Looking beyond the tap to maximize Apple Search Ads ROI
View-through metrics recently arrived on Apple Search Ads, giving advertisers a fresh perspective on how their campaigns influence user behavior beyond the tap. In July, Apple updated its Reporting Options & Definitions documentation to include the new reporting metrics:
- Installs (View-Through)
- New Downloads (View-Through)
- Redownloads (View-Through)
These new metrics are available within the Search Ads Maven dashboard, giving Apple Search Ads marketers a new angle for dissecting campaign performance. The new metrics can also be factored into automation rules and strategies though the Automation Studio.
Installs (View-Through)
The total number of new downloads and redownloads from users who viewed your ad but didn’t tap on it within a one-day window.
New Downloads (View-Through)
New downloads from users who viewed your ad but didn’t tap on it, and have not previously downloaded your app. These are counted within a one-day window.
Redownloads (View-Through)
A redownload is when a user downloads your app, deletes it, then downloads it again on the same device or a different one following an ad view. A view-through redownload is counted when a user redownloads your app without tapping on the ad within one day of the ad view.
The View-Through Difference
Traditionally, Apple Search Ads attributed installs solely to taps on an ad placement. Only if a user tapped your ad would a subsequent download, redownload, or install get attributed. With this new update, Apple now measures credit for downloads, redownloads, and installs that happen within 24 hours of a user simply viewing your ad, even if they didn’t tap. This opens the window a little wider on the subtle influences your ads have on user decision-making that isn’t direct response.
A number of advertisers we spoke with greeted the news with healthy suspicion. They questioned whether Apple was just adding vanity metrics to make them feel better about their spend on the platform, while also claiming more credit than they were already getting.?
To help our clients leverage these new data points for maximum benefit, our experts went to work. Upon further investigation, we believe these metrics have great strategic value and can be a game-changer for performance measurement on Apple Search Ads. Let’s explore how you can leverage these new metrics to your advantage.
Key View-Through Metric Use Cases: Beyond the Tap
Brand Awareness Campaigns
View-through metrics shed additional light on those ad campaigns intended for brand awareness. For campaigns like Today Tab placements, where the goal is often top-of-mind awareness, view-through conversions could validate that users are indeed finding their way to your app even if they didn’t tap and install immediately.
This is a helpful new insight for a placement that’s much higher up in the funnel. It offers a new success gauge to guide daily spend caps across your ad groups for Today Tab campaigns. View-through vs. tap-through metrics on these ads can also help drive optimization around your approach to Custom Product Pages (CPP), which are leveraged for your Today Tab ad creative.
Keyword Bid Optimization
Comparing view-through conversions between similar keywords with low tap-through volume can help you identify which keywords have a stronger, albeit delayed, impact on user acquisition. Remember that Apple considers tap-through rate (TTR) in awarding winning bids. If you’re seeing strong view-through performance for certain keywords that underperform for tap-throughs, you’ll want to test and learn to improve tap-through performance.
Low-Volume Keywords & Automated Campaigns
When data is sparse, every signal counts. For low-volume keywords or automated campaigns struggling to gather enough tap-through data, view-throughs offer new insights to guide bid adjustments and optimization decisions.
A Balanced Approach to Interpreting View-Through Data
Keep the following key points in mind as you dive in and begin interpreting view-through data for your Apple Search Ads campaigns.
Tap-Throughs Remain King: Tap-through conversions, and ultimately in-app events, still provide the most direct measure of user intent and campaign effectiveness. View-throughs offer additional context, not a replacement.
Potential Cannibalization: View-through conversions might have happened organically, even without seeing your ad. Use view-through data cautiously and avoid over-reliance on it, especially in high-volume scenarios where other metrics are more useful.
Focus on Meaningful Data: For campaigns with sufficient tap-through and in-app event data, prioritize those metrics for optimization. View-throughs are most valuable where traditional data is limited.
Test & Learn: As with any new metric, continuous testing, learning, and refinement will be key to maximizing the value of view-through conversions for your unique app and audience.
Need Help Analyzing Your View-Through Data?
Search Ads Maven is home to an entire team of Apple Search Ads experts. If you’re an existing client, contact your client success manager or email support@searchadsmaven.com to get help putting these new view-through metrics to work within your account.
Not a Search Ads Maven client? Get in touch with our team or request a demo to see how you can use view-through and other Apple Search Ads metrics within our campaign management and automation platform for Apple Search Ads.