Creating Ads That Work
Learn what makes people stop scrolling and click
Good advertising isn't about being clever or fancy. It's about showing the right message to the right people at the right time. This guide shares practical, proven strategies that work for small businesses - no marketing degree required!
Remember: Even big companies test and adjust their ads constantly. Don't expect perfection on your first try. Use these practices as your starting point, then improve based on what your audience responds to.
Writing Great Ad Copy
What you say in your ad matters more than you think. Here's how to write copy that works:
Lead With Benefits, Not Features
People don't care about what your product HAS - they care about what it DOES for them.
Bad: "Our mattress has 3 layers of memory foam"
Good: "Wake up without back pain - sleep better tonight"
Be Specific
Vague claims are forgettable. Specific details are believable and memorable.
Bad: "Amazing results!"
Good: "1,247 customers lost weight in 30 days"
Keep It Short
People are scrolling fast. Get to the point in the first 5-8 words.
Bad: "We're excited to announce that after months of development..."
Good: "New! Free shipping on all orders"
Always Include a Clear Call-to-Action
Tell people exactly what to do next. Don't make them guess.
Good CTAs:
- "Shop Now"
- "Get Your Free Quote"
- "Book Your Appointment"
- "Start Your Free Trial"
- "See How It Works"
Create Urgency (Honestly)
Give people a reason to act now, but don't use fake scarcity.
Good: "Sale ends Sunday" or "Limited to first 50 customers"
Bad: "Only 2 left!" (when it's not true)
Choosing Great Images & Videos
Your visual is the first thing people see. Here's how to make it stop the scroll:
Show Your Product Being Used
A photo of your product on a white background is boring. Show someone actually using it, wearing it, eating it, enjoying it. Help people imagine themselves with your product.
Use Real People, Not Stock Photos
People can spot fake stock photos instantly. Use real photos of your actual customers, products, or business. Authenticity beats polish. Your phone camera is good enough!
Video Can Beat Static Images (But Costs More)
Video ads typically get 2-3x more engagement than photos, BUT they also cost 20-50% more per view. Consider your budget:
Budget $15+/day: Video is worth trying for better engagement
Budget $5-10/day: Start with images to maximize reach, test video later
Easy video ideas if you want to try:
- 15-second demo of your product in action
- Customer using your product/service
- Quick before & after transformation
Why the cost difference? Video requires more data to load and people watch it longer, so platforms charge more per view. A $5/day video campaign might reach 300 people, while a $5/day image campaign reaches 500 people. Choose based on your budget and goals!
Bright & Clear Wins
Dark, blurry, or cluttered images get scrolled past. Use good lighting, keep the focus on one main subject, and make sure everything is sharp and clear. Natural daylight is your friend!
Images Are Perfectly Fine
Don't feel pressured to create video if you're not ready or on a tight budget. A great photo ad will outperform a mediocre video every time.
Many successful small businesses run profitable ads using only phone photos. Your content matters more than the format!
Show the Result, Not Just the Process
People buy outcomes. Show the finished meal, not just ingredients. Show the organized closet, not just the storage bins. Show the smile after teeth whitening, not just the product tube.
Targeting Your Audience Right
Showing your ad to the right people is just as important as the ad itself:
Think About Your Best Customers
Who already loves what you sell? What do they have in common?
Ask yourself:
- What age are most of your customers?
- Where do they live?
- What are their interests or hobbies?
- What problem does your product solve for them?
Start Narrow, Then Expand
It's better to start with very specific targeting and expand later if needed.
Good: "Women 25-45 in Portland interested in yoga and wellness"
Bad: "Everyone 18-65 in the United States"
Use Interest Targeting Wisely
Pick 3-5 relevant interests, not 20. More isn't better.
Example: Selling fitness equipment? Target: "Home workouts, Fitness and wellness, Weight training" - not also "Cooking, Travel, Photography"
Local Businesses: Use Radius Targeting
If people need to visit your location, target a specific radius. A restaurant shouldn't advertise to people 50 miles away. Start with 5-10 miles, then adjust based on results.
For Businesses Without Websites
You don't need a website to advertise! Many successful businesses operate entirely on social media. Here's how to make it work:
Optimize Your Profile First
Before running ads, make sure your profile is ready:
- Complete bio with what you sell and location
- Contact button or link in bio working
- Highlights showing your best products/services
- Recent posts showing what you offer
- Price information visible somewhere
Use Instagram/TikTok Shops
Set up Instagram Shopping or TikTok Shop so people can buy directly from your profile. This is as good as having a website! Tag products in posts and people can checkout without leaving the app.
Make DMs Easy
If you sell through DMs, make that clear in your ad! "DM us to order" or "Message for pricing" works great. Enable quick replies in Instagram/Facebook to respond faster to inquiries.
Link in Bio Tools
Use Linktree, Beacons, or similar tools to create a simple landing page with all your important links. This gives you one easy place to send people from ads.
Budget & Timing Tips
Give Campaigns Time to Learn
Run campaigns for at least 5-7 days before judging performance. The algorithm needs time to figure out who responds best to your ad. Don't cancel after one day!
Start Small, Scale What Works
Test with $10/day for a week. If it works, increase to $20/day. If it still works, go to $50/day. Scale up gradually, not all at once. Never bet your whole budget on an untested ad.
Real talk: Your first ad probably won't be perfect. That's okay! Start with a small budget to learn what works, then put more money behind the winners. This is how professionals do it.
Run Campaigns Longer for Better Results
A 14-day or 30-day campaign will perform better than a 3-day campaign at the same daily budget. The algorithm gets better at finding your audience the longer it runs.
Higher Budgets Get Better Results (Per Dollar)
$15/day often performs better per dollar than $5/day because the algorithm has more data to work with. If you can afford it, $10-15/day is the sweet spot for small businesses.
Why? Think of it like fishing: with $5/day you get 5 fishing lines in the water. With $15/day you get 15 lines. The algorithm learns faster which "fish" (people) respond best, so your results improve quicker and cost less per conversion.
Testing & Improving Your Ads
Great advertisers don't get it perfect the first time. They test, learn, and improve:
Test One Thing at a Time
Run an ad with Image A. Then create a new campaign with Image B but keep everything else the same. This way you know what made the difference.
Good things to test:
- Different images or videos
- Different headlines
- Different audiences
- Different call-to-actions
Keep What Works, Kill What Doesn't
If an ad gets below 2% CTR after 3-4 days, pause it. Try something new. If an ad gets 5%+ CTR, keep running it and consider increasing the budget. Don't throw money at underperforming ads hoping they'll improve.
Document What You Learn
Keep notes: "Video of product in use got 6% CTR. Stock photo got 2% CTR." Build your own playbook of what works for YOUR business. Every audience is different.
Refresh Ads Every 2-3 Weeks
Even great ads get stale. People see the same ad too many times and stop noticing it (ad fatigue). Create new versions with different images or copy every few weeks to keep performance strong.
Let Your Budget Guide Your Strategy
Different budgets need different approaches. Small budget? Focus on highly targeted audiences and use images. Bigger budget? You can experiment with video, broader targeting, and longer campaigns. There's no one-size-fits-all - optimize for YOUR situation.
Things to Watch Out For
Common advertising pitfalls to avoid
Making Too Many Claims
Don't try to say everything in one ad. Pick ONE benefit or ONE problem you solve. "Lose weight fast!" works better than "Lose weight, gain energy, sleep better, look younger, feel amazing!" - that's overwhelming.
Following "Best Practices" That Don't Fit Your Budget
You might read "always use video!" or "run 30-day campaigns!" But if you only have $50 total, a 7-day image campaign might be smarter. Don't copy strategies meant for businesses with $5,000 budgets. Adapt the advice to YOUR reality. A well-targeted $5/day image ad beats a poorly planned $15/day video ad.
Ignoring Mobile Users
80%+ of people will see your ad on their phone. Make sure text is readable on small screens, images look good on mobile, and your website or profile loads quickly. Test everything on your own phone first!
Making It Hard to Find What You Advertised
If your ad is about "20% off running shoes," send people directly to that product - not your homepage or main profile where they have to hunt. For Instagram/TikTok shops, link directly to the product. Make it easy to find what you advertised!
Not Checking Your Destination First
Before spending $100 on ads, make sure you're ready! If using a website: does checkout work? Are prices visible? If using Instagram/TikTok: is your shop set up? Is your link in bio working? Is your profile complete with contact info? Fix these first or you'll waste money sending people to an incomplete experience.
Pre-Launch Checklist
Check these items before launching your campaign