Ecomm Breakthrough Amazon Keyword Optimization is DEAD (The New Way to Rank on Amazon) with Jon Tilley
Today’s guest is someone who’s on the cutting edge of Amazon growth strategy and tech innovation. I’m thrilled to welcome Jonathan “Jon” Tilley, the CEO and Co-Founder of ZonGuru—a powerful, AI-powered software suite built by Amazon sellers for Amazon sellers.
With over a decade of experience in branding, digital strategy, and now SaaS leadership, Jon has helped thousands of serious sellers optimize their listings, scale profitably, and build businesses that last. Under his leadership, ZonGuru has grown into a globally trusted toolset, known for being Amazon Rufus-optimized, data-driven, and designed to boost revenue and conversion.
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> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn….
- Evolving landscape of e-commerce, particularly on Amazon.
- Impact of AI-driven algorithms and search engines on product discovery.
- Importance of adapting product listings to align with intelligent algorithms.
- Shift from keyword-stuffed listings to emotionally connected, brand-focused presentations.
- Need for sellers to understand their target audience and customer intent.
- Use of structured data formats and schema for optimizing product listings.
- Rise of conversational commerce and AI chat interfaces like Amazon's Rufus.
- Importance of emotional connection and storytelling in product descriptions.
- Strategies for leveraging AI tools to gain customer insights and improve visibility.
- Necessity of maintaining authenticity and human creativity in content creation.
In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley interviews Jon Tilley, CEO of ZonGuru. They discuss how AI-driven search engines like Amazon’s Rufus are transforming e-commerce. Jon explains the importance of structuring product listings with new schema standards and focusing on brand storytelling to connect emotionally with customers. The conversation covers optimizing for AI algorithms, leveraging social platforms for visibility, and preparing for conversational commerce. Jon also shares practical tips and tools for sellers to future-proof their businesses in an AI-powered marketplace, emphasizing adaptability, authenticity, and deep customer understanding.
Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:
- Optimize Listings for AI Discovery – Structure your Amazon listings with semantic data and schema markup so AI-driven search engines like Rufus can better understand and recommend your products.
- Build Emotion-Driven Brand Content – Focus your product pages on storytelling and emotional resonance, not just keywords. Use real customer insights to craft authentic, benefit-led messaging.
- Adopt and Experiment with Emerging AI Tools Early – Stay ahead of competitors by testing new AI platforms for product discovery, data insights, and content optimization as soon as they launch.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Josh Hadley on LinkedIn
- eComm Breakthrough Consulting
- eComm Breakthrough Podcast
- Email Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.com
- Rufus
- ChatGPT
- Perplexity
- Cosmo
- Amazon A9
- Raycast
- Wikipedia
- YouTube
- TikTok
- ZonGuru
- Poppi Soda
- Simple Modern
- Alex Hormozi
- 10x Is Easier Than 2X by Benjamin Hardy
- Science of Scaling by Benjamin Hardy
Special Mention(s):
Related Episode(s):
- “Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist’s Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast
- “Kevin King’s Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast
- “Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast
Episode Sponsor
Sponsor for this episode...
This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures.
I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.
I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.
If you’ve hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that’s Ecomm with two M’s) to learn more.
Transcript Area
Jon Tilley 00:00:00 At the very heart of that. I think it's truly understanding how to technically structure your listings for these new intelligent algorithms. And there is a very specific schema that you should be applying to your listings, whether it's on Amazon or whether it's on Shopify or where else you are. you know that schema? The good thing about it is it is evolving around what that schema looks like and what influences that those algorithms. But, there is a lot of similarities in terms of the schema across the different platforms. So that I would say is is number one.
MC 00:00:38 Welcome to the Econ Breakthrough podcast. Are you ready to unlock the full potential and growth in your business? You've already crossed seven figures in sales, but the challenge is knowing how to take your business to the next level.
Josh Hadley 00:00:52 Do you want to know what the future holds for the future of e-commerce and agent ecommerce? Or do you want to know how to stay ranked and relevant on Amazon as SEO dies and AI engine optim...