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Lesson 39 of 42

Quick Reference Cards

๐Ÿ“‹ Quick Reference Cards

Section 1: PPC Fundamentals
๐ŸŽฏ Key Metrics
  • ACoS: Ad Spend รท Ad Sales ร— 100
  • CTR: Clicks รท Impressions ร— 100
  • CR: Orders รท Clicks ร— 100
  • CPC: Ad Spend รท Clicks
๐Ÿ’ฐ Profitability Formula
  • Break-even ACoS: Profit Margin %
  • Target ACoS: 70-80% of Break-even
  • New Products: Start at 80% ACoS
  • Industry CTR: 0.3-0.5% average
๐Ÿš€ Getting Started
  1. Calculate your break-even ACoS
  2. Set Target ACoS at 70-80% of break-even
  3. Start with automatic campaigns
  4. Collect data for 2 weeks minimum
  5. Analyze and optimize weekly
โš ๏ธ Common Mistakes
  • Setting unrealistic low ACoS targets
  • Making changes too quickly (wait 3-7 days)
  • Not tracking organic sales impact
  • Ignoring search term reports
Section 2: Amazon Ad Types
๐ŸŽฏ Sponsored Products
  • Best for: Direct sales & keyword discovery
  • Auto: Keyword discovery, broad reach
  • Manual: Precise targeting, control
  • Bid Range: $0.25 - $3.00 typical
๐Ÿท๏ธ Sponsored Brands
  • Best for: Brand awareness, multiple products
  • Requirements: Brand Registry needed
  • Placement: Top of search results
  • Format: Logo + headline + 3 products
๐Ÿ“บ Sponsored Display
  • Best for: Retargeting, competitor targeting
  • Audience: Views, purchases, similar products
  • Placement: On/off Amazon sites
  • Strategy: Lower funnel conversions
๐ŸŽฌ Sponsored Video
  • Best for: Product demos, engagement
  • Length: 15-30 seconds optimal
  • Placement: Search results, product pages
  • Budget: Higher CPM, quality creative needed
Section 3: Campaign Setup
๐Ÿ“ˆ Main Campaign Structure
  • Name: [Product] - SP - Manual - Main
  • Target: High-converting exact keywords
  • Budget: 70% of total budget
  • Bid Strategy: Down only
๐ŸŽฏ Campaign Settings
  • Daily Budget: Start with $25-50/day
  • Targeting: Manual keyword targeting
  • Bid Strategy: Down only (recommended)
  • Portfolio: Organize by product line
๐Ÿ”ง Optimization Schedule
  1. Week 1: Let campaigns run, collect data
  2. Week 2: Add negative keywords
  3. Week 3: Adjust bids based on performance
  4. Week 4: Scale winners, pause losers
๐Ÿ“Š Success Metrics
  • Week 1: Focus on impressions & clicks
  • Week 2-4: Track ACoS vs target
  • Month 2+: Monitor organic rank improvement
Section 4: Keyword Research
๐Ÿ” Match Types
  • Exact: [keyword] - Most control, highest CR
  • Phrase: "keyword" - Good control, broader reach
  • Broad: keyword - Widest reach, discovery
  • Start with: Exact match for proven keywords
๐ŸŽฏ Keyword Research Sources
  • Amazon Search Bar: Auto-complete suggestions
  • Competitor Analysis: Similar product keywords
  • Search Term Reports: Customer search queries
  • Brand Analytics: Top search terms (if eligible)
๐Ÿ’ก Keyword Strategy
  • Start: 10-15 high-relevance keywords
  • Exact Match: Your main product keywords
  • Phrase Match: Broader relevant terms
  • Long-tail: 3+ word specific phrases
โŒ Keywords to Avoid
  • Generic single words (too broad)
  • Competitor brand names
  • Irrelevant category terms
  • Search volume under 1,000/month
Section 5: Bidding Strategy
๐Ÿ’ฐ Bid Calculation Formula
  • Max CPC = Profit per Sale ร— Target ACoS% ร— CVR%
  • Example: $10 profit ร— 30% ACoS ร— 15% CVR = $0.45
  • Safety Buffer: Start 20% lower than max
  • Test Range: ยฑ25% of calculated bid
๐Ÿ“Š Bid Optimization Rules
  • High ACoS: Reduce bid by 15-25%
  • Low ACoS + Low Impressions: Increase bid by 25%
  • Good Performance: Small 10% increases
  • No Data: Wait 7 days minimum
๐ŸŽฏ Bid Strategies
  • Down Only: Best for proven keywords
  • Up & Down: Good for discovery campaigns
  • Fixed Bids: Maximum control (manual only)
  • Recommended: Down only for most campaigns
๐Ÿ“ˆ Scaling Bids
  1. Start conservative (20% below max CPC)
  2. Increase 25% if low impressions + good ACoS
  3. Decrease 20% if ACoS too high
  4. Pause if no conversions after 50+ clicks
Section 6: Search Term Analysis
๐Ÿ“Š Key Metrics to Track
  • Impressions: 1,000+ for reliable data
  • CTR: 0.3%+ is good performance
  • CVR: 10-15% is industry average
  • ACoS: Compare to your target
โœ… Search Terms to Target
  • High CTR: Above 0.5% click-through rate
  • Good ACoS: At or below your target
  • Relevant: Matches your product exactly
  • Volume: Consistent weekly impressions
โŒ Negative Keyword Criteria
  • High ACoS: 3x target with no sales
  • Irrelevant: Doesn't match your product
  • Low CTR: Under 0.2% consistently
  • Brand Terms: Competitor brand names
๐Ÿ”„ Analysis Frequency
  • Weekly: Review top spending search terms
  • Bi-weekly: Add negative keywords
  • Monthly: Harvest new exact match keywords
  • Data Threshold: 20+ clicks before decisions
Section 7: Advanced Optimization
๐Ÿ“… Weekly Optimization Schedule
  • Monday: Data collection & analysis
  • Tuesday: Implement negative keywords
  • Wednesday: Strategic bid adjustments
  • Thursday: Monitor & scale winners
๐ŸŽฏ Scaling Framework
  • Tier 1 Winners: 30% of scaling focus
  • Tier 2 Performers: 70% of scaling focus
  • Upload Frequency: Every 3-7 days
  • Conservative Approach: Proven 30+ day keywords
๐Ÿ“ˆ Performance Benchmarks
  • ACoS Improvement: 10-20% within 60 days
  • CTR Target: 0.3-0.5% industry average
  • CVR Target: 10-15% for good products
  • Optimization ROI: Track value per hour
๐Ÿš€ Action Checklist
  1. Download & analyze performance data
  2. Add high-priority negative keywords
  3. Adjust bids on top-performing terms
  4. Scale winning campaigns with budget increases
  5. Update Target ACoS if margins change

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