Apple is planning to release new ad placements as early as this holiday season.
The current inventory. Apple’s current ad inventory focuses on the App Store with only one unit in the Search tab and one unit on the search results page. There is no word yet on where the new placements will be, but recently we announced that Apple was planning to place ads in the Suggested, Today, and You Might Also Like sections.
Apple also has ads inside the News and Stocks apps across all Apple devices and inside TV+. A portion of ads in the News app go to publishers and will appear even if you subscribe for $10 a month. You can choose to turn off the ad personalization feature in your device, but the system will still use information from your device, carrier, and the types of articles you’re reading to show ads.
The core issue. The release of the new ad spots is a good thing for developers, but the ads business as a whole has been under scrutiny since the release of Apple Tracking Transparency in 2021. This gave iPhone users the option to share their information with developers and advertisers, or decline. Unsurprisingly, most opted not to share and as a result, caused billions of dollars in losses for Meta, Google, and other platforms.
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What Apple says.
“Apple Search Ads provides opportunities for developers of all sizes to grow their business. Like our other advertising offerings, these new ad placements are built upon the same foundation—they will only contain content from apps’ approved App Store product pages, and will adhere to the same rigorous privacy standards.”
An Apple representative to CNBC
Why we care. Expanding the app ad placement inventory opens up new opportunities for developers and advertisers to promote their businesses. Additional placements could mean lower costs, more competition, and a shift away from traditional platforms like Meta.
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About The Author
Nicole Farley is an editor for Search Engine Land covering all things PPC. In addition to being a Marine Corps veteran, she has an extensive background in digital marketing, an MBA and a penchant for true crime, podcasts, travel, and snacks.
