Last updated: October 05, 2025
We’ve got some exciting news to share - Search Ads Optimization (SAO) is officially rebranding to AppStance Optimize under the AppStance umbrella.
When we as data scientists and data engineers first developed our own AI algorithms for Apple Search Ads more than 5 years ago, we never thought we would be building an AI-first platform that's generations ahead than the legacy competitors that would help companies maximize ROI and scale effectively.
When we first launched the Search Ads Optimization (SAO), the status-quo App marketing tool and competitor space was dominated by "sales-first" companies where the focus was to obtain "enterprise sales" at the expense of actual problem-solving. Which was a bit of unfamiliar territory for us developers and engineers, we knew we had to be different.
As a proud lean team, we focused entirely on technology and data engineering to make the platform generations ahead of the competition. Our bet has paid off, even with virtually zero name recognition, zero sales team/process, and little marketing budget, we grew entirely from the word of the mouth of our clients ranging from all sizes purely based on the performance of the platform. In essence, our clients who became our champions are the sole reason for our traction, and as a founder, I'm immensely thankful for them.
Future trajectory - As we double down on innovation and technology, we want a name that scales with us. “AppStance” gives us room to innovate and expand. We are also cooking a next generation App Store Optimization platform (ASO) that compliments our Apple Ads AI engine (more on that below).
Closer alignment with Apple Ads - Apple recently dropped “Search” from Apple Search Ads, and as our platform evolved, we knew our name should evolve too. The naming shift also matches the industry direction while keeping optimization at the core.
✅ New name - you’ll see AppStance Optimize instead of Search Ads Optimization (SAO) in the dashboard, site, and communications.
✅ Nothing's needed from your end, we are taking care of the transition to be seamless.
✅ Same core team, same AI engine that's generations ahead of the legacy competitors, same focus on making optimization more effective.
What stays? Our commitment to helping companies maximize ROI and scale effectively with Apple Ads.
As mentioned, we’re also building a sister project: AppStance Rank - a next-generation, AI-first App Store Intelligence (ASO) tool. Think of it as the perfect complement to Optimize: one focused on Apple Ads performance, the other on organic visibility and market insights. Stay tuned for updates on Rank - we think it’s going to redefine how companies approach app store growth.
The rebrand is just the beginning. We’re here to help the app companies in the app economy drive smarter, faster, and more efficient results with Apple Ads - and beyond.
AppStance Optimize AI optimizes and automates Apple Ads campaign and keyword bid management so you can scale Revenue/ROAS, reduce cost per acquisition, and minimize wasted ad spend for your Apple Search Ads campaigns. Learn more...
AppStance (formerly Search Ads Optimization (SAO))