An ASO-driven subscription app · B2C · host's acquired app
Grow with App Store search and Apple ads only, skipping other channels
App makes about $35K a month from mostly store search plus some Apple ads
Workedasoapple-search-ads
What they did
The recently acquired app gets most of its growth from ASO with some Apple Ads on top; no other channels. Steve recommends early apps pick just one channel stack (ASO + Apple Ads, or Meta, or TikTok) because ASO and Apple Ads only require knowing keywords, while Meta needs creative skills and SDK setup.
What happened
~35K MRR on ASO and Apple Ads alone
Related topics
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More from this episode
- Run Apple's Max Conversions campaign with a cost-per-install targetBeating the agency's own Basic Plus setup on $60-70K client accounts; no numbers
- Make the app free for a day through an AppAdvice promotionMixed in with Apple ads that ran at a loss; no separate result
- Cap Apple ads at about $1 per install and keep them running$800 in ads brought $3,000 in revenue; turning ads off later was a mistake
- Watch what big apps advertise, then build for the searches their ads createBuilt a green noise app; host calls it the quickest way to revenue (no numbers)
- Paraphrase AI: Check Google search volume for a keyword, then name the app after itAbout $3,000 a month; the app shows up for its 12K-search keyword
- App Masters: Pick 6-10 keywords for the title and subtitle; revise every two weeksHost says his apps now rank #1 for many keywords he worked on for months
- App Masters: Add Spanish (Mexico) keywords to rank in the US storeBeat Vietnamese, Korean and other extra localizations in their tests
- Use different keywords for the UK, Australia and Canada storesRanks really well in the UK; host gives no numbers
- List a small app on Flippa, price it realistically, and close fastSold for $20K about two weeks after agreeing on price
- Pay about 70% cash at close, 20% on performance, 10% as a seller loanHost's usual structure from six- and seven-figure deals; no results given
- App Masters: Cold-email new reporters, opening with a detail about themHost says it gets attention; no coverage results given
- CannaControl: Run an App Store event giving away free lifetime access with an offer code