Nine Steps to a Perfect Synergy of App Store Optimization (ASO) & Apple Search Ads

Apple Search Ads and App Store Optimization (ASO) synergy stems from their interrelation, often resulting in improved organic visibility and more efficient paid user acquisition.

App Store Optimization is concerned with providing visibility and the best user experience on an app’s product page on the marketplace.

Apple Search Ads is an advertising platform integral to getting your app discovered by more customers on the App Store.

Consequently, Apple Search Ads and  ASO are closely connected, and this article will show how to reach and benefit the most from their synergy.

Understanding ASO: the foundation of each App Store success story

ASO is the foundation of every success story on the App Store, and it remains a high priority for both organic success and optimizing your Apple Search Ads campaigns.

App Store optimization benefits all paid user acquisition channels as your metadata informs customers about your app and can impact their likelihood of downloading. Still, the relationship between ASO and Apple Search Ads is particularly potent because your metadata determines your campaign relevancy.

ASO has two main areas of focus:

• Keyword optimization: choosing the right ones to rank organically;
• Conversion rate optimization: perfecting the icon, screenshots, name & subtitle, but also managing reviews, working on app-featuring, etc.;

The full scope of ASO-related activities is continuously growing, a trend visible in our best ASO practices, which we recommend following. This results from an increasing focus on quality and user experience on the App Store.

 All apps that use Apple Search Ads for search results campaigns will display their ads next to various organic search results. This is why strategies for both channels must be aligned.

Understanding Apple Search Ads: a high-value user acquisition channel for the App Store

Apple Search Ads appear only and directly on the App Store. Each placement is integral to your user acquisition strategy, with Today tab ads greeting users who open the App Store on the main page, Search tab ads showing up before they search, search results ads being visible on the top of search results, or ads being displayed among app recommendations on the bottom of product pages.

Strategic creative optimization significantly impacts tap-through and conversion rates for all ad placements, including those using default product page assets or custom product pages (except for Today tab ads and ad variations leading to custom product pages, all ads are created from the default product page creatives).

The App Store is accessed to find and download apps. Consequently, Apple Search Ads, by definition, target a highly motivated audience. It’s not just that the advertising platform will drive potential customers to your product page. It will drive quality traffic with high conversion rates and download velocity of users likely to leave a rating or a review, and most importantly, perform a revenue-generating activity after installation.

Benefits of the synergy between Apple Search Ads and App Store optimization (ASO)

Our experts have observed that the benefits of aligning your App Store optimization strategy with Apple Search Ads campaigns are often:

1. Optimal cost per tap (CPT) and cost per acquisition (CPA) in Apple Search Ads;
2. Increase the likelihood of improved organic visibility and organic rankings for ASO.

As a part of this, ASO will help:

• Give your app the best, most engaging creatives. This will result in optimal tap-through (TTR) and conversion rates (CR), translating directly into better average CPT and CPA;
• Align your organic keywords with search results ads for maximum visibility;
• Help stimulate better reviews and ratings, which will drive CR and download velocity higher;
• Provide additional organic visibility.

On the other hand, Apple Search Ads will:

• Bring high-quality customers to your product page, which may stimulate organic visibility;
• Give your app a boost before launch through pre-order campaigns;
• Provide keyword metrics for data-driven metadata optimization;
• Provide additional optimization insights for visual assets thanks to custom product pages.

All this can happen with nine easy steps!

Nine-step checklist for ASO and Apple Search Ads synergy

Let’s examine how ASO and Apple Search Ads strategies can be integrated to maximize visibility and convertibility.

1. Carry out a proper ASO competitive research

ASO competitive research evaluates apps with similar functionality or features. Its purpose is to identify opportunities for growth and areas for optimization. Carrying it out means taking a closer look at:

• Design trends: for icons, screenshots;
• In-app events and other app marketing activities, like holiday updates;
• Metadata updates to understand keyword strategies;
• Localizations, how apps establish connections with foreign audiences;
• Custom product pages and how they communicate with the audience you’ll be sharing.

This step will tremendously impact the ASO and Apple Search Ads optimization strategies. Any alignment will be impossible before understanding your competitive landscape on both category and market levels, with additional focus on particular, direct competitors.

2. Optimize visual assets of your product page to boost CR and lower CPA

Lessons learned during the competitive research phase should translate into better design decisions regarding your product page creatives.

• An informative, unique, and engaging app name;
• A subtitle that provides additional, vital information about your app;
• An attractive icon and screenshots that communicate your app’s value well.

Don’t underestimate the impact of a high conversion rate uplift on your cost per acquisition. Keep an eye on our Apple Search Ads benchmarks dashboard and familiarize yourself with additional materials on Apple Search Ads cost to understand whether you can convert better or adjust your bids. Updating key product page visual assets can be much more cost-effective than simply relying on outbidding your competitors, and you should do it first.

3. Stimulate organic rankings with high-quality traffic

Apple Search Ads campaigns will likely impact your organic rankings directly and indirectly. They can provide the necessary download velocity and engagement for your app to be noticed by the algorithm.

This assumption indicates you’ll get closer to better organic visibility by running Apple Search Ads. The platform can deliver high-value users to your app’s product page.

However, don’t expect miracles without data-driven keyword distribution in your app’s metadata. Assume with certainty that qualitative parameters will only benefit your visibility, but remember that the exact workings of the ranking algorithm are undisclosed and include possibly many more factors.

4. Invest in pre-order campaigns

Pre-order campaigns on the App Store may give your app a successful launch. Upon release, users will receive a push notification encouraging them to download the app they decided to pre-order. This means a quick surge of new users on app launch, which may be further amplified by the “new app boost.”

The sooner users download, use, and rate your app, the sooner the algorithm will receive valuable feedback to rank your performance and grant you visibility. Apple Search Ads are a great way to promote an app in its pre-order phase.

5. Analyze Apple Search Ads metrics to understand keywords better

Apple Search Ads provides a handful of keyword metrics that can be used effectively in App Store optimization:

• Search popularity is an excellent indicator of the potential impressions we can get;
• Suggested max CPT hints about the competition level for a particular keyword.

In practice, ASO platforms like App Radar use their technology and algorithms to offer comprehensive metrics and analytics on keyword popularity and ranking difficulty. However, Apple Search Ads will always be a dynamic, reliable source of information for any ASO practitioner.

6. Align organic and paid search results

Aligning organic and paid keywords means taking the most out of the situation when your app hits the top of the charts while simultaneously being visible through search results ads.

Let’s examine them:

1. The ad and an organic search result lead to different product pages: by default, all creatives are uncovered, giving a quick preview of screenshots;
2. The search result ad and first organic position lead to the same product page: the ad is reduced to make the organic search result more prominent.

This interrelation between search results ads and organic results opens up several possibilities when you hit those top positions organically:

• Setup a custom product page for strategic keywords, showcasing different features or even more benefits of installing your app;
• Consider giving some of your branded keywords to your other apps. For example, suppose you have a photo editing app and one for drawing. Give your new apps (with similar or complementary features) an additional boost without sacrificing precious visibility;
• Don’t be afraid to bid for keywords you’re ranking organically for.  These keywords are probably relevant and valuable. You may see an organic uplift for them as a result. When that happens and they perhaps even reach peak positions, you can allocate the advertising budget elsewhere or capitalize on more prominent visibility that combines paid and organic search results.
• Don’t neglect brand defense as part of your brand campaigns for the same reason. Competitors frequently bid on our keywords; even having that organic first place means losing significant visibility and traffic to someone else.

7. Optimize bids for keywords with high organic rankings to control costs

You can consider optimizing bids for keywords that feature your app ranking organically. The best way to maintain optimal bids is to focus on key Apple Search Ads metrics, like cost per acquisition (CPA) and cost per goal (CPG), such as in-app purchases or subscriptions. These metrics will reflect any fluctuations in traffic that occur when both the ad and organic occupy the first page.

8. Analyze the performance of your custom product pages

Custom product pages can showcase varying themes and features for perfect alignment of messaging with a specific keyword you target with your ads. Their value goes beyond immediate downloads or higher conversion rates. Sometimes, custom product pages perform so well that they become new default pages when a different color palette, imagery, or messaging connects particularly well with your audience.

9. Keep track of your target Apple Search Ads and organic metrics

Keep track of your target Apple Search Ads metrics to make the channel’s and ASO’s synergy profitable. App Store optimization works best when progress is data-driven and incremental, relying on A/B testing. It may take time before all blocks fall into place. All ranking algorithms consider many factors, and their exact mechanisms are undisclosed. Assuming the same for the App Store’s ranking algorithm is in our best interest. The synergy between ASO and Apple Search Ads can happen organically when best practices for both are followed. Remember:

• Apple Search Ads is a high-quality traffic source for your app first;
• App Store optimization is focused on the best possible user experience and visibility.

Both must ultimately lead to downloads and the realization of post-installation goals, driving revenue for the app. In Apple Search Ads, never lose focus on your cost per acquisition (CPA) or cost per goal (CPG). Organic and paid traffic must still be profitable.

Apple Search Ads and ASO synergy case studies

We have some fantastic Apple Search Ads and ASO synergy cases to share. See how all this works in practice:

How to Streamline ASO Efforts with Apple Search Ads Pre-Order Campaigns 

Find out by reading the case study of Livintis.

Locals: How to Sync ASO & Apple Search Ads for Higher Organic Ranking

Locals made it work. Find out how.

Rockbite Games: Apple Search Ads & Increased Organic Traffic

Learn how Rockbite found out that Apple Search Ads may positively impact the number of organic installs.

Restyle: Achieving Higher Organic Rankings through ASO and Apple Search Ads Synergy

Find out how the app achieved remarkable results by leveraging SplitMetrics Acquire and optimizing the product page.

Summary

Apple Search Ads and App Store optimization will work hand in hand – a growth engine even a beginning advertiser can build easily and quickly. In today’s user-centric app marketing, only a holistic approach to app growth yields the best results.

Always follow the best practices for Apple Search Ads and App Store optimization. The path from a beginner to an expert in App Store marketing isn’t that long, and the synergy between Apple Search ads and ASO will be a great reward for taking it. Managing Apple Search Ads through our platform will help you align these two channels.