Pros and Cons of vCPM in Amazon Advertising

Listen to this episode from The PPC Den: Amazon PPC Advertising Mastery on Spotify. Today, Elizabeth Greene and I dove into one of the most misunderstood topics in Amazon advertising — vCPM in Sponsored Brands campaigns. Mike still hears people say how great the low ACOS looks for vCPM, but we broke down why that can be misleading.We talked about the difference between CPC and vCPM, how attribution works (clicks vs views), and how ACOS is calculated depending on what data source you're looking at — ad console, bulk files, API, or AMC. We also discussed when vCPM actually makes sense and when it doesn't. Spoiler ⚠️: don't use it for brand defense.We walked through how vCPM can become cheaper than CPC if your CTR is high enough, the creative and retargeting advantages it can offer, and why Mike sees less than 5% of ad budgets going to vCPM even in his best accounts.If you've ever been confused about why you can't switch from vCPM to CPC, or how to measure true performance in SB campaigns  this episode is for you.We’ll see you in The PPC Den!🦡 Highlights ​​0:00 - Meet Elizabeth Greene 2:20 – How to adapt to instability in eCommerce?5:20 – What do clients expect in 2025?6:12 – The role of automation: good or bad?8:05 – How campaign structures changed in 2025?9:15 – Performance Max and new ad formats on Amazon13:05 – Why do analytics matter more than ever?15:22 – Can brands still scale in 2025?19:00 - Optimization based on click and view attribution20:00 - How to download a bulk file for analysis of ACoS and other metrics21:00- Benefits and drawbacks of VCPM campaigns for different brands22:00 - VCPM campaigns and their potential for brands with unique products25:00 - Marketing campaigns similar to "Shark Tank" for unique products26:00 - VCPM with high CTR vs. CPC campaigns29:00 - High CTR in VCPM campaigns leading to better engagement cost reduction30:00 - When VCPM campaigns are effective for unique products?🦡 Resources & Links🦡 GET AD BADGER ➡️ Where to find Michael, Michael Erickson FacchinWhere to find Elizabeth,  Elizabeth GreeneJunglrSneaky defaults that drain your budget in 2025How to Make Amazon Advertising Profitable in 2025?RPSB (Research peel stick and block) 2025 UpdateWhy Aren’t You Testing Placement Adjustments in Amazon PPC? 2025 Amazon Marketing Resolutions and Intentions📚 Unlock our FREE comprehensive Amazon Marketing PlaybookSubscribe to our newsletterTransform your workflow with our comprehensive Amazon Advertising checklistReview all our show notes-Host and Executive Producer: Michael Erickson FacchinGuest Co-Host: Elizabeth GreeneSenior Producer: Nancy Lili GonzalezPodcast Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Sofiia PodashVideo and Audio Editor: Pedro Moreno