Search ads on App Store are now available to developers in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan and South Korea, according to a post this past weekend on Apple's portal for developers.
First introduced in June 2016 before launching in October 2016, search ads on App Store are now expanding to Canada, Mexico and Switzerland.
As promised, Apple on Wednesday officially launched Search Ads in the App Store. You'll notice them at the top of select App Store search results, denoted by a light blue background and a clear 'Ad' placed just below the app's name.
In our few quick tests, we saw Search Ads for generic terms like 'email,' 'weather,' and 'calendar,' as well as for specific app names like 'Uber.' Sometimes the ad matched our search term, and sometimes it showed a competing product.
Apple on Wednesday began emailing developers regarding the launch of App Store Search Ads. The ads will go live in the App Store on October 5, and for a limited time qualified developers can get a $100 credit toward their first campaign.
The Search Ads have been in beta testing since the feature was announced in June. Apple describes it as an "efficient and easy way to promote apps at the top of relevant search results," and promises this won't negatively affect app searches.