Tom:
Welcome to the Clear Ads Podcast – Highway to Sell, the podcast where we accelerate your knowledge of Amazon advertising. Much like our last episode, I’m joined by our special guest and wonderful Head of Accounts at Clear Ads, Helen Robinson.
I’m your host, Tom, and today we’re continuing our deep dive into Q4 strategies and the seasonal holidays. Last time we talked about preparing your listings, images, ad copy, storefront, social media, deals, and stock. Today we’re getting into the data, campaign building, and a few of our tips and tricks.
Let’s start with analyzing past data. Q4 comes around every year. Don’t go into it assuming it’s a completely fresh start—unless you’re launching brand new products. For established products, learn from last year.
Did you launch ads too late? Or too early, wasting spend without results? Which ad types underperformed? Which gave good exposure and strong returns? Timing and learning from last year’s data can make a huge difference this year.
Remember, Q4 isn’t just Christmas. You’ve got Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Amazon’s own shopping events like the Prime Fall Deal Days.
Helen:
Exactly. And don’t forget to check what you did with your bids last year. If you dialed them down as the season ended, you’ll need to ramp them back up again. If you restart campaigns with last year’s “end-of-season” bids, they’ll be too low, you won’t get traction, conversion rates will suffer, and your ranking will drop.
Come in strong—sometimes even slightly aggressive—to secure top placements. If bids are too low, your ads won’t be seen, and your conversion rates will take the hit.
Tom:
Right. And there are tools to help time those launches. Inside Seller Central, you can look up search trends for keywords like “Christmas tree ornaments.” Watch for search volume increases week by week. If you see demand starting to climb, it may be time to launch campaigns—even if that’s earlier than you expected.
Some shoppers spread out their budgets by buying gifts early. If you’re there to catch them, you’re ahead of competitors who wait until late November.
Helen:
Coupons are another great lever. A simple coupon can pull people in—even if they don’t redeem it. That bright green “voucher” badge stands out and increases clicks. Many shoppers assume it’s applied automatically, so you don’t always lose margin when they forget to use it. Running coupons all year can help, but they’re especially powerful in Q4.
Tom:
Exactly. And don’t forget—just because something sold well last year doesn’t mean it will again. Trends and fads fade fast. For example, Barbie-related products are likely to be huge this year, but next year? Who knows. Also keep in mind that competitors may pile into your niche after seeing your success, which increases competition and CPCs.
Helen:
Yes, and budgets are key. Use Amazon’s budget rules to automate increases for campaigns that are hitting your KPIs but running out of spend. That way you don’t miss easy wins.
Tom:
Speaking of KPIs, consider adjusting them for Q4. Many sellers are willing to accept higher ACOS if it means more sales velocity and brand growth. Talk with your team or agency so everyone’s aligned.
Helen:
And don’t assume you always need to build new campaigns. Legacy campaigns with history often perform better when restarted. Just check the linked products and SKUs are still correct, and add or remove items where needed.
Tom:
Let’s run through ad types. Sponsored Products are still the bread and butter. But Sponsored Brands are increasingly important—particularly Sponsored Brand Video. Sponsored Display is also powerful for retargeting or for targeting competitor ASINs, especially if their product is weaker or more expensive.
Helen:
Yes, and don’t overlook cross-selling. Check brand analytics or market basket analysis to find unusual product pairings. Sometimes customers buy things together you’d never expect. Use that to your advantage in ads.
Tom:
And use long-tail keywords to chip away at ranking. “Gifts for women who love to cook” might be cheaper and easier to rank for than broad “gifts for women.” Split test creative, headlines, and seasonal imagery. Even if you’re testing during Q4, the results will help you plan for next year.
Helen:
And make sure your messaging aligns. If your keyword mentions women who love cooking, show imagery of someone cooking, and use that phrase in your headline. Amazon even offers Shutterstock integration now so you can easily grab lifestyle images if you don’t have your own.
Tom:
Monitoring is critical. Use Search Query Performance reports, brand metrics, and conversion rate data. Don’t push keywords with poor conversion rates—they’ll hurt ranking even if they drive some sales.
Helen:
And check daily. Q4 is fast-paced. Budgets run out quickly, competitors go out of stock, and things change overnight. If a competitor runs out, jump on their listing with Sponsored Display and Sponsored Products. That’s a chance to steal share and rank fast.
Tom:
It might sound harsh, but it works. If your competitor didn’t plan their stock properly, that’s their loss and your opportunity.
Helen:
And don’t forget Amazon’s tools. You can now email cart abandoners directly—adding a 10% coupon can bring them back. Sponsored Display and DSP also let you retarget past purchasers. These are powerful, cost-effective tools to keep in mind.
Tom:
Let’s wrap with takeaways. Helen, your top Q4 tip?
Helen:
Check what worked last year. Revisit old campaigns, ensure bids and budgets are reset to competitive levels, and don’t let past winners sit idle.
Tom:
And mine: have a clear plan for when to end Q4 advertising. After December 23rd, Prime deliveries stop, and most people aren’t shopping for Christmas anymore. Don’t waste budget when shoppers are offline celebrating.
Thanks for listening. Please like, comment, and subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes. If you think a colleague would benefit from this podcast—or from working with us—visit clearadsagency.com and get in touch.
Until next time, keep driving your success on the highway to sell.
Tom & Helen:
Bye!
