There's a quiet but meaningful shift happening in performance advertising. With the rollout of Google AI Max, we’re seeing the beginning of a move away from the traditional keyword-centric model toward what the industry is calling Keywordless Technology.
Let’s define that clearly.
Keywordless doesn’t mean keyword-free. It means you’re no longer expected to supply an exhaustive list of search terms to trigger your ads. Platforms like Google, and increasingly Amazon, are using AI to infer what your product is about, who it’s for, and when it should be shown. These decisions are based on context, creative assets, past behavior, and platform-wide intent signals.
Google’s AI Max reads your landing page, ad copy, keyword list, and performance history. Then it decides what search terms your ad should show up for, even if those terms aren’t in your account. In testing, campaigns using AI Max saw 14 to 27 percent more conversions, especially when moving beyond exact match-only setups.
And yes, negative keywords still work.
This is a meaningful shift, not just because of what it does, but because of what it implies about the direction advertising is heading.
Where does that leave Amazon sellers?
Amazon hasn’t made a big statement about going keywordless, but the signals are already there.
Sponsored Display and Amazon DSP don’t rely on keywords. They use behavioral and interest-based signals.
AMC Audiences, introduced quietly in late 2024, let you create segments like “people who viewed this product but didn’t purchase.” You can apply bid boosts in Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands.
Auto campaigns are getting smarter. Amazon reads your listing and makes decisions based on your content.
Predictive metrics like expected ROAS and predicted conversion rate have begun to show up in beta reporting.
Amazon has already rolled out off-Amazon ads along with Audience Bid Boosts
All of this is powered by Amazon’s data engine — browsing history, purchase patterns, content viewed on Prime, and even off-Amazon behavior.
This is no longer about matching a query to a keyword. It’s about matching a shopper to a product based on thousands of subtle signals.
What this means for sellers and advertisers
This shift changes the game in a few key ways. Here’s what to watch for.
The upside:
Wider reach with less effort. You don’t need to catch every long-tail variation manually.
Better discovery. Amazon can surface your product to high-intent shoppers, even when the keyword isn't obvious.
Smarter allocation. Budget can go toward segments that are more likely to convert, not just the ones you guessed might work.
The risks:
Loss of visibility. If Amazon starts hiding query data the way Google has, it gets harder to see what’s working.
Wasted spend while the AI learns. These systems need data. You’re paying for that learning curve.
Less control. If Amazon’s model optimizes for what makes them the most money, that won’t always align with what’s best for your ACOS.
Will we still have negative keywords?
Most likely, yes. Google’s AI Max continues to support them. Amazon already allows negative keywords, ASINs, and even audience exclusions. These will likely become even more important, not less. In a keyword-optional world, negatives are your primary control lever. This is a HUGE relief!
And how does Amazon benefit?
It’s a fair question. Precision usually means less wasted spend, which should, in theory be bad for Amazon’s top line. But here’s how they still win:
Higher CPCs for high-intent traffic. When everyone wants to reach the same segment, bids go up.
Expansion into full-funnel media. Even if Sponsored Products become more efficient, Amazon is now monetizing Prime Video, Twitch, Fire TV, and more.
Better performance leads to bigger budgets. When advertisers see stronger ROAS, they often increase spend.
So, Amazon gets its revenue. It just comes from higher-value impressions and broader inventory, rather than inefficient broad match queries.
What you can do now
Here’s how to stay ahead of this shift:
Actively start testing audience-based targeting.
Try SP, SB and SD audiences targeting using some of the pre-curated audiences that Amazon now provides with AMC. Monitor how they behave compared to keyword campaigns.Go back to testing Auto campaigns.
We have made Auto campaigns seem like villains that are set out to loot you, but with the AI push, they are actually going to be more in line with where Amazon is leading us. Now is the time to give Auto campaigns a second chance. Let Amazon explore new queries for you with a limited budget.Audit your listings.
Clear, keyword-rich content still matters. It helps the AI understand what you sell. Your title, bullets, A+ content, and backend fields are now targeting signals. Read my other post on Linkedin for ideas.Level up your creatives.
High-quality images, video, and product detail pages feed the algorithm. RUFUS is using these assets to determine relevancy and hence visibility.Watch audience-level data.
If you have access to AMC, start pulling audience insights. Even within Sponsored Display, you can track how different segments perform and adjust accordingly. We were able to active AMC data for ALL our clients for FREE with some help from our Amazon Ad rep.
Don’t let automation run unchecked.
Set up placement and audience exclusions. Monitor where your spend is going. Algorithms are useful, but they’re not infallible. Your job is still to guide and correct.
Final thought
We’re not in a fully keywordless world yet, but we’re getting close. Keywords are turning into just one of many signals, rather than the main driver of targeting.
If you’re still building campaigns like it’s 2018 — exact match, tightly grouped ad sets, zero automation — this is your cue to start adapting.
You don’t have to trust the machine completely. But you do need to understand what it’s doing, and start feeding it better inputs.
That’s where the edge will be.
PPC Ninja helps with AI-ready listings on Amazon. Help is just an email away. Reach out today: [email protected]
From Photo to Persona: HeyGen Avatar IV
What if one still photo could become your virtual spokesperson?
The new HeyGen Avatar IV model makes that a reality. Just upload a single headshot, drop in a script, choose a voice (or clone your own), and out comes a hyper-realistic talking head video. HeyGen studio collapses the entire workflow into a few clicks.
Let me acknowledge right away that what you see below is Deepfake Technology, especially when it is imitating a real person. In order to avoid ethical issues I have started actively marking reels and videos created with AI as such. Transparency is important, especially as this tech becomes nearly indistinguishable from real footage.
But let’s talk about what this unlocks. You don’t need actors. Or a studio. Or even to be camera-ready.
With just one still photo of yourself or an AI generated persona, a written script, and a cloned (or borrowed) voice, anyone - founders, marketers, support teams, can show up on screen looking polished, consistent, and on-brand. In minutes.
Use Cases That Actually Save You Time
🔶 Product Video Ads
Turn listing copy into eye-catching video ads, especially powerful for Amazon, where 40% more space goes to video thumbnails.
🔶 Multilingual Brand Ambassadors
Clone your face once, then deliver personalized videos in 40+ languages. One shoot = global content.
🔶 Customer Support FAQs
Imagine your founder or team lead giving friendly, face-to-face answers to common customer questions, without ever recording a video.
🔶 Internal Training
Generate consistent training modules featuring the same presenter, tone, and script across departments or regions.
🔶 Social Media Content
Batch create Instagram Reels or TikToks that look human-made—but take minutes, not hours.
What to Watch Out For
The quality is only as good as the script: Awkward copy still sounds awkward, no matter how lifelike the avatar.
Facial accuracy depends on lighting + quality of the uploaded photo.
Usage clarity: If you’re using an avatar that resembles a real person, be transparent about it—especially in regulated industries.
Avatar IV lets you delegate face-time without sacrificing authenticity.
How much does it cost? Prices start at $24/month, which gives you access to the Avatar IV model along with voice cloning and multilingual output. Honestly, it’s worth it even as a one-time expense. Just sign up, batch a bunch of videos, and cancel if you don’t need it ongoing. For the time you save, it more than pays for itself.
PPC Ninja is helping brands future proof their listings for AI, helping you build stunning images and videos with AI. Reach out to [email protected] to explore how we can scale your content production across Social media, Amazon ads, Amazon Posts efficiently and affordably.
How I Automated OTP Sharing Using AI + AppScript
The point of this section is to show you an automation idea that is important to me, so that you can eventually implement one that is important to you.
When your team works across time zones, even something as small as a login OTP for a shared account can slow things down.
We noticed that my team was needing me to forward a Walmart verification OTP that came to my inbox and even though this is small, it’s not a good use of anyone’s time to be doing this task.
So I used AI to help me write a Google Apps Script that solved the problem automatically.
What the code does in simple words
It checks my Gmail every 10 minutes for unread OTP emails, looks for one from [email protected], reads it, extracts the OTP, and posts it to a Google Chat Space that is shared with relevant team members.
What’s a “Google Chat Space”?
Think of it like a Slack channel inside Google Chat - it comes free with your Google Apps Subscription.
It’s where your team can collaborate, and you can post messages programmatically using something called “Webhooks”, which is exactly what I used. Don’t worry you don’t need to do a PhD in programming to use Webhooks.
Think of it like giving your AppScript a door key to walk into the room and post a message.
Once you create the webhook inside your Chat Space (takes less than a minute), the script can send updates like:
🔐 Walmart verification code: 123456
Set it up once — and you're done. No more manual forwards. No more midnight Slack messages.
How to turn a Space into a Webhook:
Open Google Chat in your browser.
Click the Space you want to post into.
At the top, click the dropdown next to the Space name → Apps & integrations.
Scroll down and click Manage webhooks.
Create a new webhook, give it a name (like “Walmart OTP Bot”), and copy the URL.
Once you create a Webhook for this space, you can share that with ChatGPT and ask it to embed it into your AppScript code. This is what AI generated:
What the AppScript does:
Searches Gmail:
from:[email protected] is:unread "verification code" newer_than:1dCleans up the email body
Uses regex to extract a 4–8 digit code
Sends the code to your Google Chat Space in this format:
It also marks the email as “read” after sending the code over
All of this happens in the background on a timer — zero effort once it’s live.
This is the kind of micro-automation that saves time, avoids errors, and keeps things moving no matter where your team is.
Here’s a summary of the workflow again:
We literally make hundreds of such micro-apps within our agency. It’s what keeps us lean and efficient. If you are going to repeat a task 3 times or more automate it with AI.
And if you are interested in our upcoming AI Workflow Automation class focussed on Make.com, check the details below. For just $129, you will literally be off to the races in 2 hours.
We’re counting down to June 5th!
Our AI Automation Workflows Masterclass is almost here—designed for marketers, operators, and founders ready to build real automations.
Reserve Your Spot!
Back in January, our AI for E-Commerce Masterclass sold out fast. Now it’s back—with a sharper focus: AI Automations for Scale.
📅 Live on June 5 at 1 PM PST
This is a 2-hour session for marketers, operators, and founders who know automation matters, but haven’t yet built their first real workflow.
We’ll go step-by-step inside Make.com, covering:
How to go from trigger → action → outcome
The core logic behind every automation
Where to spot “easy win” workflows hiding in your business
And how to apply these skills to Zapier, N8N, or Google AppScript
You’ll even get a behind-the-scenes look at how I turn 200+ conference photos into a clean, summarized Google Sheet using AI.
Who is this for?
💡 Intermediate level of AI or curious minds — no prior builds required
💰 Value price: $129
⚡️ No fluff. Just real stuff I work on.
Amazon Peak Season Summit
Where: Seoul, South Korea
When: May 21, 22, 2025
I’m in Seoul this week for the Amazon Ads Conference, speaking to 1,000+ sellers alongside Tim Jordan, Bradley Sutton, and other industry leaders.
@ritu.java Just landed in Seoul for the Amazon Ads Conference—where I’ll be speaking to 1,000+ sellers alongside Tim Jordan and Bradley Sutton! The v... See more
We’re also filming a brand-new studio series with the Amazon Ads team. It’s part of their Mastermind Series, a competitive reality-style content shoot where top sellers face off on full-funnel ad strategy. AI has been woven into every part of it, from content planning to production workflows, making this one of the most forward-thinking projects I’ve been part of. Think fast-paced challenges, expert breakdowns, and couch confessionals, all built to teach and entertain.
Want to follow me on TikTok for more updates?
Smarter Growth for DTC Brands on Amazon
Ad spend keeps climbing. ROAS? Not so much.
The smartest Amazon sellers aren’t spending more—they’re spending smarter.
The Affiliate Shift Calculator models what could happen if you reallocated a portion of your ad budget into affiliate marketing.
Built for sellers doing $5M+ on Amazon.
We hope you liked this edition of the AI for E-Commerce Newsletter! Hit reply and let us know what you think! Thank you for being a subscriber! Know anyone who might be interested to receive this newsletter? Ask them to subscribe here: www.ppc-ninja.com/subscribe. They will thank you for it 💥💪!!
~Ritu
