What TTR and CPT really mean

TTR: tap through rate#

TTR, tap through rate, is taps divided by impressions, expressed as a percentage. It answers whether the ad earns attention: strong keyword relevance plus compelling product page presentation lifts it, weak relevance sinks it. Vendor estimates put average TTR near 9.7 percent across studied accounts, a useful orientation figure rather than a target. Diagnose falling TTR at the keyword and relevance level before touching bids, since price cannot fix appeal. Start from the Apple Ads hub for context on where TTR reports live.

Segment TTR by theme before judging it: brand terms naturally out tap discovery terms, and blended account TTR hides both stories. Compare each theme against its own history first, peers second. Rising TTR with flat installs points at the product page, not the auction.

CPT: cost per tap#

CPT, cost per tap, is spend divided by taps in Advanced search results buying. It answers what attention costs: competitive keywords in coveted categories clear several dollars per tap, while niche terms clear cents. Vendor medians illustrate the spread, with one dataset placing global CPT near $0.92 and US near $1.91, all estimated vendor data to label as such. Set bids from the maths backwards: allowable CPT equals target CPI times expected tap to install rate. Our Basic versus Advanced entry shows where CPT applies.

Read CPT alongside TTR always: cheap taps nobody converts are expensive installs, while dear taps that convert richly are cheap ones. Bid tiers should reflect payer value per theme, not vanity around position. Apple official guidance notes top position conversion above 60 percent, which informs but never dictates bid choices.

CPI and CPA: pricing outcomes#

CPI, cost per install, is spend divided by installs, the native currency of Basic buying where max CPI caps it directly. CPA, cost per action, generalises the idea to any chosen action such as trial, subscription or purchase. Derive targets from unit economics: an install can cost no more than the margin its lifetime value repays within your payback window. Basic maximises installs within max CPI and monthly budget, as Apple own Basic promotion help describes.

Judge CPI and CPA on cohorts, not days: install value accrues over weeks, so day one reads mislead. Split reporting by new against returning where customer types allow, since blended outcome costs hide acquisition truth. First campaign setup advises watching taps before judging installs.

Conversion rate: tap to install#

Conversion rate in Apple Ads usually means taps converted to installs, installs divided by taps. It answers whether the product page closes the promise the ad opened. Vendor estimates near 66 percent show how qualified App Store taps can be, and Apple own figures place top position conversion above 60 percent. When conversion slides, audit screenshots, ratings, reviews and pricing before blaming keywords. Creative and reputation move this rate; bids merely buy its inputs.

Custom product pages exist to lift exactly this number for defined audiences: aligned messaging, relevant screenshots and honest positioning per theme. Test page variations against the default with install rate as the judge. Small page wins compound across every keyword that points at them.

Search Match and match types#

Search Match automatically matches ads to relevant App Store searches without explicit keywords, drawing on listing content, category and historical performance. It powers Discovery mining and the automated bidder options, and it can be switched per ad group where manual control is preferred. Exact match buys chosen terms precisely for brand and proven themes; broad match buys variations for reach. Apple own solutions comparison sketches where automation fits each solution.

Run the full set honestly: exact for defence and proven winners, broad plus Search Match for mining, negatives pruning the waste both uncover. Harvest mined terms into exact homes on a schedule or automation keeps charging rent on its own discoveries. Account structure maps where each match type lives.

Reading the rates together#

No single rate tells the story: TTR judges appeal, CPT prices it, conversion judges the page, CPI and CPA judge the economics. A healthy account shows theme appropriate TTR, CPT inside allowable bounds, stable conversion and outcome costs within payback. When one rate breaks rank, fix its level: relevance for TTR, bids for CPT, page for conversion, targets for CPI. Reports should present the chain in order so readers see causation, not coincidence.

Pin this glossary to every report until the team speaks it fluently. If definitions still spark debate in meetings, ask our team for a metrics workshop; shared language is the cheapest performance gain available.

Frequently asked questions#