Let’s be real: creative is king. In a world where data privacy is tightening and media buying is less effective, nailing your ad creative strategy is what separates winners from, well, wannabes.
But here’s the catch: so many brands (and even agencies) are doing it wrong. Like, really wrong. If you’re guilty of one or all of these six red flags, it’s time to rethink your approach. Ready to dig in?
🚩 1. Studying Ads Only in Your Industry
“Oh, but my competitors are doing it this way.” STOP. Right there.
If you’re only looking at ads in your niche, you’re copying a copy of a copy. The result? A watered-down version of what someone else did last year. Inspiration comes from unexpected places. Go study direct-to-consumer brands, tech startups, or even random TikTok trends. That’s where the magic lives.
🚩 2. Making Marginal Iterations
Change the button color. Swap one word in the headline. Call it “A/B testing.”
Nope. That’s not creative strategy. Marginal tweaks will get you marginal results. Bold moves win. Test completely different angles, messages, and visuals. Be a little daring. (Okay, a lot daring.)
🚩 3. Obsessing Over CTR and Hook Rates
Yes, numbers matter. But they don’t tell the whole story.
A high CTR doesn’t always mean you’ve got a winning ad. Hook rates? Cool, but what happens after the hook? If your ad gets a million clicks but doesn’t convert, congrats—you just paid for traffic that didn’t care. Focus on meaningful engagement and revenue. That’s the real gold.
🚩 4. Identifying Competitors’ Winners by Ad Duration
“If their ad ran for 60 days, it must be a winner.”
Not necessarily. It could mean they forgot to turn it off. (It happens.) Instead, look deeper. What’s the creative angle? Who’s the audience? What’s the offer? Duration alone doesn’t tell you why an ad worked. Context is key.
🚩 5. Saying Your Audience Is ‘Women Over 35’
This one’s a doozy.
“Women over 35” is not an audience. It’s a demographic. Who are they? Moms struggling with time management? Entrepreneurs looking to scale? Millennials nostalgic for 2000s pop culture? Get specific. Your creative won’t land if it’s aiming at everyone and hitting no one.
🚩 6. Prioritizing Visuals Over the Message
Pretty pictures are nice, but do they sell?
Your visuals should support the message, not overshadow it. Think of the ad as a conversation. If your visuals scream “look at me” but your copy is whispering “buy this,” you’ve lost the sale. Lead with the story; make the visuals enhance it.
Fixing These Red Flags: Where to Start
You’ve spotted the problems—now what? Here’s the deal: great creative strategy starts with understanding your audience and what makes them tick. Then it’s about taking risks, testing bold ideas, and learning from the results.
And remember, your ads don’t have to be perfect. They just need to resonate. Stop playing it safe. The brands that win are the ones that aren’t afraid to stand out.
Your Next Move?
Audit your ads. Right now. Seriously, pull them up. How many red flags do you see?
If it’s more than one, don’t panic. Just fix it. Take this as your sign to shake things up. Your audience deserves better, and so does your ROAS.
Our new AI Iteration Inspiration tool analyzes your ads and gives you a detailed breakdown, iteration recommendations, and even briefs you can forward to your creative team.
Now, go out there and crush it. 🚀
