iOS app is not making iAd requests

Question

So this may be a dumb question but I'm a bit confused and wanted get some of your opinions. An app I created just went live in the app store on Friday night (1/9). I developed the app to use iAds but believe I have it setup incorrectly. No ads are being displayed (though it seems like it attempts to) and while the apple website states "live ads" I see 0 requests.

I'm freaking out a bit as people have downloaded the app. That being said I read that it may take a few days for iAds to kick in once the app is approved. At this point its only been 2 days. I also went back into Xcode to check my app and now think I may have an issue with the version up on the app store. When I went back in I realized that the iAd framework was not listed under the general tab --> linked frameworks or the build phases --> link binary with library areas. I'm using swift and my view controller does import iAd. I can also see the test ads in the simulator. Is it possible that my app did not include the framework and thus it is now not working in the App Store? Would the test ads work on the simulator if this was the case (test ads have always worked even before I added in the frameworks)?

I have since added in this framework but am wondering if I should now resubmit a new version to the App Store. What do you think?

Answer 1

If you're seeing test ads in the Simulator, the app side should be set up correctly. You shouldn't need the iAd framework to be listed in "Linked Frameworks and Libraries" if you have imported it in your view controller because it is a framework provided by Apple (you won't see UIKit or Foundation in there, for instance).

What may be the problem (and this is just a possibility) is that, while your app has been approved by the App Store Review Board, it may not have been approved for ads yet. If you log into the iAd site, you should see a message like this under "Messages":

When you submit your app, [app name], for approval, it will also be reviewed by iAd for use on the App Network to determine its appropriateness for receiving ads from iAd advertisers. Once your app is approved, you will be ready to start earning revenue for ads that run in your app.

I wouldn't think that it would say "Live Ads" if it hasn't been approved yet, but I could be wrong; this is the only possibility that I could think of, however. Your users also may be in countries where iAd is not supported (although this is unlikely).