Layer 1
Harvesting
Auto
Broad
Goal: Discover converting search terms
Cast a wide net. Let Amazon's algorithm find which search terms buyers actually use to find your product. This is your research layer — not your profit layer.
Set bids 20–30% lower than your target CPC
Run for minimum 14 days before harvesting
Download Search Term Report weekly — mine for winners
winning search terms flow up
Layer 2
Performance
Exact
Phrase
Goal: Scale what's already converting
Take your proven winners from Layer 1 and give them their own dedicated campaigns. Higher bids, tighter targeting, maximum budget. This is where profit is made.
Exact match only — no broad or auto here
Bid 15–25% higher than Layer 1 equivalent
Negative match your winners in Layer 1 to avoid overlap
Layer 3
Defense
Brand
Exact
Goal: Own your brand name in search
Most sellers skip this entirely. If you don't bid on your own brand name, competitors will. This layer is cheap, high-converting, and non-negotiable.
Target your exact brand name + common variations
ACoS should be 5–12% — if higher, something's wrong
Separate budget — never let brand cannibalize other layers
$0.50–0.80
Auto / Broad campaigns
Start conservative. Let data accumulate for 2 weeks before adjusting. Lower bids = cheaper research.
$0.90–1.40
Exact / Phrase campaigns
These are proven winners. Bid aggressively to stay top-3 on the SERP. Adjust weekly based on ACoS.
$0.30–0.60
Brand name exact campaigns
Brand searches convert at 30–50%+ — you don't need high bids. Keep bids low but budget uncapped.
Bids shown are starting points for products priced $30–$80. Adjust based on your product's conversion rate and margin.
Under 25%
Profitable
Scale up. Increase bids 10–15% and raise daily budget. Don't leave sales on the table.
25–40%
Watch closely
Acceptable during launch. After 30 days, begin tightening — pause low-converting search terms.
Above 40%
Act now
Pause broad/auto campaigns. Add negative keywords. Check if your listing conversion rate is the real problem.
Break-even ACoS formula: Your break-even ACoS = your profit margin %. If your margin is 35%, you break even at 35% ACoS. Below = profitable. Above = losing money on ads.
Standard formula
[BRAND] _ [ASIN/SKU] _ [LAYER] _ [TYPE] _ [DATE]
EBX_B08XYZ_L1_AUTO_JAN27
Layer 1 · Auto · Jan 2027
EBX_B08XYZ_L2_EXACT_JAN27
Layer 2 · Exact · Jan 2027
EBX_BRAND_L3_DEF_JAN27
Layer 3 · Defense · Jan 2027
Consistent naming makes bulk reporting, filtering, and handing off to a PPC manager dramatically easier. Set this up from day one.
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Running everything in one campaign. Mixing Auto, Broad, and Exact in a single campaign makes it impossible to control spend or identify what's actually working.
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No negative keywords. Without negatives, your budget bleeds into irrelevant searches. Add negatives weekly from your Search Term Report — this single habit often drops ACoS by 8–15%.
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Ignoring your listing conversion rate. High ACoS is often a listing problem, not a PPC problem. If your CVR is under 8%, fix the listing before scaling ads.
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Not bidding on your own brand name. Competitors are actively targeting your brand keywords right now. Layer 3 costs pennies and protects every sale you've already earned.
Results
Enter your numbers above to see your personalised PPC profit breakdown.
Done-for-you PPC management
Want us to build this for your brand?
Our team sets up the full 3-layer structure, writes your negative keyword list, and manages bids weekly — so you can focus on growing your brand, not staring at Seller Central.
Get a Free PPC Audit → go.ebrandx.com/audit