• by Laurie Sullivan , Yesterday

Early next year, Apple plans to begin running additional ads in search queries, where 65% of downloads start on the company’s platform.

The move is intended to help developers and advertisers have a better chance to reach consumers.

Search ads will be billed based on the pricing model, whether cost per tap or cost per install, according to a blog post that explains the search ad expansion.

Those running ads will use a default product page or custom product page, and an optional deep link. The search ads will extend beyond the current sponsored spot at the top.

The change could potentially reshape the ways app store users discover apps, as well as how advertisers and developers compete for visibility and market share.

There is no need to change campaigns to participate in the new positions, a company executive wrote in a blog post. The ads will run in either the existing position — at the top of search results — or further down in search results.

Advertisers or developers with a search campaign running are automatically eligible for all positions to run ads, but companies cannot select or bid for a particular one. The ad will appear the same way in either position.

Default ads are created based on the app’s product page, but developers can also create ad variations from custom product pages set up in App Store Connect.

Ad variations can align advertising creative with specific audiences and keyword themes.

When setting up an ad, developers can create a custom product page with a deep link that directs users to the exact place in the app.

Deep links for search results placements are available on devices running iOS or iPadOS 18 and later operating systems.

Ads are matched to specific search queries by choosing keywords, or using the ones Apple suggests through its technology that match the user’s search term with the app being searched for.

The match is determined by a combination of factors, such as the app’s relevance to the search query and the amount of the keyword bid.

Apple says using its technology to choose keywords can return a more than 60% average conversion rate for ads at the top of search results.