The 2026 eCom Trends Report
Top Report Findings: This is our sixth Trends Report with 300 owners representing $3.5...
Podcast | Episode 572
Paid and Search Trends, Gemini Deep Research & Building Moats
Are you curious about how Amazon is reshaping the landscape of digital advertising? In this episode, I sit down with Joe Shelerud, co-founder of AdAdvance.com, who shares his journey from scaling an eCommerce business to creating a technology-enabled advertising company. We dive deep into how Amazon is becoming a formidable competitor against giants like Meta and Google, leveraging its vast data to revolutionize off-platform advertising.
Listen in as we discuss the strategic use of Amazon’s advertising capabilities—both on and off the platform—and look at how businesses can utilize Amazon’s data-rich environment to enhance their advertising strategies. We also explore the nuances and complexities of advertising that extend beyond conventional digital platforms, revealing how these strategies can significantly impact your business’s visibility and success.
You’ll learn:
- Different ways you can advertise on—and off—Amazon. (2:15)
- The complexity of Amazon advertising. (5:48)
- The impact of AI on search and advertising. (9:13)
- Joe’s thoughts on Gemini and its competitive advantages. (16:17)
- The importance of brand loyalty and repeat purchases in the context of rising advertising costs. (19:39)
- How Joe was able to build an advertising agency that was attractive to buyers. (25:46)
- The down-low on Ad Advance. (31:19)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music
(With your host Andrew Youderian of eCommerceFuel.com Joe Shelerud of AdAdvance.com)
What Was Mentioned
Ideas Worth Sharing:
"What I've also seen is the brands that have the most success are those that are able to drive repeat purchases after the fact.” - Joe Shelerud Tweet this "If you're just competing on price or product features, it's going to be a race to that very slim profit margin.” - Joe Shelerud Tweet this "Can I increase my lifetime value after I spend all that money to get my first new to brand customer? That's where it gets really fun on the advertising side.” - Joe Shelerud Tweet this
Post by Andrew Youderian
Founder and Chief Instigator, eComFuel
Andrew quit an early finance job to sell CB radios online — an admittedly unorthodox career path. It set him on a course to found and sell multiple businesses, host a decade-running podcast, lecture at Harvard Business School and create eComFuel, the leading community for 7- and 8-figure online business owners. Andrew is fascinated with branding, AI, building community, investing and growing meaningful businesses that don't require sacrificing what truly matters.
