How to improve Apple Search Ads performance with goal-based optimization

What is goal-based optimization?

Unlike traditional broad targeting, goal-based optimization focuses sharply on acquiring users at a certain cost-per-action. In simple terms, instead of aiming to acquire just any user for $0.15, you optimize your campaigns to acquire a user who would, for example, finish an app trial for $1.15. Your goal could be anything from app installs to specific in-app events like finishing a trial or making a purchase, or even hitting certain revenue targets per user.

Goal-based optimization showed its efficiency in optimizing ads in Google Ads, Facebook and Snapchat. Why did it become so popular? The market demand got more customized and it was harder and harder to convert the users by targeting with wide parameters. Thus targeting was gradually evolving from the surface level going deeper into targeting precisely some audience segments and sub-segments. With the rising acquisition costs the UA and tightening the targeting restrictions, the UA managers ought to improve the efficiency of their ads switching from surface-level advertising to deep-funnel revenue-focused principles:

1. Quality over quantity. Focusing on low-funnel events ensures that you attract users who are genuinely interested in your app. These users are more likely to convert and become valuable customers.
2. Cost efficiency. With goal-based optimization, you spend smartly. By determining the price for user acquisition, you squeeze the most out of your ad budget.
3. Time efficiency. Automation does the heavy lifting - no more wasting time on performance revision and manual campaign adjustment. The algorithms do all the work for you changing the bids to hit the desired goal.

How to use a goal-based optimization approach in Apple Search Ads?

From this perspective, goal-based optimization looks like an ideal tool for Apple Search Ads. While Apple Search Ads' native dashboard doesn't yet offer goal-based optimization, the success of this method across other advertising channels prompted us to ask: why not implement it for Apple Search Ads too?

This ad network offers unparalleled opportunities to acquire high-value users with significant lifetime value and revenue potential. However, unlike for example, Facebook, you can not acquire look-alike audiences but in Apple Search Ads you can control the traffic volumes you are acquiring. At Asapty, we cooked up a goal-based optimization solution that's tailor-made for Apple Search Ads. This toolkit allows advertisers to acquire users, while also hitting the target cost.

How to start optimizing your Apple Search Ads campaigns with goal-based approach?

To run goal-based optimization for Apple Search Ads, you'll need two things: a mobile measurement partner (MMP) to track in-app events and revenue, and a tool that supports goal-based optimization for your chosen events.

Having a goal-based optimization solution is like having a smart helper for your Apple Search Ads. It tweaks your bids automatically to get you the results you want at the price you're aiming for. Basically, it makes your campaigns work smarter, not harder. The system figures out which users are more likely to do what you want - like install your app or make a purchase - and adjusts your bids within the auction to hit this goal.

If you are an Asapty platform user, you can enable goal-based optimization for your Apple Search Ads campaigns under the Optimization section. Simply choose the campaigns, set your optimization goal and the target value, to automatically hit your goals. The seamless MMP integration will allow you to choose any type of in-app events and revenue you’d like to target.

Here you can find a step-by-step detailed guide on how to set goal-based optimization in Asapty platform.

Goal-based optimization is available for Asapty Growth Plan subscribers. Learn more about Asapty pricing plans and features.

What kind of goal you should choose for optimization

Now here, you can choose between different optimization goals: installs, in-app events or revenue. The choice will be determined by your app category and monetization type.

1. App installs - best for games and apps scaling for wide geography and aiming for a specific cost per install in each target country. It will also work well if your app monetization model is driven by in-app ads. For example, you run a goal-based optimization for a campaign aiming to get the maximum possible number of app innstalls at the target average cost-per-acquisition < $0.72.

2. In-app events - ideal if you are hunting for specific user actions, like trial started, at different price in various countries. The aim of goal-based optimization in this case, will be to acquire the most traffic volume converting into the desired event. Example, get the maximum number of impressions, with the highest conversion rate for “trial started”, at the target cost-per-action (tCPA) < $12.

You can optimize for various in-app events demonstrating user intent. These events typically occur deeper in the conversion funnel:

• Sign-ups and registrations - creating an account or signing up for a service.
• In-app purchases - like a premium feature, subscription, or virtual item.
• Level completions - in games, progressing to the next level.
• Add-to-cart actions, entering checkout page and etc.

3. Revenue - works when you aren’t aiming at installs or in-app events but a specific revenue. This goal works best if you know the target payback period for your app or game (e.g., day 1, day 4, or day 10). In this case, goal-based optimization will help you adjust the bid to meet the desired revenue within that timeframe, for ex.: get ROI>20%.

Best practices for goal-based optimization in Apple Search Ads

Avoid going too deep in the funnel of in-app events

When optimizing for events in Apple Search Ads, avoid targeting events too deep in your funnel that only a few top users complete. Targeting algorithms need sufficient data to function effectively, so choose events that some users complete within 3 to 7 days after install.
While event-optimized campaigns are aimed at increasing the number of users who completed an event, it may be costly to do if the initial completion rate is very low (e.g., <0.01%). In such cases, the campaign might struggle to scale effectively because the low completion rate doesn’t provide enough data for the algorithms to identify and target the right user profiles. This can lead to inefficient spending and limited campaign growth. The recommendation is to use a similar approach as working with the low-volume keywords in Apple Search Ads - keep the balance between the number of estimated impressions and the bid.

Analyze your ROI

To get the most of goal-based optimization, start by creating a solid ROI model for your app. Let's use a subscription app as an example.
Say your most popular subscription plan is monthly, and users typically stick around for 11 months. Calculate the revenue generated by the first in-app purchase and decide on the number of months with payback to include in your ROI calculation. Let’s say, in your case, ROI4 (that's ROI after a 3-day trial plus the first payment) should be at least 74%. Anything better than that means your ads are profitable. Now, take that 74% and set it as your goal for optimization. Apply it to your campaigns and get them optimized for higher profitability. You can use this algorithm to calculate the other goal metrics, like the cost of trial started or cost per install.