manual effort, and make more effective, data-driven decisions.
Automated rules
Automated Rules function like ‘if X, then Y’ statements for your campaigns. You can set specific conditions based on performance metrics or campaign settings, and when those conditions are met, a predefined action is automatically triggered. This allows for simple, direct automation of routine tasks.
Condition-based strategies
Condition-based Strategies use predefined criteria to optimize for specific performance goals at the individual keyword level. These strategies employ advanced bidding techniques to achieve a target CPA, CPI, or ROAS, focusing on maximizing conversion volume or revenue while staying within your target metrics.
AI bid optimization
AI Bid Optimization is an advanced approach powered by AI models to manage and optimize bids at scale. Unlike rule-based systems, these algorithms work to ensure entire campaigns effectively meet their primary business goals by making complex, data-driven decisions automatically.
AI bid optimization algorithms continuously analyze vast, complex datasets from multiple sources. This includes top-of-funnel metrics from Apple Ads, conversion insights from Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs), and temporal data like seasonal effects or daily fluctuations to inform bid adjustments.
What Are Apple Ads metrics?
Apple Ads metrics and analytics involve tracking and evaluating campaign performance to make informed, data-driven decisions. The primary goal is to understand the effectiveness of ad spend, identify growth opportunities, and ensure that campaigns are driving valuable user acquisition and profitability for your app.

What are native Apple Ads metrics?
Native Apple Ads metrics are the default performance indicators provided directly by Apple’s platform. They offer a top-level view of how ads are performing, from initial visibility to cost and basic conversion actions like downloads.
Key top-of-funnel metrics
Top-of-funnel metrics measure initial user engagement with your ads. They include Impressions (the number of times an ad was shown), Taps (the number of times it was tapped), and Tap-Through Rate (TTR), which is the percentage of impressions that resulted in a tap.
Core conversion metrics
Core conversion metrics track the direct result of ad taps. This includes Conversions or Installs (app downloads from an ad), the Conversion Rate (CR) (the percentage of taps leading to a download), and a breakdown of New Downloads versus Redownloads to distinguish new users from returning ones.
Main cost and budget metrics
Cost and budget metrics help you monitor your advertising spend. Key metrics are Spend (total amount spent), Cost Per Tap (CPT), and Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), which measures the average cost to acquire a new user download. These are managed through your set Daily Budget or Lifetime Budget.
How do you measure competitive performance in Apple Ads?
Competitive metrics provide insight into your ad’s performance relative to others. Impression Share shows the percentage of times your ad appeared out of the total possible impressions. Search Popularity indicates a keyword’s search volume, while Rank shows your ad’s position in the search results.
What are custom and enhanced Apple Ads metrics?
Custom and enhanced metrics provide a full-funnel view of user journeys by integrating Apple Ads data with Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) and Business Intelligence (BI) tools. This allows marketers to track user behavior and value long after the initial install, enabling optimization for profitability.
What are in-app events or custom conversions?
In-app events are any post-install activities that a user completes within your app. These custom conversions can include actions like user registrations, free trial sign-ups, in-app purchases, subscriptions, or reaching specific milestones in a game, providing a deeper understanding of user quality.
Cost Per Goal (CPG)
Cost Per Goal (CPG) is a custom metric that measures the advertising cost associated with a user completing a specific in-app event. By tracking CPG, marketers can understand the true cost of acquiring users who perform valuable actions beyond the initial download.
Return On Ad Spend (ROAS)
Return On Ad Spend (ROAS) measures the revenue generated for every dollar spent on advertising. It is a crucial metric for assessing profitability, especially for apps with in-app purchases or subscription models, and can be tracked across different time windows (e.g., Day 7, Day 30).
Lifetime Value (LTV)
Lifetime Value (LTV) is the total estimated revenue a single customer will generate throughout their entire relationship with your app. Comparing LTV to the Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) is fundamental to understanding the long-term profitability and sustainability of your user acquisition efforts.
Share of Voice (SOV)
Share of Voice (SOV) is an advanced metric indicating the percentage of ad impressions your app receives for a specific keyword over a set period. Unlike Apple’s Impression Share, it provides more granular competitive insight by also showing the SOV for top competitors on that same keyword.
How much do Apple Ads campaigns cost?
The cost of Apple Ads campaigns varies significantly because it is a self-service, second-price bidding platform. As of July 2025, your total spend will depend on several factors, including your app category, competitive landscape, and individual business goals, rather than a fixed price for advertising.

What is the most important factor determining costs?
The most important factor in determining your attainable costs in Apple Ads is your app’s category. Each category has a unique competitive landscape, user value, and search behavior, which directly influences your potential Cost Per Acquisition (CPA), Cost Per Goal (CPG), and even conversion rates.
Different app categories have unique dynamics that influence costs. For instance, Finance apps may have higher CPAs due to high user value. Travel apps often see seasonal cost fluctuations, while Entertainment apps may face intense competition from dominant brands for generic keywords, driving up bids.
How can you estimate your campaign costs?
While industry benchmarks are a handy tool for estimating future campaign costs, they only provide a general guide. To confidently understand the specific cost of promoting your app, you will need a probing or testing period of at least one month to gather your own performance data.
Why can Apple Ads be cost-effective?
Apple Ads can be highly cost-effective even with a relatively high Cost-Per-Tap (CPT). This is because the platform’s average conversion rate is exceptionally high, often around 60% or more. This efficiency means more taps convert into downloads, leading to an acceptable Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA).
Why is Cost Per Goal (CPG) a crucial metric?
For many apps, Cost Per Goal (CPG) is the most crucial metric for measuring success. CPG tracks the cost of acquiring users who complete specific revenue-generating activities, such as in-app purchases or subscriptions. Optimizing for CPG ensures your ad spend is driving actual profitability.
What are the best practices for managing costs?
Two best practices are essential for managing Apple Ads costs effectively. First, refer to up-to-date industry benchmarks to set realistic expectations. Second, understand that conversions are often delayed, so you should wait at least four weeks before pausing a keyword to accurately assess its performance.
Why is there a synergy between ASO and Apple Ads?
A strong synergy exists between App Store Optimization (ASO) and Apple Ads because Apple Ads is the only native advertising platform on the App Store. As of July 2025, this unique position means that each channel has the most potential to directly and indirectly influence the other’s performance, creating a powerful growth loop.

How does app store optimization (ASO) improve Apple Ads performance?
A strong App Store Optimization (ASO) strategy directly improves the performance of your Apple Ads campaigns. Because your ads use assets from your product page, optimizing these elements for organic visibility also makes your paid advertising more effective and appealing to users, leading to better results.
How do ASO visuals and metadata impact ad conversions?
Optimized ASO visuals, such as your app icon and screenshots, will significantly impact your ad conversion rates. Similarly, well-thought-out titles, subtitles, and other textual metadata help the App Store’s algorithm understand your app, which can positively influence the effectiveness of your ad targeting.
How do Apple Ads campaigns boost ASO?
From an ASO perspective, Apple Ads campaigns have the significant potential to solve a major challenge: giving momentum to organic keyword rankings. The paid channel can provide the necessary download velocity and engagement signals that the App Store algorithm needs to recognize and recommend your app organically.
Apple Ads campaigns can impact your organic rankings both directly and indirectly. The increased engagement and download velocity from paid ads can indirectly signal to the algorithm that your app is relevant. There is also evidence that directly bidding on specific keywords can help improve organic rankings for those same terms.
When your app ranks high organically and you simultaneously run an ad in the same search results, your visual presence is expanded. On the App Store, this combination can make your organic result appear larger and more prominent, effectively pushing competitors further down the page and increasing your overall visibility.
What ASO metrics can you get from Apple Ads?
Apple Ads provides a handful of useful metrics that can be effectively used for ASO KPIs. The Search Popularity score is an excellent indicator of potential keyword impressions, while cost metrics like CPT and CPA speak volumes about the level of competition for a particular keyword.
How do Apple Ads, Meta Ads, and Google Ads compare?
A 2024 performance comparison of Apple Ads, Meta Ads, and Google Ads reveals significant differences in key acquisition and ROI metrics. Based on benchmark data, each platform offers unique strengths, with Apple Ads showing exceptional efficiency for iOS app campaigns, particularly for user acquisition managers focusing on installs.
Platform | Click/Tap-Through Rate (CTR/TTR) | Conversion Rate (CR) | Avg. Cost Per Click/Tap (CPC/CPT) | Avg. Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) | ROI/Notes |
Apple Ads | 10.2–11.4% | 65–67% | $1.59 | $2.58 | Exceptionally high CR and efficient CPA; top iOS acquisition channel. |
Meta Ads (Facebook) | 1.3–2.9% | 2.3–4.3% | $0.80–$1.05 (Avg.) | $13.87–$16.95 | Excellent for reach/retargeting, but costlier and lower direct CR vs. Apple. |
Google Ads | 6.4% (search avg.) | 7% (search avg.) | $4.60 (search) | – | Strong intent-based acquisition and ROI (about 200% avg ROI). |
What are the best tools to manage Apple Ads?
The best tools to manage Apple Ads in 2025 combine campaign automation, keyword intelligence, creative optimization, and robust reporting. Here are the current top solutions:
- Apple Ads Native Dashboards: Apple offers two core solutions – Apple Ads Basic (fully automated, minimal control for small budgets) and Apple Ads Advanced (full control over keywords, targeting, bids, placements, and product pages). Advanced is strongly recommended for marketers who need detailed management and reporting
- SplitMetrics Acquire: A free plan provides highly automated campaign structure setup, management, and analysis with features for keyword moving, bidding, and discovery – especially useful for new and scaling advertisers. Facilitates almost full automation of the Apple Ads flow.
- Complementary tools:
- Adjust, Branch, and Singular: These attribution and analytics platforms integrate with Apple Ads for unified tracking, ROI measurement, and combining ad spend data with in-app user actions.
- Marin Software, Kochava, Windsor.ai: Used for advanced cross-channel reporting and optimization.
Key features to look for in any tool:
- Campaign and bid automation (rule-based or AI-driven)
- Keyword and competitor intelligence
- Custom product page analytics and creative performance tracking
- Direct integrations with MMPs for ROI analysis
- ASO and paid search reporting in one dashboard
- Bulk editing and workflow automation for agencies and large portfolios
Summary
Apple Ads is a powerful and accessible channel to boost downloads and the organic ranking for iOS apps. It is the only way to promote apps directly within the Apple App Store, effectively building brand awareness and pushing downloads.

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