See this comparison between GPT5 and Nano Banana? Obviously Nano Banana wins this round. No extra fingers, no duplicate mascara brush. More natural looking model.

Even when GPT-5 is given the same prompt, it still struggles with details like hands and props (btw, can you spot the 6th finger?). The question isn't which AI model to choose, but how quickly creative teams can adapt their workflows to now leverage Google's superior algorithm.

🍌 The Nano Banana Prompting Formula That Turns Basic Products Into Lifestyle Gold 💥

Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash (aka Nano Banana) is FREE right now, but most people butcher it with lazy prompts. In this post I share the formula that cranks out $500 looking lifestyle images in minutes. But first some example…

Action Sports Scene Environmental Context

Product: Camping light
Weak prompt: “camping light on hiking backpack”
Nano Banana Formula: “Professional lifestyle photograph of hiking gear at a mountain campsite during golden hour. Dramatic sunset, layered mountains, campfire glow. Backpack placed naturally with boots and accessories. Cinematic National Geographic style.”

Why It Works: Context + atmosphere + lighting + pro reference.

Here’s another example of packing cubes:

Weak prompt: “packing cubes in hotel room”
Nano Banana Formula: “Create travel-focused convenience shot keeping product's precise geometry and text unchanged: Airport, hotel room, or travel setting background. Product in carry-on bag, airplane tray, or hotel room setup. Lighting matches travel environment (fluorescent, window, or warm lamp). Emphasize portability and convenience for travelers. 2000x2000 px square; include passport, boarding pass, or travel accessories as props. Preserve exact form, all components, and structural elements exactly as source.”

Why It Works: Target use case + audience context + style.

Let’s take a supplements example:

Weak prompt: “supplement bottle on kitchen counter”
Nano Banana Formula: “Morning kitchen with supplements among fresh ingredients. Marble counter, fruits scattered, golden sunlight streaming. Wellness aesthetic, daily routine moment. Food photography style.”

Why It Works: Time + lifestyle signals + pro reference.

The Multi-Layer Nano Banana Formula 🧠

1. Foundation: “Professional lifestyle photo” reference styles (NatGeo, Architectural Digest) pro lighting sharp focus. Refer to my previos post on AI art direction here.

2. Environment: Place + time of day + atmosphere

3. Demographic Signals: Examples: Busy mom, fitness enthusiast, young professional

4. Usage Context: Product solving a real problem in scene or product only. Add any overlay text that you would like and how.

5. USPs: Highlight unique product strengths benefits differentiators competitors lack (BPA free lightweight design portable system). These can be taken from your title/bullet points

6. Negative Prompts: Tell the AI what not to do. For example:
   - No product distortion, modification, or artistic interpretation
   - No text alteration, blurring, or logo changes
   - No shape deformation or proportion changes
   - No overly saturated colors that change product appearance
   - No heavy filters or effects that obscure product details
   - No creative liberties with product design or branding
   - Avoid cluttered compositions that reduce product visibility

7. Composition: Tell the AI how to frame it

   Wide shot → product in full environment
   Medium shot → product in use
   Macro detail → quality close up
   Shallow depth of field → lifestyle blur effect

Advanced Prompting Techniques 🎯

Here are some more we more advanced ones we built with Nano Banana:

The "Problem-Solution" Prompt Structure

Instead of just showing the product, show the transformation:
Formula: "[Setting] showing [problem] being solved by [product] for [demographic]. [Emotional outcome] visible in scene composition."
Example: "Cluttered travel scenario transformed into organized packing system using premium packing cubes. Relief and confidence visible in neat, systematic organization. Business traveler aesthetic."

The "Emotional Anchoring" Technique

Every demographic has core emotional drivers. Example:
- Busy Mom: Efficiency, family time, making life easier
- Fitness Enthusiast: Achievement, adventure, pushing limits
- Young Professional: Success, sophistication, work-life balance
Embed these into your environmental choices and scene composition.

The "Competitive Edge" Prompts

Analyze competitor images and prompt for what they're missing:
- More authentic settings vs sterile backgrounds
- Better lighting vs harsh flash photography
- Emotional context vs product-only focus
- Lifestyle integration vs isolated product shots

If you follow this prompting guide you are likely to get 90-95% of the final look with minor pending edits, and let a graphics designer touch up the final bits.

So how to normal people like you and I come up with the detailed prompts that feed image generation models? We don’t. We ask AI to do that job of expanding prompts from simple to complex.

In fact, that’s where my team is building out interactive apps that do this beautifully and predictably.

Want Google’s official guide on Nano Banana?
https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/image-generation

Ready to scale this? PPC Ninja is helping brands future proof their listings for AI, helping you build stunning, high converting listings 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 to Force Nano Banana to Generate the Right Size

One of the biggest frustrations with Nano Banana is its stubborn refusal to respect your size specifications. You can clearly tell it to generate 2000x2000 images for Amazon listings, but it completely ignores your instructions and sticks to whatever aspect ratio your reference image happens to be.

This creates a real problem when you need specific dimensions for different platforms - square images for Amazon, landscape for Facebook ads, or portrait for Instagram stories. No matter how explicitly you specify the target size in your prompt, Nano Banana seems to have a mind of its own.

The Image Resizer Solution

That's exactly why we built an Image Resizer tool. Instead of fighting with Nano Banana's quirks, you can now:

1. Upload your reference image - whether it's landscape, portrait, or already square

2. Select your target dimensions - 2000x2000 for Amazon, or any custom size you need

3. Choose your resize method - fit with white padding to maintain the original image integrity, or crop appropriately

4. Get the perfect reference image - now properly formatted for Nano Banana to respect

The Smart Workaround

Here's the hack that actually works: First convert your reference image to the aspect ratio you want, THEN run your Nano Banana prompt.

When Nano Banana sees a square reference image, it generates square outputs. When it sees landscape, it generates landscape. The tool forces Nano Banana to honor your intended dimensions by giving it a reference image that's already in the correct format.

This simple preprocessing step eliminates the guesswork and saves you from the endless cycle of regenerating images that come out in the wrong dimensions.

Want our Image Resizer tool for free? Share this newsletter with 5 people using your UNIQUE referral link at the bottom of this page. Once 5 people sign up through your link, you'll get instant access to the tool.

Your referral link is waiting for you at the bottom - start sharing and start resizing!

My good friend Emma Schermer Tamir recently shared some insights that totally confirm what I've been thinking about the future of e-commerce. She's convinced that the search bar, you know, that little box we've all been obsessing over for years, is basically dying. Emma points to how we're witnessing three massive shifts: discovery-first platforms like TikTok where people stumble onto products they never knew they needed, AI shopping assistants that actually help you decide what to buy, and direct checkout that cuts out the middleman entirely. Her advice? Stop obsessing over keyword stuffing and start thinking about whether AI can actually understand what you're selling.

Andrew Bell spotted that Rufus now occupies the entire screen on Amazon's mobile app, not just a sidebar. As he puts it, "A9 is still the engine, Rufus is a new dashboard." His point is brilliant: A9 gets you found, but Rufus decides what gets surfaced in conversational flows. Andrew's recommendation? Layer conversational optimization on TOP of your keyword work because we need to prepare for a fundamental behavior shift where customers interact with AI assistants rather than traditional search. Amazon is actively training shoppers to use Rufus through prompts and voice features, making it effortless. Both perspectives validate what I've been saying about where retail is headed, we're moving from keyword-driven discovery to AI-powered conversations.

I’m excited to share that I’ll be speaking at the Amazon Accelerate Pre-Conference Workshop for partner agencies and brands.

Attending Amazon Accelerate? Join me for dinner (FREE, limited seats). RSVP here.

📅 September 15, 2025, 6:00 PM
📍 Seattle (restaurant details will be mailed to you)

Seller Fest Online (FREE)

Excited to be among 20 Live Interactive sessions teaching you actionable techniques to grow your Amazon business.

When: September 22-25, 2025
Register here: https://sellerfest.online/

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? Share it with them and they will thank you for it! 😃 Ritu