How to Reduce Supplement ACOS Without Losing Ranking Momentum

The ACOS-Ranking Dilemma

Every supplement brand on Amazon faces the same challenge: How do you reduce advertising costs without sacrificing the organic ranking you've worked so hard to build?

The truth is, most brands approach this problem incorrectly. They slash budgets across the board, hoping to see immediate ACOS improvements. But this strategy almost always backfires, within weeks, organic rankings drop, and total revenue follows.

Understanding the Ranking-PPC Connection

In the supplements category, PPC and organic ranking are deeply interconnected. Here's why:

1. Sales velocity drives ranking: Amazon's algorithm favors products that sell consistently
2. PPC provides predictable sales: Especially for newer or competitive keywords
3. Cutting PPC reduces velocity: Which signals to Amazon that demand is dropping

The key insight? You can't simply reduce spend. You need to restructure your campaigns to maintain velocity on ranking-critical keywords while cutting waste elsewhere.

The Strategic Approach

Step 1: Identify Your Ranking Keywords

Not all keywords are equal. Some drive ranking; others just drain budget. Analyze your search term reports to identify:

• Keywords where you rank organically in the top 20
• Keywords that drive consistent conversions
• Keywords with high search volume in your category

Step 2: Separate Ranking Campaigns

Create dedicated campaigns for your ranking keywords with:

• Higher budgets to ensure impression share
• Slightly higher bids to maintain position
• Fixed placement adjustments for top-of-search

Step 3: Ruthlessly Cut Everything Else

Now you can aggressively optimize everywhere else:

• Pause keywords with high spend and no conversions
• Add negative keywords from wasted search terms
• Reduce bids on low-performing placements

Step 4: Monitor Organic Rank Weekly

Track your organic positions for key terms. If you see drops, adjust your ranking campaign budgets before it's too late.

The Result

Brands that follow this approach typically see:

• 25-40% reduction in ACOS within 60 days
• Stable or improved organic rankings
• Higher overall profitability from the combined organic + paid performance

Key Takeaway

The secret isn't spending less, it's spending smarter. Protect your ranking keywords, eliminate waste everywhere else, and you'll achieve sustainable profitability in the most competitive category on Amazon.