PPC Detectives: Solving Amazon’s Most Mysterious Performance Crimes

In this episode, we trade spreadsheets for trench coats and step straight into the shadows of Amazon PPC’s darkest alleyways. What looks like “bad performance” or “great ACOS” at first glance? — rarely is. Together with Steve, we crack open five real PPC cases from the Miami field files: a suspicious drop in ACOS that wasn’t what it seemed…a top-converting ASIN that suddenly vanished from the scene…a keyword framed for a crime it didn’t commit…an auto campaign that went rogue overnight…and finally, the delicate, dangerous game of cutting branded spend. Each case reveals the same truth: great PPC managers aren’t just optimizers — they’re detectives. Welcome to The PPC Crime Scene Files! 🦡 Highlights ​​ 0:00 – Intro 0:24 – Case 1: ACOS Mystery 2:52 – Goal Setting & LTV Discussion 6:40 – Case 2: Listing Suppression 17:14 – Case 3: Keyword Placement Detective Work 23:09 – Case 4: Runaway Auto Campaign 28:14 – Case 5: Branded Spend Investigation 36:46 – Wrap-up & Lessons Learned 🦡 Resources & Links 🦡 GET AD BADGER ➡️ 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 Steve Patenaude When Higher Total ACOS Means More Profit How to align team goals using Amazon PPC data tools? How can you quickly and efficiently improve your Amazon listing? B2B Placements in Amazon PPC Why Aren’t You Testing Placement Adjustments in Amazon PPC? Should You Segment Automatic Sponsored Product Campaigns? Smart Strategies for Branded Spend in Amazon Ads 📚 Unlock our FREE comprehensive Amazon Marketing Playbook Subscribe to our newsletter Transform your workflow with our comprehensive Amazon Advertising checklist Review all our show notes​​​​​ - Host and Executive Producer: Michael Erickson Facchin Guest Co-Host: Steve Patenaude Senior Producer: Nancy Lili Gonzalez Podcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia Podash Video and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno