Apple Introducing New App Store Ads to Help Users Discover More Apps

[MacRumors]

Apple today announced it is expanding its offering of how developers can promote their apps on the App Store, helping developers expand their reach and making it easier to discover more of what the App Store has to offer.

Until now, Apple has offered developers two ad opportunities on the App Store: in the Search tab and within the Search results page. Both ad placements have been a tremendous success for developers, helping them find users who may be interested in their apps, according to Apple. The expansion of ad opportunities in the App Store is part of the company's efforts to maintain the App Store as the best place for developers to grow their businesses.

Apple Search Ads provides opportunities for developers of all sizes to grow their business. Like our other advertising offerings, these new ad placements are built upon the same foundation—they will only contain content from apps’ approved App Store product pages, and will adhere to the same rigorous privacy standards.

As part of those efforts, the first new ad opportunity will be within the Today tab - the front page of the App Store. With Today App Store ads, developers will be able to promote their apps right alongside the daily editorial content by the App Store team. Ads are clearly marked as ads and are distinguishable from the normal editorial App Store stories. The Today tab is the first tab that's pre-loaded when the App Store app is opened and was introduced as part of the App Store redesign in 2017.

The second new ad placement for developers in the App Store will be directly within app product pages. Ads will appear under the "You Might Also Like" section towards the bottom of the page and will also be clearly marked as ads.

At the cornerstone of Apple's App Store ads is the company's focus on user privacy. The new ads will follow the same strict guidelines and policies applied across all of Apple's platforms and services. When users first open Apple's apps, such as the App Store, Apple News, and Apple Stocks, they're given the freedom to choose whether they want to enable personalized ads.

In a presentation to advertisers obtained by MacRumors in May, it was revealed that in the first quarter of 2022, 78% of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 search volume on the App Store was from devices with Personalized Ads turned off across all countries and regions where Apple's Search Ads are available.

Whether or not users have Personalized Ads enabled, Apple does not show personalized ads to users under the age of 18, to users with an Apple ID associated with a minor under 13, or to managed accounts. Furthermore, unlike some social media giants who allow advertisers to target extremely specific user demographics, Apple limits developers from targeting ads to segments and demographics with less than 5,000 other similar users, helping prevent hyper-targeting.

Apple also never uses factors such as religion, political affiliation, or health to target its customers, claiming it's able to deliver highly effective ads without the need to track individual users. Additionally, Apple's ads are never tied to an individual Apple ID, and a "user profile" is never created to target a specific user across all of the company's services.

Ron Schneidermann, CEO of AllTrails, a popular app for hikers and campers, said that Apple's App Store ads have helped "attract new, more engaged customers across markets" and that they've become a crucial aspect of its growth strategy.

Apple Search Ads helped us attract new, more engaged customers across markets. We rely on Apple Search Ads for cost-effective customer acquisition – it’s a critical component of our growth strategy. As they become available, we plan to invest in new placements to reach even more customers on the App Store and continue to drive our business growth.

Apple will be testing the new ad placements with limited developers soon.

Article Link: Apple Introducing New App Store Ads to Help Users Discover More Apps

 

[krspkbl]

yey more ads

 

[Aston441]

How about letting us search by free, most popular, etc, instead of having to scroll forever... oh, that would mean less revenue for the giant Apple Machine TM. Jerks


ETA: Ideally should be able to search for apps without subscriptions too. I don't mind even paying BIG $ if an app is worth it, but I'll never subscribe to anything ever. Period. My money is for investing, and myself, not GiantCorp(TM).

Subscriptions are for poor people, to make them even more poor.

 

[BobSc]

Many ads are very entertaining. Bring them on.

 

[sw1tcher]

Need more ads to help us discover more crypto apps 🤣

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apples-app-store-comes-under-the-spotlight-for-how-it-handles-fake-crypto-apps.2352978/

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

The App Store becoming an even bigger mess with ads now. Yay.

EU, hurry up and force Apple to enable sideloading already.

 

[needsomecoffee]

Why does Apple not provide a way to limit your search to the "Copyright holder" of the app name ?? I hate searching for one app owned by one developer. Nearly 5mm apps, 99.9% I do not want to see in my search results, yet here we are (search for "nordnpv":

 

[MysticCow]

The App Store becoming an even bigger mess with ads now. Yay.

EU, hurry up and force Apple to enable sideloading already.

I can’t believe I am rooting for sideloading now, but Apple and Google should not (edit—how did I forget this word?) be throwing MORE “we’re definitely not targeting you” ads.

 

[MadDawg2020]

‘helping developers expand their reach and making it easier to discover more of what the ‌App Store‌ has to offer.’

Isn’t that what the entire point and main function of what the App Store is supposed to do?!

Why do you need yet another App to figure out how to use the App Store App?!

 

[compwiz1202]

I can’t believe I am rooting for sideloading now, but Apple and Google should be throwing MORE “we’re definitely not targeting you” ads.

I want to see targeted ads, not random BS I don't care about. The worst one I ever got was when I ordered something with my Apple Card, and got a popup after the order if I wanted to apply for Apple Card!

 

[DrJR]

I was just thinking "the need more ads"

 

[Hastings101]

Wouldn’t it be cool if developers could just pay Apple to place links to their apps on our homescreens ? It would be much simpler than having to open the App Store to find these cool hidden gems. Users could then delete the links if they don’t like it and the rest of us would benefit from being guided to the best apps. It’s a win win

 

[ct2k7]

Wouldn’t it be cool if developers could just pay Apple to place links to their apps on our homescreens ? It would be much simpler than having to open the App Store to find these cool hidden gems. Users could then delete the links if they don’t like it and the rest of us would benefit from being guided to the best apps. It’s a win win

Don’t give them ideas…

doesn’t the App Store have a widget already?

 

[No5tromo]

There was a time when I opened the App Store on a daily basis to see what new app there was to download. I now open it like once a month, after you've found your top 20-30 apps everything else is kind of useless to be honest unless you are a hardcore mobile gamer or something. I add maybe 2 apps per year in my "collection" of apps but I also delete many which I never use.

 

[andrewxgx]

oh yes, forcing users to see ads on product with premium branding and massive margins
like that is going to end well

 

[dk001]

Not only the ads but as you scroll down you keep seeing the same apps over and over and over and ...

 

[nvmls]

Ads. That's iPhone.

 

[kiensoy]

I’m paying for an expensive device to be served ads in it from Apple.

 

[femike]

I wish Apple will direct that effort to improving Siri instead. I guess there is less money in doing that.

 

[v0lume4]

Wouldn’t it be cool if developers could just pay Apple to place links to their apps on our homescreens ? It would be much simpler than having to open the App Store to find these cool hidden gems. Users could then delete the links if they don’t like it and the rest of us would benefit from being guided to the best apps. It’s a win win

I for one wish my iPhone would come preloaded with all the latest and greatest apps. Even better if I couldn’t uninstall them.

I dream of the day when I can get McAfee preloaded on my phone from the store.

 

[cliveren13]

Hmmmmm i thought it was only google that pushed ads i guess only if apple does it means its ok to profit from it.

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

I want to see targeted ads, not random BS I don't care about. The worst one I ever got was when I ordered something with my Apple Card, and got a popup after the order if I wanted to apply for Apple Card!

Nah I'd rather not have my interests datamined then sold to advertisers, especially when Apple's been constantly throwing ads like this:

 

[Silarkar]

Hmmm, seems like reasonable places to put paid ads for apps. The App Store is meant to help find apps, why not let developers pay “to have an easier time with the algorithm” if they want to? It won’t help small developers though.

Edit: The App Store is essentially a giant ad, I don't really see the issue.

 

[txscott]

Unless something really amazing (good or bad) happens, I have likely bought all the apps I'm ever going to buy. I don't play games, I already have an office suite, a browser, an adblocker, and an ssh terminal app. Everything else is either supplied by apple (mail, calendar, weather, photos, notes, files/finder, address book) apps from companies whose services I use (bank, mychart), smart home stuff (sprinklers, thermostat etc), or things I subscribe to (Hulu or HBO Max).

Advertisements do me no good. I'm not an app customer. Can I turn them off? If I wanted a new app, say a different adblocker, my first place to look would be the internet for reviews and recommendations, not the app store. I can't recall a time when I've opened the app store to browse. Its a download source, not a place to shop.

The adsI really hate are the ones in the Health app. At the bottom of my main page are ads for Seven, One Drop, HeartWatch, Fit Men Cook, and Wakeout. This is truly odious and evil. I should at least be able to view my health data without advertising.

Advertising needs to be opt out. I'll bet Apple advertising fares no better than Facebook advertising if the customers are given a choice. Apple has no excuse. We already paid a premium for the phone/tablet/laptop.

 

[jonnysods]

Somewhere in there give me an A-Z listing.