Apple Search Ads

Create, optimize, and scale Apple Search Ads campaigns with API automation, attribution integration, and bid strategy recommendations.

Iván@ivangdavila

Install

openclaw skills install @ivangdavila/apple-search-ads

Apple Search Ads 🍎

Complete toolkit for Apple Search Ads: Campaign Management API v5, attribution integration (AdServices + SKAdNetwork), bid optimization, and strategic recommendations.

What's New in v1.0.0

Full Campaign Management API v5 coverage
iOS app integration (AdServices framework)
SKAdNetwork 4.0 support
Automated reporting scripts
Bid optimization strategies
Multi-country campaign patterns

Setup
When to Use
Architecture
API Essentials
Campaign Structure
Keywords & Bidding
Attribution Integration
Reports & Analytics
Strategy Playbook
Scripts & Automation
Common Traps

Setup

On first use, read setup.md for integration guidelines.

When to Use

User needs to run Apple Search Ads for iOS apps. Agent handles campaign creation, bid optimization, attribution tracking, performance analysis, and strategic recommendations.

Architecture

Memory lives in ~/apple-search-ads/. See memory-template.md for structure.

text

~/apple-search-ads/
├── memory.md          # Active campaigns, preferences, learnings
├── credentials.md     # OAuth config (NEVER commit real secrets)
├── campaigns/         # Campaign-specific notes and performance
│   └── {app-id}/
├── reports/           # Generated reports
└── scripts/           # Custom automation

Quick Reference

Topic	File
Setup process	`setup.md`
Memory template	`memory-template.md`
API endpoints	`api-reference.md`
iOS integration	`ios-integration.md`
Strategy guide	`strategy.md`
Script library	`scripts.md`

API Essentials

Authentication (OAuth 2.0)

Apple Ads API uses OAuth with client credentials. Generate credentials at: https://app.searchads.apple.com/cm/app/settings/apicertificates

bash

# 1. Generate client secret (JWT signed with private key)
# Header
{
  "alg": "ES256",
  "kid": "{KEY_ID}"
}
# Payload
{
  "sub": "{CLIENT_ID}",
  "aud": "https://appleid.apple.com",
  "iat": {CURRENT_TIMESTAMP},
  "exp": {TIMESTAMP_+180_DAYS},
  "iss": "{TEAM_ID}"
}

# 2. Exchange for access token
curl -X POST "https://appleid.apple.com/auth/oauth2/token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded" \
  -d "grant_type=client_credentials" \
  -d "client_id={CLIENT_ID}" \
  -d "client_secret={CLIENT_SECRET}" \
  -d "scope=searchadsorg"

# Response contains access_token (valid 1 hour)

Base URL & Headers

text

Base URL: https://api.searchads.apple.com/api/v5
Headers:
  Authorization: Bearer {ACCESS_TOKEN}
  X-AP-Context: orgId={ORG_ID}
  Content-Type: application/json

Core Endpoints

Resource	Method	Endpoint
Apps
Search apps	POST	`/search/apps`
App eligibility	GET	`/apps/{adamId}/eligibilities`
Campaigns
List campaigns	GET	`/campaigns`
Create campaign	POST	`/campaigns`
Update campaign	PUT	`/campaigns/{id}`
Delete campaign	DELETE	`/campaigns/{id}`
Ad Groups
List ad groups	GET	`/campaigns/{id}/adgroups`
Create ad group	POST	`/campaigns/{id}/adgroups`
Keywords
List keywords	GET	`/campaigns/{cId}/adgroups/{agId}/targetingkeywords`
Add keywords	POST	`/campaigns/{cId}/adgroups/{agId}/targetingkeywords/bulk`
Reports
Campaign report	POST	`/reports/campaigns`
Ad group report	POST	`/reports/campaigns/{id}/adgroups`
Keyword report	POST	`/reports/campaigns/{cId}/adgroups/{agId}/keywords`
Search term report	POST	`/reports/campaigns/{cId}/searchterms`
Impression share	POST	`/reports/campaigns/{id}/impressionshare`

Campaign Structure

Hierarchy

text

Organization (orgId)
└── Campaign (Search Results / Search Tab / Today Tab)
    ├── Budget & Schedule
    ├── Countries/Regions
    └── Ad Groups
        ├── Keywords (targeting + negative)
        ├── Audience (age, gender, device, etc.)
        ├── Creatives (default or Custom Product Pages)
        └── Bid settings

Campaign Types

Type	Placement	Best For
Search Results	Top of search results	High-intent users, brand defense
Search Tab	Suggested apps before search	Discovery, broad reach
Today Tab	Today tab featured	Brand awareness, launches

Campaign Object

json

{
  "name": "MyApp - US - Brand",
  "adamId": 123456789,
  "countriesOrRegions": ["US"],
  "budgetAmount": {"amount": "1000", "currency": "USD"},
  "dailyBudgetAmount": {"amount": "50", "currency": "USD"},
  "supplySources": ["APPSTORE_SEARCH_RESULTS"],
  "billingEvent": "TAPS",
  "status": "ENABLED",
  "startTime": "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000",
  "endTime": null
}

Ad Group Object

json

{
  "name": "Brand Keywords",
  "campaignId": 123456,
  "defaultBidAmount": {"amount": "1.50", "currency": "USD"},
  "cpaGoal": {"amount": "5.00", "currency": "USD"},
  "startTime": "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000",
  "targetingDimensions": {
    "age": {"included": [{"minAge": 18}]},
    "gender": {"included": ["M", "F"]},
    "deviceClass": {"included": ["IPHONE", "IPAD"]},
    "daypart": {"userTime": {"included": [0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23]}},
    "adminArea": null,
    "locality": null,
    "appDownloaders": {"included": [], "excluded": []}
  },
  "automatedKeywordsOptIn": false,
  "status": "ENABLED"
}

Keywords & Bidding

Match Types

Type	Behavior	Use Case
Exact	Query = keyword exactly	Brand terms, proven converters
Broad	Synonyms, related terms	Discovery, expansion
Search Match	Auto-matched by Apple	New apps, keyword research

Keyword Object

json

{
  "text": "meditation app",
  "matchType": "EXACT",
  "bidAmount": {"amount": "2.00", "currency": "USD"},
  "status": "ACTIVE"
}

Bid Strategy Rules

Brand keywords → Bid high (defend your brand)
Competitor keywords → Test carefully, monitor CPA
Generic keywords → Start low, increase for winners
Discovery (Search Match) → Low bids, mine for keywords
Negative keywords → Essential to reduce waste

Bid Optimization Loop

text

Week 1: Set baseline bids (industry avg or $1-2)
        ↓
Week 2: Review search term report
        - High converts, low bid → raise bid 20-30%
        - Low converts, high spend → lower bid or pause
        - Irrelevant terms → add as negative
        ↓
Week 3+: Repeat. Target CPA within 20% of goal.

Attribution Integration

AdServices Framework (iOS 14.3+)

Modern attribution without user tracking. Integrates directly in iOS app.

swift

import AdServices

func trackAttribution() async {
    do {
        // 1. Get attribution token from device
        let token = try AAAttribution.attributionToken()
        
        // 2. Send to Apple's attribution API
        var request = URLRequest(url: URL(string: "https://api-adservices.apple.com/api/v1/")!)
        request.httpMethod = "POST"
        request.setValue("text/plain", forHTTPHeaderField: "Content-Type")
        request.httpBody = token.data(using: .utf8)
        
        let (data, _) = try await URLSession.shared.data(for: request)
        let attribution = try JSONDecoder().decode(Attribution.self, from: data)
        
        // 3. attribution contains: campaignId, adGroupId, keywordId, etc.
        // Send to your analytics backend
        
    } catch {
        // Not from Apple Search Ads or error
    }
}

struct Attribution: Codable {
    let attribution: Bool
    let orgId: Int?
    let campaignId: Int?
    let adGroupId: Int?
    let keywordId: Int?
    let creativeSetId: Int?
    let conversionType: String?
    let clickDate: String?
}

SKAdNetwork 4.0

Privacy-focused attribution for installs. Apple aggregates data, no user-level tracking.

swift

// In your app delegate
import StoreKit

func application(_ application: UIApplication, 
                 didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]?) -> Bool {
    // Register for attribution
    SKAdNetwork.updatePostbackConversionValue(0) { error in
        // Initial registration
    }
    return true
}

// When user completes valuable action (purchase, signup, etc.)
func trackConversion(value: Int) {
    // value 0-63, represents conversion value
    SKAdNetwork.updatePostbackConversionValue(value) { error in
        if error == nil {
            // Updated successfully
        }
    }
}

SKAdNetwork Conversion Value Strategy

Value	Meaning	Example
0	Install only	App opened
1-10	Engagement tier	Sessions, time in app
11-30	Feature usage	Key feature activated
31-50	Monetization signal	Trial started, content viewed
51-63	Revenue tier	Purchase completed

MMP Integration (AppsFlyer, Adjust, etc.)

If using an MMP, they handle AdServices and SKAdNetwork. Follow their SDK docs. Key integration points:

Initialize MMP SDK before any tracking
Configure SKAdNetwork conversion values in MMP dashboard
Link Apple Search Ads account in MMP for cost data
Use MMP's deeplink handling for attribution

Reports & Analytics

Campaign Report Request

json

{
  "startTime": "2026-01-01",
  "endTime": "2026-01-31",
  "timeZone": "UTC",
  "granularity": "DAILY",
  "selector": {
    "orderBy": [{"field": "localSpend", "sortOrder": "DESCENDING"}],
    "pagination": {"offset": 0, "limit": 100}
  },
  "returnRowTotals": true,
  "returnGrandTotals": true
}

Key Metrics

Metric	Description	Good Range
TTR	Tap-through rate	5-10%+
CVR	Conversion rate (installs/taps)	30-60%
CPA	Cost per acquisition	< LTV/3
CPT	Cost per tap	$0.50-3.00 (varies)
ROAS	Return on ad spend	> 100%
Impression Share	% of eligible impressions won	Track trend

Search Term Report

Critical for optimization. Shows actual queries that triggered your ads.

json

// POST /reports/campaigns/{campaignId}/searchterms
{
  "startTime": "2026-01-01",
  "endTime": "2026-01-31",
  "selector": {
    "conditions": [
      {"field": "impressions", "operator": "GREATER_THAN", "values": ["10"]}
    ],
    "orderBy": [{"field": "impressions", "sortOrder": "DESCENDING"}],
    "pagination": {"offset": 0, "limit": 1000}
  }
}

Weekly ritual:

Pull search term report
High impressions + high CVR → Add as exact keyword
High impressions + low CVR → Add as negative
Irrelevant terms → Negative immediately

Strategy Playbook

Campaign Structure (Recommended)

text

Campaign: [App] - [Country] - Brand
  └── Ad Group: Brand Exact
      └── Keywords: app name, brand terms (exact match)

Campaign: [App] - [Country] - Category
  └── Ad Group: Category - Exact
      └── Keywords: category terms (exact match)
  └── Ad Group: Category - Discovery
      └── Search Match enabled, low bid

Campaign: [App] - [Country] - Competitor
  └── Ad Group: Competitor Names
      └── Keywords: competitor app names (exact match)

Budget Allocation

Stage	Brand	Category	Competitor	Discovery
Launch	40%	40%	10%	10%
Growth	20%	50%	20%	10%
Scale	10%	60%	25%	5%

Multi-Country Expansion

Start: US, UK, Canada, Australia (English)
Expand: Germany, France, Japan, South Korea (localize)
Test: Brazil, Mexico, India (high volume, lower CPT)

Localization checklist:

App Store listing translated
Custom Product Pages per country
Keywords researched per language
Separate campaigns per country (easier optimization)

Custom Product Pages (CPP)

Create variations of your App Store page for different audiences.

json

// Get available CPPs
// GET /apps/{adamId}/customproductpages

// Create ad using CPP
{
  "name": "Fitness Ad - Summer Campaign",
  "adGroupId": 12345,
  "creativeType": "CUSTOM_PRODUCT_PAGE",
  "productPageId": "cpp-uuid-here"
}

Best practices:

Create CPP for each major keyword theme
Test: Control (default) vs CPP
Rotate seasonally (holidays, events)

Scripts & Automation

See scripts.md for complete script library. Key scripts:

Get Access Token

bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail

# SECURITY MANIFEST:
# Environment variables accessed: ASA_CLIENT_ID, ASA_TEAM_ID, ASA_KEY_ID, ASA_PRIVATE_KEY
# External endpoints called: https://appleid.apple.com/auth/oauth2/token (only)
# Local files read: none
# Local files written: none

# Requires: openssl, jq

CLIENT_ID="${ASA_CLIENT_ID}"
TEAM_ID="${ASA_TEAM_ID}"
KEY_ID="${ASA_KEY_ID}"
PRIVATE_KEY="${ASA_PRIVATE_KEY}"  # PEM format

# Create JWT header
HEADER=$(echo -n '{"alg":"ES256","kid":"'$KEY_ID'"}' | base64 | tr -d '=' | tr '/+' '_-' | tr -d '\n')

# Create JWT payload
NOW=$(date +%s)
EXP=$((NOW + 15552000))  # 180 days
PAYLOAD=$(echo -n '{"sub":"'$CLIENT_ID'","aud":"https://appleid.apple.com","iat":'$NOW',"exp":'$EXP',"iss":"'$TEAM_ID'"}' | base64 | tr -d '=' | tr '/+' '_-' | tr -d '\n')

# Sign with private key
SIGNATURE=$(echo -n "$HEADER.$PAYLOAD" | openssl dgst -sha256 -sign <(echo "$PRIVATE_KEY") | base64 | tr -d '=' | tr '/+' '_-' | tr -d '\n')

CLIENT_SECRET="$HEADER.$PAYLOAD.$SIGNATURE"

# Exchange for access token
curl -s -X POST "https://appleid.apple.com/auth/oauth2/token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded" \
  -d "grant_type=client_credentials&client_id=$CLIENT_ID&client_secret=$CLIENT_SECRET&scope=searchadsorg" \
  | jq -r '.access_token'

Daily Performance Report

bash

#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail

# SECURITY MANIFEST:
# Environment variables accessed: ASA_ACCESS_TOKEN, ASA_ORG_ID
# External endpoints called: https://api.searchads.apple.com/api/v5/reports/campaigns (only)
# Local files read: none
# Local files written: stdout (report data)

ACCESS_TOKEN="${ASA_ACCESS_TOKEN}"
ORG_ID="${ASA_ORG_ID}"

TODAY=$(date -u +%Y-%m-%d)
YESTERDAY=$(date -u -v-1d +%Y-%m-%d 2>/dev/null || date -u -d "yesterday" +%Y-%m-%d)

curl -s -X POST "https://api.searchads.apple.com/api/v5/reports/campaigns" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "X-AP-Context: orgId=$ORG_ID" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "startTime": "'$YESTERDAY'",
    "endTime": "'$TODAY'",
    "granularity": "DAILY",
    "selector": {
      "orderBy": [{"field": "localSpend", "sortOrder": "DESCENDING"}]
    },
    "returnRowTotals": true,
    "returnGrandTotals": true
  }' | jq '.data.reportingDataResponse.row[] | {
    campaign: .metadata.campaignName,
    spend: .total.localSpend.amount,
    impressions: .total.impressions,
    taps: .total.taps,
    installs: .total.installs,
    cpa: (if .total.installs > 0 then (.total.localSpend.amount | tonumber) / .total.installs else "N/A" end)
  }'

Core Rules

1. Separate Campaigns by Intent

Brand, category, competitor, and discovery keywords in separate campaigns. Mixing makes optimization impossible.

2. Start Exact, Expand Broad

Begin with exact match keywords you're confident about. Use Search Match and broad only for discovery with low bids.

3. Mine Search Terms Weekly

The search term report is gold. Review weekly, add winners as exact, add losers as negatives.

4. Defend Your Brand

Competitors WILL bid on your brand name. Always have a brand campaign with high bids to protect your real estate.

5. Track Attribution Properly

Implement AdServices for iOS 14.3+. Without attribution, you're optimizing blind.

6. One Country Per Campaign

Mixing countries makes bid optimization nearly impossible. Create separate campaigns per country/region.

7. Budget to CPA, Not Spend

Set CPA goals, not just budgets. If CPA is 2x target, pause and investigate before spending more.

Common Traps

Mixing match types in one ad group → Can't tell what's working. Separate exact, broad, search match.
No negative keywords → Wasting budget on irrelevant searches. Review search terms weekly.
Ignoring Search Tab/Today Tab → Lower intent but cheaper. Good for discovery.
Same bid across all keywords → Brand keywords worth more than generic. Bid accordingly.
No attribution integration → Flying blind. Implement AdServices or MMP.
Launching without App Store optimization → Low conversion rate. Fix ASO first.
Bidding on competitors without testing → Often unprofitable. Test small first.
Forgetting timezone in reports → Data misalignment. Always use UTC or explicit timezone.
Not using Custom Product Pages → Missing easy wins. Create themed pages.
Scaling too fast → CPA spikes when scaling. Increase budget 20-30% at a time.

External Endpoints

Endpoint	Data Sent	Purpose
`https://appleid.apple.com/auth/oauth2/token`	Client credentials (JWT)	Get access token
`https://api.searchads.apple.com/api/v5/*`	Campaign/keyword data	Campaign management
`https://api-adservices.apple.com/api/v1/`	Attribution token	Attribution data

No other data is sent externally.

Security & Privacy

Data that leaves your machine:

Campaign configurations sent to Apple Ads API
Attribution tokens sent to Apple (from iOS app)

Data that stays local:

Credentials in ~/apple-search-ads/credentials.md
Reports and analysis
Strategy notes

This skill does NOT:

Store API secrets in plain text (use environment variables)
Access user-level data (attribution is aggregated)
Make requests to undeclared endpoints

Trust

By using this skill, data is sent to Apple's Search Ads API and AdServices. Only install if you trust Apple with your advertising data.

Related Skills

Install with clawhub install <slug> if user confirms:

app-store-connect — manage apps and releases
aso — App Store Optimization
analytics — track metrics and KPIs
ios — iOS development patterns

Feedback

If useful: clawhub star apple-search-ads
Stay updated: clawhub sync

Apple Search Ads

Install

Apple Search Ads 🍎

What's New in v1.0.0

Contents

Setup

When to Use

Architecture

Quick Reference

API Essentials

Authentication (OAuth 2.0)

Base URL & Headers

Core Endpoints

Campaign Structure

Hierarchy

Campaign Types

Campaign Object

Ad Group Object

Keywords & Bidding

Match Types

Keyword Object

Bid Strategy Rules

Bid Optimization Loop

Attribution Integration

AdServices Framework (iOS 14.3+)

SKAdNetwork 4.0

SKAdNetwork Conversion Value Strategy

MMP Integration (AppsFlyer, Adjust, etc.)

Reports & Analytics

Campaign Report Request

Key Metrics

Search Term Report

Strategy Playbook

Campaign Structure (Recommended)

Budget Allocation

Multi-Country Expansion

Custom Product Pages (CPP)

Scripts & Automation

Get Access Token

Daily Performance Report

Core Rules

1. Separate Campaigns by Intent

2. Start Exact, Expand Broad

3. Mine Search Terms Weekly

4. Defend Your Brand

5. Track Attribution Properly

6. One Country Per Campaign

7. Budget to CPA, Not Spend

Common Traps

External Endpoints

Security & Privacy

Trust

Related Skills

Feedback

Related skills