Apple invites developers to Search Ads beta ahead of iOS 10 launch
In preparation of the iOS 10 launch this fall, Apple on Friday sent out emails inviting developers to take part in a beta testing program for Search Ads, a forthcoming iOS App Store feature designed to boost app discoverability.
As noted in today's email blast, developers with apps currently up for offer on the iOS App Store can opt in to the Search Ads beta for free, no budget or bidding required.
While developers will not have access to search analytics or the Search Ads Campaign Management and Reporting system, they might receive downloads as part of the trial, Apple said. uring the beta period, which runs through the summer, opt-in testers will have their apps served up to Apple Developer Program and Apple Beta Software Program members taking part in the iOS 10 beta.
For Apple, the Search Ads beta presents an opportunity to work out kinks and see which ad formats work best prior to public launch this fall. The company is still optimizing the system in hopes of offering a transparent and safe user experience for its customers.
Search Ads was officially announced earlier this month in the lead-up to Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference. Allowing paid promotions on a digital storefront is a first for Apple, which has for years restricted promoted content to selections curated by its own App Store team.
As its name implies, Search Ads surfaces apps by returning relevant results to App Store search queries. Apple says the system is designed to be safe, transparent and minimally intrusive to end users.
For example, promoted content will be clearly marked as an "Ad," and users can expect at most one suggestion per query. Further, unlike other platforms, Apple does not harvest user data, generate customer profiles, share data with advertisers or market to users under 13 years old.
Developers can start bidding on ad placements once the beta ends. Pricing is based on a Cost Per Tap model with no minimum ad spend. Along with a default search match function that automatically pairs ads with relevant user searches, advertisers have access to advanced content management and analytics tools. Apple has created an Attribution API for detailed, yet private, download insights and plans to offer additional APIs for campaign creation, management and reporting.
Search Ads will be limited to the U.S. App Store when it debuts this fall as part of iOS 10.
As noted in today's email blast, developers with apps currently up for offer on the iOS App Store can opt in to the Search Ads beta for free, no budget or bidding required.
While developers will not have access to search analytics or the Search Ads Campaign Management and Reporting system, they might receive downloads as part of the trial, Apple said. uring the beta period, which runs through the summer, opt-in testers will have their apps served up to Apple Developer Program and Apple Beta Software Program members taking part in the iOS 10 beta.
For Apple, the Search Ads beta presents an opportunity to work out kinks and see which ad formats work best prior to public launch this fall. The company is still optimizing the system in hopes of offering a transparent and safe user experience for its customers.
Search Ads was officially announced earlier this month in the lead-up to Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference. Allowing paid promotions on a digital storefront is a first for Apple, which has for years restricted promoted content to selections curated by its own App Store team.
As its name implies, Search Ads surfaces apps by returning relevant results to App Store search queries. Apple says the system is designed to be safe, transparent and minimally intrusive to end users.
For example, promoted content will be clearly marked as an "Ad," and users can expect at most one suggestion per query. Further, unlike other platforms, Apple does not harvest user data, generate customer profiles, share data with advertisers or market to users under 13 years old.
Developers can start bidding on ad placements once the beta ends. Pricing is based on a Cost Per Tap model with no minimum ad spend. Along with a default search match function that automatically pairs ads with relevant user searches, advertisers have access to advanced content management and analytics tools. Apple has created an Attribution API for detailed, yet private, download insights and plans to offer additional APIs for campaign creation, management and reporting.
Search Ads will be limited to the U.S. App Store when it debuts this fall as part of iOS 10.
Comments
Great job Apple. First you ruin the industry by facilitating a race to the bottom, now this.
i see the "Cost per Tap" structure, but what's the likely total cost (per month?) for a developer using this new tool?
also, kinda seems to me the devs who priced their apps so low are the ones responsible for a race to the bottom. you know, since they had free will and all.
Retail content was properly valued and properly curated. The App Store could have been great for mobile devs - and for some years it was - until their model drove developers to a F2P model. This is not the developers fault, it's the platform holders fault. Developers had to follow the rules and trends dictated and allowed by Apple.
By allowing 'free games' and not curating content for quality (which I admit will never be perfect), hundreds of apps are submitted to the App Store each day for no money at all, and people now expect it to be free. The perception of value for quality content is totally skewed. Brilliant games costing hundreds of thousands of dollars to make are launched with zero attention and discoverabiliy. The only way to make money now is to corrupt gameplay with F2P economics and investing millions in marketing. Only the big boys can handle that.
Apple allowed this to happen. What they need to do to fix it, which is almost impossible by now, is to prohibit games being sold in tier 0 and by adding some form of curation (again, not perfect - it's subjective) to at least block half of he submissions.
Dont be snarky and pretend you're not a troll.
Apple provided a store and the market decided (developers, consumers) what's acceptable. Since as that. You can't blame Apple for any of this. If Apple puts even more restrictions then you'll be whining about them exerting too much control. As long as you can find something to complain about.
as for your rant about F2P... first I find it odd that this what you meant by the "race to the bottom". I also know many people would dispute your claim that non-F2P content was properly valued and curated -- the race to the bottom began with 99-cent and free apps, before IAP even existed.
again, none of this is apples fault. I don't even think discoverabilty is apples fault -- in my experience marketing your product is the responsibility of the content creator. advertising, marketing, press coverage, generating exposure, etc. today everybody expects it to be done for them via the App Store.