apple-search-ads

Name: apple-search-ads
Author: rshankras

2installs46forks

How to install apple-search-ads?

rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills/apple-search-ads

$npx -y skills add rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill apple-search-ads

Installs into the current project.

Summary

Apple Search Ads campaign strategy for indie developers — paid acquisition, keyword bidding, budget planning, and ROAS optimization. Use when user asks about running ads, paid user acquisition, or Apple Search Ads campaigns.

Files · 1

View on GitHub

SKILL.md

1	# Apple Search Ads for Indie Developers
2
3	Plan, launch, and optimize Apple Search Ads campaigns that deliver profitable user acquisition for indie apps.
4
5	## When This Skill Activates
6
7	Use this skill when the user:
8	- Asks about paid user acquisition or running ads for their app
9	- Mentions "Apple Search Ads", "Search Ads", or "ASA"
10	- Wants to set up ad campaigns in the App Store
11	- Asks about keyword bidding, CPT, or CPA optimization
12	- Needs help with campaign structure or budget allocation
13	- Wants to understand if paid acquisition makes sense for their app
14	- Asks how to complement ASO with paid promotion
15
16	## Pre-Requisite Check: Are You Ready for Ads?
17
18	Before recommending any campaign setup, verify these minimum thresholds. Running ads on an unoptimized listing burns money.
19
20	### Minimum Thresholds
21
22	\| Requirement \| Threshold \| Why \|
23	\|-------------\|-----------\|-----\|
24	\| Organic downloads \| 100+/month \| Proves baseline demand exists \|
25	\| App Store page CVR \| > 20% \| Ads amplify your listing — a bad listing wastes spend \|
26	\| Screenshots \| 5+ optimized \| Paid traffic sees your product page first \|
27	\| Ratings \| 3.5+ stars (or none) \| Low ratings kill conversion from ads \|
28	\| Crash-free rate \| > 99% \| Crashes destroy ROAS through refunds and bad reviews \|
29	\| Monetization \| Active \| No point acquiring users you can't monetize \|
30
31	If thresholds are not met:
32	- Focus on organic ASO first (use `keyword-optimizer` skill)
33	- Fix product page conversion (use `screenshot-planner` and `app-description-writer` skills)
34	- Improve app quality and ratings before spending on acquisition
35
36	### Readiness Decision
37
38	```
39	Have 100+ organic downloads/month?
40	├── NO → Stop. Fix organic first.
41	└── YES → Is your product page CVR > 20%?
42	├── NO → Optimize listing first, then run ads.
43	└── YES → Ready for Apple Search Ads.
44	```
45
46	## Campaign Types
47
48	Apple Search Ads offers four placement types. Not all are useful for indie developers. All placements price as cost-per-tap on a second-price auction — you pay just above the next-highest bid, never your max — with no minimum spend, and daily budgets are adjustable anytime.
49
50	### Search Results (Recommended Starting Point)
51
52	- Where: Top of search results when users search specific keywords
53	- Targeting: Keyword-based (exact match or broad match)
54	- Cost model: Cost Per Tap (CPT)
55	- Best for: High-intent users actively looking for your category
56	- Indie priority: Start here. This is where you get the most control and best ROAS.
57
58	### Search Tab
59
60	- Where: Top of the Search tab before user types anything
61	- Targeting: Audience-based (demographics, customer type)
62	- Cost model: Cost Per Tap (CPT)
63	- Best for: Brand awareness and discovery
64	- Indie priority: Use after Search Results campaigns are profitable. Good for launch visibility.
65
66	### Today Tab
67
68	- Where: Today tab in the App Store
69	- Targeting: Audience-based
70	- Cost model: Cost Per Tap (CPT)
71	- Requirements: Ads always come from a Custom Product Page with ≥4 portrait or ≥5 landscape assets, and undergo a separate creative review
72	- Best for: Mass awareness, seasonal pushes
73	- Indie priority: Usually too expensive for indie budgets. Skip unless budget allows $500+/day.
74
75	### Product Page (You Might Also Like)
76
77	- Where: "You Might Also Like" section on other apps' product pages
78	- Targeting: Audience and category-based
79	- Cost model: Cost Per Tap (CPT)
80	- Best for: Reaching users browsing competitor or related apps
81	- Indie priority: Good second campaign after Search Results. Lower intent but can find relevant users.
82
83	### Recommended Progression for Indie Developers
84
85	```
86	Stage 1: Search Results (exact match keywords)
87	↓ profitable?
88	Stage 2: Search Results (broad match for discovery)
89	↓ profitable?
90	Stage 3: Product Page (competitor audiences)
91	↓ profitable?
92	Stage 4: Search Tab (brand awareness)
93	```
94
95	### Discovery Campaigns as Keyword Research
96
97	Beyond acquisition, a low-budget broad-match discovery campaign is the cheapest source of Apple's official keyword popularity data and the real queries users type. Even if it never turns a profit, harvest the Search Terms report into your organic metadata — see `keyword-optimizer` advanced tactics (§14) for the quarterly routine.
98
99	## Keyword Strategy
100
101	### Keyword Categories
102
103	1. Brand Keywords (Your App Name)
104	- Bid on these ONLY if competitors are bidding on your name
105	- Check by searching your app name — if a competitor appears above you, bid
106	- Otherwise, save the budget; you already rank #1 organically
107
108	2. Category Keywords (Generic Terms)
109	- Examples

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Type

apple-search-ads

2installs46forks

View on GitHub

How to install apple-search-ads?

rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills/apple-search-ads

$npx -y skills add rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill apple-search-ads

Installs into the current project.

Summary

Files · 1

View on GitHub

SKILL.md

1	# Apple Search Ads for Indie Developers
2
3	Plan, launch, and optimize Apple Search Ads campaigns that deliver profitable user acquisition for indie apps.
4
5	## When This Skill Activates
6
7	Use this skill when the user:
8	- Asks about paid user acquisition or running ads for their app
9	- Mentions "Apple Search Ads", "Search Ads", or "ASA"
10	- Wants to set up ad campaigns in the App Store
11	- Asks about keyword bidding, CPT, or CPA optimization
12	- Needs help with campaign structure or budget allocation
13	- Wants to understand if paid acquisition makes sense for their app
14	- Asks how to complement ASO with paid promotion
15
16	## Pre-Requisite Check: Are You Ready for Ads?
17
18	Before recommending any campaign setup, verify these minimum thresholds. Running ads on an unoptimized listing burns money.
19
20	### Minimum Thresholds
21
22	\| Requirement \| Threshold \| Why \|
23	\|-------------\|-----------\|-----\|
24	\| Organic downloads \| 100+/month \| Proves baseline demand exists \|
25	\| App Store page CVR \| > 20% \| Ads amplify your listing — a bad listing wastes spend \|
26	\| Screenshots \| 5+ optimized \| Paid traffic sees your product page first \|
27	\| Ratings \| 3.5+ stars (or none) \| Low ratings kill conversion from ads \|
28	\| Crash-free rate \| > 99% \| Crashes destroy ROAS through refunds and bad reviews \|
29	\| Monetization \| Active \| No point acquiring users you can't monetize \|
30
31	If thresholds are not met:
32	- Focus on organic ASO first (use `keyword-optimizer` skill)
33	- Fix product page conversion (use `screenshot-planner` and `app-description-writer` skills)
34	- Improve app quality and ratings before spending on acquisition
35
36	### Readiness Decision
37
38	```
39	Have 100+ organic downloads/month?
40	├── NO → Stop. Fix organic first.
41	└── YES → Is your product page CVR > 20%?
42	├── NO → Optimize listing first, then run ads.
43	└── YES → Ready for Apple Search Ads.
44	```
45
46	## Campaign Types
47
48	Apple Search Ads offers four placement types. Not all are useful for indie developers. All placements price as cost-per-tap on a second-price auction — you pay just above the next-highest bid, never your max — with no minimum spend, and daily budgets are adjustable anytime.
49
50	### Search Results (Recommended Starting Point)
51
52	- Where: Top of search results when users search specific keywords
53	- Targeting: Keyword-based (exact match or broad match)
54	- Cost model: Cost Per Tap (CPT)
55	- Best for: High-intent users actively looking for your category
56	- Indie priority: Start here. This is where you get the most control and best ROAS.
57
58	### Search Tab
59
60	- Where: Top of the Search tab before user types anything
61	- Targeting: Audience-based (demographics, customer type)
62	- Cost model: Cost Per Tap (CPT)
63	- Best for: Brand awareness and discovery
64	- Indie priority: Use after Search Results campaigns are profitable. Good for launch visibility.
65
66	### Today Tab
67
68	- Where: Today tab in the App Store
69	- Targeting: Audience-based
70	- Cost model: Cost Per Tap (CPT)
71	- Requirements: Ads always come from a Custom Product Page with ≥4 portrait or ≥5 landscape assets, and undergo a separate creative review
72	- Best for: Mass awareness, seasonal pushes
73	- Indie priority: Usually too expensive for indie budgets. Skip unless budget allows $500+/day.
74
75	### Product Page (You Might Also Like)
76
77	- Where: "You Might Also Like" section on other apps' product pages
78	- Targeting: Audience and category-based
79	- Cost model: Cost Per Tap (CPT)
80	- Best for: Reaching users browsing competitor or related apps
81	- Indie priority: Good second campaign after Search Results. Lower intent but can find relevant users.
82
83	### Recommended Progression for Indie Developers
84
85	```
86	Stage 1: Search Results (exact match keywords)
87	↓ profitable?
88	Stage 2: Search Results (broad match for discovery)
89	↓ profitable?
90	Stage 3: Product Page (competitor audiences)
91	↓ profitable?
92	Stage 4: Search Tab (brand awareness)
93	```
94
95	### Discovery Campaigns as Keyword Research
96
97	Beyond acquisition, a low-budget broad-match discovery campaign is the cheapest source of Apple's official keyword popularity data and the real queries users type. Even if it never turns a profit, harvest the Search Terms report into your organic metadata — see `keyword-optimizer` advanced tactics (§14) for the quarterly routine.
98
99	## Keyword Strategy
100
101	### Keyword Categories
102
103	1. Brand Keywords (Your App Name)
104	- Bid on these ONLY if competitors are bidding on your name
105	- Check by searching your app name — if a competitor appears above you, bid
106	- Otherwise, save the budget; you already rank #1 organically
107
108	2. Category Keywords (Generic Terms)
109	- Examples

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6 picks

Type