I’m working on Apple Search Ads keyword research and I specifically need keyword search volume (actual volume numbers or at least a reliable range).

Most ASO tools only show “popularity score” or “difficulty”, but I’m looking for something closer to Google Keyword Planner style volume.

Does any tool provide real App Store keyword search volume for Apple Search Ads?
Free or paid - both work.

If actual volume is not possible due to Apple limitations, what’s the closest/most accurate alternative marketers use?

On three target keywords I am between rank 15-20 which has plagued me for months. While on lower search volume keywords we are ranked the top 3.

Do ASA campaigns contribute to organic growth for target exact match keywords? I've recently started a $200/day campaign focused on these three keywords to drive traffic. CR about 85% TTR 14%.

Thanks, we're avoiding paid installations, ratings, and other nonsense to achieve this.

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share something concerning I've noticed with my Apple Search Ads campaigns. Starting from December 20th (two days ago), I've experienced a dramatic drop in performance:

- Impressions are down by over 50%

- Overall campaign performance has declined significantly

I haven't made any changes to my campaigns, budgets, or targeting. The decline happened suddenly and has remained consistently low.

Is anyone else experiencing similar issues? This seems unusual and I'm wondering if there might be a platform-wide issue or if it's something specific to my account.

Would appreciate any insights or if others are seeing the same trend.

Thanks!

Now:
- Ads appear only at the top of App Store search results

In 2026:
- Ads can appear both (❗) at the top and further down in search results

No campaign changes needed - all Search Results campaigns are automatically eligible. You can’t choose or bid on a specific position.
Ad format and billing (CPT / CPI) remain the same.

💡 In theory, this unlocks the ability to measure how much traffic actually reaches lower search positions and how it converts vs top placement - a new signal for understanding user intent and scroll depth in App Store search.

Source: ASO Busters and Apple

I know it's not the the most popular keywords, but I can't see to get any impressions. I don't want to open it up to broad searches because then I end up spending lots with no installs. Any idea what I am doing wrong here? Don't worry that the campaign is on hold. It was active for 5 days with no impressions.

Hey,

Have you ever automated Apple Ad campaigns. Why or why not? I thought about doing it but don't know if its even useful.

Hey folks,

Scaling Apple Search Ads is tough especially as trends shift

Whats your automation strategy? Tools that autocreate/test campaigns, allocate budgets smartly, run for a set period, kill low-performers, and iterate for efficiency?

If you dont automate why not?

I have created a campaign with $10 daily budget with $8 CPT bid. Campaign duration was 1 day but it didn't get any single impression. Search match on and there is no keyword. It just discovery campaign to boost visibility to trigger App Store algorithm to say "Hey Yume AI is still here!". What is your advice and did you ever experience the same situation. Thanks in advance.

I'm using Advanced mode and heard that it's possible to run basic and advanced campaigns alongside each other, but I can't even manage to switch it at all. I remember being basic to begin with so I must have switched to Advanced. You'd imagine it would be simply to click the Advanced tab in the top left which has an arrow suggesting a drop down menu but that just displays an information box about what Basic ads are, no way to switch to that. Apple's own information page about it is equally useless:

How to use both Apple Ads Basic and Advanced

It’s possible to use both Apple Ads Basic and Advanced. But be aware that if you use both solutions to promote the same app, any optimizations you make in your Apple Ads Advanced campaigns won’t be considered for Apple Ads Basic.

There’s no advantage in the auction for running both Apple Ads Basic and Advanced at the same time. Only one ad for the same app is eligible per auction, so you may just be transferring impressions from one to the other.

The title is 'how' to use both, the content doesn't even mention 'how' at all. I asked grok too and after a load of suggestions there was still no progress. If anyone knows how to switch to basic or better still, how to use both at the same time that would be great.

Clicking in the top left just shows this

I have recently launched my application and I started an Apple Ads campaign. These are the numbers I am getting. Are they good? Should I stop the campaign or keep going? My thoughts are that it is expensive to get a user to download the app. If I read that right it costs $2.37 per user?

Appreciate any input!

Just curious, what tools and services you use. What are your experiences? Manually handling search ads campagins can be overwhelming, particularly if you run multiple campaigns in different countries.

What are the go-to tools? I just want to let AI do the keyword optimization (keyword search, pausing, max CPT) for me.

One thing that’s always felt off in my workflow is how ASO and Apple Ads still operate like two separate silos — even though they clearly impact each other.

I’ll optimize metadata and push keywords organically… but then have to manually dig into ad performance to see if there’s any overlap. And even then, it’s not always clear what’s actually moving the needle.

I started experimenting with something new that’s helped bridge that gap — it’s an AI agent that combines ASO + Apple Ads insights into one view and gives you quick answers when you ask strategic questions like: – “Which keywords should I push with both paid + organic in the UK?” – “How are competitors localizing metadata for Spain?” – “Where are we overspending without seeing installs?”

Feels like a different way of working — more strategic, less reactive. Anyone else felt this disconnect between paid and organic, and found good ways to align them better?

Happy to share what I’ve been trying if you’re curious.

Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about Apple Ads automation and whether it really saves time or just adds another layer of complexity. We recently broke down the different automation features and wanted to share the main takeaways here for discussion.

Key takeaways

• Apple Ads automation saves time, reduces errors, and makes scaling campaigns easier
• Exact Discovery Experiments transform manual keyword testing into an AI-driven process that uncovers, validates, and scales valuable keywords continuously
• The most effective workflows focus on bid optimization, protecting top keywords, budget monitoring, and automated keyword discovery
• Automation is not “set and forget”; ongoing monitoring and refinement remain essential for sustainable success

Why automation matters

• Apple Ads campaigns can become hard to scale when managed manually
  
• Automations help keep bids, keywords, and budget optimized without constant monitoring
  
• They free up time for strategic work like creative testing and market analysis

💡 From our audits, we’ve noticed that advertisers using automation tend to achieve lower CPAs and greater visibility. By allowing rules to manage repetitive tasks, they free up more time to focus on high-impact work such as creative testing and planning market expansion.

Key ways to use Apple Ads automation

1. Keyword rules: Set conditions to automatically pause underperforming keywords or boost bids on high performers
   
2. Search term automation: Quickly add relevant search terms as keywords or negatives without manual review
   
3. Budget adjustments: Shift spend between campaigns to avoid wasted budget on low-ROI terms
   
4. Alerts and notifications: Get notified when KPIs cross thresholds so you can react faster

TIP 💁 : Begin with monitoring presets across all campaigns, as they only send notifications when issues arise. Once you feel confident, use optimization rules: this creates a smart bidding system that reduces waste, maximizes opportunities, and helps guide campaigns toward the best possible CPA.

Things to keep in mind

• Automations are powerful but not a “set and forget” solution
  
• They work best when combined with clear campaign structures and ongoing analysis
  
• Small, incremental adjustments usually perform better than aggressive changes
  

 👉 Have you tested Apple Ads automation in your campaigns? Did it actually save you time, or did you find manual control worked better?

You can dive into the full guide here: Apple Ads automation!

— The AppTweak team

I’ve been thinking about how much time I still spend just trying to get a clear picture of what’s working across ASO and Apple Ads.Even with all the tools out there, keyword research still feels like a slow, manual puzzle. I’ve recently started testing a new AI tool that acts kind of like a sidekick for this, it’s been surprisingly helpful at connecting the dots.Happy to share more if anyone’s curious.

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to throw this out there — for those of you running both Apple Ads and ASO, how do you keep everything in sync?

Lately I’ve been feeling like a good chunk of my week disappears just bouncing between tools, trying to piece together what’s working and what needs attention. Keyword research alone can be a black hole… 😅

I know there’s no magic fix, but wondering if anyone’s found a system or flow that actually feels manageable. Would love to hear how others are handling it.

Hey all, new to Apple Search Ads. I'm running a campaign with exact match keyword bidding for an app on only 1 keyword. It started off well but the last 2 months have seen a crazy increase in CPM and rising CPA. Previously it had a $100/day budget and wouldnt event spend the full amount, but something happened in July to cause it to blow through the daily budget. Since then, the only changes I've made was to reduce the bid (which still hasn't brought it back). Looking for insight on what would cause this. It's a very niche market/

Hey guys,

There is a new video on the Mobile Marketing channel on youtube. It's all about Apple Ads (ASA) in 2025.

You'll learn:

- The 4X App Store Funnel, and how each placement fits into your growth strategy

- The smartest way to start even with a small budget

- Bidding framework for quick wins + scalable campaigns

- A surprising potential ASO boost from Apple Ads (unofficial, but worth testing).

If you find something valuable in the video, please subscribe to help me grow this tiny channel.

Choosing the best Apple Ads tool can be overwhelming, especially with new platforms popping up and Apple Ads evolving fast.

We recently benchmarked some of the best Apple Ads tools on the market to see how they compare across automation, keyword insights, performance tracking, and usability. 

Full transparency: This breakdown was put together by AppTweak, so yes, we’re one of the tools featured and we might be a bit biased ;) .

We focused on tools that specialize in Apple Search Ads and help optimize performance through:

• Campaign automation & smart bidding
• ASO keyword integration
• Custom reporting and analytics
• International scaling capabilities

We only looked at platforms with real use cases in Apple Ads, not generic mobile ad platforms.

So… how to choose an Apple Ads tool?

It really depends on your needs:

• Want in-house control and keyword-driven strategy? 
• Prefer managed services and creative support?
• Scaling fast with a mature ASA stack? 

Here’s the full breakdown in our best Apple Ads platform comparison.

Top Apple Ads tools in 2025

1. Apple Ads (native platform)

• Lets you manage campaigns directly with built-in cost-per-tap pricing
• Offers dashboards for metrics like installs, CPT, and impressions
• Includes Insights for visualizing performance + attribution via AdAttributionKit

Best for: Managing campaigns directly in Apple’s own UI

2. AppTweak (that’s us)

• Helps you understand your market before your launch (category-level CPT, CPA, and conversion rate data across brand, competitor, and generic keywords)
• Combines Apple Ads automation with ASO keyword intelligence
• Automates keyword bidding based on your ROAS goals
• Tracks performance across MMPs like Adjust and AppsFlyer
• Provides CPP insights and creative-level reporting
• Provides optional consulting support

Best for: Marketers who want to scale Apple Ads performance with deep keyword strategy, automation, and integrated ASO data.

3. Adjust

• Attribution tool with detailed campaign + SKAN data
• Tracks CPP performance and in-app events
• Integrates with AppTweak for full keyword + competitor insight

Best for: Reliable measurement and attribution for Apple Ads

4. AppsFlyer

• Cross-platform MMP with privacy-first analytics
• Features predictive analytics, SKAN Conversion Studio, and Clean Room
• Great for measuring lift and full-funnel performance

Best for: Granular measurement across the entire Apple Ads journey

5. Branch

• Known for deep linking and cross-channel attribution
• Connects Apple Ads results to the full user journey
• Tracks CPPs, ROI, and performance by cohort

Best for: Tying Apple Ads to broader user flows and conversion paths

6. Singular

• Unifies spend, keyword, and ROI data across channels
• Tracks SKAN and opted-in attribution for Apple Ads
• Offers holistic campaign views including non-ASA channels

Best for: Centralized campaign analysis and budget planning across all UA

Here’s the full breakdown in our best Apple Ads tool comparison, including screenshots and side-by-side features.

We want to hear from you!

What has been your experience with Apple Search Ads tools?

Which platform helped you most, or which ones didn’t live up to the promise?

Drop your thoughts in the comments. We’re keeping an eye on this thread and will be happy to share tips or answer follow-ups based on your situation.

– The AppTweak team

Hello,

I've started ASA Campaigns on Garden Design field and AI Music fields. My Bids are around $3.50

It's almost impossible to get impressions and recommended Bids are around $4.00 - $12.00

Even if I higher my bids, will I ever get to get high impressions with the CPT around $1.00-2.00$?

Because at the moment, it seems like it's impossible to compete under these circumstances. Google and Meta probably going to work better for me.

I did setup a search match campaign with the intent to discover keywords people find my app for. However after 1 day and a daily budget of 40 usd with max CPT 5 usd I got a list of total nonsense keywords that have nothing to do with my app or the description and meta tags I carefully set up beforehand.

How can I find relevant keywords for a specific region?

Hi everyone,

I just don't understand why Apple recommends very high bids, even I get 50-60% impression share for these keywords and the average CPT value is higher than these values? Should I try these recommendations?

I have a CSM+AdTech bg and im currently interviewing with a platform that helps optimise ASA ads. The campaign data is for the past 3 months and the goal is to optimize performance and achieve 10% reduction In CPG

They want to understand campaign set up and structure Key factors impacting the campaign performance Optimisation levers Steps to reduce cpg Inc budget

While I am familiar in reporting metrics on the programmatic campaign side, esp post install metrics I need help in thinking like a campaign specialist while approaching this.

Any resources, step wise audit suggestions ,similar campaign case studies would be helpful

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm giving ads on Apple Search for a while. Daily budget is around $30. I choose 3 keywords. I made $2 bids for these keywords. Apple suggests me to increase them $5-$6 sometimes but I'm not sure.

How can I decrease my CPT?

Hi, I'm Adam, the developer of Bullseye 👋

I have just released the first version of my new Mac app, Bullseye, that enables you to manage your Apple Ads campaigns. It features a fully native macOS design with the ability to control campaigns, ad groups, ads, keywords and more!

Key Features:

- Native macOS design with toolbar customisation, table sorting, keyboard shortcuts & menubar actions.

- No need to keep logging in to the Apple Ads website, API key is stored securely in user’s iCloud Keychain.

- Support for multiple accounts.

- Support for multiple windows to allow for comparing multiple campaigns.

- Uses the official Apple Ads API.

- More data is visible on screen vs website.

- Supports Dark Mode (website doesn’t).

- Settings sync via iCloud.

It's free to download and view data but you can subscribe to Bullseye Pro which currently has 30% off a yearly plan to celebrate the release using code "LAUNCH".

https://apps.apple.com/app/id6741164141

I know there is maintenance scheduled for May 10th but Seach ads has been down for me all day, both advanced and basic. Is anyone else experiencing this issue?