Connect Apple Ads

A one-time, 5-minute setup that adds Apple's own search popularity via the Apple Ads Platform API.

Step 1: Get an Apple Ads account (skip if you have one)

Go to ads.apple.com and sign up with your Apple Account. Choose the Advanced plan when asked, it's the free self-service tier, and creating the account costs nothing. You need the Admin role in it (you have it automatically on your own account).

You do NOT need to create a campaign or spend anything. The connection only lets RespectASO read Apple's search-popularity data on your behalf.

Step 2: Give your account an API user (one time)

Apple only shows the API key-upload field to users holding an API role. An Admin login alone sees a different page (the third-party "Manage API Access" list). To get the role:

  1. In the Apple Ads UI, open Account Settings → User Management and click Invite Users.
  2. Enter a name and an Apple Account email that is not already in this Apple Ads account. A second email you own works (it must be, or become, an Apple Account).
  3. Under User Access and Role, choose API Account Manager. (With the read-only API role, Apple does not display the key-upload field.)
  4. Send the invite, open the email, follow the secure link, and enter the code to activate.
  5. Sign in at ads.apple.com as that API user for step 3.

Step 3: Generate your key in RespectASO and upload it at Apple

In Settings → Apple Ads, click "Generate my key pair". RespectASO creates a secure key on your computer and shows you the public half.

Signed in as the API user, open Account Settings → API at Apple, paste the public key into the Public Key field (including the BEGIN/END lines), and save.

The private key stays in your local data folder with owner-only permissions. Apple only ever receives the public key and signed requests.

Step 4: Paste the three ids and verify

After saving, Apple shows three values right above the key field: clientId, teamId, and keyId (Client ID and Team ID are often identical, and that's normal). Paste them into RespectASO and click "Save & verify connection". RespectASO checks the connection with Apple, asks which ad account to use if you have several, and starts bringing in Apple's data at once.

That's it, forever: the key does not expire, weekly data refreshes automatically, and you only ever return here if you rotate or revoke the key at Apple.

What to expect

  • Weekly, automatic: Apple publishes each completed week on Mondays, and RespectASO brings it in while the app is running, with up to 65 weeks of history for keyword trends.
  • Top terms only: Apple reports each category's top 500 most-searched terms (roughly 500+ weekly searches). Keywords outside them show the EST* badge and score from the calibrated estimate, capped just below their category's reported range, a bound on their popularity, not an error. Hovering the badge explains the exact cap for that keyword.
  • Coverage: Apple Ads does not operate in every storefront. Where it does not, RespectASO's estimate powers the score unchanged and the value is marked EST.
  • Extras included: the Top Search Terms browser (Apple's full ranking, with movers, part of RespectASO Pro), weekly trend arrows on your keywords, and, if you run Apple Ads campaigns, your ads' impression share per search term on the dashboard.

Troubleshooting

Symptom What it means / what to do
"Apple rejected these credentials" An id was mistyped, or the public key at Apple doesn't match the one generated in RespectASO. Re-check the three values against Account Settings → API, or generate a fresh key pair and re-upload.
"No ad account is visible" The API user's role is too limited. Use API Account Manager (step 2).
No Public Key field at Apple You are signed in as an Admin without an API role, so the API page only lists third-party providers. Complete step 2 and sign in as the API user.
Many keywords show EST* Expected: most long-tail keywords are below Apple's roughly-500-searches bar. The Simulator and AI tabs explain this in their results when it affects aggregate scores.
A storefront shows no Apple data Apple Ads doesn't operate there (e.g. Russia), or its Apple data has not arrived yet. It arrives by itself once you track keywords in that storefront.
What does Disconnect do? Deletes the key from your computer, and no new Apple data arrives. Your scores keep the Apple data you already have; reconnecting later needs the full setup again (Apple-side key upload included).

How the two popularity sources work

Once connected, you choose whether Apple's official values or RespectASO's calibrated estimate power your scores. Switching is one click and fully reversible. The Methodology page explains both sources, the calibration, and the EST* cap in detail. Don't have RespectASO yet? Download it free.