Changes coming to Today tab ads

The Today tab with an adfor the example app, TripTrek, prominently placed on the page.

Understand the updates to the Today tab ad placement

With a Today tab ad, your app can appear prominently on the front page of the App Store. In July, Today tab ads will begin appearing in a new format that’s fully visible when visitors first arrive. And with a streamlined approval process, Today tab campaign setup will be easier, too.

 

Here’s what you can expect from the change:

New format

  • The new format will be simplified to feature the app icon, name, and subtitle that you entered in App Store Connect. This updated format will appear in all countries and regions where Today tab ads currently run.
  • Ads will be fully visible on the Today tab, no longer requiring scrolling to see the entire ad.
  • The new format will only run on iPhone devices using iOS 16.4 and later. Today tab ads won’t be available on iOS 16.3 or earlier, or on iPad.

Streamlined approval process

  • Because the new ads won’t use creative based on a custom product page, the custom product page you use as your ad tap destination won’t require review prior to your ads running.
  • Apple Search Ads will review your app icon, name, and subtitle to ensure they adhere to our Today tab ad content guidelines and comply with our Apple Advertising Policies.

Updated ad guidelines

  • Your app icon, name, and subtitle can’t include images that are considered violent, offensive, sexually explicit, or otherwise inappropriate. Images containing guns, weapons, or graphic violence are not allowed.
  • No pricing, offers, ranking, or other incentivized promotions are allowed in your app icon, name, or subtitle. App rankings and app awards claims are also not allowed.
  • The phrases “Game of the Day” and “App of the Day” can’t be used in your app icon, name, or subtitle.
  • The custom product page you use as your ad’s tap destination must be localized in the primary language of the country or region where you’re running your campaign.
  • App name and subtitle must match the language for the associated country or region where your campaign is set to run.

Tap destination based on a custom product page

  • Ads will still require a custom product page to serve as the tap destination.
  • For existing campaigns, the custom product page you selected during campaign creation will continue to serve as the tap destination.
  • If you want to change your tap destination, you can create a new ad and select a different custom page you set up in App Store Connect.

Existing campaigns

  • Existing campaigns will change over to the new format in July. No action is needed to keep your ads running. They’ll switch to the new format automatically, and will run continuously unless you set an end date or change your campaign status to Pause.
  • Previously rejected ads will be re-reviewed according to revised guidelines and, if approved, will be placed on hold. If you want these ads to run, you can reactivate them from the Actions menu on the Ads dashboard.
  • If you had a campaign or ad group set to run on iPad devices only, your ads will be placed on hold. The new Today tab format is only available on iPhone.

Campaigns created after the transition

  • Once your app icon, title, and subtitle have been reviewed for one Today tab campaign, they won’t require approval again to run in the same country or region where your previous campaign ran, unless you update your app's name, subtitle, or icon in App Store Connect.
  • During ad setup for new campaigns, you’ll select a custom product page to use as your ad’s tap destination. Note that a custom product page can only be used for one ad per ad group.