Combining ASO and Apple Ads (Formerly Apple Search Ads) for Synergy: An Efficient User Acquisition Strategy

Are you running ASO (App Store Optimization) and Apple Ads (formerly Apple Search Ads)? Some of you may be running only one of the two.

Did you know that running ASO and Apple Ads together creates synergy? In this article, we explain the inseparable relationship between ASO and Apple Ads and the impact each has on the other.

What ASO Gains from Running Apple Ads

Analyze High-Conversion Keywords and Use Them in Your ASO

Running Apple Ads lets you identify the CVR (conversion rate) of each keyword you bid on. Take the keywords you have identified as having high conversion rates in Apple Ads and add them to your ASO metadata.

When you optimize keywords and creatives for ASO, incorporating the keywords that perform well in Apple Ads can improve your conversion rate and your keyword search rankings.

By applying the data you get from Apple Ads to your ASO, you can maximize ASO’s impact and grow your app in line with goals such as downloads, lower CPA and higher MAU.

Boosting Organic Keyword Rankings

If your app does not appear near the top of organic search results, use Apple Ads to increase its visibility. When your app appears in a prominent spot such as the very top of the search results, Apple Ads drives more installs, the app’s keyword ranking rises, and the app is more likely to appear high in the search results. As a result, you can increase organic installs.

The app stores do not distinguish between installs from paid ads such as Apple Ads and organic installs. Whether an install comes from Apple Ads or from organic search, increasing the number of installs can improve your app’s search ranking. This means that spending on user acquisition through Apple Ads can efficiently increase organic installs, which is a positive effect from the ASO perspective as well.

What Apple Ads Gains from ASO

Higher Keyword Quality Score Gives You an Edge in Apple Ads Bidding

In Apple Ads, the ads of apps that bid in a per-keyword auction are shown. The ad auction is determined by a combination of bid amount, click-through rate and quality score, so to bid effectively, the keyword quality score, meaning the relevance between the keyword and the app, is extremely important.

With ASO, you can raise your ranking for the keywords you optimize and strengthen the relevance between keyword and app. This makes it easier to win bid auctions in Apple Ads. When you gain installs from keywords you could bid on cheaply, the CPI of your Apple Ads campaigns ultimately goes down. If there are keywords you want to bid on in Apple Ads, make sure to optimize for them in ASO as well.

Running Apple Ads with Astra, an Automated Apple Ads Management Tool

Astra is an automated Apple Ads management tool from Redbox Mobile, the company with which we hold the only partnership in Japan.

With Astra, the best keywords for your app are picked automatically, and almost every step, from budget allocation and bidding to reporting, can be automated. Astra’s machine learning system can reduce not only acquisition costs but also agency costs and in-house resources.

Astra has drawn significant attention, having won “Most Effective User Acquisition Platform of 2023” at the Effective Mobile Marketing Awards, which recognize companies doing outstanding mobile marketing worldwide.

If You Handle ASO (App Store Optimization) In-House

You can run ASO in-house with ASO tools, based on high-ranking keywords and competitor analysis, but we sometimes hear from teams who don’t know how to choose keywords or how to analyze the data.

For an app publisher to do ASO in-house, the whole chain of keyword research, competitor analysis, metadata improvement and performance measurement takes continuous effort. Considering this, we believe that outsourcing ASO to an experienced agency can help reduce effort and costs and raise the cost-effectiveness of your app marketing.

Our Track Record of Increasing Downloads Through ASO Support

We support ASO (App Store Optimization) for a wide range of app publishers. Through ASO, we have supported results such as moving from outside the keyword search rankings to 2nd place within a year, and a 50% reduction in CPI.

We offer a free ASO diagnosis for app publishers. You can also consult us about ASO and other app marketing measures (such as Apple Ads), so please feel free to get in touch.