ecommerce-ppc-strategy-planner

What this skill does

# E-Commerce PPC Strategy Planner 📊

Plan your cross-platform advertising strategy: which platforms to use, how much to spend on each, and what campaigns to run. Generates actionable briefs for Google Ads, Meta Ads, and TikTok Ads — with ad copy and creative direction included.

## Installation

```bash
npx skills add nexscope-ai/eCommerce-Skills --skill ecommerce-ppc-strategy-planner -g
```

## Two Modes

| Mode | When to Use | Input | Output |
|------|-------------|-------|--------|
| **A — Build** | Starting ads for the first time | Product info + budget + margins | Platform recommendation + budget split + campaign briefs + ad copy |
| **B — Optimize** | Running ads but want better results | Per-platform ROAS/CPA data | Cross-platform audit + budget reallocation + optimization actions |

## Capabilities

- **ROAS financial framework**: Calculate break-even ROAS, target ROAS, and max CPA from product margins — the foundation for all platform decisions
- **Platform recommendation**: Match your product type to the right ad channels (search-intent → Google, visual/impulse → Meta, demo/novelty → TikTok)
- **Cross-platform budget allocation**: Split budget across channels based on expected ROAS and funnel stage
- **Google Ads brief**: Shopping, Search, and Performance Max campaign structures with keyword direction
- **Meta Ads brief**: Audience targeting, ad set structure, and creative hooks for Facebook + Instagram
- **TikTok Ads brief**: Video hook concepts, Spark Ads strategy, and audience targeting
- **Ad copy generation**: Headlines, descriptions, and CTAs for each platform
- **Creative brief**: Image/video specs, style direction, hook angles (not actual image/video creation)
- **Cross-platform audit**: Compare ROAS/CPA across channels and identify where to shift budget

## Usage Examples

### Mode A — Build New Strategy

```
I sell handmade candles on Shopify. Price $34, cost $8. Monthly ad budget $2,000. Help me plan which platforms to advertise on.
```

```
I'm launching a fitness resistance band set, $29.99, 60% margin. $5,000/month budget. Where should I advertise and how much on each platform?
```

```
I have a Shopify store selling pet accessories. Best sellers are dog bandanas ($15) and cat toys ($12). $1,000/month to start. What's my ad strategy?
```

### Mode B — Optimize Existing

```
Running Google Shopping (ROAS 3.2x, $3,000/mo) and Facebook ($1,800/mo, ROAS 1.4x). Margin is 45%. Should I shift budget?
```

```
My TikTok ads get tons of views but barely convert. Google Shopping is profitable. Total budget $4,000/month. Help me optimize.
```

---

## How This Skill Collects Information

**Step 1: Extract from the prompt.** Parse product type, price, margins, budget, platforms mentioned, ROAS data, store type.

**Step 2: Identify gaps.** Compare against what's needed:

Mode A critical info:
| Info | Why It's Needed |
|------|----------------|
| Product price + cost/margin | Calculate break-even ROAS and Max CPA |
| Monthly ad budget | Allocate across platforms |
| **Buyer behavior type** | Determines which platform is primary (see below) |
| Existing website traffic / email list | Determines if retargeting is viable |

Mode B critical info:
| Info | Why It's Needed |
|------|----------------|
| Per-platform spend + ROAS/CPA | Audit each platform's performance |
| Profit margin | Calculate break-even ROAS |
| Campaign duration | New campaigns need 2-4 weeks before optimization |

**Step 3: One follow-up.** Ask only for missing critical items. Always include the buyer behavior question for Mode A:

```
Mode A example:
"Nice — handmade candles at $34 with $2,000/month budget. To plan your 
strategy, I need a few things:

  1. Your product cost per unit (to calculate break-even ROAS)
  2. How do customers typically find products like yours?
     a) They search for it (e.g., 'soy candles') — they know what they want
     b) They discover it visually — they see it and want it (lifestyle, fashion, decor)
     c) They need to see it in action — demo/video is what sells it
     d) Not sure — I'll analyze and recommend
  3. Do you have existing website traffic or an email list?
     (This affects whether retargeting is viable from day one)"

Mode B example:
"Got it — Google and Facebook running. To audit properly:
  1. Your product margin (or cost + price, I'll calculate)
  2. How long have these campaigns been running? (New campaigns 
     need 2-4 weeks before optimization)"
```

The buyer behavior answer directly determines platform selection:
- **a) Search** → Google Shopping / Search is primary
- **b) Visual** → Meta Ads (Facebook / Instagram) is primary
- **c) Demo** → TikTok Ads is primary
- **d) Not sure** → Infer from product type, mark as ⚠️ estimated

**Step 4: Use estimates when stuck.** Don't block on missing data — use category benchmarks, but:
- **Mark every estimate clearly** in the output with ⚠️ (e.g., "⚠️ Estimated: conversion rate 2.5% based on home decor category average")
- **Explain what better data would change** (e.g., "If you can share your actual Shopify conversion rate, I can recalculate the ROAS target and budget split more accurately")
- **List what to provide next time** at the end of the report for more precise results

---

## Key Concepts

### ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
The universal metric across all platforms. ROAS = Revenue ÷ Ad Spend. A 4:1 ROAS means $4 revenue for every $1 spent.

### Break-even ROAS
The minimum ROAS needed to not lose money: **Break-even ROAS = 1 ÷ Profit Margin**

| Profit Margin | Break-even ROAS | Meaning |
|:-------------:|:---------------:|---------|
| 25% | 4.0x | Need $4 revenue per $1 ad spend just to break even |
| 33% | 3.0x | |
| 50% | 2.0x | |
| 60% | 1.67x | |
| 75% | 1.33x | Higher margin = more room for ad spend |

### Target ROAS
Break-even ROAS + profit buffer. Typically 1.5-2x the break-even ROAS for sustainable growth.

### Platform ROAS Benchmarks (2025-2026)

| Platform | Average ROAS | Top Quartile | Best For |
|----------|:-----------:|:------------:|----------|
| Google Ads (Shopping) | 4.5x | 6x+ | High-intent buyers (they're already searching) |
| Meta Ads (FB/IG) | 2.2x | 4-5x | Visual products, impulse buys, retargeting (3.6x) |
| TikTok Ads | 1.4x | 2x+ | Product discovery, demo-driven, younger audiences |

Industry-wide ecommerce average: 2.87x

### Max CPA (Cost per Acquisition)
Maximum you can pay to acquire one customer: **Max CPA = Average Order Value × Profit Margin**. Example: $34 product × 50% margin = $17 max CPA.

---

## Mode A Workflow — Build Strategy

### Step A1: Collect Product Info

| Detail | How to Get It | Critical? |
|--------|--------------|:---------:|
| Product type and description | From user's prompt | ✅ Yes |
| Selling price (or AOV) | Ask or infer | ✅ Yes |
| Product cost / profit margin | Must ask user | ✅ Yes |
| Monthly ad budget | Must ask user | ✅ Yes |
| Buyer behavior type | Asked in follow-up (see "How This Skill Collects Information") | ✅ Yes |
| Store platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.) | Ask or infer | Helpful |
| Existing website traffic / email list | Asked in follow-up | Helpful |
| Target market / geography | Ask or infer | Helpful |

### Step A2: Calculate ROAS Framework

```
📊 CROSS-PLATFORM FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK

Product Price (AOV):     $34.00
Product Cost:            $8.00
Profit Margin:           76.5%

Break-even ROAS:         1.31x ($1 ad spend must generate $1.31 revenue)
Target ROAS:             2.5x (maintains ~36% profit after ads)
Max CPA:                 $26.01 (max cost to acquire one sale)

Monthly Ad Budget:       $2,000
At Target ROAS (2.5x):   $5,000 expected monthly ad revenue
At Break-even (1.31x):   $2,620 minimum monthly ad revenue
```

### Step A3: Recommend Platform Mix

Match the product to the right platforms based on product characteristics:

| Product Type | Primary Platform | Secondary | Why |
|-------------|-----------------|-----------|-----|
| Commodities (people search for them) | G