1. Start by listening
Comments, reviews, Reddit threads, and social conversations around the product, especially for competitors, are a goldmine.
→ Real objections people have before buying
→ Words customers actually use (not marketing language)
→ Repeated doubts, anxieties, and expectations
→ Hooks and phrases worth turning into ads
If the message doesn’t sound like something a customer would say, don’t use it.
2. Understand how people think, how the message should show up
→ Founder-led ads when trust is the biggest blocker
→ UGC or testimonials when proof matters more than polish
→ Stat or claim-led ads when awareness is already high
→ “Us vs them” angles when differentiation isn’t clear
→ Educational or myth-busting content when confusion kills conversion
Format isn’t about trends.
It’s about matching the message to the mindset.
3. Strategy only works if it’s easy to execute.
→ Clear message hierarchy
→ Repeatable layouts that can scale
→ Creatives that can be iterated without redesigning everything
The goal isn’t one good ad, it’s making the next one easier to improve.
4. Metrics help me understand what to push further and what to drop.
→ Double down on winning language
→ Strengthen weak objections with better proof
→ Change formats when creatives fatigue, not messages randomly
Numbers guide decisions, but they don’t replace thinking.