Amazon PPC is Amazon’s advertising system that lets you bid on keywords so your products appear in search results or on competitor listings. When managed well, PPC can boost your visibility, drive more sales, and improve your organic rankings over time.
But if you’ve never worked with PPC before, it can feel confusing and a bit overwhelming. That’s why many sellers choose to hire a consultant.
If you want success, you need to be able to hire a consultant who doesn’t just set up your campaigns but actually delivers results. This guide will help you ask the right questions.
1. What’s Your Experience Managing Amazon Ads?
Start with the basics. How long have they been managing Amazon PPC campaigns? What types of products or categories have they worked with?
Look for experience that matches your business size and niche. For example, managing $10K/month in ad spend is very different from handling $500K/month. The more relevant their experience, the better.
2. How Do You Structure Amazon PPC Campaigns?
Campaign structure has a big impact on performance, spend, and scalability. A good consultant should walk you through how they build Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and Sponsored Display campaigns and why they do it that way.
For Sponsored Products specifically, ask if they separate branded vs. non-branded keywords. Do they use Auto campaigns for discovery and Manual campaigns for control? They should explain how they mine keywords from auto campaigns and move converting terms into manual campaigns.
Also, ask how they handle match types (broad, phrase, and exact). Each one plays a different role. For example, broad match is great for reach, but exact match is best for controlling spend on proven keywords.
Look for mentions of:
– Single Keyword Campaigns (SKC): These give full control over bids and budget on your top-performing keywords.
– ASIN targeting: Do they target competitor listings with Sponsored Products or use Product Display Ads for cross-selling?
– Ad groups: Do they keep one ASIN per ad group to track performance clearly, or do they bunch multiple products together (which is often a bad idea)?
3. How Do You Choose Which Keywords to Target?
Targeting the right keywords means getting the right traffic. Your consultant should explain how they use data from tools like Helium 10. They should also mention reverse ASIN lookups and how they test and optimize keywords over time.
4. What’s Your Approach to Bid Management?
Your bids directly affect how often your ads show, how much you spend, and whether you’re getting a return. So a good consultant should have a clear, repeatable system for managing bids daily, weekly, or at least multiple times a week.
Ask how they adjust bids. Do they base changes on:
– ACoS?
– Conversion rate?
– Click-through rate (CTR)?
They should be lowering bids on underperforming keywords and increasing bids on top performers. For example, if a keyword is getting a lot of clicks but no sales, it may be too broad or irrelevant and needs either a lower bid or to be paused.
Ask how they handle:
– Bid adjustments by match type
– Seasonal changes or low-stock scenarios
– Dayparting
5. How Often Do You Optimize Campaigns?
PPC campaigns need regular attention to stay profitable. Ask your consultant how often they actually go into your account to make changes. Is it daily, every few days, weekly, or just once a month?
More importantly, what do they do during these optimization sessions?
They should be:
– Checking keyword performance, ie, pausing poor performers, increasing bids on high-converting terms, and adding new keywords from search term reports.
– Adjusting bids.
– Monitoring search terms to find new opportunities or fix irrelevant traffic.
– Reviewing campaign budget allocation to ensure your top-performing campaigns aren’t running out of budget.
– Testing ad types.
– Looking at TACoS.
If the consultant says they only “review once a month” or gives vague answers, that’s a red flag. At minimum, weekly hands-on optimization is standard. Daily or near-daily adjustments are even better for active, high-spend accounts.
6. How Do You Track Success? What Metrics Do You Focus On?
Ask which KPIs they focus on. The right answer depends on your goals, but they should at least mention:
– ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sale)
– TACoS (Total Advertising Cost of Sale)
– CTR (Click-Through Rate)
– CVR (Conversion Rate)
– ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
They should also explain how these metrics connect to overall profitability.
7. Do You Have Experience in My Product Category?
Amazon’s ad landscape varies by niche. If you’re selling supplements, your consultant needs different skills than if you’re selling books. Ask them what categories they’ve worked in and if they understand your specific audience.
8. What Tools Do You Use for Research and Optimization?
Great consultants use a mix of Amazon-native tools and third-party platforms. Some useful tools include:
– Amazon Ads Console for campaign management
– Brand Analytics for keyword and competitor research
– Helium 10 or Jungle Scout for keyword planning
– DataDive for keyword clustering and ASIN analysis
– Bulk Files for advanced campaign editing
9. How Do You Handle Seasonal Trends and Product Launches?
Ask how they prepare for Q4, Prime Day, or product launches. Do they adjust budgets ahead of peak times? Do they create dedicated campaigns for new ASINs? This shows if they’re proactive or just reactive.
10. What’s Your Strategy for Scaling Campaigns Without Wasting Spend?
Any consultant can spend more money. The key is knowing how to scale profitably. Ask how they increase reach while keeping ACoS in check. Do they use placement modifiers? Do they test new match types or broaden targeting gradually?
11. How Do You Manage Negative Keywords and Irrelevant Traffic?
Wasted spend adds up fast. Your consultant should use negative keywords to block irrelevant searches. Ask them:
– How often do you review search term reports?
– How do you decide which keywords to negate?
– Do you use bulk uploads or manage negatives manually?
12. Can You Share Case Studies or Results From Past Clients?
You’re not just hiring a talker; you need a doer. Ask for proof of results. Ideally, they can show you ACoS/TACoS improvements, revenue growth, or launch success stories from past clients. Even anonymized screenshots help.
Final Thoughts
Hiring an Amazon PPC consultant is a big step. Done right, it can boost your visibility, increase your sales, and lower your ad spend. But you need to treat it like a real interview. Ask tough questions. Expect clear answers. And don’t be afraid to walk away if something doesn’t feel right.
Need a PPC Partner You Can Actually Trust? Enso Brands can help you grow your business. From keyword research to bid optimization, our team handles everything with proven processes and real results. Contact us today.
