Introduction

Hiring an apple search ads agency can move an app from low visibility to top placement in the App Store search results within weeks. For app developers, mobile marketers, and advertising professionals working on user acquisition, Apple Search Ads (ASA) is one of the highest-intent channels: users search a keyword, see your app, tap, and often convert at rates well above generic display or social traffic.

This guide covers what an apple search ads agency does, the core principles behind successful campaigns, a step-by-step setup and optimization timeline, pricing and engagement models, tools and vendors, and common pitfalls to avoid. You will get checklists, sample budgets and bid benchmarks, a 30/60/90 day timeline, and an onboarding checklist you can use immediately. The outcome: a practical playbook to evaluate agencies, run better ASA programs, and measure results with precision.

How an Apple Search Ads Agency Works

An apple search ads agency runs Apple Search Ads campaigns end to end: strategy, keyword research, creative optimization, bidding and budget pacing, measurement and attribution, and ongoing optimization. Agencies often manage both Apple Search Ads Basic and Apple Search Ads Advanced depending on client goals and scale.

Typical service layers an agency provides:

Strategy and goal setting - defining target cost-per-install (CPI), lifetime value (LTV) thresholds, and geo/locale priorities.
Keyword architecture - discovery, classification, negative keyword lists, and match-type rules.
Creative and metadata advising - App Store product page A/B tests, screenshots, and short descriptions to improve conversion rate.
Bid management and automation - manual, rule-based, or API-driven bidding based on CPA (cost per acquisition) goals.
Measurement and reporting - connecting attribution providers, setting up postbacks, and delivering weekly/monthly performance reports.

Real example: a mid-sized finance app hired an agency for a $20,000 monthly ASA budget. In month 1 the agency allocated $8,000 to branded keywords (lower CPT, high CVR) and $12,000 to discovery keywords. They established a CPI goal of $12 and achieved $9.80 in month 1 after optimizing match types and adding negative keywords.

How agencies differ:

Specialization - some focus on casual games, others on finance, health, or B2B apps.
Tools and automation - proprietary bid engines vs manual optimization.
Measurement stack - partnering with AppsFlyer, Adjust, or in-house analytics.

When evaluating an agency insist on case studies with similar KPIs and ask for their bidding logic, attribution integrations, and examples of keyword lists they would build for your app.

Core Principles for Apple Search Ads Success

Success on Apple Search Ads is not just higher bids. It rests on four core principles: intent alignment, conversion rate optimization, efficient bid management, and measurement accuracy.

Intent alignment

Apple Search Ads serves users with explicit search intent. Match this with clear audience and keyword strategy.
Example: A photo editor app should prioritize high-intent terms like “photo editor pro” and long-tail queries such as “remove background photo app” rather than broad terms like “photo.”

Conversion rate optimization (CRO)

Tap-to-install conversion rates (CVR) depend on product page assets and relevance. Agencies pair ASA keyword targets with product page A/B tests using SplitMetrics or StoreMaven.
Example metric: boosting Product Page Conversion Rate from 30% to 45% reduces CPI by ~33% at the same CPT (cost per tap).

Efficient bid management

Bid by expected value, not clicks. Use CPA (cost-per-acquisition) or ROAS (return on ad spend) targets when you have LTV data.
Sample guideline: set target CPT such that (CPT * CVR) <= target CPI. If CVR is 40% and target CPI is $8, max CPT = $3.20.

Measurement accuracy

Attribution errors create waste. Integrate AppsFlyer, Adjust, or Tenjin; configure postbacks and deduplicate conversions between channels.
Use device-level metrics and cohort LTV to decide which keywords to scale.

Practical benchmarks and KPIs (example ranges; adjust by category and geo):

Tap-through rate (TTR): 4% to 12% on branded and high-intent keywords.
Tap-to-install conversion (CVR): 25% to 60% depending on product and product page.
Cost-per-tap (CPT): $0.20 for low-competition regions up to $5+ for competitive finance or gaming keywords in US/UK.
Cost-per-install (CPI): $1.50 to $30+, category-dependent. Casual games often $1.50-$5; finance apps $10-$60.

Agencies use these ranges to model budgets, forecast installs, and create scaling plans. Ask prospective agencies for their category-specific benchmarks and sample keyword lists to validate expertise.

Step-By-Step Campaign Setup and Optimization

This section gives a 30/60/90 day plan plus a detailed checklist to set up and optimize ASA campaigns. Use these steps whether you run ASA in-house or with an agency.

30-day launch phase (Days 1-30)

Day 1-3 - Onboard, connect Apple Search Ads account, give agency App Store Connect access, and integrate attribution (AppsFlyer/Adjust/Tenjin).
Day 4-7 - Keyword discovery using Search Match, App Store search term reports, and competitor ASO analysis. Build seed lists of 500-2,000 keywords split into branded, category, competitor, and discovery.
Day 8-14 - Create campaign structure: one campaign per language/locale, ad groups per theme (branded, competitor, feature). Implement match types: exact for control, broad for discovery, and phrase for intent capture.
Day 15-30 - Run initial bids and budget pacing. Typical starting budget: $5,000 to $20,000 monthly for a mid-market app. Track daily CPT, CVR, CPI, and spend.

60-day scale phase (Days 31-60)

Week 5-6 - Analyze high-performing keywords. Move broad/phrase winners into exact match testing and increase bids by 10-25% where ROAS is positive.
Week 7-8 - Implement creative/product page tests. Use StoreMaven or SplitMetrics to run product page experiments for top keyword cohorts.
Week 9-10 - Introduce negative keywords and refine match type assignments. Automate rule-based bid adjustments for CPA targets.
Deliverable - scale spend 2x if CPI and ROAS targets are met.

90-day optimization phase (Days 61-90)

Week 11-13 - Conduct cohort LTV analysis over 30-day post-install events. Identify keywords producing highest 30-day revenue per install.
Week 14 - Reallocate budget to keywords and audiences with highest LTV. Consider bidding more aggressively on competitor and feature keywords with strong LTV.
Week 15-16 - Implement incremental test: pause a subset of ASA to measure organic uplift and incremental installs. Compare against control to calculate real incremental ROI.

Checklist for launch

App Store Connect access granted
Attribution provider integrated with postbacks
Product page variants ready for A/B testing
Seed keyword list with search volume estimates
Campaign structure plan per locale
Initial budget and CPI targets defined

Example numbers for a launch:

Monthly budget: $15,000
CPI target: $10
Expected installs month 1: 1,200 installs (at $12.50 CPI if initial performance lags)
Month 2 target: reduce CPI to $9 and scale installs to 1,600

Optimization rules sample (automatable)

If keyword CPA exceeds target by 30% for 7 days, reduce bid 20% or pause.
If keyword CPA is 20% under target and daily spend exceeds $100, increase bid by 10% and raise daily cap by 25%.
If conversion rate on product page variant B exceeds A by 10% after 1,000 impressions, roll out variant B.

When to Hire an Apple Search Ads Agency

Hiring an apple search ads agency makes sense when you need scale, specialized expertise, or to free internal resources for other growth work.

You lack internal ASA expertise. If no team member has run ASA campaigns at scale, an agency can avoid costly mistakes and get to scale faster.
You need faster time-to-scale. Agencies with proven processes and automation can often ramp from zero to meaningful installs in 30-60 days.
You have complex measurement needs. If you need multi-touch attribution, LTV modeling, or server-to-server integrations, an agency can manage the stack.
You are running multi-product or multi-locale programs. Agencies typically handle multi-language campaigns and region-specific keyword sets efficiently.

Decision checklist

Budget threshold - agencies generally become cost-effective if monthly ASA spend exceeds $5,000 to $7,500.
Internal capacity - do you have a marketer who can commit 8-12 hours per week? If not, hire agency support.
Goal clarity - have target CPIs, LTV, and acceptable payback windows defined.

Hiring process timeline (example)

Week 1 - RFP, shortlist 3 agencies, check case studies and references.
Week 2 - Agency discovery calls and proposal evaluation.
Week 3 - Contract sign and onboarding kickoff.
Week 4-8 - Initial setup and launch.

Benchmark questions for agencies

Which attribution providers do you use and how do you deduplicate installs?
What is your typical setup fee, monthly retainer, and percentage of ad spend?
Can you share a keyword list and benchmark for apps similar to mine?
What automation tools or bid engines do you operate?

Pricing Models and What an Agency Costs

Agency pricing for Apple Search Ads varies by experience, service scope, and region. Common models include percentage of ad spend, flat monthly retainer, setup fee, and performance-based fees.

Typical pricing structures

Percentage of ad spend - 10% to 25% of monthly ad spend. Example: $20,000 monthly spend at 15% management fee = $3,000/month.
Flat monthly retainer - $2,000 to $10,000 per month depending on service depth. Example: small apps pay $2,500; enterprise clients pay $8,000+.
Setup fee - one-time $1,000 to $5,000 for initial strategy, keyword research, and account configuration.
Performance fee - $0.50 to $10 per incremental install beyond an agreed baseline or a bonus tied to ROAS.

Comparisons

Small in-house team vs agency - running in-house may cost $6,000-$10,000/year for a part-time specialist, but lacks scale and tools. Agency delivers process, tools, and scale but adds ongoing management costs.
Agency A (specialist mobile ASA agency) - 12% of spend + $3,000 setup.
Agency B (full-service UA shop) - $5,000 retainer + 10% of spend for creative and analytics.
Freelancer/consultant - $75-$150/hour with limited automation.

Budgeting example for a growth stage app

Monthly ASA budget - $25,000
Agency fee - 15% = $3,750
Setup fee amortized over 6 months - $2,400/6 = $400
Total monthly cost month 1 - $29,150 (including first month setup)
Expected installs at $8 CPI - 3,125 installs

What to negotiate

Minimum contract length - common 3-month minimum to allow testing and optimization.
Transparency - request access to the ASA and attribution dashboards.
Deliverables - weekly reports, tag/reporting templates, and ADA (advertising data archive) exports.

Cost-saving tips

Start with a smaller test budget to validate agency performance with a 90-day pilot.
Negotiate a blended fee combining a lower retainer and an incentive on performance improvement.
Ask for a break clause if KPIs are not met within agreed times.

Tools and Resources

Below are specific tools, platforms, and average pricing where applicable. Prices change; check vendor sites for current plans.

Apple Search Ads (Apple)
Availability: Global across App Store territories.
Pricing: Cost-per-tap auction model; no platform fee besides ad spend.
Notes: Two products - Apple Search Ads Basic (simpler, flat CPC model) and Apple Search Ads Advanced (full control).
AppsFlyer
Use: Mobile attribution, cohort LTV, and measurement.
Pricing: Starts with a free tier for small apps; scale pricing is tiered and custom.
Notes: Strong partner ecosystem and integration with ASA.
Adjust
Use: Attribution and fraud prevention.
Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing; SME plans available.
Notes: Good for GDPR and data privacy controls.
Tenjin
Use: Analytics, attribution, and data warehousing.
Pricing: Free tier for basic analytics; paid tiers for attribution and raw data exports.
Notes: Cost-effective for indie studios.
SplitMetrics and StoreMaven
Use: Product page A/B testing and creative analytics.
Pricing: Typically $2,000 to $5,000 per experiment or subscription pricing; contact vendors.
Notes: Improves tap-to-install conversion for ASA traffic.
Sensor Tower / Mobile Action / AppTweak
Use: Keyword research, search volume estimates, competitor intelligence.
Pricing: Sensor Tower starts around $149/month for basic plans; enterprise plans custom.
Notes: Useful for building keyword lists and tracking rank changes.
Bid and automation platforms
Examples: Singular, Liftoff Managed Services, in-house bid engines.
Pricing: Varies widely; Liftoff typically tied to spend and managed service fees.
Reporting and BI
Examples: Looker (Google Cloud), Tableau, Google Data Studio.
Pricing: Looker and Tableau are enterprise-priced; Google Data Studio is free.

When choosing tools, prefer those that integrate cleanly with Apple Search Ads and your attribution provider to minimize data loss and latency.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Treating ASA like a generic paid channel

Problem - Using the same creative and bidding approach as social or display.
How to avoid - Focus on keyword intent and invest in product page experiments that convert search traffic.

Poor attribution setup

Problem - Missing or misconfigured postbacks cause duplicate or missing installs and skew CPA.
How to avoid - Validate postbacks with AppsFlyer/Adjust, test with test installs, and run deduplication checks.

Starting with a narrow keyword set only

Problem - Overfitting to a few keywords prevents discovery of longer-tail, high-LTV queries.
How to avoid - Use Search Match and broad match tests to discover new keywords, then promote winners to exact match.

Ignoring negative keywords

Problem - Waste on irrelevant queries with low CVR.
How to avoid - Review search term reports weekly and add negative keywords to block poor-performing queries.

Scaling without LTV analysis

Problem - Increasing spend on keywords that drive cheap installs but poor retention and revenue.
How to avoid - Use cohort LTV analysis at 7/30/90 days and tie bids to long-term revenue, not immediate CPI.

FAQ

What is an Apple Search Ads Agency and What Services Do They Provide?

An apple search ads agency manages Apple Search Ads campaigns end to end, including keyword research, campaign structure, bidding, creative and product page optimization, measurement and reporting, and integration with attribution providers.

How Much Should I Budget for Apple Search Ads to See Meaningful Results?

Meaningful results typically start at $5,000 to $10,000 monthly. For predictable scaling and reliable LTV analysis, budgets of $15,000 to $50,000 per month provide better signal and growth opportunities.

How Long Does It Take for an Agency to Show Results?

Expect initial installs and learnings in 30 days, meaningful optimization in 60 days, and LTV-validated scaling in 90 days. A minimum 90-day pilot is recommended to judge performance.

How Do Agencies Measure Success on Apple Search Ads?

Agencies measure success by CPI (cost per install), CPA (cost per action), ROAS (return on ad spend), and cohort LTV. Incrementality testing (turning off ASA for a period to measure organic lift) is used to validate true incremental value.

Should I Use Apple Search Ads Basic or Advanced?

Use Basic for simpler apps and budgets under $10,000/month where you want minimal management. Use Advanced for full control over keywords, bids, match types, and for scaling across locales and complex goals.

How Do Agencies Charge for Apple Search Ads Management?

Common models include percentage of ad spend (10%-25%), flat monthly retainers ($2,000-$10,000), setup fees ($1,000-$5,000), and performance incentives. Negotiate a pilot contract with clear KPIs and reporting access.

Next Steps

Run a 90-day pilot with clear KPIs

Define CPI target, target LTV, and a monthly budget. Allow 90 days to measure incremental value and cohort LTV.

Prepare the measurement stack

Integrate AppsFlyer or Adjust, configure postbacks, and enable raw data exports for analysis.

Build the keyword and product page plan

Use Sensor Tower or AppTweak to generate a seed list of 1,000+ keywords and set up 2-3 product page experiments in SplitMetrics or StoreMaven.

Shortlist and evaluate agencies

Request case studies, ask for benchmark KPIs for your category, and pilot with a 3-month contract. Require access to dashboards and weekly reports.

Checklist to hand an agency at kickoff

App Store Connect access
Attribution credentials and developer keys
Historical install and LTV data for baseline
Brand and competitive keywords
Creative assets and product page variants

This guide provides the playbook to evaluate and work with an apple search ads agency, run a successful pilot, and scale efficiently with measurable LTV-driven decision making.

Apple Search Ads Agency Guide