Reading's Guide to the Best Apple Search Ads (ASA) Experts

Trying to find a decent Apple Search Ads agency can be a proper headache, especially when you're outside the London bubble in a place like Reading. You're right in the middle of the UK's 'Silicon Valley', the Thames Valley tech corridor, so you're surrounded by app businesses, but finding a partner who genuinely knows their stuff with ASA, and isn't just a general PPC agency having a go, is another story entirely.

Most agencies will tell you they can "do" Apple Search Ads. Tbh, that's like a pub chef saying they can "do" Michelin-star cuisine. They both involve cooking, but the tools, techniques, and required expertise are worlds apart. Getting this choice wrong means burning through thousands of pounds on low-quality installs that never convert, while the right partner can unlock a stream of high-intent users ready to pay for your app. So, let's cut through the noise and give you a proper framework for finding an agency that will actually make you money.

So, why can't my usual PPC agency just handle it?

This is the first mistake most founders make. They assume that because someone is a wizard with Google Ads, they can just copy-paste that knowledge over to the App Store. It just doesn't work that way. Apple Search Ads is a completely different beast, and if an agency doesn't understand its unique quirks, they're just gambling with your budget.

Google Ads is about driving traffic to a website you control. You can tweak the landing page, run A/B tests, and control the entire user journey. With ASA, your 'landing page' is your App Store product page. You have far less control. Success isn't just about the ad; it's deeply tied to your App Store Optimisation (ASO), your screenshots, your reviews, and your app's rating. An agency that doesn't talk about this relationship in the first call doesn't get it.

Furthermore, the mechanics are different. ASA has unique features like Search Match (where Apple finds relevant keywords for you), Creative Sets (which let you align your ad creative with specific keyword themes and audiences using assets from your product page), and the critical link to Custom Product Pages. A generalist might set up a campaign targeting a few obvious keywords and let it run. A specialist will build a sophisticated campaign structure—separating brand, competitor, generic, and discovery campaigns—and use Creative Sets to deliver a hyper-relevant message. I remember one campaign we took over for a fitness app; the previous agency was just using one ad group for everything. We split it out properly, aligned Creative Sets to user intent (e.g., 'HIIT workout' keywords showed intense action screenshots), and dramatically lowered their cost per trial. This is the difference specialist knowledge makes.

To help you decide if you even need an agency, here's a quick flowchart to map out your thinking.

What to look for (and what to run from)

Okay, so you've decided you need a specialist. How do you spot one in the wild? It's less about their office location in Reading or London and more about what they talk about and how they work. A fancy office in Green Park doesn't mean they know what they're doing. I've seen brilliant one-person consultancies run from a home office outperform big network agencies ten times over.

Here are the green flags to look for and the red flags that should have you running for the hills.

The bottom line is you are looking for a partner, not a supplier. Someone who challenges your assumptions and acts like an extension of your own growth team. They should be obsessed with your numbers. A great agency will be more excited about hitting your ROAS target than you are. You can get more detailed advice in our comprehensive guide on vetting agencies, which covers all ad platforms.

The Killer Questions to Ask on the Intro Call

The initial call is your chance to properly vet them. Don't let them run the show with a slick presentation. Come prepared with specific, tough questions that reveal whether they have real, hands-on expertise or are just good at sales. Here's a list you can steal:

1. "Walk me through the campaign structure you'd propose for our app."
   A good answer involves segmenting campaigns by intent: Brand (for people searching for you), Competitor (for people searching for your rivals), Generic (for problem/solution keywords), and Discovery (using Search Match to find new keywords). A bad answer is "We'll start with one campaign and see how it goes."


2. "How do you approach keyword research and management for ASA?"
   They should talk about using both broad match and exact match, and the aggressive use of negative keywords to cut wasted spend. They might also mention using their own tools or competitor intelligence software. If they just say "We'll look at what you rank for organically," it's a weak answer.


3. "What's your strategy for using Creative Sets?"
   This is a great test question. A true specialist will get excited and talk about aligning different app screenshots or previews to different ad groups. For example, showing gameplay footage for keywords related to a specific game feature, or showing your pricing page screenshot for keywords like "[competitor] pricing". If they don't know what Creative Sets are, end the call.


4. "How do you measure success beyond the install?"
   This is the most important question. The install is a vanity metric. Real success is what happens after. They MUST talk about tracking in-app events like free trial starts, subscriptions, or in-app purchases. They should ask about your LTV and be focused on achieving a positive ROAS. One of our most successful campaigns for an events app saw us achieve 45,000+ signups at under £2 each. We didn't focus on the install cost; we focused on the cost per registration, which was the metric that actually drove the business forward. For a deeper dive into this philosophy, we have a whole piece on how you should target high-value users, not just installs.


5. "Can you show me a detailed case study for a UK app with a similar monetisation model to ours?"
   Be specific. If you're a subscription SaaS app, a case study for a free-to-play game isn't very relevant. You need to see that they've solved similar problems for a similar business in your target market. Ask them to walk you through the challenges, the strategy they implemented, adn the results (in £).

Their answers to these questions will tell you everything you need to know. You're listening for confidence, detail, and a focus on business results, not advertising jargon.

How Much Should This Actually Cost in the UK?

This is always the big question. It breaks down into two parts: the agency's fee and your actual ad spend. Be very wary of anyone promising amazing results for a few hundred quid a month. With specialist expertise, you absolutely get what you pay for.

Agency Fees:

• Small consultancies / experienced freelancers: You're probably looking at £1,500 - £3,500 per month as a fixed retainer. This is often the sweet spot for startups and SMEs, as you get direct access to the expert.
• Specialist boutique agencies: Expect to pay between £3,000 - £6,000 per month, or a model like 15-20% of ad spend (often with a minimum retainer).
• Large network agencies: Prices can go much higher, and you might not always work with their top expert. Be cautious here unless you're a large corporate client.

Ad Spend:

This is down to your goals, but I'd say you need to be prepared to spend at least £2,000 - £3,000 per month on the ads themselves to get enough data to make meaningful decisions. Anything less and you'll struggle to get out of the 'learning phase' and achieve stable results. As you scale, this could go to £10k, £20k, or much more.

Your actual Cost Per Install (CPI) will vary wildly depending on your app's category. Gaming is notoriously competitive, while a niche utility app might be cheaper. Here's a rough idea of what to expect in the UK market.

To help you put this all together, here’s a calculator to estimate what your total monthly outlay might be. Play around with the numbers to see how the different variables affect your total cost before you even start speaking to agencies. Getting a grip on the nuances of budgeting for Apple Search Ads in the UK is probably one of the most useful things you can do at this stage.

Your Final Action Plan

Making the final choice comes down to trust and evidence. A slick pitch is meaningless. A detailed, relevant case study is everything. Ask them to walk you through it. What was the problem? What was their hypothesis? What did they test? What were the results? If they can't answer these questions clearly, they probably didn't do the work themselves.

The best agencies will offer a free consultation or an audit of your existing account. Take them up on it. It’s the ultimate try-before-you-buy. You get free, expert advice tailored to your app, and you get a real feel for what it would be like to work with them. Tbh, this is how we get most of our clients. We do a free review, show them what we'd do differently, and if they like what they hear, we move forward. There's no hard sell because the value is obvious.

To pull this all together, here is the main advice I have for you, broken down into a step-by-step plan.

Finding the right agency in or around Reading is a significant decision that can genuinely change the trajectory of your app's growth. Don't rush it. Do your homework, ask the tough questions, and partner with someone who is as invested in your business metrics as you are. The prize for getting it right isn't just better ad performance, it's a sustainable engine for user acquisition that can fuel your company for years to come.

If you're currently running campaigns or thinking about starting, it can be incredibly valuable to get a second opinion from an expert. We offer a completely free, no-obligation strategy session where we can review your app, your goals, and give you some actionable advice on how to move forward with Apple Search Ads. It's a great way to get clarity, regardless of whether you decide to work with an agency or not.