Today Tab Updates on iOS App Store: What Does it Mean for Your Apple Search Ads Efforts

Marketers have found immense benefits from Apple Search Ads to promote their apps and get a larger share of visibility for their apps within the Apple Store. With various placement options to maximize ad visibility for the app and increase downloads, app advertisers get prominent real estate on the App Store as a curated destination for the discovery of new apps. To continually improve the user experience and streamline campaign management, Apple has announced significant changes to the Today tab ads. In this blog, we will delve deeper into Today tab updates on the iOS App Store and explore what they mean for advertisers who rely on this powerful advertising platform.

Latest update to the Today Tab ad placement

From December 2023, Apple Search Ads Today Tab ad placements are all set to become larger and more dynamic. Here's a quick overview of all that's to know about the latest updates:

What are the changes and how do they affect iOS app marketers?

The new ad format is larger and more dynamic

The new format will display your app's icon at the center of the ad. It will also show the app title and subtitle as recorded in App Store Connect. In this format, assets from the Custom Product Page are also animated in the ad background. Over 650 million iOS users start their App Store journey from the Today Tab. The larger and more dynamic ad formats promise to grab more eyeballs and have the potential to boost Today's Tab conversion rates. 

Approvals

The campaign setup processes remain the same. Apple will approve Custom Product Page assets and ad backgrounds, along with their regular approvals of app name, subtitle, and icon as per their advertising policies.

Existing campaigns, however, will be displayed in the new format as the update rolls out without any additional approvals. They will animate the assets from the CPPs that are already set up as tap destinations. New campaigns launched do not need to get asset approval if they have already been approved once for previous campaigns. 

Updates to ad guidelines

Inappropriate visual and textual content are discouraged in App Store Connect and Apple Search Ads.

App icons, names, subtitles, and CPPs cannot feature incentivized offers. App rankings and claims cannot be utilized either. 

App name and subtitle must be in line with the target country or region. And the Custom Product Page to be localized by default for the targeted geographies.

Phrases like App of the Day, and Game of the Day are not recommended for the Today Tab ad content

Summary: With this update to the Today Tab ad placement, iOS app marketers have to renew their focus on Custom Product Pages - the content, assets, and optimization of an important conversion magnet.

Today Tab Update History

July 2023

• Beginning July 2023, the Today tab ads will appear in a new format that’s fully visible when visitors first arrive on the page. The new design focuses on simplicity and ensures a powerful impact with the revamped Today tab ads format, eliminating the need for scrolling to see the entire ad. The new format will simplify your app icon, name, and subtitle to take the center stage, based on the information entered in the App Store Connect.
  
• Apple is also simplifying the approval process for Today tab campaigns. Unlike before, where custom product pages required review before ads could run, the new ads will no longer rely on custom product pages as the tap destination. Instead, Apple Search Ads will focus its review process on your app icon, name, and subtitle. This adjustment significantly reduces the time and effort required to set up and launch your campaigns.
• Finally, Apple has also refined its ad guidelines to ensure that Today tab ads maintain a high standard of quality and align with Apple’s advertising policies. The updated guidelines prohibit app icons, names, and subtitles from containing violent, offensive, sexually explicit, or otherwise inappropriate images. Apple has also made changes to claims such as “Game of the Day” and “App of the Day” that are no longer permitted in the app icon, name, or subtitle. Even with the latest update, ads will still require a custom product page to serve as the tap destination. For existing campaigns, the custom product page selected during campaign creation will continue to serve as the tap destination. 

What Today Tab Updates on iOS App Store Mean for Advertisers

Enhanced visibility, greater impact:

The new Today tab ads format promises enhanced visibility for your app, ensuring it captures users’ attention right from the moment they arrive on the Today tab. By eliminating the need for scrolling, this change significantly increases the likelihood of users engaging with your ad and ultimately downloading your app.

Simplified campaign setup:

The streamlined approval process marks a significant improvement for advertisers. With the removal of custom product page reviews, you can now set up and launch your Today tab campaigns swiftly and efficiently. This grants you more time and resources to optimize your ads and devise effective strategies for reaching your target audience.

Maintain brand-safe environment:

To succeed in the updated Today tab ads environment, it is imperative to adhere to the revised ad guidelines diligently. By ensuring your app icon, name, and subtitle align with the guidelines, you uphold your brand’s integrity, mitigate the risk of ad rejections, and present a positive image to potential users.

Maximize Impact with Newton on Apple Search Ads

As the Apple App Store ecosystem undergoes constant evolution, the forthcoming transformations to Today tab ads on Apple Search Ads offer a bright outlook for advertisers. As you prepare to embrace these advancements, it becomes crucial to possess the necessary expertise to effectively manage and optimize your ASA campaigns. Amidst this ever-changing landscape, Newton’s AI-powered solution for ASA can be instrumental in unlocking the vast potential of the new ad format on the Today tab.