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How did Apple Search Ads and ASO take an app from #180 to #1?
By Vaibhav Vijay ·
Short answer: By running App Store Optimization and Apple Search Ads as one system: paid keyword and creative tests decided what went into the organic listing. In about 90 days the app moved from #180 to #1 in its category, with organic installs up 80 to 120% and blended CAC down 15 to 25%.
What changed?
Before and after, about 90 days
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|
| App Store category rank | #180 | #1 |
| Organic installs | Baseline | +80 to 120% |
| Blended CAC | Baseline | −15 to 25% |
| Apple Search Ads CPA | — | Under $4 |
Why run ASO and Apple Search Ads together?
The organic listing changes slowly, so guessing is expensive. Search Ads shows within days which keywords and creatives convert, and only the winners go into the listing.
What did the system look like?
- Keywords grouped by intent and judged on the quality of users they brought, not install volume
- Screenshot and creative variations tested on paid traffic before changing the listing
- Bids cut on keywords whose installs did not turn into depositing users
- Blended CAC reviewed by cohort, so cheap installs that churned didn't look like wins
Related questions
How long does ASO take to show results?
Paid keyword data arrives within days. Organic rank follows over weeks; here the move from #180 to #1 took about 90 days.
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