Discovering apps could get even better
When Apple’s Search Ads launched in 2016, the promise was that they would be tremendously important for app publishers and marketers. After all, more than 65 percent of all app installs occurred after a search on the App Store.
Promoted as one of the simplest and most effective ways for app makers to promote their app in the App Store generated a good deal of buzz. Two years later, there’s still excitement about the impact and for good reason.
Why it mattered then
When Apple Search Ads was first released, it worked much like Google’s AdWords, however the difference was that developers didn’t have to worry about creating a campaign just for the App Store. Apple instead created ads automatically by simply using the metadata and creative elements such as logo, screenshots, description and title from the product page.
Relevancy was more important than wallet size. It wasn’t about how much money developers or marketers were willing to pay; ads would show up based on how relevant the app was to the search name. It made it great for businesses of any size to get into the game if they could develop an App Store Optimization (ASO) strategy to get their app to become more relevant for all their targeted keywords.
Changes in store
Within a year, there was expansion. Originally available only in the US App Store, other storefronts were added in the UK, Australia, Canada and Mexico (among others) impacting developers who had to keep localization in mind with regard to their metadata.
Two programs were also released: Search Ads Basic and Search Ads Advanced. They were intended to help developers across the board with tools to make Search Ads work best for them and improve their app’s visibility to certain audiences.
Going global is good
As Apple gives developers and marketers “greater opportunities to reach high quality customers,” by the end the summer 2018, Search Ads were supported in 13 countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the U.S. Experts say the Search Ad business could generate over $500 million in revenue in 2018 and quadruple to $2 billion by 2020.
If app developers and marketers needed proof back in 2016 that Apple Search Ads could be beneficial, results two years later and huge profit predictions should assure them. As more app marketers make Apple Search Ads part of their search strategies, they will likely find success with app discovery and installs.
Keywords are key
There’s clearly much to be gained by using Apple Search Ads, but optimization still plays a vital role. At T.E. Digital, our team can take the guesswork out of getting the right targeted keywords. Contact us to discuss ways we can be of benefit to you and your ASO efforts.
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