Since their introduction in 2016, Apple Search Ads have been necessary for any app marketer looking to get noticed in the Apple App store. And now that iPhones account for 47% of the entire smartphone market, they are more critical than ever since mobile phone users spend about 86% of their time in-app.
Apple Search Ads help you stand out from the crowd since they appear above organic search results and look almost the same except for the “Sponsored” tag. But winning those top spots can get a bit more complicated.
If you’ve opted to run keyword-based campaigns with Apple Search Ads, it is essential to understand the app store keyword rules to win bids and bump your app to the top spots in App Store searches.
Here are five app store keyword rules you should adhere to when running Apple Search Ads.
Understand App Store Searches
App store optimization is first and foremost about thinking like a user. What words are searchers using to find your app? Users tend to search on mobile much differently than they would on desktop.
For example, on a desktop, a user might look for “best pizza Greenwich Village New York City,” but in the App Store, they are much more likely to search “Food Delivery. That’s why the most essential App Store keyword rule is to search your app like an App Store user to fully understand where your app is (and is not) appearing in search results.
Defend brand terms
It is also important to develop a complete list of the terms users might search to find your brand specifically and focus on winning the bids on those terms. However, while brand terms are crucial and should not be missed, it’s also important to cater to how app users who don’t know your brand might search for your app.
Additionally, be sure to bid on your closest competitors’ brand terms. If you aren’t bidding on your competitors’ terms, just know that they might be bidding on yours. Remember, an ad will bump the top organic position down the screen within App Store search results.
Use Discovery Campaigns to surface performing keywords
Users are constantly coming up with new ways to find what they’re looking for in the App Store, including using ever-evolving slang and jargon. An Apple Search Ads Discovery Campaign is an excellent way to keep up with changes in search language and uncover new keywords relevant to your app.
With Search Match, you can let Apple Search Ads match your ads to users based on their search terms. To discover keywords to add to your campaigns, you can then mine these results periodically (experts recommend mining at least every two weeks). You should also look for irrelevant keywords you discover from Search Match and prune them out from future user searches with negative keywords.
Know when users are more likely to be looking for you
Mobile app installs and usage tend to go up during the holidays. With days off from work and school, people turn to mobile apps for all sorts of things. For example, dating, gaming, news, and especially shopping apps all see increased activity at the end of the year.
Adopt the best tools available
While Search Match is an excellent tool for discovering new keywords, most marketers need a little more help to run campaigns. Free and paid SEO keyword tools can boost your app to the top search results. A tool for understanding your competitors’ keywords can provide a campaign strategy that can help boost your app to the top of the search results. Finally, adopting a tool for automatic bidding is often helpful.
Reaching new audiences in the increasingly-crowded App Store can be challenging, but following these five app store keyword rules can help your app get noticed!
App store keyword rules are just the tip of the iceberg. Use Skai to really supercharge your mobile campaigns.
As part of Skai’s omnichannel marketing platform, our App Marketing solution helps your app stand out among millions in the top stores with Apple Search Ads, Google Universal App Campaigns, and more. Skai leverages an advanced algorithm based on AI and machine learning to ensure your ads reach your target users. Increase installs and user acquisition with streamlined automation, optimization, and reporting.
Client results include:
- 280% increase in installs for DraftKings
- 314% increase in registrations for C-Date
- 20% decrease in cost per acquisition for eToro
- 2x increase in conversions for Epix Now
For more information or to see our cutting-edge App Marketing solution for yourself, we invite you to schedule a brief demo today.
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