If you’ve launched your great app, you’ve likely encountered the same obstacle that thousands of app owners and developers just like you have encountered – visibility. Getting people to find it is where majority of apps die. Most great apps are not discovered by chance, but by strategy. And this is precisely also where iOS App Store Advertising will be your best friend.
According to Apple, 65% of app installs on iOS happen directly after a user searches for something in the App Store. The reality is that people don’t download apps mindlessly. There is intent on the App Store, and if your app doesn’t show up when they are looking for something like yours, it is virtually invisible.
If your goal is to put your app literally in the hands of potential users, at the right moment, on their device, it’s time to rethink how you go to market. In this blog, we’re going to explain how iOS App Store Advertising works, why it is the best choice for your app’s visibility, and how Apptrove can help you take advantage of this powerful tool for measurable, long-term growth.
Whether you are marketing the next viral indie game or a category-defining fintech platform, the most successful apps on the App Store almost always use Apple Search Ads in their advertising strategy. With Apptrove’s analytics and optimization capabilities, you’ll discover exactly what campaigns and keywords are leading to installs rather than just impressions. Let’s get started.
What Is iOS App Store Advertising?
iOS App Store Advertising is about showing your app exactly where prospective users look, right in the App Store search results. The most effective means of doing just that is through Apple Search Ads, which is Apple’s native advertising platform designed to connect your app to users actively searching for similar applications. This provides your app with top of search visibility in relevant App Store search results to aid in reaching your download goals.
What makes Apple Search Ads different from other traditional digital ads is that they are also targeted based on intent. Being present at the top of that search means you are meeting them at the best time, when their intent is high, and decision making is quick.
And if you want to improve your chances of being found even further, it might benefit you to use the iOS App Store Advertising alongside a strong App Store Optimization (ASO) strategy because, not only are you securing a paid opportunity for discovery, but also establishing your app for long-term sustainable growth as well.
Why iOS App Store Advertising Should Be Your Top Growth Channel
Launching an app in the year 2025 is somewhat like screaming into void. Your team has spent weeks, months, perhaps even years obsessing over every pixel, every line of code, and every user flow. Then, the second it goes on the App Store, it’s just an icon with 1.54 million other icons under piles of competition.
Here is why iOS App Store advertising is your best bet when it comes to promoting your app
1. Access High Intent Traffic
When a user arrives to the App Store, they aren’t usually off looking to browse. According to Apple, 70% of App Store visitors are using search to find new apps and over 65% of installs occur immediately after a search. That makes Apple Search Ads the most direct connection between your app and a possible download.
It is one thing for your app to be visible, it is another for your app to be visible to the right people at the right time. Apptrove helps track which audiences are converting, so you are not wasting money on impressions that have absolutely no value.
2. Stand Out from the Competition
In the App Store’s world of almost 2 million apps, the odds of discovering your app organically are slim. Apple Search Ads lets you push through the chaos, and place your app directly in front of users when they search for relevant keywords.
But paid ads shouldn’t be your only strategy, ASO is really important as well. ASO is concerned with the optimization of your app’s listing, including keywords, app name, icon, description, etc.
The goal is to create an app store listing where your app can be found organically, in addition to your advertising. When you combine iOS App Store advertising with ASO, you are maximizing your chances of having your app perform well, both through paid advertising results and organic search results.
With Apptrove, you can not only optimize on how you spend your money promoting your app but understand the full picture of the results from ASO and Search Ads so you understand where installs are coming from.
3. Precise Targeting with Keyword Intelligence
Apple Search Ads operates by keyword targeting, similar to Google Ads. You bid on the terms your target users are typing in. However, rather than guessing, you can lean on Apptrove’s insights to identify what is producing the most installs for your category.
Broad targeting may create impressions, but targeting intent-rich keywords leads users who convert. Apptrove adds value for app owners and optimizes this process to ensure that you only pay for what drives value.
How iOS App Store Advertising Works: The Basics
iOS App Store advertising is revolutionary for app marketers looking to increase their app’s visibility directly in the App Store. Apple’s Search Ads is the primary part of the iOS App Store advertising, which features ads in the App Store search results. They enable you to place your app above the organic search results in the App Store, so consumers do not need to scroll down to find you.
These ads are clearly labeled, but they easily blend with organic listings so they are both visible and trusted by potential customers. The beauty of Search Ads is that they only show when users search for specific terms. So, you’re able to place your app in front of users that already have intent, and not interrupting someone while they are not interested.
Not all Apple Search Ads are created the same. Depending on how hands-on you want to be, Apple gives you two very powerful modes when it comes to Apple Search Ads: Search Ads Basic and Search Ads Advanced. Knowing the differences between the two can tremendously affect how well you advertise your app.
There are different features available with each, and your decision will depend on your app’s needs, goals, budget, and marketing capabilities. Let’s explore both options to help you determine which option best fits your app.
Search Ads Basic: Simply Set It and Forget It
iOS App Store Advertising through Search Ads Basic is a great solution for app developers or marketers who simply want to get started without getting too carried away into ad targeting and bidding nuances. It is especially useful for those starting their journey into app marketing or with limited time and resources.
With Search Ads Basic, you choose your app, set a monthly budget (up to $10,000) and the maximum cost-per-install (CPI) you are willing to pay, and Apple’s automation delivers everything you need. Apple automatically matches your app to the most relevant search terms using metadata from your app store page, will deliver the ads, and will even adjust your bids based upon performance; you do not have to do anything on a daily basis.
One of the best features is the CPI structure. You are only paying when someone is actually downloading your app, not when someone views or clicks an ad. This makes Search Ads Basic a low-risk, budget-friendly way to begin to gain visibility while maintaining total control over your ad spend. If you want a simple path to show your app to users with little stress, Basic is a great way to get started.
Search Ads Advanced: Take the Charge
Search Ads Advanced offers a fantastic opportunity to take your iOS App Store advertising to the next level. Search Ads Advanced gives you the potential for customization, accuracy, and control over your campaigns. If you want to ramp up your iOS App Store advertising, and you are a more seasoned marketer or trying to promote a larger company, you can take advantage of Search Ads Advanced.
You can choose the exact keywords you intend to target, create audience segments based on location, age, device type, or user behavior, and modify bids in real-time to match your campaign objectives.
With this control, you improve targeting and better prevent ad dollar waste on low intent, or irrelevant audiences. And most importantly, Advanced gives you greater visibility of your campaign across that funnel, from impressions, taps, to installs, so you can continuously iterate and adapt based on data.
It is this combination of adjustment in real-time and analytics richness that will create the most value, becoming the preferred choice for marketers that are scaling up and treating acquisition like a necessary business function, not an arbitrary task.
So, regardless of whether you are looking for simplicity or complete control, the iOS App Store Advertising meets you where you are on your journey to grow your app or service.
To Sum Up: Your App Deserves to Be Seen
It may seem like an uphill battle to get your app noticed in the App Store, but with the power of iOS App Store advertising, you no longer have to feel like you are yelling into the abyss. You can put your app in front of users who are looking for exactly what you have to offer. Best of all, when you layer on Apptrove’s powerful, data-driven insights into user behavior with the right strategy, you’ll be sure that what you do doesn’t end at visibility, it leads to real, measurable growth.
The combination of the right advertising strategy and analytics will help to make sure your app doesn’t get lost somewhere. Now is the time to optimize, adjust, and actually see the end product. Use iOS App Store advertising to reach your audience, increase installs, and scale at a rock solid pace.
So, start using the right iOS App Store advertising strategies today, and keep track of your success the entire way. The journey to discovery starts today, and with Apptrove beside you, there is no end in sight.
