Google Gemini’s Apple Search Ads ‘blanket coverage’ in Dec 2025 — key takeaways

Original article (must-read) by ConsultMyApp:

• ConsultMyApp — “Apple Search Ads Data Shows Google Gemini’s App Store Takeover Attempt🤯 (data deep dive)”
• https://www.consultmyapp.com/blog/googles-gemini-blanket-bought-the-app-store-in-dec-2025-apple-search-ads-data-deep-dive

This post is a summary of the most interesting points, with attribution and a backlink to the original.

What happened (in one sentence)

ConsultMyApp’s analysis suggests Google’s Gemini ran an unusually aggressive Apple Search Ads (ASA) push in mid–late Dec 2025, aiming for visibility across a massive keyword set (not a typical efficiency-first acquisition setup).

The most interesting points (summary)

1) The footprint was huge — and then it pulled back hard

The dataset highlighted a very large keyword footprint early on, followed by a notable reduction in active coverage as the period progressed. That pattern reads more like a time-bound “land grab” than a steady-state performance program.

2) The “tell” wasn’t just winning — it was showing up in the auction stack

A core idea in the piece: if your tooling only shows the #1 ad (the winner), you miss most of the story.

ConsultMyApp focuses on average auction position across #1–#5 to identify “blanket” behavior: being present repeatedly even in lower positions (#4–#5), which can indicate a goal of ubiquitous presence rather than strict CPA efficiency.

3) Many keywords looked misaligned with Gemini’s core intent

The article calls out examples of Gemini showing up on terms that don’t intuitively map to an AI assistant’s intent (e.g., entertainment brands and other off-category terms). In aggregate, that supports the hypothesis of coverage-first bidding.

4) The implied spend could be enormous

Using assumptions for tap-through and cost-per-tap, ConsultMyApp estimates the scale of spend for the peak window could plausibly reach eight figures over a short period. Whether or not the exact number is perfect, the strategic signal is: blanket coverage at that scale gets expensive fast.

5) Practical lesson for marketers: treat ASA + ASO as one system

Their biggest “so what” for teams:

• Blanket coverage is measurable only if you can see deeper than the winner.
• Auction position distribution can reveal strategy (visibility vs efficiency).
• Without an ASA+ASO workflow, you risk paying for installs you might have earned organically (cannibalization), or missing competitive pressure that can affect organic visibility.

Why this matters in 2026

The broader takeaway: Apple Search Ads analysis is shifting from “did we win?” to “where do we sit across the whole stack, how often, and what does that imply for spend + visibility + organic outcomes?”

If you work in ASO/ASA, it’s worth reading the original article end-to-end:

• https://www.consultmyapp.com/blog/googles-gemini-blanket-bought-the-app-store-in-dec-2025-apple-search-ads-data-deep-dive