Apple Ads: additional search results ad placements roll out in March 2026

Summary

Apple has confirmed that additional ads will appear in App Store Search Results starting in March 2026, with a phased rollout expected to reach all markets by the end of the month. If you already run Search Results campaigns, you’re automatically eligible, and the core ad format remains the same. The key operational detail: you can’t select or bid for specific positions among these new placements.

For most teams, the practical impact won’t be “new settings.” It will be more auction inventory, which typically increases variance in CPI and makes message-match + conversion rate more important than ever.

Source: https://ads.apple.com/app-store/help/ad-placements/0082-search-results

Why this matters

When inventory expands, three things usually happen:

1. Competition spreads across more queries and more moments in the results page.
2. CPI volatility increases (more participants, more placements, more auctions).
3. Creative + product page relevance becomes the differentiator, because you can’t “toggle” your way into better placement control.

If impact is unclear for your category: impact likely limited at first, but worth monitoring for how Apple and advertisers behave once the rollout stabilises.

What actually changed (and what didn’t)

From Apple’s help update:

• Rollout: phased in March 2026; all markets by end of March.
• Eligibility: if you already run Search Results campaigns, you’re eligible by default.
• Placement control: you cannot choose a specific ad position or bid by position.
• Creative & landing: you can use your default product page or an App Store Custom Product Page (CPP).
• Deep links: optional (with device/version requirements).
• Billing: pricing model remains per your campaign (e.g., CPT / CPI).

In other words: the mechanics are stable; the environment changes.

What to do next (practical, high-ROI moves)

1) Treat “search results” as multiple micro-moments, not one placement

You don’t control position, but you can control fit.

• Tighten intent segmentation (brand vs category vs competitor vs feature).
• Make “broad” groups do discovery only. Move what works into exact where you can control learnings.
• Keep a strict negative keyword routine so expanded inventory doesn’t expand waste.

2) Use CPPs for message-match — but only where intent is clear

A CPP shouldn’t be a “prettier listing.” It should answer one question:

“Is this relevant to what I just searched for?”

A useful framework (from ConsultMyApp’s CPP playbook): every CPP is either intention-led (confirming what the user already wants) or attention-led (intercepting and reframing, often against a competitor).

• Intention-led CPPs fit high-volume category terms where the user is deciding (“sleep tracker”, “macro tracker”, “travel money”).
• Attention-led CPPs fit competitor terms or moments where everyone looks the same and you need a sharper hook.

If you can’t summarise the CPP’s purpose in one sentence, it’s too broad.

3) Prioritise conversion work first (it pays you back everywhere)

More inventory means you may win more taps — but taps are only useful if your page converts.

Quick checks:

• Does your first screenshot match the promise implied by the query?
• Is your above-the-fold story “one promise + one proof”, or a feature pile?
• Do you have at least one CPP that mirrors your highest-intent cluster?

4) Don’t “optimize” without an incrementality story

With new inventory, some installs you buy will be installs you would have gotten anyway.

Use simple tests where possible:

• brand defense experiments (bid down / bid off in controlled windows)
• geo splits
• CPP vs default product page comparisons for a consistent query cluster

Category tag

Apple Search Ads

Internal links

• Apple Search Ads Guide: /guides/apple-search-ads-guide/
• ASO Guide 2026: /guides/aso-guide/

Editor: App Store Marketing Editorial Team
Backed by industry insights from ConsultMyApp and APPlyzer.