However, with the rise of AI answer engines such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude, we’re witnessing a rapid shift in search behavior. People are increasingly turning to LLMs and AI chatbots for their search and research needs, opting for a conversational and direct approach to finding information. In fact, Gartner predicts that traditional search volume will drop by over 25% by 2026 as searchers shift to answer engines to get their questions answered.

As AI models improve and integrate real-time data, we’re confident that traditional Google searches will continue to decline, leading advertisers to reconsider their marketing strategies.

Why Advertisers Should Care

Google Ads has long been a leading driver of conversions and revenue for advertisers. With search volume shifting towards AI-driven answer engines, brands must adapt their strategies to maintain visibility across emerging search platforms. If users are engaging more with AI chatbots instead of traditional search engines, advertising dollars must follow suit.

Ignoring this shift could mean losing a significant portion of the audience to competitors who successfully navigate this evolving space. Marketers must stay ahead by understanding where and how they can place their ads in AI-powered search tools.

Understanding the Main AI LLMs and Their Advertising Capabilities

With more and more AI answer engines coming out each day, it’s important to understand who the leaders in the space are and what their current/future advertising capabilities will look like. In our opinion, these are the leading chatbots that advertisers should be closely monitoring.

ChatGPT

As of now, OpenAI’s ChatGPT does not support direct advertising or have any sponsored content on the platform, but change is likely on the horizon. In an interview with the Financial Times, OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar confirmed that the company is exploring ways to integrate ads into ChatGPT. She stated that they have to be “thoughtful about when and where we implement them,” but it’s low-hanging fruit to improve the business.

OpenAI is actively hiring experts from Google and Meta to develop strategies for seamlessly embedding ads into ChatGPT while maintaining a high-quality user experience. These developments indicate that advertisers should anticipate future opportunities to engage audiences within ChatGPT through ads, similar to what we’re already seeing in Google and Meta AI platforms.

Perplexity

Unlike ChatGPT, Perplexity AI has already started experimenting with advertising. The company has confirmed that they’re testing various ad formats within their platform.

Perplexity’s approach to advertising is still evolving, but early indications suggest that they’re working on a non-intrusive model that maintains a seamless user experience. Perpexity states “Advertising material will be clearly noted as ‘sponsored,’ and answers to Sponsored Questions will still be generated by our technology, and not written or edited by the brands sponsoring the questions.”

The option to run ads within Perplexity is currently in closed beta, featuring brands like Indeed, Whole Foods Market, Universal McCann, PMG, and others. They’re predicted to move to an open beta in the future, allowing more advertisers the opportunity to test running ads on their platform. 

Perplexity does not currently have a platform to run and manage ads, so this will likely be through a sign-up basis for the time being until they develop that platform.

Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft Copilot has fully integrated advertising within its platform. Ads in Copilot are automatically generated from an advertiser’s existing Microsoft Ads campaigns (which also serves Bing), meaning advertisers do not need to opt in manually. However, they also cannot opt out of serving ads within Copilot.

If you’re running search-based campaigns within Microsoft Ads, your ads are already eligible to appear in Copilot. To maximize visibility, optimizing your search campaigns for high performance will improve their chances of showing up in Copilot responses. Some items to focus on include:

• Drafting compelling and relevant ad copy
• Improving quality scores
• Bidding on long-tail conversational keywords

Claude AI

Anthropic’s Claude AI, which has a closed knowledge database, does not currently support advertising, and there is no official word on whether it will in the near future. However, given Google’s significant investment in Anthropic, it would not be surprising if ads are introduced down the line. Google, a dominant force in digital advertising, could leverage Claude to expand its advertising network as searchers leave the platform for chatbots.

Google’s AI Overviews

Google has already begun running ads within its AI Overviews. Similar to Microsoft Copilot, advertisers do not need to take any additional steps to participate. Google Ads campaigns are automatically eligible for these placements, typically below the organic content in the AI Overview.

To optimize for AI Overviews, marketers should focus on:

• Enhancing ad relevance and quality scores
• Leaning into Google Ads automation tools like broad match and PMax
• Bidding on the additional long tail, conversational keywords
• Ensuring ad copy is AI-friendly and easily digestible

Gemini

At this time, Google’s Gemini does not feature advertising. While Google executives have hinted at the potential for native ads within Gemini, they’ve emphasized the importance of maintaining a high-quality user experience.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently suggested to investors that native ads could be a future addition: “We always want to lead with the user experience and we do have very good ideas for native ad concepts.”

While we do not expect Gemini ads to launch in 2025, when they do arrive, they will likely be managed through Google Ads in a manner similar to AI Overviews and Copilot, where advertisers are automatically opted in to advertising on the platform.

Predictions for Optimizing Ads in AI Chatbots

As AI-powered search continues to evolve, we predict that advertising in AI chatbots will function similarly to Performance Max (PMax) campaigns — highly automated and data-driven. Here’s what advertisers can expect:

• Limited manual control: Unlike traditional Google Search ads, where advertisers bid on keywords, AI chatbot ads will likely be more automated, with less control over bidding and placements. Ad placements will also likely depend heavily on the turn of a particular conversation.
• AI-driven targeting: Ad delivery will be optimized based on user intent and engagement rather than keyword-based queries.
• Integrated ad formats: Native and contextual ad placements will be crucial to ensuring ads do not disrupt the user experience. People are turning to AI chatbots for a more personalized search experience, and many of these platforms would seek to maintain that.

Key Takeaways for Advertisers

1. Monitor AI chatbot developments: Stay informed on which platforms introduce advertising and how they structure their ad formats.
2. Start testing early: As new ad placements roll out, early adopters will have a competitive advantage in refining their strategies.
3. Optimize for AI-driven search: Ensure your ad creatives and landing pages align with AI chatbot interactions and generative search experiences.
4. Leverage automation: AI advertising will be heavily automated, so leveraging existing machine-learning-driven ad formats (like PMax) will help in transitioning smoothly.

Final Thoughts

The shift from traditional Google search to AI-powered chatbots represents a major transformation in digital marketing. While search engines are not disappearing, user behavior is evolving, and advertisers must adapt accordingly. Brands that proactively explore advertising opportunities within AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Copilot will stay ahead of the curve.

As AI continues to shape the future of search, one thing is clear: marketers who embrace this change and optimize for AI-driven search will reap the benefits of early adoption.

The post How Answer Engines Are Adopting Advertising Strategies appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

Since we have two options for shopping advertising, the debate between Performance Max and Standard Shopping Campaigns remains crucial for eCommerce businesses looking to optimize their advertising efforts and keep up with all the Google campaign changes. While Google has introduced Performance Max as a more advanced Smart Shopping campaign type, Standard Shopping campaigns still exist, leaving many advertisers wondering how to navigate these options effectively in 2025. 

The Smart Shopping campaign has been upgraded to Performance Max. It has all the benefits of Smart Shopping, plus Performance Max offers expanded reach, AI-driven automation, and access to additional inventory across Google’s entire ecosystem, including Search, YouTube, Display, and Discover. With all these benefits, some businesses have already transitioned. However, Standard Shopping campaigns remain an option for those who prefer a more controlled approach focused primarily on Shopping and Display placements.

In this blog, we’ll clarify the key differences between Performance Max and Standard Shopping, why Google introduced Performance Max in the first place, and how to decide which campaign type best aligns with your goals. Whether you’re considering a shift to Performance Max or sticking with Standard Shopping, understanding these distinctions will help you optimize performance and maximize your return on ad spend in 2025.

Performance Max: The Next Evolution in Google Ads

Google officially launched Performance Max (PMax) on November 2, 2021. It became fully available to all advertisers in 2022 and completely replaced Smart Shopping and Local campaigns by September 2022. 

Google Performance Max expands on the automation features of Smart Shopping while incorporating advanced AI-driven targeting and additional inventory placements. As a robust marketing solution, it enhances campaign effectiveness by utilizing automation insights, audience signals, and advanced machine learning to drive better results.

Performance Max (PMax) offers several advantages over traditional campaign types, especially Smart Shopping and Standard Shopping, by leveraging Google’s full inventory and AI-driven automation. Here’s why PMax can be better:

1. Multi-Channel Reach in a Single Campaign

Unlike Shopping or Search campaigns that focus on specific channel placements, PMax runs across all Google networks, including:

• Google Search
• Google Shopping
• Google Display Network (GDN)
• YouTube Ads
• Gmail Ads
• Google Discover
• Google Maps
• Google Play (for App campaigns)

This expands visibility beyond just Shopping results, maximizing reach and engagement across various touchpoints.

2. AI-Driven Automation & Optimization

Performance Max automates key aspects of campaign management, including bidding, targeting, creative selection, and ad placements, all powered by machine learning. It dynamically adjusts bids in real time to optimize for conversions, ensuring that the budget is allocated effectively.

Based on performance data, the platform also selects and serves the best combination of assets—headlines, descriptions, images, and videos. Additionally, PMax leverages Google’s audience signals and intent data to identify the most relevant users, maximizing the potential for engagement and conversion.

3. More Conversion-Driven Than Standard Shopping

Because Performance Max optimizes campaigns across multiple placements rather than focusing solely on Shopping ads, it prioritizes maximizing conversions and overall campaign value instead of just clicks or impressions.

Many advertisers see higher ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) due to its advanced bidding strategies, which intelligently distribute budget across Google’s network. Additionally, PMax helps lower CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) by using automation to refine targeting and bidding, ensuring that ads are shown to high-intent users who are more likely to convert.

4. Audience Expansion & Intent-Based Targeting

One of Performance Max’s most significant advantages is its ability to expand audience reach using Google’s AI-driven targeting. By leveraging first-party data—such as Customer Match lists, website visitors, and app users—PMax identifies and engages potential customers who closely resemble existing ones.

It also utilizes Google’s machine learning capabilities to create lookalike audiences, ensuring ads reach users with similar interests and behaviors. Furthermore, PMax incorporates in-market and affinity audience signals, helping advertisers target users actively searching for products or have shown interest in related categories.

5. Improved Creative Performance with Asset Groups

Unlike traditional Shopping campaigns, Performance Max allows advertisers to upload multiple variations of headlines, descriptions, images, and videos. Google’s AI then continuously tests and optimizes these creative elements to find the highest-performing combinations.

This removes manual A/B testing, allowing advertisers to scale their creative efforts efficiently while ensuring that ads are optimized for engagement and conversions.

6. Better Insights & Reporting

Search Term Insights

In the past, Smart Shopping campaigns had limited visibility into what users were actually searching for before clicking on an ad. Performance Max now provides search term insights, helping advertisers understand which queries are triggering their ads. This allows for better optimization by aligning ad copy and assets with high-performing search terms, ensuring that budgets are spent on the most relevant traffic.

Audience Signals

Unlike Smart Shopping, which relied purely on Google’s automation with little transparency, Performance Max allows advertisers to provide audience signals—such as customer lists, website visitors, or interest-based audiences—to guide Google’s machine learning. This gives advertisers more control over targeting while still benefiting from automation. The reporting feature shows how well these audience signals perform, allowing advertisers to refine their strategy based on real engagement and conversion data.

Asset Performance Reports

Smart Shopping campaigns offer limited insights into how individual ad assets (headlines, descriptions, images, videos) perform. With Performance Max, advertisers can see which creatives drive the highest engagement and conversions. This data helps make informed decisions on which assets to improve, replace, or scale, ultimately leading to more effective ad campaigns.

Overall, these improvements give advertisers better visibility and control over their campaigns, allowing them to make data-driven adjustments while leveraging Google’s automation for efficiency and performance.

7. Simplified Campaign Management

With automation handling many aspects of campaign management, Performance Max significantly reduces the need for manual adjustments. Advertisers no longer have to spend time manually adjusting bids, segmenting audiences, or setting up separate campaigns for different Google channels. This streamlined approach makes campaign management more efficient while still optimizing performance across the entire Google Ads ecosystem.

When PMax Might Not Be Better

Standard Shopping or Search campaigns may be a better option if you want full control over placements, keywords, and bidding. Also, If you only want shopping ads and not Display, YouTube or Gmail, PMax might waste money on non-shopping placements.

Understanding What Happened With Smart Shopping Campaigns

Google Smart Shopping Campaigns were designed as a simplified and automated approach to running Google Shopping Ads. These campaigns combined product ads with dynamic search ads, leveraging smart bidding to maximize conversion values while minimizing manual control.

Key Features of Smart Shopping Campaigns:

• Automated Optimization: Uses machine learning to optimize bids at auction time.
• Conversion Rate & Goals: Increasing sales conversion using target ROAS bidding.
• Single Campaign Management: Consolidates Standard Shopping Ads and 3P Display Ads into a single campaign.
• Audience Signals & Insights: Limited control over audience segmentation compared to newer alternatives.
• Automatic Upgrades: Has been replaced mainly by Performance Max Campaigns as Google continues automation advancements.

Despite the convenience, Smart Shopping Campaigns provide limited insights into search queries, product performance, and channel-specific performance, a significant challenge for business owners who need complete control over their advertising strategies.

Standard Shopping Campaigns: the Option for More Control

While Performance Max (PMax) leverages automation and multi-channel reach, Standard Shopping campaigns provide greater control and transparency, making them a preferred choice in certain situations. Here’s why:

1. Full Control Over Targeting and Placements

Unlike PMax, which automatically determines where and how ads appear, Standard Shopping campaigns allow complete control over bid strategies, audience targeting, and product segmentation.

Advertisers can decide which products get more budget allocation rather than relying on automated optimization. Ads only appear in Google Shopping, Google Search, and Search Partner Sites, avoiding placements on YouTube, Display, Gmail, or Discover, which might not drive the best return for eCommerce brands.

2. Transparency in Search Terms and Performance Data

PMax provides limited visibility into search terms and placements, making it difficult to know which keywords drive conversions.

Standard Shopping allows advertisers to see and analyze search term reports, helping them refine their targeting and eliminate irrelevant searches with negative keywords. More granular data allows for better manual optimizations, improving efficiency and performance.

3. More Control Over Bidding Strategies

Standard Shopping supports manual CPC bidding and various automated bid strategies, but unlike PMax, advertisers can:

• Set bids for different products, brands, or categories rather than relying on Google’s AI to distribute the budget.
• Exclude low-performing search queries or products that consume budget without driving conversions.
• Optimize for profit margins rather than just conversion volume, which is harder to do in PMax due to the lack of control over how Google distributes the budget.

4. More Predictability in Performance

With PMax, Google dynamically adjusts where and how ads appear, which can cause fluctuations in results. Standard Shopping campaigns, on the other hand, allow advertisers to run consistent tests, track performance more accurately, and scale based on proven data rather than black-box AI decisions.

Since ads only show in Shopping results and Searches, traffic quality can be higher and more relevant than PMax, which serves ads in placements like YouTube and Discover.

5. Better Budget Allocation Control

PMax automatically distributes the budget across all placements, often prioritizing high-volume but lower-converting channels like YouTube or Display.

Standard Shopping allows advertisers to manually control budget allocation based on which products or campaigns generate the highest ROI. More predictable spending means less wasted ad spend on underperforming placements.

6. More Flexibility in Campaign Structuring

Standard Shopping campaigns can be structured with separate ad groups for different product categories, brands, or SKUs, making optimization easier. Advertisers can apply different bidding strategies per category rather than having Google decide automatically.

For businesses with specific seasonality trends or promotional products, Standard Shopping allows better planning and control over ad delivery.

7. Stronger Brand Protection

With PMax, Google may serve ads on non-brand placements, which might dilute brand positioning. Standard Shopping allows businesses to bid separately on branded vs. non-branded queries, ensuring more precise control over messaging.

When Standard Shopping Might Not Be Better

If an advertiser wants full automation and AI-driven optimizations, or lacks time to manually optimize campaigns, PMax is the better option. Standard Shopping is limited if a business wants to maximize reach across all Google channels since it only appears on Search and Shopping.

How Campaign Goals Affect Placements in PMax vs. Standard Shopping Campaigns

When running Google Ads, choosing the right campaign goal significantly impacts where your ads appear. This is especially true for Performance Max (PMax) campaigns, which leverage Google’s entire inventory to optimize performance across multiple networks. Understanding how placements work in PMax and differ from Standard Shopping campaigns is essential for maximizing performance and ensuring ads appear in the most effective locations.

PMax is an AI-driven campaign that automates ad placements across Google’s entire ecosystem, including Search, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Discover. Unlike traditional Shopping campaigns, which primarily serve ads in Google Search and Shopping placements, PMax dynamically adjusts placements based on your campaign goal.

To better understand how this works, let’s examine how goal selection influences placements in PMax and compare it with Shopping campaigns.

Performance Max (PMax) Campaigns: How Goal Selection Affects Placements

PMax campaigns leverage Google’s AI-driven multi-channel approach, automatically adjusting placements based on your selected goal. Since PMax runs across Google’s entire inventory, changing the goal impacts how Google prioritizes placements and optimizes ad delivery.

Standard Shopping Campaigns: How Goal Selection Affects Placements

Shopping campaigns operate differently because they primarily serve ads in Google Search and Shopping placements. The impact of goal selection is less broad than that of PMax but still influences bidding and delivery.

Key Differences: PMax vs. Standard Shopping Based on Campaign Goals

Which Campaign Type is Best for Your Business?

When deciding between Performance Max (PMax) and Standard Shopping campaigns, you must consider your advertising goals, the level of control needed, and how much automation you want in your campaigns. Both options serve eCommerce businesses effectively, but they operate differently regarding placements, bidding strategies, and optimization methods.

When to Choose Performance Max

Performance Max is the best choice if you want a campaign that leverages Google’s full ecosystem, including Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Discover, and Maps. Unlike Standard Shopping, which is restricted to Shopping and Search results, PMax expands your reach across multiple Google properties, ensuring that your ads appear in front of the right users at different stages of their buying journey.

Another advantage of PMax is its AI-driven automation, which optimizes bids in real-time based on user intent, historical data, and conversion likelihood. If you have a limited budget and want to maximize efficiency, PMax’s automated bidding ensures that your ad spend is allocated where it is most likely to drive conversions. The campaign continuously tests and refines its asset combinations — headlines, descriptions, images, and videos — delivering the best-performing creatives to users.

PMax is particularly useful for businesses with complex marketing objectives that require advanced audience targeting. Google’s AI processes first-party data, intent signals, and lookalike audiences, helping advertisers reach high-intent users more effectively. Additionally, if your brand relies on video ads and dynamic creatives, PMax allows you to showcase video and display assets alongside traditional Shopping placements, which can increase engagement and conversion rates.

For businesses focused on scalability and automation, PMax simplifies campaign management by eliminating the need for manual bid adjustments and audience segmentation. It’s a powerful tool for advertisers looking for fully automated, AI-optimized performance across all Google properties.

When to Choose Standard Shopping

Standard Shopping campaigns are ideal for advertisers prioritizing control and transparency over automation. Unlike PMax, which automates targeting and budget distribution, Standard Shopping allows you to manually adjust bids, manage search terms, and control product-level budget allocation. This is crucial for businesses that want to optimize spending based on specific product categories, profit margins, or brand priorities.

One of the key advantages of Standard Shopping is its granular reporting. Advertisers can access search term insights, product-level performance data, and bid adjustments to refine targeting and improve efficiency. This level of transparency is particularly valuable for businesses that need to analyze conversion paths, identify high-performing keywords, and exclude irrelevant search queries.

For brands that sell private-label or best-selling products, Standard Shopping provides a structured and predictable way to manage advertising without relying on Google’s automation. Since ads only appear in Google Search and Shopping results, there’s no risk of the budget being allocated to lower-intent placements like YouTube or Display, which can sometimes happen with PMax.

Standard Shopping can also be a practical choice if you prefer a simplified approach with minimal campaign adjustments. Many businesses use 1-2 campaigns with Target ROAS (tROAS) bidding to drive consistent sales without managing complex multi-channel optimization. This is especially useful for seasonal promotions, such as holiday sales or office supply campaigns, where you want a straightforward way to maximize conversions within a specific timeframe.

Final Considerations

• Performance Max is the best option if you want AI-driven automation and maximum exposure across all Google networks.
• Standard Shopping is the better choice if you need control over bidding, search terms, and product segmentation.
• For businesses focused on branding and discovery-based traffic, PMax can be highly effective due to its cross-channel targeting and dynamic asset optimization.
• If your goal is sales-driven performance with predictable costs and unambiguous attribution, Standard Shopping allows you to fine-tune campaigns based on direct search demand.

Ultimately, the best approach depends on your business goals, resources, and willingness to rely on automation vs. manual control. Some advertisers successfully run both PMax and Standard Shopping campaigns simultaneously, using PMax to capture upper-funnel demand and Standard Shopping for precise lower-funnel conversion targeting.

The post Performance Max vs. Smart Shopping vs. Standard Shopping Campaigns: Understanding Your Campaign Options appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

This blog outlines the key trends shaping SEM in 2025, their impact, and practical strategies to adapt.

Search and Shopping Google Ads in AI Search Overviews in 2025

Since May 2024, Google has been testing placing search and shopping ads before and after the AI-generated overview content. However, in 2025, Google plans to feature ads within the AI content.

As an example, you can see in the image below that those searching for solutions to unwrinkle clothes will see shopping ads for products that do exactly that:

So far, there are no specific criteria for your ads to be placed within the AI content overview. However, following the best practices and implementing the recommendations mentioned here should help you optimize for this:

• Increase the number of long-tail conversation keywords
• Have more conversational ads that are to the point
• Address specific queries or issues
• Use natural language
• Focus on Ad Rank components like Quality Score and relevance

Zero-Click Searches

Less than 60% of Google searches actually lead to a click due to Google’s featured snippets and answer boxes.

People are now more accustomed to quick, short, and direct answers with the help of ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Gemini, and Perplexity.

That means lower traffic for both organic and paid search results, which means a decrease in click-through rate and an increase in the cost per click.

Search engines now favor semantic and contextual targeting over traditional keyword targeting, which you can leverage using broad match keywords (covered in the next section). This will allow your ads to reach a bigger audience and increase your chance of getting more clicks at a lower cost.

Shift From Keyword-Based to Semantic Search & The Power of Broad Match Keywords

Keywords are not going away, but semantic search will have more impact on whether your ads show for a specific keyword or not.

Semantic search is a search engine technology that shows ads based on its interpretation of the keywords and the intent behind them based on the users’ behavior rather than the actual keyword. So, 2 people could type the same search query and see different results depending on their previous searches, their search context, geographical context, and the user intent.

For example, the search query “Football” means one thing in the US and another in the UK. So, depending on the user’s location and the semantic search technology, each user will see location-relevant results.

Another example: if you search for running shoes and then delete your search query and type the word “black,” Google will suggest queries based on your previous search.

To make sure that your ads appear in the right context and for the correct intent, you’ll need to utilize more broad-match keywords.

Exact and phrase match types restrict the ads to show only for specific/similar searches, while broad match keywords utilize the semantic search technology and include searches that don’t contain the keyword terms, allowing you to reach more relevant searches than with exact and phrase matches.

But with broader reach, comes greater responsibility. Broad match keywords require regular search term filtering to exclude irrelevant search terms and guide the keywords toward the relevant ones.

We have also seen cases where it consumes all of the budget, not leaving enough for exact and phrase-match ones. That can be resolved by one of the solutions mentioned here in the broad match testing guide – adding the broad match keywords to their own campaign with their own budget while excluding the phrase and exact matches from that campaign to prevent overlapping.

Keywordless Strategy & PMax Optimizations

As mentioned above, Google is transitioning from keyword-based – which sometimes would cause your ads to appear for similar keywords but with the wrong intention – to intent-based, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a full keywordless approach coming in the near future.

The Performance Max campaign is already using a similar approach, where you can add search themes and audience signals, but Google leverages its AI and machine-learning capabilities to find potential customers for your goals and serve the most appropriate ad, with the optimal bid, to maximize campaign performance.

Despite not using traditional keywords for targeting, you can still optimize your performance max campaigns using the following:

Review Assets Performance

By using the ‘View Details’ option from the ‘Asset Groups’ menu, you can see how Google ranked each asset in terms of performance, the number of conversions, and the conversion value. You can then place the ones with low performance and low/zero conversions.

For eCommerce: Ensure all Your Products are Ready to Serve

That sounds like a no-brainer but focusing on targeting, assets, budget, and bidding strategy can easily distract you from checking whether your products are actually ready to serve or if there’s an issue with the feed or the information being passed from your online store to Google.

Asset Group Segmentation

Segment your asset groups based on product categories if you have an eCommerce business, or based on your services if it’s a B2B business.

That will help you create more relevant ads using relevant ad copy and ad assets. It would also be good if you promote your main product/service with their own campaigns so you can have more control over budget allocation.

Audience Signal Testing

A/B test audiences promoting the same assets, services, and product categories and monitor their performance.

AI won’t understand what success means for your business till you add your inputs, like valuable conversion actions, correct bidding strategy type depending on whether you care the most about the cost per lead or ROAS, and finally audience signals.

Sunsetting Video Action Campaigns Will Put Demand Gen at the Forefront for YouTube Ads

Starting in Q2 2025, advertisers will no longer be able to create YouTube Video Action Campaigns, and all the existing ones will auto-transition to Demand Generation campaigns.

The reason for that is that Google noticed that advertisers who ran video ads with Demand Gen saw a similar number of conversions to their Video Action campaigns at a similar cost per action as well.

So, by using a multi-format strategy, you see even better results.

In terms of features, here’s what you can expect from Demand Gen:

Tips for Running Effective Demand Gen Campaigns

Use a Combination of Videos & Images

Demand gen campaigns serve ads across YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Google video partners, so using both images and videos in your ads is crucial to maximizing your reach across all the available inventory.

Provide Google AI With the Right Assets

Google recommends following the rule of 3. In each ad group, add at least 3 images or videos in each aspect ratio (vertical, square, and landscape) to maximize your reach across all placements.

It’s recommended that your assets feel natural and don’t look like ads. If you’re going to run a YouTube short as an ad, make sure it feels and looks authentic and connects with the viewers like the organic ones.

Use a Smart Bidding Strategy Type

Choose a bidding strategy that aligns with your goal. If your goal is leads, then you should choose to Maximize Conversions, and when you have enough conversions, you can set a target cost per action (tCPA), depending on your actual CPA.

If your goal is sales, then you should choose Maximize Conversion Value, and when you have enough conversions, you can set a target ROAS (tROAS).

You can also use Maximize Conversion Value if your goal is leads if you have different categorizations for your leads and each one has its own value, like MQLs and SQLs. Normally SQLs have a higher value than MQLs; in that case, using Maximize Conversion Value will allow Google to focus on the conversions with higher values – SQLs.

A/B Test Audiences

Demand Generation campaigns accept different types of audiences, like custom segments, your data segments, lookalike segments, and interest-based.

The variations here are limitless – you can test each one in its own ad group, test combining all of them, combine some of them, go nuts!

As a best practice, give your audience/campaign a minimum of 2 weeks before making a final decision, and document your findings so you don’t repeat your tests.

New Platforms

Social Search Engines

Reddit, TikTok, and Pinterest aren’t really search engines, and they aren’t considered SEM channels. However, a study shows that 40% of consumers use TikTok as a search engine. That’s because the content is being delivered through short, direct, and informative videos with good storytelling.

Expand your reach by utilizing various platforms beyond Google and Bing ads and direct your audience to your website. Share concise tutorials or product demonstrations on social media, and participate in relevant Reddit communities.

Making ads that look like any normal post on any of these platforms will drive more engagement. It’s not always about selling a product or a service; it’s also about educating your audience.

Think of the reasons why your audience uses these platforms. 62% of TikTok users favor video tutorials above other formats, 39% use the platform for reviews, and 38% use it for anecdotes. That brand awareness through tutorials and reviews will keep your brand at the top of their minds and that will benefit you greatly when they’re ready to purchase.

Answer Search Engines

Answer Search Engines like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, etc, are designed to give you direct answers to your questions without your having to do the search on your own and go from one website to another. I’m sure you understand why it’s compelling for users.

As marketers, we run our ads where the paid impressions are, and if users are using Answer Engines, we should too.

Perplexity started experimenting with ads on its platform; the site will show the ads in the US as a start, and they will be formatted as “sponsored follow-up questions,” (e.g. “How can I use LinkedIn to enhance my job search?”). These ads will be positioned to the side of answers and labeled as “sponsored.”

So far, no other platform announced that they will show ads any time soon, but we encourage you to start testing ads on these platforms once they become available.

Final Thoughts: Adapting to the Future of Search Engine Marketing

In 2025, search engine marketing will see changes driven by AI and user behavior. From integrating ads into AI-generated content to adapting to semantic search and using broad match keywords, marketers have new ways to optimize strategies.

The move to Demand Generation campaigns for YouTube Ads focuses on multi-format strategies and audience targeting, while updates in Performance Max campaigns provide more transparency and control.

By understanding these shifts and applying best practices, advertisers can adjust and achieve better results in an evolving search environment.

The post SEM Trends to Be on the Look Out for in 2025 appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

More often than not, it is better to partner with an SEM agency so you can focus on growing your business. Besides growing your business, you’ll most likely save valuable resources as it can be expensive to gain the necessary insights and access to tools to execute a successful, sustainable SEM strategy.

Partnering with a search marketing agency can provide the support and expertise necessary to achieve your business goals.

But how do you identify the right agency?

Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of the top full-service agencies available.

Frequently Asked Questions

The 17 Best Search Engine Marketing Companies

1. NoGood

NoGood is an expert at uncovering and transforming your unique growth patterns into reality, using systems and tactics that drive rapid expansion and boost revenue opportunities.

New York (HQ)

SEM, Social Ads, SEO

SaaS, Healthcare, Consumer

50-100 employees

2. Directive

Technology giants rely on Directive Consulting’s international experts to actualize the outcomes of their performance-driven marketing campaigns.

Irvine, California

Search Marketing Services, Content Marketing Strategy, Demand Generation

SaaS, Health,

50 – 200 employees

3. SmartSites

SmartSites excels at helping businesses of all sizes achieve their goals. SmartSites can help you boost website visitors, gain new customers, and improve sales with their expert services.

Paramus, NJ

Digital Marketing Agency, Online Marketing, Website Development

Health, Tech

200 – 500 employees

4. Disruptive Advertising

Their expertise drives transformative strategies, enabling clients to achieve goals, make a positive impact, and establish an innovative edge within their respective industries.

Pleasant Grove, UT

Paid Search Advertising & Marketing, Conversion Optimization, Search Engine Marketing Company

Ecommerce, Construction, Healthcare

50 – 200 employees

5. Rocket Clicks

Rocket Clicks, an innovative digital advertising agency, is driven by a resolute dedication to return on investment (ROI).

Menomonee Falls, WI

PPC advertising & Marketing, SEO Strategy, Content Development

HVAV, Legal

11 – 50 employees

6. HawkSEM

HawkSEM is a performance-oriented digital marketing agency, with an extensive history in paid search spanning over a decade.

Los Angeles, California

Digital Marketing Campaigns, Search Engine Marketing Consultants, Conversion Optimization

Health, SaaS, Higher Education

50 – 200 employees

7. OpenMoves

Presenting a team of passionate digital marketers committed to nurturing the growth of small-to-mid-size businesses at both local and international scales.

Huntington, NY

Paid Social Media Marketing Services, PPC Advertising, Email Marketing

Food, Higher Education, Jewelry

11 – 50 employees

8. Funnel Boost Media

Funnel Boost Media is a comprehensive digital marketing firm headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.

San Antonio, Texas

Website Design, Conversion Rate Optimization, Search Engine Marketing Services

Automotive, Legal

11 – 50 employees

9. Online Marketing Gurus

Online Marketing Gurus (OMG) is an acclaimed and globally recognized digital agency celebrated for excellence.

Texas

SEO Strategy, PPC Management, Paid Social Media Marketing Services

Fashion, Health, Furniture

50 – 200 employees

10. Loud Mouth Media

Loud Mouth Media emerges as a multi-award-winning performance marketing agency, boasting a widespread presence with offices in Belfast, Glasgow, London, and Dublin

Belfast, Antrim

Conversion Tracking Setup, PPC Audits, Digital Marketing Strategy

eCommerce, B2B, B2C

11 – 50 employees

11. KlientBoost

Their capacity to maximize ROI from your marketing channels results from their ongoing commitment to pioneering better methodologies.

Costa Mesa, California

PPC Marketing Techniques, Search Engine Marketing Firm, Email Marketing

SaaS, eCommerce

11 – 50 employees

12. WebFX

WebFX has delivered cutting-edge digital marketing solutions since 1996, empowering clients to boost their business revenue.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Digital Advertising, Conversion Rate Optimization, Data Reporting

N/A

200 – 500 employees

13. Screaming Frog Services

Screaming Frog operates as a search marketing company, capitalizing on extensive experience within the digital marketing domain.

Henley-on-Thames, England

Online Marketing, Search Engine Marketing Firm, SEO Marketing

Health, Music, Agriculture

11 – 50 employees

14. Zoek: Search Defined

Zoek adopts a tailored, content-centric strategy to enhance online visibility, strongly emphasizing diversification and analytics.

Irvine, California

Mobile App Development, Local SEO, Organic SEO

Legal, Restaurant

200 – 500 employees

15. Thrive Internet Marketing Agency

Thrive is a comprehensive full-service online marketing agency that can manage all aspects internally.

Dallas, Texas

Reputation Management, SEO Campaigns, Social Media Marketing

Retail, Tech, Tourism

50 – 200 employees

16. NinjaPromo

NinjaPromo is a prominent search marketing agency committed to enhancing your brand’s stature through comprehensive multi-channel marketing solutions.

London, NY

Media Relations, Video Marketing Company, Public Relations

Fintech, SaaS, eCommerce

50 – 200 employees

17. Intero Digital

Positioned as a leading digital agency partner, their comprehensive marketing solutions span the entire brand journey and correlate clearly with bottom-line growth.

Colorado Springs, CO

Public Relations, Social Media Marketing, SEO Strategy

Automotive Industry Experts

200 – 500 employees

The post Top 17 Search Engine Marketing Agencies in 2025 appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

But there’s more! Above pulling together this list for you, you can ensure that by partnering with any of these agencies, we guarantee that you’ll:

• Have access to advanced tools (saving you a boatload of money).
• Be backed by a team of experts with knowledge in media planning, creative development, and campaign execution.
• Have a management agency accountable for delivering measurable results, ensuring no penny is wasted.

Let’s dive in!

The Top 8 Paid Media Agencies in 2025

1. NoGood

Description: NoGood is a results-driven paid media agency with a growth squad of experts, ensuring that you get a team of experts who understand your business and are committed to rapid growth. Built on the belief that connecting the right people and ideas can achieve remarkable outcomes, NoGood operates with a no-fluff, high-impact philosophy, maximizing revenue without wasting a penny.

Leveraging insights from thousands of experiments with successful brands and startups, NoGood refines a bespoke growth playbook for each client. Their adaptable squad model ensures the team remains focused on each business’s unique growth needs. With an 88% retention rate and 65% of clients doubling their revenue within the first six months, NoGood stands out as a top agency committed to delivering exceptional results.

What Clients Are Saying: “The squad feels like a true extension of my own marketing team” – Laura Vestal, Head of Marketing, Invisibly

Office Location: New York City, NY

Year Founded: 2016

Team Size: 50 – 100 employees

Key Services: PPC Experts, Social Advertising Agency, Conversion Rate Optimization, Search Engine Optimization, Content Marketing, Lead Generation, Performance Branding, Marketing Analytics, Email Marketing, Video Marketing, Fractional CMO

Industries Served: SaaS, Healthcare, Fintech, B2B, Consumer, AI

Noteworthy Results:

• SteelSeries: Increased overall net sales in Q3 of 2023 by 35% through paid channels.
• Unspun: Increased revenue YoY by 55%.
• Fratelli Carli: Increase online revenue by 350% with a 6X ROAS.

2. Disruptive Advertising

Description: On a mission to reduce the 76% of ad spend that often goes down the drain, Disruptive Advertising prioritizes the partnership between brand and agency, looking to create a “unique and authentic marketing strategy” based on the equal interest of both parties in the goal(s). Driven by growth and exploration, they aim to deliver exceptional results for whatever the client is after. Communication remains at the heart of Disruptive Advertising’s operations, where unrealistic promises and ego are checked at the door.

What Clients Are Saying: “Disruptive is very transparent. We have seen an increase in lead generation since the beginning of our project. They have always been very upfront with what they can and cannot deliver.” – Erin Tellor-Chronister, MalpracticeBrokers.com

Office Location: Pleasant Grove, UT

Year Founded: 2011

Team Size: 50+ employees

Key Services: Google Ads Management, Social Media Advertising, Amazon Advertising, Facebook Ads Management, Google Shopping, Landing Page Optimization, Search Ads, Search Engine Optimization, Email Marketing, Creative Strategies

Industries Served: Insurance, Healthcare, B2B, Legal, Education, Ecommerce, Home Services, Finance

Case Studies: View all case studies.

3. Radd Interactive

Description: Uniquely tech-driven, Radd Interactive deploys RaddBOT to compare data for optimization purposes, which works like a search engine. As a Google Partner with their own Google Team, Radd Interactive can provide a deep dive into problem-solving and reassess strategies that aren’t performing to push out new tactics. Radd also makes it a habit to check in with their clients monthly over the phone for a deep dive into updated data.

What Clients Are Saying: “We had a big problem when we first opened with not having enough customers coming through the door… it was very important that we showed up in search results… Radd Interactive did achieve those business goals for us.” – Speed Circuit“

Office Location: San Diego, CA

Year Founded: 2012

Team Size: 50+ employees

Key Services: Search Engine Marketing, Social Media Strategies, Amazon Advertising, Video Production, Digital Marketing Strategy, Web Development, PPC Management, Display Ads, Social Media Performance, Public Relations

Industries Served: Tech, Healthcare, Finance, Manufacturing

Noteworthy Results:

• Madterra: 220% increase in ad traffic.
• The Honey Pot: 483% increase in new users.

4. Power Digital

Description: Power Digital prioritizes consistency over “one-hit wonders,” opting instead to provide brands with sustainable growth. Serving the B2B and Consumer Marketing industries, Power Digital works to increase brand awareness and digital presence and drive revenue growth. They also use Nova, a program that uses machine learning to help with A/B testing and provides data for the Power Digital team to interpret, and DataQ, a first-party data analysis tool to uncover customer insights.

What Clients Are Saying: “The team was highly communicative, and internal stakeholders were particularly impressed with their collaborative ability and quality of deliverables.” – Sara Routhier, Director of Outreach for a lead generation company.“

Office Location: San Diego, CA

Year Founded: 2012

Team Size: 250+ employees

Key Services: Amazon Advertising, Creative Strategy, Content Strategy, Conversion Rate Optimization, Influencer Marketing Agency, Social Media Campaigns, Social Media Ads, Data-Driven Approach, Paid Media, Digital Marketing Agency

Industries Served: Travel, Foodservice, Haircare, Fashion, Manufacturing, Tech, Fitness

Noteworthy Results:

• Pura Vida: 40.63X ROAS from paid media channels over Black Friday.
• Victrola: PPC campaigns that maximized client revenue.

5. Netpeak

Description: Netpeak’s site clarifies that they exist to win for their clients. Also, as a Google Premier Partner, they specialize in efficient digital marketing. With a growth-forward mindset, their team believes in the five pillars of success to meet their goals – from a base objective to help businesses become more profitable to an overarching desire to reach the world without moving locations. Netpeak pushes for transparency, shown through their unique client dashboard, to maintain relationships between agent and client.

What Clients Are Saying: “We want to express our appreciation to Netpeak, who worked and continue working with our internet project for not only getting positions at the top of search results but also for increasing sales of our product and developing our product.” – Morpher, Software protection service

Office Location: Odessa, Ukraine

Year Founded: 2006

Team Size: 250+ employees

Key Services: Social Media Marketing Agency, PPC Management, Online Visibility, Video Production, Conversion Rate Optimization, Search Engine Optimization, Amazon Advertising, Digital Marketing Company, Video Ads, Social Media Management

Industries Served: Fashion, Photography, Cosmetics, Tech, Communications, Foodservice

Noteworthy Results:

• Ukrposhta: They reached 85% of the audience for certain campaigns & increased the conversion rate by X128.

6. PPC Geeks

Description: PPC Geeks is founded by extremely passionate specialists driven by their values, including communication, honesty, excellence, evolution, and respect. Offering free audits to ensure a good client-agency fit, PPC Geeks act on a results-oriented basis founded on mutual respect between all parties. Emphasizing brand protection, PPC Geeks clarifies that ad spend doesn’t need to be wasted through their services, prioritizing community and sustainability through growth.

What Clients Are Saying: “We have definitely seen massive growth in the sales on our website. PPC Geeks managed to implement advanced campaigns that can enable us to maximize our return on ad spending.” – Abdul Thadha, Managing Director, Books2Door

Office Location: Knutsford, United Kingdom

Year Founded: 2017

Team Size: 2-9 employees

Key Services: Facebook Ads, Google AdWords, Google Shopping, PPC Agency, Social Media Advertising, PPC Management, Digital Marketing Services, Data-Driven Strategies, Strategic Insights, Landing Page Optimization, Digital Marketing Campaigns, Marketing Plans

Industries Served: Architecture, Literature, Security, Cleaning Services, Construction, Wellness

Noteworthy Results:

• Just Go: 921% increase in CTR.
• KLC: YoY conversion rate increase of 105%.

7. Open Moves

Description: Open Moves advocates for adaptation – which, as the oldest digital agency on our list, is necessary to keep them growing in an ever-changing industry. Transparency and a welcoming attitude to change are highly prioritized with Open Moves, both beneficial to seeing effective results. Customization comes with their consultations and remains present in every strategy created for each brand, so it’s no wonder that their average client retention lasts up to nearly four years.

What Clients Are Saying: “Not only has OpenMoves boosted the client’s online presence and brand awareness, but they also provide top-notch support and guidance to help the client make better business decisions. The reliable team’s responsiveness and holistic approach to digital marketing make for a long-term partnership.” – Svetlana Kaplan, Marketing Manager, City College

Office Location: Huntington, NY

Year Founded: 2000

Team Size: 10+ employees

Key Services: Google Ads, Landing Page Optimization, PPC Agency, Amazon Ads, Social Media Advertising, Well-Known Paid Media Agency, Campaign Optimization, Email Marketing, Content Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Conversion Optimization, Campaign Strategies

Industries Served: Arts, Healthcare, Higher Education, Foodservice, Fashion, Tech, Real Estate

Noteworthy Results:

• Vosges Haut-Chocolat: 40% growth in PPC revenue.
• Art College: 200% YoY performance improvement.

8. inBeat

Description: inBeat is a paid media agency that leverages micro-influencers to create top-performing ads. Their services maximize the benefits of working with influencers, focusing on those with 4,000 to 20,000 followers with hyper-engaged audiences. This approach is particularly practical for increasing conversions. With a vast network of micro-influencers across various social media platforms, inBeat connects businesses with the right influencers to drive growth.

What Clients Are Saying: “I have been working with the InBeat Agency team for quite some time now & I can confidently say that I absolutely love working with them!” – Jason F., Influencer

Office Location: Montreal

Year Founded: 2018

Team Size: 51-200 employees

Key Services:Influencer Marketing Agency, Advertising Budgets UGC Marketing, TikTok Marketing, Paid Advertising, Panel Recruitment, Meta Advertising, Snapchat Advertising, Data-Driven Insights, Facebook Ads, Campaign Management

Industries Served: Consumer, D2C, Healthcare

Noteworthy Results:

• Hopper: Hopper needed to scale UGC ads on TikTok to drive down CPAs.
• Hurom: Reducing CPA by 65% by leveraging performance-optimized UGC creatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you already have a couple of agencies in mind but don’t know how to pick the right one?

The post 8 Best Paid Media Agencies in 2025 appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

The App Store is such a competitive app market that standing out is challenging and requires many strategic moves to ensure visibility and scalability. Apple Search Ads provides a high-impact, strategic solution for app marketers to increase visibility, attract users, and drive downloads. Apple’s ad platform enables app marketers to target potential users precisely and create seamless experiences across various app discovery stages.

We will also explore all best practices and recommendations from Apple in terms of campaign structure and growth strategies that help accounts scale their spending and increase installs. Aside from that, this guide will explain how to maximize Apple Search Ads for your app and harness the synergy with App Store Optimization (ASO) to maximize success.

Why Do App Marketers Choose Apple Search Ads for App Promotion?

Google Play Store tends to favor Android apps by sheer quantity, leading to a broader reach but sometimes attracting users with lower retention than Apple’s ecosystem. This difference arises from the distinct ad-targeting approaches on each platform.

In the App Store, users generally arrive with a specific intent to download, actively searching for apps they want to use. Apple Search Ads capitalize on this intent by positioning ads directly within relevant searches, creating a high-quality user acquisition path.

In contrast, Google’s approach is more algorithm-driven, selecting placements across Gmail, Play Network, search, and other Google properties without specific keyword targeting. This algorithmic strategy serves ads based on inferred interests from user behavior, which, while extensive in reach, can lack the targeted engagement seen on iOS.

It’s clear why app marketers often prioritize Apple Search Ads for high-quality acquisitions within the App Store’s ecosystem. While the App Store generates only about a third of Google Play’s downloads, it brings in over double the revenue due to its curated content and the strategic impact of Apple Search Ads.

Since its 2016 launch as the App Store’s native ad platform, Apple Search Ads has become an essential tool for discovery, reaching over 650 million daily visitors and enhancing each search experience by placing relevant ads seamlessly within users’ journeys. Over 70% of users use the App Store’s search feature to find new apps, and Apple Search Ads places these ads where conversions are most likely. This organic integration within the App Store empowers marketers, from novices to experts, to leverage Apple’s high-intent environment to drive meaningful app engagement.

ASO and Apple Search Ads Synergy

Let’s explore the importance of synergy between organic and paid strategies, which is a core principle in our holistic approach to growth. By ensuring that all efforts complement one another, we maximize overall impact. Apple Search Ads and ASO (App Store Optimization) is a perfect example of this synergy. A robust ASO strategy enhances Apple Search Ads performance, while effective paid campaigns can boost organic visibility in return. Here are four key areas where ASO and Apple Search Ads harmonize to drive impactful results:

1. Conversion Rate Optimization: Well-optimized visuals (icons, screenshots, Apple custom product pages) and compelling titles/subtitles increase conversion rates in Apple Search Ads.
2. Enhanced Algorithm Understanding: Optimized metadata helps App Store algorithms classify and recommend your app better.
3. Organic Ranking Influence: Apple Search Ads can boost organic rankings with increased downloads (which can occur with Apple Search Advance ads), signaling high user engagement to the App Store’s algorithms.
4. Valuable ASO Metrics: Metrics such as search popularity help gauge keyword potential, while cost metrics reflect competition levels.

These elements create a powerful, mutually beneficial strategy for app marketers. As experts in app growth marketing, we at NoGood have seen this recipe work many times before.

Apple Search Ads Basic vs. Advanced: Which Is Right for You?

Apple Search Ads provides two options: Basic and Advanced. The best choice depends on your app promotion goals and level of experience. We recommend the Advanced option for its enhanced analytics, better control of ad spend, optimization capabilities, and scalability potential.

Apple Search Ads Basic

Apple Search Ads Basic is ideal for newcomers or app marketers who need more time. It provides a fully automated setup, requiring minimal management. Here’s how it works:

1. Goal Setting: Select target countries or regions.
2. Budget: Define a budget (up to $10,000 per app) and a target CPI (cost-per-install).

While Apple Search Ads Basic automates optimization and removes the need for manual control, it limits customization, making it challenging to leverage the ASO synergy effectively. It’s a solid option for generating installs, though it may lack the nuance needed to attract high-intent users or ensure revenue-generating actions.

Apple Search Ads Advanced

Apple Search Ads Advanced offers complete management capabilities for maximizing control and effectiveness. This version lets you fine-tune target audience settings, keyword strategies, and bidding to reach specific app promotion goals. With Advanced, you can advertise across multiple placements, including:

• Search Results: Ads appear at the top of relevant search results.
• Search Tab: Ads display in the Suggested Apps list.
• Today Tab: Ads are featured on the App Store homepage.
• Product Pages: Ads are shown on other app product pages in the “You Might Also Like” section at the bottom.

With access to user intent data, Apple Search Ads Advanced allows advertisers to bid on specific keywords and gain a deeper understanding of competitive metrics. Tools like SplitMetrics provide an intuitive interface, simplifying the campaign setup and ongoing optimization for marketers.

Setting Up Your First Apple Search Ads Campaign

To get started with Apple Search Ads, follow these key steps to create a campaign that resonates with users and drives impactful results:

1. Define Your Goals: Determine your objectives, whether app installs, revenue-driven actions (like in-app purchases), or engagement metrics.
2. Choose Your Audience: Apple Search Ads Advanced lets you specify targeting options by device, user demographics, and interests.
3. Research Keywords: Use Apple’s Search Popularity metric to discover and bid on high-intent keywords relevant to your app. Remember, targeted keywords will enhance both ad relevance and ASO impact.
4. Set Bids and Budget: Allocate your budget effectively by prioritizing high-conversion keywords and competitive categories.
5. Monitor and Optimize: Review metrics regularly and adjust bids or targeting to maximize return on ad spend (ROAS). Use Apple’s real-time insights to refine campaigns and respond to user behavior.

Maximize ROAS with Apple Search Ads and ASO Alignment

Combining Apple Search Ads with a comprehensive ASO strategy is crucial to achieving the best results. Here are best practices to ensure your Apple Search Ads campaigns are in sync with ASO efforts:

1. Keyword Consistency: Choose keywords that align across both Apple Search Ads and ASO, enhancing relevancy in search results.
2. A/B Testing: Test various app icons, screenshots, and descriptions in Apple Search Ads, then apply insights to App Store product pages.
3. User Feedback and Reviews: Consider user feedback to identify areas for improvement and refine your messaging.

Focusing on user-centric, quality content within the App Store ecosystem can drive a steady increase in visibility and organic ranking for Apple Search Ads and ASO.

Key Benefits of Apple Search Ads for Your App Promotion

To recap, here’s why Apple Search Ads is a standout choice for app marketers:

• Increased Visibility: Apple Search Ads boost your app’s visibility across crucial discovery points.
• Quality Targeting: Leverage Apple’s data to reach users actively searching for apps like yours.
• Actionable Insights: Use in-platform metrics to refine ad spend, improve conversions, and fine-tune ASO strategies.
• Synergy with ASO: Enhance organic rankings by creating positive engagement signals through paid ads.

In the fast-paced world of app marketing, standing out is crucial. Apple Search Ads provides the tools to boost app visibility, optimize ad spend, and elevate user engagement. By combining Apple Search Ads with a solid ASO foundation, app marketers can maximize their chances of success on the App Store and foster long-term growth.

Ready to boost your app with Apple Search Ads? Start by optimizing your App Store presence today, and let Apple’s robust ecosystem drive your app promotion strategy to new heights.

How to Optimize Apple Search Ads for High-Impact ROI: Complete Guide

Apple Search Ads (ASA) have become essential for iOS app marketing. When leveraged effectively, ASA drives downloads, builds brand awareness, and increases app visibility in the App Store.

However, running successful campaigns requires a structured approach, from tracking key metrics to implementing keyword and bid strategies. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the best practices for optimizing ASA campaigns to ensure you achieve your goals while maximizing profitability.

1. Understanding Apple Search Ads Analytics: the Foundation for Success

Effective Apple Search Ads optimization starts with a deep understanding of analytics. Your goals will determine your metrics, but generally, you’ll want to track:

• In-App Events and Installations: Analyze whether your keywords and ads drive user engagement and downloads.
• Impression Share: Measure if your bids are competitive enough to outperform your competitors.
• Conversion Rates: Check if your app’s ASA campaigns are reaching or surpassing industry benchmarks.
• Tap-Through Rates (TTR): Ensure your keywords are relevant and engaging to potential users.

Conversion Delay Consideration: Conversions on Apple Search Ads can take time. Some users may engage with an ad but download or make in-app purchases days or weeks later. To accurately measure performance, allow at least four weeks before pausing underperforming keywords and one to two weeks before adjusting bids on keywords showing potential.

2. Optimizing Apple Search Ads for Keyword Performance

Effective keyword optimization is crucial in Apple Search Ads. ASA relies on keywords to reach users, so regular evaluation ensures that keywords drive conversions and align with user intent.

• Ongoing Keyword Analysis: Monitor the performance of your keywords and pause those that are underperforming. Transfer high-converting keywords to campaigns with specific bid strategies for optimal spending.
• Seasonal and Event-Based Keywords: Apple Search Ads campaigns should adapt to seasonal trends, like the surge in travel-related searches during summer or sports-related keywords during events like the Olympics. By staying agile, you’ll maximize your ASA budget’s impact during high-traffic periods.
• App Store Search Term Trends: App Store trends fluctuate, especially with new app categories, such as finance or AI apps, rising in popularity. Monitor these trends and add or adjust keywords to capture relevant search volume.

Tip: ASA campaigns should continuously optimize for keywords because popular search terms and user behavior change over time. Regularly updating your keyword list ensures your ads stay relevant and drive high-quality traffic to your app.

3. Bid Optimization in Apple Search Ads for Maximizing Conversions

Apple Search Ads operates on a second-price auction model where relevance and bid impact the chances of winning an impression. Optimizing bids strategically helps ensure that your app remains competitive in high-traffic keyword searches.

• Bid Adjustment Strategies:
  • Increase bids on keywords with high conversion rates to maximize impressions.
  • Reduce bids on keywords with poor performance and pause those that don’t meet campaign goals.
  • Re-activate paused keywords if conversions start to come through after a delay, as some users take time to complete in-app purchases.
• Conversion delays are common on the App Store, so waiting at least four weeks before making bid decisions is wise. For bid increases, a 7-14 day window helps avoid over-adjusting based on early performance.

Tip: Conversion-driven bid adjustments align with your long-term user acquisition goals, ensuring that each dollar spent is optimized to bring in high-value users.

4. Enhancing Results with Custom Product Pages and Ad Variations

Adding custom product pages to your ASA campaigns can enhance results, especially when you have high-priority keywords. Customized product pages offer tailored experiences, highlighting app features that resonate with the specific keyword’s intent.

Testing Custom Product Pages: A/B test custom pages to see which combinations drive the most conversions. You’ll improve user engagement and boost conversion rates by matching the product page’s message with the keyword’s focus.

Example: If you’re promoting a fitness app with seasonal keywords like “workout routine for summer,” create a custom page emphasizing summer fitness goals. This targeted approach maximizes ASA efficiency, resulting in better engagement and higher conversions.

5. Managing Your Apple Search Ads Campaign Structure for Scale

Scaling Apple Search Ads requires a well-organized account structure that grows with your campaigns. An organized structure will help maintain efficient optimization and budget management as your app expands into new markets or categories.

• Segregate High-Performing Keywords: Move top-performing keywords into dedicated campaigns that receive more focused bids and strategies.
• Regular Health Checks: Review keywords regularly and adjust bids based on updated performance data. Use Apple Search Ads reporting tools to track metrics and identify trends so you know when adjustments are necessary.

Tip: Structuring your Apple Search Ads campaigns for scalability means that as your list of keywords grows, your optimization process remains streamlined and efficient.

6. Key Takeaways: Unlock the Power of Apple Search Ads for Your iOS App

Apple Search Ads remains one of the most impactful platforms for driving app downloads and brand visibility within the App Store. By implementing a solid strategy that includes continuous keyword optimization, targeted bid adjustments, custom product page testing, and automation, you can reach high-value users and improve your app’s profitability.

• Adapt to App Store Trends: Monitor keyword trends and adjust for seasonal or event-driven fluctuations to capture high-intent users.
• Data-driven decision-making: Make informed adjustments using metrics like impression share, TTR, and conversion rates.
• Embrace Automation: Streamline your Apple Search Ads workflow, reduce manual tasks, and focus on scaling your app marketing efforts.

When optimized effectively, Apple Search Ads can elevate your iOS marketing strategy, helping your app reach its full potential within the Apple ecosystem. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced marketer, these practices will set your campaigns up for sustained success.

Understanding Campaign Elements and Setup

Building an effective Apple Search Ads campaign structure is essential for maximizing performance. A well-thought-out campaign setup enables you to monitor metrics, adjust bids, expand audience reach, and more efficiently optimize for success. Here are some strategic tips to help you get the most out of your Apple Search Ads campaigns.

Each campaign has a unique budget targeted to specific countries or regions. Within these campaigns, you’ll create ad groups where you can select keywords, adjust bids, and test different ad variations. For example, if you’re promoting a music education app, you might create campaigns targeting specific regions or languages.

Organize Campaigns by Keyword Theme

To streamline your structure, create four main campaign types: Brand, Category, Competitor, and Discovery. Each campaign type targets a distinct set of keywords with specific ad group structures and bidding tactics.

1. Brand Campaign: This campaign focuses on keywords that directly relate to your app’s name or brand. This ensures that users searching for your app specifically will see your ad.
2. Category Campaign: This campaign targets non-branded keywords that describe your app’s category or primary functions, making it easier to attract users seeking apps in your genre.
3. Competitor Campaign: This campaign targets keywords associated with apps similar to yours. It allows you to reach users who may be interested in an alternative app within the same category.
4. Discovery Campaign: Designed to uncover new, high-potential keywords for further testing. This campaign uses broad match keywords and Search Match to find additional search terms. Within this campaign, create two dedicated ad groups:
   • Broad Match Ad Group: This ad group incorporates the keywords from Brand, Category, and Competitor campaigns but in broad match, with Search Match off.
   • Search Match Ad Group: This group uses Search Match to identify new, relevant terms. No keywords are added manually, but Search Match surfaces related terms automatically.

To avoid overlap, add keywords from the Brand, Category, and Competitor campaigns as exact match negatives in the Discovery campaign. This approach lets Discovery focus on new terms rather than competing with your existing keyword sets.

Refining Campaigns with Discovery Learnings

After identifying high-performing terms in your Discovery campaign, incorporate them as exact match keywords in the Brand, Category, or Competitor campaigns. These terms can then be added as exact match negatives in Discovery to keep it focused on uncovering new potential. Additionally, underperforming terms should be included as negatives in relevant campaigns to reduce costs.

Consider Geographic Targeting

When targeting multiple regions, create separate campaigns with unique budgets or performance goals for larger markets. If regions share similar traits — such as language or customer value — you might opt for a single campaign to simplify budget and bid management. For instance, if promoting a music education app like “Music Teacher,” campaigns could be divided by region to track performance independently while retaining a similar campaign structure across markets.

Structured Approach for Success

A thoughtful Apple Search Ads account structure can significantly impact your results. Organizing by keyword themes provides clear insights into market-specific performance, allowing you to take targeted actions on bidding and budget. Use Discovery campaign insights to continually refine your other campaigns, driving a dynamic strategy that effectively scales your reach and optimizes ad spending.

Unlock Your App’s Full Potential with Apple Search Ads

Apple Search Ads has proven a powerful tool for app marketers seeking to boost visibility, drive high-quality downloads, and maximize return on ad spend (ROAS). By leveraging Apple’s high-intent user base and integrating your paid strategies with a robust ASO (App Store Optimization) approach, you can elevate your app’s performance within the competitive App Store landscape.

Whether you’re a newcomer looking for a streamlined setup with Apple Search Ads Basic or an experienced marketer seeking full control with the Advanced option, optimizing your campaigns to align with user behavior and keyword trends is crucial for sustained growth.

At NoGood, we’ve helped numerous apps achieve their growth goals using strategic Apple Search Ads optimization. Contact us today to discover how we can tailor an Apple Search Ads strategy that drives impactful results for your app.

Looking for support with your app marketing strategy?

The post Apple Search Ads 101: Guide to Boosting App Discoverability and Growth appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.