App marketers, listen up.
If you want to rank higher, pay less for installs, and boost your organic growth, it’s time to rethink how you approach ASO (App Store Optimization) and Apple Search Ads — not separately, but together.
At the App Masters Virtual Summit, Steve P. Young and Thomas Kriebernegg, CEO of App Radar, dropped a ton of actionable advice on how to align your app marketing strategy for maximum impact. Here’s a breakdown you can actually use to level up your indie app growth.
Why Relevance is the #1 Rule of App Store Optimization
When it comes to ASO and Apple Search Ads, relevance rules everything.
“The biggest mistake new app marketers make is trying to rank for keywords that aren’t truly relevant to their app,” said Thomas.
✅ Focus on finding highly relevant keywords for your app or game — not just the most popular ones.
✅ Spy on your competitors: see which keywords they target, and analyze where they spend most of their ad budget.
✅ Don’t blindly copy big players: if your app is new or smaller, trying to rank for massive keywords like “fitness” won’t move the needle.
Instead, find your niche and dominate there.
How Apple Search Ads and ASO Work Together (and Why You Need Both)
Many indie developers ask: “Can Apple Search Ads improve my organic rankings?”
The answer? Sometimes — and when done right, absolutely.
Here’s how:
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Run discovery campaigns with broad match targeting to find out which keywords drive real traffic (and ideally, real revenue).
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Launch exact match campaigns for high-converting keywords. This lets you control bids tightly and ensure you’re only paying for quality traffic.
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Align your ASO keyword field with the same keywords you’re running ads on. This sends strong relevancy signals to Apple’s ranking algorithm.
🚀 Pro Tip:
When your app drives installs via Search Ads on a keyword, Apple sees it as a “high-performing” keyword for your app — making it more likely you’ll climb organically for the same term.
Don’t Sleep on Your App Store Listing (Seriously)
Even if you master keywords and ads, a weak App Store listing will kill your conversion rates.
If your screenshots look like they were designed by an intern on day one, you’re throwing money away.
🔥 Here’s what to fix:
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Polish your screenshots: highlight features, benefits, and show off a clean UI.
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Test preview videos: Games almost always benefit from videos. For apps, it depends — test it yourself.
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Focus on design quality: A bad design isn’t just ugly — it destroys trust and kills conversions.
👉 Remember: you’re not just competing against other apps.
You’re competing against everything for users’ attention.
Tactical Blueprint: How to Find Winning Keywords with Apple Search Ads
Want a simple, repeatable process? Here’s a battle-tested method:
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Launch Discovery Campaigns
Use broad match and Search Match to let Apple find keywords for you. -
Identify Top Performers
Look for keywords that generate installs (and revenue if you can track it with MMPs like AppsFlyer). -
Create Exact Match Campaigns
Target those winning keywords directly with exact match — tighten your bids and control your spend. -
Update Your ASO Strategy
Incorporate top-performing keywords into your app title, subtitle, and keyword field to strengthen organic rankings. -
Test and Optimize Regularly
Markets change. Users evolve. Keep testing your creatives, keywords, and bid strategies.
Conclusion: It’s Time to Harmonize ASO + Apple Search Ads
If you’re serious about growing your app in today’s saturated market, you can’t afford to treat ASO and paid ads like separate efforts.
The real magic happens when you combine them.
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Target relevant keywords
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Test aggressively with Search Ads
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Update your organic metadata based on ad learnings
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Polish your App Store presence like your business depends on it (because it does)
Action Step:
Pick 3 keywords you want to rank for.
Launch a small Apple Search Ads campaign TODAY.
Start tracking which keywords drive results — and build your ASO strategy around those winners.
Liked this guide?
Make sure to check out more videos from App Masters for real, no-fluff advice.
And if you need help speeding up your ASO + Search Ads strategy, don’t forget to check out App Radar — a powerhouse for indie app marketers.
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