The PPC Den: Amazon PPC Advertising Mastery

In this episode, we chat with Emma Schermer Tamir of Marketing by Emma about how AI is flipping the Amazon customer journey upside down. She shares how she’s using tools like ChatGPT to beat writer’s block, dig into reviews, and fine-tune copy—but also why human creativity still steals the show.  We get into why solid branding and killer visuals matter more than ever, how great A+ content can boost trust (and sales), and what makes a product page actually stand out in the age of average AI-generated everything.  It's a real talk on where ecomm is headed—and how to stay ahead. We’ll see you in The PPC Den! 🦡 Highlights * 00:00 – Welcome back, Emma! * 02:00 – Even Emma’s dad uses ChatGPT for everything * 03:20 – Rufus handles 270M searches… but still struggles * 05:00 – Perplexity’s smarter product comparison layout * 08:00 – Why Amazon search is frustrating customers * 10:00 – Emma likes the new “high return rate” badge * 13:00 – “Do you have the best page on the internet?” * 14:30 – Pre-answering customer questions matters more than ever * 16:00 – The end of outdated keyword-stuffed listings * 17:30 – Visual clarity and emotional connection win * 18:30 – Appealing to AI vs. appealing to humans * 19:00 – Run your images through ChatGPT to test clarity * 28:30 – AI is influencing conversions—outside Amazon too * 29:30 – Emma’s game plan for fixing weak product pages *  35:20 – Emma’s YouTube channel: now 2x a week! 🦡 Resources & Links * 🦡 GET AD BADGER ➡️ https://www.adbadger.com/pricing-product-tour/ [https://www.adbadger.com/pricing-product-tour/] * Find Michael Erickson Facchin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-erickson-facchin/] — Ad Badger’s CEO and soul, PPC whisperer, and your go-to guide through the wild world of Amazon advertising * Meet Emma Schermer Tamir [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-schermer-tamir/] — copy queen, clarity junkie, and your secret weapon for turning Amazon clicks into conversions * Is Your Amazon Listing Stuck in 2016? 11 Things to Fix Right Now [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/11-amazon-listing-red-flags-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * Common Mistakes With Amazon Product Listings and How to Avoid Them  (Classic) [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/common-mistakes-with-amazon-product-listings-and-how-to-avoid-them-classic-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * How Can Product Images on Amazon Boost Conversion Rates? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/how-can-product-images-on-amazon-boost-conversion-rates-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * How Can I Elevate My Copywriting In My Amazon PPC Campaign? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/how-can-i-elevate-my-copywriting-in-my-amazon-ppc-campaign-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:  Emma Schermer Tamir Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno

Think cutting your Amazon PPC budget is like saving money? In this episode, Michael Tejeda breaks down why slashing your ad spend right now could actually hurt your organic rankings and cost you more in the long run. With tariffs and economic uncertainty shaking things up, Michael shares real client stories and smart strategies like keyword clustering and budget balancing that helped boost sales—even when the market softened.  A must-listen for every Amazon seller who wants to win the game. We’ll see you in The PPC Den! 🦡 Highlights * 00:00 – What questions do Amazon sellers ask most? * 00:27 – Tariffs are messing things up — why cutting ads now is a bad move * 02:24 – Why slashing your ad budget can hurt your sales big time * 04:14 – How Amazon ads help your organic (free) sales * 06:30 – When a client says “Cut my ads in half!” — what really happens * 07:37 – How fast your organic sales drop after cutting ads * 09:00 – Story time: What happened when we pumped up the ad budget * 15:47 – How grouping keywords helps you spend ad money smarter * 19:10 – Why breaking keywords into clusters makes your budget work better * 20:34 – Staying cool when Amazon throws curveballs at your ads * 22:13 – Different sellers, different ad struggles  🦡 Resources & Links * 🦡 GET AD BADGER [https://www.adbadger.com/pricing-product-tour/⁠] ➡️ * Find Michael Erickson Facchin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-erickson-facchin/] — Ad Badger’s CEO and soul, PPC whisperer, and your go-to guide through the wild world of Amazon advertising * Get to know Michael Tejeda [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeltejeda/], a skilled campaign manager at Ad Badger * Tariff Turmoil: How Brands Are Adapting in 2025 [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/tariff-turmoil-how-brands-are-adapting-2025-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * Successful Ecommerce Entrepreneur On Business, Scaling 10x, and Finding the Right Partners [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/successful-ecommerce-entrepreneur-scaling-business-finding-partners-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * The One Activity That Will Fix Your ACOS in 2025 [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/the-one-activity-that-will-fix-your-acos-2025-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * How to Find Products That Sell Organically [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/how-to-find-products-that-sell-organically-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:  Michael Tejeda Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno

Michael sits down with Blair Forrest — yes, the one lifting scary barbells, flying solo without an assistant, and casually rethinking the entire North American logistics map. They dive deep into the 2025 tariff chaos: why brands are panicking, how bonded warehouses are basically international waters (minus the pirates), and what it actually means to “wait out” a multi-million dollar shipping problem. From FTZ hacks to cross-border inventory plays, this is your tactical survival guide for the madness — whether you’re paying $5K or $300K per container. It’s messy. It’s essential. It’s surprisingly therapeutic.  We’ll see you in The PPC Den! 🦡 Highlights * * 0:00 – Goal setting like headless monkeys * * 4:12 – $300K tariffs on $100K goods * * 7:58 – FTZ, Bonded, Anti-USA play explained * * 11:44 – Blair’s real setup: bonded, FTZ, Canada * * 14:32 – Inaction is action: just wait it out * * 16:20 – HS audits: maybe it’s not the water bottle’s fault * * 20:12 – Inbound obsession: check-in time is king now * * 22:01 – Blair's bold predictions: AWD in trouble, West Coast doomed * * 25:05 – Budget discipline vs. ad spend delusions * * 26:45 – Agencies need to be business optimizers now * * 28:13 – Shopify vs Amazon: wake-up call time * 29:20 – The 3-body problem: Ads vs Organic vs Profit * 30:30 – Outro 🦡 Resources & Links * 🦡 GET AD BADGER [https://www.adbadger.com/pricing-product-tour/⁠] ➡️ * Find Michael Erickson Facchin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-erickson-facchin/] — Ad Badger’s CEO and soul, PPC whisperer, and your go-to guide through the wild world of Amazon advertising * Get to know Blair Forrest [https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairforrest/] of AMZPrep [https://amzprep.com/] — the logistics mastermind with bold predictions, sharp insights, and just the right amount of chaos to keep Amazon on its toes. * How Can I Expand My Amazon PPC Campaign To Canada? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/how-can-i-expand-my-amazon-ppc-campaign-to-canada-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * 10 Steps to Maximize Amazon FBA Inventory Limits [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/10-steps-to-maximize-amazon-fba-inventory-limits-ppc-den-podcast/] * How Do I Perfect My Amazon Inventory Management? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/how-do-i-perfect-my-amazon-inventory-management-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] https://www.adbadger.com/podcast%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B - Host and Executive Producer: Michael Erickson Facchin Guest Co-Host:  Blair Forrest Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno

In this episode of PPC Den, we sit down with Francis Leger from GS Plant Foods — a bonsai hobbyist, and the kind of entrepreneur who doesn’t just grow plants… he grows businesses too. Francis shares how he scaled from $0 to $1M (spoiler: it wasn’t magic, it was grit), what needs to shift to hit $5M, and how his approach to marketing and operations evolved at every stage.  We also get into the real talk: how to find the right business partner (and how to spot the wrong one fast), why trust matters more than contracts, and what makes a good agency relationship actually work. Of course, we couldn’t let him go without asking the hard-hitting questions: Is being a chef harder than being a founder? What plant is actually trying to die every day? And will AI ever figure out how to water your monstera for you? This episode is part founder therapy, part growth masterclass — and 100% worth your time. We’ll see you in The PPC Den! 🦡 Highlights * 0:00 — Francis’s journey: chef, bonsai fan, ecommerce founder * 3:00 — Balancing passion with business hustle * 6:00 — Using outside help to scale smarter * 10:00  — Why vendor trust matters big time * 15:00 — Real talk: overcoming tough business challenges * 30:00  — From hobby to full-on business grind * 36:00  — COVID pivots and tough lessons * 38:00  — Marketing’s fast lane: adapt or get left behind * 40:00  — Retail vs online — who’s winning? * 43:00 — AI’s role in ecommerce’s future * 50:00 — Empathy & care: how GS Plant Foods grows more than plants 🦡 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/] * Check out Francis and GS Plant Foods at gsplantfoods.com [https://www.gsplantfoods.com] — where healthy plants (and smart business decisions) are always in season. * How to Find Products That Sell Organically [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/how-to-find-products-that-sell-organically-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * How To Use Psychology To Master Amazon PPC (Classic) [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/how-to-use-psychology-to-master-amazon-ppc-classic-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * Who to hire for your Amazon Growth Team  (Classic) [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/who-to-hire-for-your-amazon-growth-team-classic-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * What’s the Best Way to Manage an Amazon Brand? Exploring Agency Strategies [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/whats-the-best-way-to-manage-an-amazon-brand-exploring-agency-strategies-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:  Francis Leger Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno

In this solo episode, Michael kicks back by the river in Texas and reflects on what’s really been working in Amazon PPC this year. After talking to about 80 sellers and marketers every month, one thing stands out in 2025: shifting spend from non-converting to converting. He breaks it down with real numbers, talks through what most people miss when they try to lower ACOS, and shares exactly how to track and cut non-converting spending.  Plus, he drops a few of his favorite tactics like duplicate search term analysis and n-gram analysis. Most importantly, he walks through one fix that can dramatically improve your ACOS — without spending more.  We’ll see you in The PPC Den! 🦡 Highlights * 00:00 – Greetings from the Pedernales River, thoughts about PPC and spring * 00:51 – The most important insight of 2025 * 01:01 – Mike’s favorite Amazon PPC action: redirecting spend * 01:31 – What really causes high ACOS: not sales, but spend * 01:59 – How to find non-converting spend * 03:27 – Example from an account: $10K spend, $30K revenue, 60% non-converting * 04:27 – How to reduce ACOS from 33% to 31% without creating new campaigns * 05:27 – Redirecting $1000 non-converting spend to a keyword with 50% ACOS * 05:57 – The joy of lowering ACOS and increasing revenue at the same time * 06:22 – How to track non-converting spend: first steps * 06:51 – Why it’s important to check reports over different periods (7, 14, 28 days) * 07:30 – What it means if spend doesn’t double when the period doubles * 08:27 – Why it’s important to use longer periods for data analysis * 08:56 – First step after downloading the report: sort by highest spend without orders * 09:24 – Data analysis by buckets: broad, phrase, auto, close match * 09:52 – How to combine repeated search terms for more accurate analysis * 10:20 – Importance of aggregating data across keys appearing in different ad groups 🦡 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/] * Non-Converting Spend: Misunderstood or Mismanaged? A Closer Look at Your PPC Campaigns [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/non-converting-spend-misunderstood-or-mismanaged-a-closer-look-at-your-ppc-campaigns-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * What strategies can help minimize wasted spend in Amazon PPC? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/what-strategies-can-help-minimize-wasted-spend-in-amazon-ppc-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * How to Achieve Low ACOS with Negative Keywords? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/how-to-achieve-low-acos-with-negative-keywords-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * Analyzing 2 Amazon Advertising PPC Accounts With Low ACOS [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/analyzing-2-amazon-advertising-ppc-accounts-with-low-acos-the-ppc-den-podcast/] * Why Is Your ACOS So High? [https://www.adbadger.com/blog/amazon-ppc-education/why-is-your-acos-so-high-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 Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno