In this episode, Olena and Michael take on one of the hottest Amazon PPC topics — Total ACOS.
They break down why lower isn’t always better, how chasing the lowest number can actually hurt profitability, and why looking at organic growth, conversion rate, and sales velocity matters just as much as ad spend.
Together they unpack real examples where a higher Total ACOS led to bigger profits and share practical insights on how to think smarter about your strategy.
We’ll see you in The PPC Den!
🦡 Highlights
00:00 – Intro
00:43 – Olena shares why most clients want to lower Total ACOS and why this can be misleading
01:50 – Discussion on real account data showing profit growing even as Total ACOS rises
04:30 – Olena explains Amazon’s algorithm, sales velocity, and conversion rate impact
06:11 – Why cutting spending isn’t always the healthiest strategy
09:58 – Michael unpacks the math of Total ACOS: ad spend, paid sales, organic sales
12:20 – Olena shares strategies with generic keywords, seasonality, and brand vs. non-brand terms
14:00 – What happens when ad spend is reduced too aggressively
16:40 – Michael highlights solutions: reporting, SEO, CTR/CVR optimization, price, and competitive tracking
19:30 – Olena on long-term thinking, patience, and manual checks for ad positions
20:50 – Final thoughts
🦡 Resources & Links
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Find Michael Erickson Facchin — Ad Badger’s CEO and soul, PPC whisperer, and your go-to guide through the wild world of Amazon advertising
Our guest today is Olena Shmaiun, Amazon PPC Manager of Ad Badger
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Host and Executive Producer: Michael Erickson Facchin
Guest Co-Host: Olena Shmaiun
Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez
Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash
Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno