Kuuntele The PPC Den: Amazon PPC Advertising Mastery

In this episode with Noemi Bolojan, we’re talking about something a lot of people miss — the sneaky defaults in Amazon ads that quietly eat up your budget. You set up a campaign, trust the platform to guide you, and boom — money’s leaking without you even noticing. Noemi breaks down how things like automatic bidding (yep, it goes up and down by default), broad targeting, and off-Amazon ads all kick in unless you change them. Sounds helpful, right? But in reality, those settings often work better for Amazon than they do for you. Think your product is getting shown to the right audience? Not always. Default category targeting or expanded targeting might be pushing your ads to places they don’t belong — and you’re paying for it.  So if you’re running ads in 2025, this episode is a little wake-up call.  We’ll see you in The PPC Den! 🦡 Highlights * 00:00 – Intro * 01:09 – Amazon Ads in 2025 * 02:43 – The Hidden Budget Drainers * 03:30 – Keyword Category Auto-Targeting Without Consent * 06:34 – Manual Targeting That’s Not Really Manual * 13:31 – Campaign Bidding Strategy: The “Up and Down” Trap * 18:17 – Maximize Reach = Maximize Waste? * 20:20 – Auto-Launch in Other Countries?  * 25:25 – Product Targeting Campaigns Showing for Keywords * 27:48 – Sponsored Brands * 30:10 – Category Targeting Defaults * 31:22 – Expanded Product Targeting * 32:51 – Sponsored Brands Defaults Across All Ad Formats * * 34:27 – Sponsored Display Defaults to VCPM Reach * * 36:51 – Sponsored Brands Video Glitch * 42:33 – Sponsored Display: All Targeting Types Defaulted On 🦡 Resources & Links * * 🦡 GET AD BADGER [https://www.adbadger.com/pricing-product-tour/⁠] ➡️ * * Where to find Michael, Michael Erickson Facchin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-erickson-facchin/] * * Where to find  Noemi, Noemi Bolojan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/noemibolojan/] * * Scale Wave [https://scalewave.io/] * * How to Make Amazon Advertising Profitable in 2025? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/how-to-make-amazon-advertising-profitable-in-2025-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * * Tackle 70% Wasted Spend with N-Gram Laddering in Amazon Ads [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/tackle-70-wasted-spend-with-n-gram-laddering-in-amazon-ads-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * * How Product Targeting in Manual Campaigns on Amazon Actually Works (Classic) [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/how-product-targeting-in-manual-campaigns-on-amazon-actually-works-classic-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * * Bidding On Branded Keywords: What Happens When You Turn Them Off? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/bidding-on-branded-keywords-what-happens-when-you-turn-them-off-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * * 📚 Unlock our FREE comprehensive Amazon Marketing Playbook [https://www.adbadger.com/amazon-ppc-checklist/] * * Subscribe to our newsletter [https://www.adbadger.com/newsletter/] * * Transform your workflow with our comprehensive Amazon Advertising checklist [https://www.adbadger.com/amazon-ppc-checklist/] * * Review all our show notes [https://www.adbadger.com/podcast] - Host and Executive Producer: Michael Erickson Facchin Guest Co-Host: Noemi Bolojan Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno

You're listening to the PPC Den Podcast. In this episode, I’m diving into a topic that’s been on my mind lately. It all started when I was cleaning up a client's search term report. At first glance, things looked fine. Decent ACoS, plenty of conversions, nothing too dramatic.  So I kept digging. And that’s when I noticed it — this pattern inside the search terms. A couple of words, just two or three, that kept repeating across multiple phrases. That’s when it hit me — this is an N-Gram problem. In today’s episode, I’ll walk you through what N-Gram Laddering is, how I used it to clean up that account, and how you can apply it to your own search term reports.  If you’ve ever felt like your campaigns are doing okay, but not great — this might be the insight you didn’t know you needed. We’ll see you in The PPC Den! 🦡 Highlights * 00:00 – Intro * 01:00 – How I discovered a hidden pattern in a client account * 03:15 – What are N-Grams in Amazon PPC * 05:20 – The moment I realized it was hurting performance * 06:45 – Breaking down N-Gram Laddering * 08:10 – How to identify wasteful patterns in your search term report * 10:00 – When to negate and when to keep N-Grams * 11:30 – Applying the N-Gram mindset to your daily optimization * 13:00 – Common mistakes  * 14:15 – Why it’s worth your attention * 15:00 – What’s next on PPC Den  🦡 Resources & Links * 🦡 GET AD BADGER [https://www.adbadger.com/pricing-product-tour/⁠] ➡️ * Where to find Michael, Michael Erickson Facchin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-erickson-facchin/] * Use the n-gram Sheet to get insight in 5 minutes [https://www.adbadger.com/amazon-ngram-analysis-tool/] * N-Gram Guide: Fixing Low-Click Terms in Amazon PPC [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/n-gram/] * How N-gram analysis found a keyword with 200 clicks and 1 order [https://youtu.be/SPMSAb-kisY] * How Can I Be The Most Efficient With My N-Gram Analysis? [https://youtu.be/Scu4Pvi0TeQ] * How Do I Implement N-Gram Analysis on Amazon PPC? [https://youtu.be/oEdywdiQrE4?si=nwmx0CF0_GUABSGc] * 🎉Ad Badger v3 Software Launch Webinar [https://www.adbadger.com/ad-badger-v3-software-launch-webinar/] * 📚 Unlock our FREE comprehensive Amazon Marketing Playbook [https://www.adbadger.com/amazon-ppc-checklist/] * Subscribe to our newsletter [https://www.adbadger.com/newsletter/] * Transform your workflow with our comprehensive Amazon Advertising checklist [https://www.adbadger.com/amazon-ppc-checklist/] * Review all our show notes [https://www.adbadger.com/podcast] - Host and Executive Producer: Michael Erickson Facchin Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno

Badger Nation,  we just dropped an epic episode with Joe from Ad Advance and it’s straight-up fire.  AMC is like unlocking a secret door to your most valuable customers. I’m talking about those people who viewed your product, added it to cart, but didn’t buy—and you can bring them back with precision. Good news, AMC finally lets you layer audiences on top of your Sponsored Product campaigns. Amazon made it super easy too.  A few clicks and you’re creating killer campaigns that hit your most valuable prospects exactly when it matters. We’ll see you in The PPC Den! 🦡 Highlights * 00:00 – Intro * 01:20 - What is Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC)? * 03:45 - Creating Your First Audience * 05:10 - Why Retargeting Works  * 10:15 - The Power of Stacking Audiences * 12:00 - Building Effective Funnels * 16:50 - Common Use Cases  * 20:30 - Insights on Sponsored Ads & DSP Integration  * 26:00 - Starting Your First AMC Audience * 28:30 - Using No-Code Templates * * 30:00 - Creating Rolling vs. Fixed Audiences  * * 32:00 - Optimizing Sponsored Ads with AMC Audiences * 36:00 - Outro & Where to Find Joe 🦡 Resources & Links * 🦡 GET AD BADGER [https://www.adbadger.com/pricing-product-tour/⁠] ➡️ * Where to find Michael, Michael Erickson Facchin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-erickson-facchin/] * Where to find Joe, Joe Shelerud [https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeshelerud/] * Ad Advance [https://adadvance.com/] * How Can I Best Use Amazon Marketing Cloud? [https://youtu.be/xCriim64e7I] * How Do I Get Started With Amazon DSP? [https://youtu.be/RVz52xq5rN0?si=Z18TcJqejt51CWFU] * An Introduction to Targeting Options on the Amazon DSP [https://youtu.be/EBLEQPbjTVE?si=oJ2tc7HFJHkXjArv] * Into The Great Unknown: Amazon DSP With Kiri Masters [https://youtu.be/nSAfroG1ynQ?si=Tv9dMKAxmTeXFyCR] * Using Amazon DSP and AMC to Fully Understand the Customer Journey [https://youtu.be/9oRnGV3FzPI?si=gjyr5MMp6IoflRup] * Amazon DSP Campaign Setup Made Easy: A Complete Guide [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-dsp-campaign-setup-made-easy-a-complete-guide/] * Finding Your Audience in Amazon’s Demand-Side Platform (DSP) [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/finding-your-audience-in-amazons-demand-side-platform-dsp/] * 🎉Ad Badger v3 Software Launch Webinar [https://www.adbadger.com/ad-badger-v3-software-launch-webinar/] * 📚 Unlock our FREE comprehensive Amazon Marketing Playbook [https://www.adbadger.com/amazon-ppc-checklist/] * Subscribe to our newsletter [https://www.adbadger.com/newsletter/] * Transform your workflow with our comprehensive Amazon Advertising checklist [https://www.adbadger.com/amazon-ppc-checklist/] * Review all our show notes [https://www.adbadger.com/podcast] - Host and Executive Producer: Michael Erickson Facchin Guest Co-Host: Joe Shelerud Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno

Hello Badger Nation, In this episode, we’re joined by Mike Frekey for a practical and insightful look into Amazon’s Product Opportunity Explorer. Mike walks us through real use cases (including a wild one involving “cool thing for mom” and a surprise detour into music boxing machines). The big insight?  You don’t have to guess what the market wants—Amazon is telling you. You just have to know where (and how) to look. 📝 Your homework? Open Product Opportunity Explorer, choose one niche, and dig into the trends, features, and customer feedback that could shape your next product move.  And don’t forget to share your findings in the comments—we’d love to hear what you discover! We’ll see you in The PPC Den! 🦡 Resources & Links * 00:00 – Intro * 01:20 – Locus of Control in Marketing * 02:44 – Intro to Product Opportunity Explorer * 05:17 – Why Sellers Use POE * 06:45 – Mother's Day Gift Search Example * 11:00 – Search Term Deep Dive * 13:32 – Trend: “Cool Thing for Mom” * 16:07 – Purchase Drivers * 17:45 – Negative Feature Impact *  21:29 – Review Insights & Returns * 26:17 – Broad vs. Specific Search Terms * 27:01 – Music Box Category Deep Dive * 31:00 – Iterating on Product Ideas * 34:30 – Trends & Competition *  35:24 – When This Comes Up in PPC *  38:20 – POE Feature Wishlist 🦡 Highlights * 🦡 GET AD BADGER [https://www.adbadger.com/pricing-product-tour/⁠]➡️ * Where to find Michael, Michael Erickson Facchin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-erickson-facchin/] * Where to find Mike, Mike Frekey [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikefrekey/] * IG PPC [https://igppc.com/] * How Can I Reach My Full Potential In The Amazon PPC Space? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/how-can-i-reach-my-full-potential-in-the-amazon-ppc-space-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * How Can I Best Use The Product Opportunity Explorer For My Amazon PPC Campaign? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/how-can-i-best-use-the-product-opportunity-explorer-for-my-amazon-ppc-campaign-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * How Do I Maximize Sales With Amazon’s Product Opportunity Explorer? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/how-do-i-maximize-sales-with-amazons-product-opportunity-explorer-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * Product Opportunity Explorer Unlocks Amazon Success [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/product-opportunity-explorer/] * 📚 Unlock our FREE comprehensive Amazon Marketing Playbook [https://www.adbadger.com/amazon-ppc-checklist/] * Subscribe to our newsletter [https://www.adbadger.com/newsletter/] * Transform your workflow with our comprehensive Amazon Advertising checklist [https://www.adbadger.com/amazon-ppc-checklist/] * Review all our show notes [https://www.adbadger.com/podcast] - Host and Executive Producer: Michael Erickson Facchin Guest Co-Host: Mike Frekey Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno

Have you ever had one of those moments where you realize you’ve been looking at something the wrong way this whole time? Yeah, that’s exactly what happened in this episode. Michael from Ad Badger sat down with Abe Chomali, and they got real about something a lot of Amazon sellers don’t want to admit—just because your ads are bringing in sales doesn’t mean you’re actually making money.  They talked about why ACOS can be super misleading, how some brands are spending more and somehow making less, and why profitability is the real metric that matters. Also, did you know there’s an entire eBay market for failed startup swag? Because I didn’t, and now I can’t stop thinking about it. We’ll see you in The PPC Den! 🦡 Highlights 00:00 – Why Kirkland hoodies are a thing 01:24 – Would you rather have lunch with Joe Camel or the Marlboro Man? 03:07 – The biggest challenge for Amazon sellers in 2025 05:20 – Why ACOS and ROAS don’t tell the full story anymore 07:58 – The hidden pressure on margins  12:06 – The problem with tracking profitability per product 18:17 – Why some products look unprofitable but actually drive huge sales 23:19 – The biggest mistake people make when analyzing ad spend 28:38 –  Balancing high ACOS vs. low ACOS campaigns 35:31 – The one report every Amazon seller should check weekly 40:09 – How to spot anomalies in your Amazon data 45:48 – The unexpected backstory behind Abe’s office décor 🦡 Resources & Links * 🦡 GET AD BADGER [https://www.adbadger.com/pricing-product-tour/⁠] ➡️ * Where to find Michael, Michael Erickson Facchin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-erickson-facchin/] * Where to find Abe, Abe Chomali [https://www.linkedin.com/in/abechomali/] * XP Strategy [https://xpstrategy.com/] * Amazon Advertising Stats for 2025 [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-advertising-stats/] * RPSB (Research peel stick and block) 2025 Update [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/rpsb-research-peel-stick-and-block-2025-update-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * 2025 Amazon Marketing Resolutions and Intentions [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/2025-amazon-marketing-resolutions-and-intentions-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * 3 Must-Try Amazon PPC Strategies for Higher ROAS & Lower ACOS [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/3-must-try-amazon-ppc-strategies-for-higher-roas-lower-acos/] * 📚 Unlock our FREE comprehensive Amazon Marketing Playbook [https://www.adbadger.com/amazon-ppc-checklist/] * Subscribe to our newsletter [https://www.adbadger.com/newsletter/] * Transform your workflow with our comprehensive Amazon Advertising checklist [https://www.adbadger.com/amazon-ppc-checklist/] * Review all our show notes [https://www.adbadger.com/podcast] - Host and Executive Producer: Michael Erickson Facchin Guest Co-Host: Abe Chomali Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno