[ BDSN ] The 1-click that instantly drops ACOS

My talk is titled:
"Brand Like You Mean It: The Hidden Growth Lever Most E-Com Sellers Ignore"
Blend in and you bleed out.

👀 AMAZON SEARCH BAR SUGGESTIONS are CHANGING

Amazon's research paper, "Evaluating Auto-Complete Ranking for Diversity and Relevance," explores how to enhance the suggestions that appear as customers type in the search bar.

Traditionally, these suggestions are based on popular past searches, which might not always reflect new or diverse products. The study investigates using advanced AI models, specifically Large Language Models (LLMs), to generate a broader and more varied set of suggestions, aiming to improve customer experience and potentially raise sales.

When you start typing in the Amazon search bar, you’ve probably seen auto-complete suggestions pop up like “protein powder for women” or “wireless earbuds for running.” Those suggestions are meant to help you search faster.

Amazon used to show suggestions based mostly on:

• What’s been searched a lot in the past

• What similar shoppers have looked for

But that approach has limits:

• It doesn’t help newer or less popular (but still great) products show up.

• It tends to show the same stuff over and over.

So Amazon tested a new system powered by Large Language Models (LLMs) — the same kind of technology behind tools like ChatGPT — to suggest more diverse and relevant options in the search box. Their tests showed that when Amazon used LLMs to make suggestions:

• Shoppers found what they wanted faster

• More products were discovered

• Sales actually went up

✅ What This Means for Amazon Sellers

If you’re selling on Amazon, this shift in how auto-complete works is a big deal. The search box is like the front door of your store. If your product doesn't show up there, it’s hard for people to even find it.

Here are 5 ways to make sure your product shows up in more of these LLM-generated suggestions:

1. Use Specific, Keyword-Rich Product Titles

LLMs look for descriptive phrases, not just vague titles.

🔹 Bad: "Cool Water Bottle"
🔹 Good: "32oz Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Straw – Leakproof, BPA-Free"

The second version is easier for AI to match to multiple customer searches like:

• “insulated bottle”

• “bpa-free straw bottle”

• “water bottle for gym”

2. Add Keyword Variety in Your Bullet Points and Description

Auto-complete now favors listings that cover multiple relevant terms — not just the obvious ones.

🔹 If you’re selling turmeric supplements, include:

• “joint support”

• “anti-inflammatory”

• “curcumin with black pepper”

The more related keywords, the better the chances your product will pop up for diverse search paths.

3. Think Like Your Customer — and Use Their Language

LLMs understand how people talk, not just how marketers talk. Use real-world terms in your listings.

🔹 Instead of saying: “portable sound system,”
🔹 Say: “Bluetooth party speaker you can take anywhere”

It aligns better with common phrases like:

• “party speaker”

• “portable bluetooth speaker”

4. Target Long-Tail Keywords in Backend Search Terms

Longer, more specific phrases are gold for LLM-powered autocomplete.

🔹 Backend terms like:

• “best collagen powder for women over 40”

• “kids multivitamin with probiotics and iron”

These help your product surface when shoppers use full phrases.

5. Update Listings to Reflect What’s Hot or Trending

Auto-complete engines change fast — and now they’re smarter. If something’s trending, mention it.

🔹 Selling yoga mats? If "non-toxic" or "extra thick" is trending, update your listing:

• “Eco-friendly, extra-thick yoga mat with non-slip texture”

🔍 Example of How It Plays Out

Let’s say a customer starts typing:
“vitamin c ser …”

Old search system might suggest:

• “vitamin c serum”

• “vitamin c serum for face”

With the new LLM system, it might suggest:

• “vitamin c serum for hyperpigmentation”

• “vitamin c serum for men”

• “anti-aging vitamin c serum”

If your product description includes those exact phrases or close variations, you’re more likely to show up — even if your product isn’t a top seller yet.

This new AI-driven autocomplete system is a major shift — and an opportunity. If your listing includes clear, varied, and human-sounding phrases, it could start showing up more often in the search box.

More exposure = more clicks = more sales.

🔭 YOU GOTTA SEE THIS

Ben Leonard built a fitness brand to $6 million in sales then sold it to Thrasio. They tanked it (like they did for many other brands). He was recently able to get the brand back, and now he’s rebuilding it public. Lots of lessons in this series for sellers. Check it out.

🔭 AMAZON INFLUENCER PROGRAM MYTHS BUSTED

Nate McAllister has been saying for the past two years the Amazon Influencer Program is the easiest, highest success rate opportunities that he’s ever seen.

Think you need a massive following or fancy gear to join Amazon’s Influencer Program? Think again.

Here’s the truth behind the most common misconceptions:

❌ Myth: You need a large following to get approved.
✅ Reality: Creators with under 300 TikTok followers are getting approved. Amazon is looking for real people posting consistent content—face not even required. Post 1–3 times a day for 30 days, then apply (you get 3 tries).

❌ Myth: You need pro video skills.
✅ Reality: Quick 60-second videos filmed on your phone work best. No heavy editing. Just speak honestly about a product—dead air and mistakes trimmed. That’s it.

❌ Myth: You have to buy all the products.
✅ Reality: Review any item listed on Amazon—even if it’s your in-laws’ fridge, your Airbnb mattress, or your friend’s hot tub cover. The products around you are endless if you think creatively.

❌ Myth: You can only make $1,000/month.
✅ Reality: Some creators make far more. Volume = revenue. One user gets free products, gets paid to review them, andcollects commissions. Another sells Fiverr gigs for $85–$175 each to review products—plus keeps the item.

👉 Bottom line: You don’t need to be famous. You need to be consistent. This is a low-barrier opportunity to build influence and income on Amazon—without spending a dime on inventory.

AMAZON JUST RELEASED a new targeting strategy that could put your PPC ads in front of shoppers more likely to buy ...

… based on all the data Amazon has on them.

... and it only takes one click to enable.

Find out how and see results from Chris Rawlings testing this new feature out on his account here. 

🗑️ WHY MOST BRANDS are WASTING AD SPEND on AMAZON

The days of needing a shoebox of tools to run your Amazon business has shrunk since Amazon started releasing more and more first-party data straight from the horse’s mouth.

Once upon a time, running an Amazon business meant juggling third-party hacks, disconnected SAAS dashboards, and praying ad dollars weren’t going into a black hole.

But that’s changed.

Thanks to a flood of new first-party Amazon data—and a smarter approach to ad strategy from leading PPC minds like BDSS Dream 100 member Destaney Wishon (also the co-founder BTR Media) and her head of growth, Jess Jackson—you now have the tools to stop wasting money on the wrong shoppers and start building real brand growth.

🔥 The $100K+ Mistake You’re Probably Making Right Now

If a customer types “laundry detergent” on Amazon, they’re not loyal to Tide.
They’re exploring.
They’re open.
They’re primed for discovery.

So why are most brands still spending 65%+ of their ad budget on people who were already going to buy from them anyway?

In a recent BTR Media audit, they found:

• 🔻 Core category keywords running out of budget by midday

• 🔺 Competitors winning top-of-search when conversions peak

• 💸 Branded terms soaking up spend—and delivering little incremental growth

This misalignment is a silent killer.

Here’s what Destaney and Jess recommend:

✅ Prioritize high-volume, non-brand keywords

(Think “laundry detergent” over “Tide” to capture discovery-phase buyers)

✅ Use Sponsored Display + DSP to protect & convert

Defend your PDPs and cross-sell while they're already on your listing

✅ Tighten up match types

Control spend with exact match on core converting terms

✅ Leverage AMC audiences

Layer in Amazon Marketing Cloud segments to boost Sponsored Product CVR

✅ Invest in upper-funnel DSP

Think big: New movers, pet owners, lifestyle-based targeting

📊 New Amazon Reporting = Next-Level Insights

Amazon’s 2025 reporting upgrades mean you can finally ditch the cobbled-together views and go full command center.

Here's what’s now available:

🔶 Brand Metrics (Insights & Planning)

• Spot shifts in traffic, intent, and conversion vs. category benchmarks

• Know how many category shoppers even considered your brand

🔶 Customer Journey Analytics

• See where shoppers drop off.

• If they visit your PDP and bounce—are you overpriced? Lacking video? Poor copy?

🔶 Search Query Performance (ASIN + Term Level)

• Compare your CVR to the category

• Diagnose underperforming keywords

• Spot opportunities to scale up spend where you’re beating the benchmark

🚨  AMAZON DROPS GAME-CHANGER for VIDEO ADS

After 9 months of testing, Amazon has officially launched a free AI-powered video generation tool for U.S. sellers. The tool creates 8-second “low-motion” product videos from your existing images—and even improves older video content by identifying key clips and generating polished ads.

🛠️ What It Does:

• Generates videos using product images or existing video assets

• Overlays AI-generated copy, brand logos, and edits the order/length of clips

• Designed for sellers without in-house marketing teams

📈 Amazon says:

• 50% of products using AI video ads were first-time advertisers

• Sponsored Brand videos already see a 30% higher CTR

• Tools have evolved—AI can now show your watch on a human wrist in motion, not just flat on a table

💡 Use this to level up your brand presence beyond boring white backgrounds—without hiring a video team.

⚠️ Note: All content still goes through Amazon’s moderation filters, but there’s no current data on direct sales lift—so track your metrics closely.

This isn’t a gimmick. It’s a real, scalable tool—ready to help small sellers punch above their weight.

✌🏼 Have a great weekend.

See you again on Monday.

The answer to today’s STUMP BEZOS is
Only 22.9% of Amazon searches are branded