What are Apple Search Ads (ASA)?

Apple Search Ads (ASA) is an advertising platform designed to help app developers and marketers promote their iOS apps directly within the App Store. The platform facilitates the creation and management of campaigns with specific budgets, ad groups, and targeted keywords. With custom keyword-bidding strategies and the search match feature, ads are automatically aligned with relevant user searches. Apple Search Ads also allows for audience refinement, ad scheduling, and multi-regional promotions through customized App Store product pages.

Apple Search Ads offers two service levels: Basic and Advanced, catering to different expertise levels. Apple Search Ads Basic is ideal for newcomers, automating campaign setup, keyword selection, and bid optimization, allowing quick launches with minimal effort. It sets CPI goals and budgets but offers limited control over targeting and optimization.

In contrast, Apple Search Ads Advanced provides extensive control, and supports promotions across search results, the Search tab, the Today tab, and product pages. Advanced offers detailed performance metrics and reporting, enabling deeper insights and optimization.

There are four promotion methods to select from:

1. Branded
2. Category
3. Competitor
4. Discovery

There are also four ad placements:

1. Search results
2. Search tab
3. Today tab
4. Product pages (You Might Also Like)

Adjust reports aggregated ASA campaign data in Datascape. To set up Apple Search Ads reporting, start by linking your Apple Ads account in Adjust's DataWorks > Connections. Then, once the SDK and AdServices framework are integrated, the Apple Ads Attribution API measures and attributes app installs. One of two attribution responses will display:

1. User has opted into ATT: Detailed response types with a click time rounded to the minute.
2. User has not opted in: Standard response types without a timestamp.