u/Large_Highway_6904

It is a timer app, so it is naturally almost invisible on the App Store (for thousands of timer apps ranking above it), so basically all traffic comes from ads (~$3/day, targeting only inexpensive markets).

Usually I get around 10 installs per day. Now I still see taps to the product page, but almost no installs.

Recently I got two 5-star ratings (in Asia markets) and updated the screenshots to show:

Core features are free.

No ads. No subscription. No login.

No data collection. Works offline.

I thought this would help conversion, but somehow it looks worse now. Pretty confusing.

Maybe it is just short-term noise, but I would be interested to hear if anyone has seen this before.

App Store link: https://apps.apple.com/app/busyday-timer/id6763252662

The idea is for moments when timer info matters most, but your phone is locked, your hands are busy, or you’re not staring at the app.

https://apps.apple.com/app/busyday-timer/id6763252662

I used the free $100 Apple Ads credit, then spent about another $100 of my own money on my new iOS app, and the results left me confused.

It brought a few hundred installs and gave me useful keyword data, so it was helpful for learning. But after I stopped running ads, the impressions dropped back close to the previous level.

During the ad campaign, my app seemed to rank better organically for a few keywords, not just appear in the sponsored ad slot. But that effect seemed to disappear once I stopped running ads. Organically, the app still feels almost invisible.

Now I’m not sure whether to keep spending on Ads or focus more on other marketing.

For indie iOS devs who have used Apple Search Ads:

* Did paid installs actually improve organic visibility?

* Was it mostly useful for keyword research?

* Did ratings/reviews matter more than installs?

* What made you decide to keep spending or stop?

This is my first app, and I know I’ve made marketing mistakes. I’m trying to learn what to fix next. Any advice would be appreciated.