Anyone can create an ad campaign without investing too much money, time, or effort

Apr 2, 2014 09:07 GMT  ·  By

iAd Workbench was only available to registered app developers up until today, but now anyone can download all the necessary tools and create a successful campaign that audiences far and wide will love. All you need is an Apple ID and some inspiration.

AdAge confirms that, “Starting today, anyone with an Apple ID will be able to open an account with iAd Workbench, the company's mobile-ad management tool, and kick off a campaign within two days.”

Apple describes iAd Workbench as “the simplest way to advertise to millions of people on their Apple devices.”

“In a few steps, you can create a campaign that drives traffic to your website, generates video views, or promotes your iTunes Store content. Choose your audience, set your budget, and run your campaign across thousands of Apple-verified and brand-safe iOS apps. Track performance and optimize your campaigns to get the best results. From start to finish, iAd Workbench puts you in control,” the Cupertino giant explains.

AdAge also confirms that Workbench now supports short videos within an ad unit, and that it’s still exclusive to iOS platforms. The publication speculates that Apple is pushing this expansion to lure in new types of advertisers, “an independent filmmaker or a small car dealership -- unwilling to take the earlier developer plunge [but is also] banking on bigger spenders, like major film studios and retail outlets, signing up.”

In fact, Apple states this outright on the marketing pages of iAd Workbench. According to the Cupertino giant, “Whether you’re an app developer or a filmmaker, a small business owner or an experienced advertiser, reaching the people most likely to be interested in your product is key.”

iAd Workbench doesn’t touch iTunes Radio just yet, but it might happen in the future. According to people who are familiar with the expansion, “ad buyers using Workbench will be given the choice to pay based on cost-per-thousand impressions or cost-per-click,” AdAge reports. “Apple would not comment on rates.”

System requirements include OS X Mavericks and Safari, Windows XP and Firefox, or Windows 7 and Chrome. Interested parties can visit Apple and Download Creative Specifications, or learn all about getting started with iAd Workbench.

For developers looking to create interactive ads, Apple offers iAd Producer (sort of like Xcode for ads). The app’s home screen holds “all the visual tools you need to create vibrant, engaging rich media ads,” according to Apple.