News: Apple Search Ads Now Has an Ad Repository

In August 2023, Apple launched the Ad Repository for Apple Search Ads in alignment with the European Digital Services Act. This significant release brought intriguing metrics, including insights into active users within EU countries.

This update also brings exciting metrics, such as active user statistics, and currently, it is only available in European countries.

We can now see the competitors’ ads, particularly their Custom Product Pages. So far, we can search by app or developer, and the date range is limited (L90D, L180D, or last year).

How Can the Ad Repository Help App Marketers?

Despite the current scope being limited to EU countries, the Ad Repository extends app developers and agencies a valuable avenue for competitor research, all drawn from first-party data sourced directly from Apple.

App developers and agencies can now input app or developer names by accessing the Official Apple Search Ads repository, unraveling insights into their competitors’ Apple Search Ads placements. That entails comprehending the ad creatives, keywords, and placements used by competitors, spanning Search results, Today tab, Search ads, and Product pages.

Delving into the specifics, the resource illuminates vital details like the regions wherein primary competitors run ads, audience refinements, ad formats, and recent impression dates. However, it’s important to remember specific nuances related to the metrics ‘First Impression’ and ‘Last Impression.’

Notably, this data collection commenced only in August 2023, rendering real First Impression dates challenging to decipher, while ‘Last Impression’ dates typically exhibit a one-week delay. Hopes persist that Apple will provide more up-to-date ‘Last Impression’ dates in subsequent updates.

In the backdrop of the Ad Repository, Apple’s accompanying legal documents also unearth vital metrics of active users within the EU, delineated by country.

It’s essential to acknowledge that these metrics encompass iOS, iPad, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS users, averaging monthly active ad recipients or qualified device users over six months from January 2023 to July 2023.

According to Apple (source: European DSA Recipients of Services Report), the total number of active EU App Store users is 123 million. Below is the breakdown by country.

Germany: 27 million
France: 24 million
Italy: 14 million
Spain: 11 million
Netherlands: 8 million
Sweden: 6 million
Poland: 5 million
Belgium: 4 million
Denmark: 4 million
Austria: 3 million
Czechia: 2 million
Finland: 2 million
Hungary: 2 million
Ireland: 2 million
Portugal: 2 million
Romania: 2 million
Greece: 1 million

Additionally, there are countries with under 1 million users, such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Our Thoughts

Such information is a valuable resource for Apple Search Ads marketers to make informed decisions, prioritize efforts, and strategize campaigns. It can also guide localization priorities in respective EU countries’ App Store Optimization (ASO) endeavors.

While the Ad Repository website may currently exhibit some minor glitches, anticipations are high for its ongoing enhancements. A simple URL refresh in the browser is recommended in cases of encountering bugs.

The Apple Search Ads Ad Repository stands alongside existing ad libraries from various platforms, including the Meta Ad Library, Google Ad Library, TikTok Ad Library, and Microsoft Ad Library.

Are you interested in improving your paid UA strategy? Get in touch with our team of experts and start growing your app today.

We develop a strategy around high-intent keywords while taking advantage of different placements and Custom Product Pages.