Apple Ads expands ad slots in App Store search

Advertisers will gain access to multiple ad placements within a single search query, significantly changing the competitive dynamics of Apple Ads.

What’s changing

Until now, App Store search results featured only one ad slot — a sponsored placement at the top of the page. Starting March 3, 2026, Apple Ads will begin showing multiple ads for a single search query:

• the traditional top-of-search placement;
• additional ad positions further down the results list.

The rollout will begin in the UK, followed by Japan. By the end of March, Apple plans to expand the new ad slots to all Apple Ads markets.

The new placements will be available on devices running iOS and iPadOS version 26.2 and later.

Why this matters for marketers

Expanded inventory creates more opportunities to drive installs at moments of high user intent — when users are actively searching for an app. At the same time, it introduces several challenges:

• increased competition for the same search queries;
• potential rises in cost per tap or cost per install;
• less predictable performance due to variations in ad position.

In addition, the lack of control over specific placements makes campaign performance harder to forecast. Ads may appear either at the top of the page or lower in the results, affecting visibility, click-through rates, and downstream conversion.

Under these conditions, alignment with actual user search intent becomes even more critical. Apple Ads continues to prioritize relevance, meaning aggressive bidding alone — without strong keyword strategy and well-optimized product pages — will not guarantee impressions or consistent results.

Marketers should prepare for deeper keyword analysis, ongoing creative and custom product page testing, and more granular performance monitoring at the query level. In an environment with multiple ad placements, success will depend not only on budget size, but also on precision, relevance, and the ability to adapt quickly to shifts in user behavior.

How access to new placements works

No additional campaign setup is required. All existing search results campaigns will automatically be eligible for the expanded ad inventory.

However, an important limitation remains:

• advertisers cannot select or bid on specific placements;
• Apple determines where an ad appears within the search results.

Ad formats and pricing remain unchanged

Apple is not changing ad formats or pricing models:

• ads look the same regardless of placement;
• either a default product page or a custom product page is used;
• optional deep links can direct users to specific in-app destinations;
• billing continues to operate on a cost-per-tap or cost-per-install basis.

How Apple matches ads to search queries

App Store search ads continue to rely on keywords, either selected by advertisers or suggested by Apple. According to the company:

• placement is determined by a combination of bid and relevance;
• relevance is a non-negotiable factor and cannot be offset by higher bids;
• ads will not enter the auction if they are not a strong match for the user’s query.

Apple reports that the average conversion rate for top-of-search ads exceeds 60%, reinforcing its strong emphasis on intent-based relevance.

What marketers should focus on

With the expansion of search ad placements, marketers should:

• closely monitor performance by individual queries;
• test creatives and custom product pages;
• refine keyword strategies around real user intent;
• invest more heavily in conversion and post-install analytics.

While the new placements may increase overall volume, they do not guarantee the same traffic quality across positions.

What’s next

Apple will complete the global rollout of additional App Store search ad placements throughout March. For app marketers, this marks a meaningful shift in how search visibility works — exposure is no longer limited to a single ad slot, but competition for user attention becomes even more intense.

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