And Suddenly... Your Ads Suck!

Hey “Amazon Creature,” this email might not be for you.

But… if you've ever had ads that work great one month and vanish the next, this is exactly what you need.

Because, guess what? That’s what Amazon seasonality looks like.
What a timing to talk about Scary things… (Happy Halloween, btw)

Ads on Amazon don’t perform the same every month.

If you’re not paying attention, seasonality will chew through your budget and spit out pennies (or worse).

So what’s really happening?

I’ll keep it simple—there are typically two situations (the “when?” depends on your product, category, or vertical):

1. Peak Season = Ad Costs Skyrocket (Duh….)
Holidays, Prime Day, and all those “big moments” for your products.
Everyone’s bidding. When more sellers are fighting for the same ad space, prices shoot up. You could be running the exact same ad from last month, but suddenly it’s 50% more expensive.

2. Off-Season = Buyers Go M.I.A. (Also Duh…)
Once the season or holiday hype dies down, so do sales. Keep running your ads like it’s peak time, and you’re just burning money. Fewer people are searching, buying, or even paying attention. Your ads are still running, but nobody’s clicking.

Now, this might sound obvious—but trust me, it’s not obvious for everyone. And even if you know this, a lot of people don’t know how to work around it.
(Spoiler: it’s not as simple as just cutting spend.)

So…How To Work Around It?

1. Optimize Ad Budgets According to Seasonal Trends

   Don’t throw the same budget at your ads every month—that’s rookie stuff. You’ve gotta scale up during peak seasons (strategically, so you don’t overpay) and down during the slow months when fewer people are searching. It’s called Seasonal budgeting is your best friend:

   —Seasonal Budgeting meet Amazon Creature, Amazon Creature meet Seasonal Budgeting… you’ll get along just fine)—

• High season: Plan ahead for Q4, Prime Day, or any spikes relevant to your category. Increase your budget, but make sure your ads are dialed in. You don’t want to waste that extra cash.

• Low season: Scale back, but don’t disappear. Even in slow months, you need to stay visible. Keep a low-volume presence to stay top of mind.

Leverage Historical Data to Predict Performance

This is where good analytics pay off. Dive into your past Amazon data to see when your sales peak and when they drop. Adjust your bids and budgets accordingly.

Check your CTR (Click-Through Rate), ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sale), and CPC (Cost Per Click) trends. If CPCs skyrocket every Q4, you’ll know it’s time to scale cautiously or optimize those campaigns for better returns.

👉I have some tricks and processes to do this, that’ll make your life very easy.
Click here to reach out, and I’ll share them with you. Or better, Book a no-cost, 30-minute strategy call with me here 👈

2. Adapt Your Targeting for Different Seasons

   Here’s the kicker: seasonal buying behavior changes what people search for. Running the same keywords in January that worked in December? You’re already behind.
   

   During high seasons, buyers are looking for gifts or preparing for events. They’re searching with intent.
   

   During slower seasons, searches become more exploratory. Adapt your ad copy and targeting to reflect this shift.

   In the slow months, focus on value propositions and curiosity.
   In the high months, hit that urgency button hard.

It’s time to get comfortable with seasonal fluctuations in ad performance. 

These aren’t just “a thing”—they’re the rule.

If you’re not adjusting your strategy for each season, you’re basically throwing money away.

And believe me, Amazon’s happy to take it.

TL;DR (anyway, don’t be lazy and read the whole thing.)

1. Budget Smarter: Increase spend during high-traffic seasons, but be efficient. Don’t just toss money at Amazon and hope for the best.
   

2. Analyze Data Religiously: Use past performance to predict future trends. That’s how you stay ahead of the competition.
   

3. Adapt Your Strategy: Adjust keywords, bids, and copy depending on the season. This isn’t a “set it and forget it” kind of game.

Lmk what you think—has this ever happened to you or if you need a hand with planning?

Hunter Harris
Founder @ Gigabrain

P.S.: I’ve been in the trenches and done this a gazillion times, so if you need a little push Book a no-cost, 30-minute strategy call with me here