Drafting Social Media Ads

Ads that sell aren’t born, they’re built. Here’s how top copywriters do it. 💡 Great copywriting isn’t luck—it’s structure. Here are 7 timeless copywriting formulas to transform your ads into conversion machines: 1️⃣ AIDA: Attention → Interest → Desire → Action 🔑 Start strong to grab attention, build curiosity, create emotional desire, and finish with a compelling call-to-action (CTA). 💬 Example: "Struggling with slow mornings? Our coffee gives you 20 minutes back each day. That’s time for your kids, your workout, or just you. Start your day smarter—try it today!" 2️⃣ PAS: Problem → Agitation → Solution 🔑 Spotlight your customer’s pain point, intensify the discomfort, then swoop in with your solution. 💬 Example: "Can’t sleep through the night? Tossing and turning drains your energy and focus. Our mattress is clinically proven to help you sleep better—starting tonight." 3️⃣ 4Cs: Clear → Concise → Compelling → Credible 🔑 Deliver a simple, emotionally engaging, and evidence-backed message. 💬 Example: "Fast delivery. Free next-day shipping. Shop today, get it tomorrow. Rated 5 stars by 1M+ happy customers." 4️⃣ FAB: Features → Advantages → Benefits 🔑 Show what your product does, why it’s superior, and how it changes your customer’s life. 💬 Example: "Noise-canceling headphones → Blocks 95% of background noise → Enjoy focus like never before, even in the busiest spaces." 5️⃣ Before-After-Bridge 🔑 Paint the "before" struggle, highlight the "after" transformation, and position your product as the bridge to success. 💬 Example: "Before: Hours wasted planning social media content. After: Daily posts driving consistent engagement and leads. Bridge: With our AI-powered scheduler, posting is stress-free." 6️⃣ Problem-Solution Formula 🔑 Keep it ultra-simple—present the problem, then solve it. 💬 Example: "Finding healthy snacks is hard. Our organic snack box delivers guilt-free treats right to your door." 7️⃣ The “So What?” Test 🔑 Answer "Why does this matter?" until your copy resonates deeply with your audience. 💬 Example: "Feature: Waterproof jacket. So what? You stay dry. So what? You can enjoy every outdoor adventure without worry." Don’t just write ads. Create impact. Start using these formulas today. 🚀 Take Action Now: 1️⃣ Save this post to master these frameworks whenever you need. 2️⃣ Share it with your team to elevate your marketing game together. 3️⃣ Follow Tom Wanek for more strategies that turn words into results.

OpenAI just added some killer upgrades for image creation in ChatGPT that every marketing team should be using. I've scaled text-based content and marketing programs globally. But adding in the rich visual layer has consistently been a bottleneck. The new visual capabilities in ChatGPT aren't perfect yet by any means but it's wild to think how this will accelerate teams if they embrace it.  Here are some prompts marketing teams should play around with and drop a comment with some use cases you're seeing 👉 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲  Prompt Template: “Create an image of [subject] in a [style], with [mood/lighting], [composition details], and [color scheme].” • Use references: “in the style of Van Gogh / Wes Anderson / Pixar / brutalist architecture”   • Specify camera angles: “top-down,” “close-up,” “cinematic wide shot” • Add atmosphere: “rainy,” “golden hour,” “foggy,” “neon glow” • Mention era/tech level: “retro-futuristic,” “Victorian steampunk,” “cyberpunk 2077 style” 👉 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗹 (𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 / 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻) Prompt Template: “Design a [#-slide] Instagram carousel on the topic of [educational content title]. Use a [design style] with [color palette], [font vibe], and simple illustrations or icons. Include bold headlines, space for short text, and a clear CTA on the final slide.” Example Customization: “Design a 5-slide Instagram carousel on the topic of ‘How to Stop Overthinking.’ Use a modern, minimal style with muted pastels, rounded sans-serif fonts, and soft line icons.” Follow-up tweak: “Now show me a variation optimized for dark mode.” 👉 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰 (𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 / 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 / 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻) Prompt Template: “Create a social media ad image for a product called [product name]. Emphasize [value prop or result] using a [style: luxury / techy / natural] aesthetic, product mockup, and contextual background. Include optional taglines and clean CTA button.” Example: “Create a social ad for ‘GlowUp Serum’ with a clean luxury look, glowing skin, citrus slices, and minimal text saying ‘Brighter skin in 7 days.’” Follow-up tweak: “Generate 3 visual variations for testing different audiences (e.g., Gen Z, moms, professionals).” 👉 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗹 (𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 / 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽) Prompt Template: “Create a [#-slide] LinkedIn carousel that visually supports the story: [hook or title]. Use a [tone: professional / honest / bold] aesthetic, bold slide headers, clean layouts, and minimalist icons or graphs to support the message.” Example: “Create a 6-slide LinkedIn carousel for the story: ‘Why We Killed Our Flagship Product.’ Use bold, clean visuals in navy and white with clear headlines and timeline graphics.” Follow-up tweak: “Suggest a graph style that shows traction drop-off on slide 3.”

Here's my 8-step process for creating ads after spending $5M+ on ads for B2B SaaS companies: 1. Shortlist Angle ideas Decide what you want to promote - testimonials, product ads, before/after, etc. 2. Propose angle ideas with visual examples and ad copy. Propose an ad copy and visualize the angle with examples. 3. Share brief with the designer (leverage loom to communicate) Brief your design on the ideas, and explain your ideas. 4. Provide feedback on the design proposals before moving to all designs. After you get the drafts, provide feedback and confirm before the next step. 5. Produce the rest of the ad designs and ad follow-up feedback and comments. Make sure it is aligned with the ad platform and format. Review copy. 6. Add design variants to folders and link to the ad copy template. Organize your ads to make sure you can tap into them easily. 7. Propose LinkedIn post ad copy for all designs. Based on the design variants, craft the copy for LinkedIn ads. Use the best practices. 8. Start A/B testing versions and messaging. You have a backlog of different variants. Start testing what resonates with the audience. And that’s it. Take the learnings and winning variants. Then, you repeat the process. PS: It’s important to have prior research to ideate the topics easily. #b2bsaas #paidads #googleads #linkedinads #demandgen Are you a marketer in B2B SaaS spending around $15k+/month and need help with Paid Ads? 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗗𝗠, and let's chat about how we can grow your pipeline.

I just spent less than an hour acting as Creative Director for a client (and I'm a PPC guy!) Here's the process I used to go from zero to 10 fully-developed ad concepts with copy + image briefs: Step 1: Deep research on real pain points I used Gemini and ChatGPT's deep research features to pull insights from Reddit threads where the client's ICP talks about their actual problems. Not what we think they care about. What they're complaining about at 11pm on a Tuesday. Step 2: Segment the ICP into 2 groups We identified two distinct segments with different pain points and motivations. Each needed a different angle. Step 3: Generate 10 concepts with 5 messaging angles each I uploaded the research briefs into Claude, along with a best-practice guide I'd built in NotebookLLM on LinkedIn ad performance. Claude generated 10 concepts — 5 for each segment — with multiple messaging angles per concept. Step 4: Write the exact ad copy Not just "headline ideas." The actual LinkedIn ad copy, ready to launch: Text on image Headlines Primary text CTAs Step 5: Create image direction for Nano Banana I gave Claude the copy and had it generate detailed creative briefs for each ad. Then fed those into Nano Banana (AI image tool) to generate the visuals. Step 6: Package everything in one doc The client received: 10 ad concepts 50 messaging angles Exact copy for every LinkedIn ad unit Image briefs with references All organized, ready to review and approve. Total time: Less than 1 hour. Output: A full creative sprint that would normally take days with a traditional agency. Deep research → AI-assisted ideation → structured execution → fast delivery. No fluff. No endless revision cycles. Just ready-to-run creative backed by real customer insight.

Did you know the average person sees 1,700 internet ads per month? But how many do you actually remember?  Our brains filter out excess noise - only a tiny fraction of ads get seen, read and engaged with. So how do you run successful ad campaigns? By writing great ads using this 5-step framework: 1) The hook - First 125 characters to grab attention  - Example: "Where 90% of your distractions really come from? Hint, it's not Netflix or notifications." 2) The body copy - Present a solution, create connection - Length varies based on customer awareness level - Examples shown for different awareness levels 3) The stinger - Last few sentences driving home the CTA - Example: "Click here to register for the free training." 4) The creative  - The ad image/video - If adding text, keep it short but powerful 5) The title & description - Should say different things  - Communicate offer, benefits, incentives Making your ads stand out is crucial when people see 1,700 per month but hardly remember any. Use this proven 5-step framework as your guide. Let me know if you need any other tips for writing amazing ads that capture attention and get results! #digitalmarketingtips #advertisingstrategy #adwritingtips

This framework makes new ad concepts easier AND more effective.👇 The essence? Harness the power of your customers' own words. Here’s our step-by-step framework for turning 5-star reviews into high-converting ad concepts 👇 1️⃣ Gather & Organize Reviews ↳ Start by exporting all 5-star customer reviews and testimonials. These reviews are a mountain of insights because they highlight what customers love most about your product. If the number of reviews is limited, include 4-star reviews. ↳ Organize these reviews into a spreadsheet. Remove any duplicates to ensure clean, accurate data. 2️⃣ Generate a Word Cloud for Key Insights ↳ Input the reviews into a word cloud generator to visually represent the frequency of words & phrases used. The most prominent words are the ones that resonate most with your customers - these are your key selling points. ⇢ Example: If you’re working with a health supplement brand, you might notice “cut cravings” or “no more hunger” stand out. These terms are the exact benefits that customers saw, and they should be central to your ad. 3️⃣ Craft Ad Concepts and Headlines ↳ Use the words and phrases from the word cloud to brainstorm new ad concepts and headlines. Align your creative direction with what customers are already raving about to ensure your ads resonate deeply with similar people. ↳ Start by crafting headlines that incorporate these key phrases and then develop ad visuals that align, or brainstorm visual concepts first and then match them with compelling headlines. 4️⃣ Analyze Negative Reviews for Pitfalls ↳ While positive reviews guide what to emphasize, negative reviews -especially 1-star reviews - highlight what to avoid. Collect these reviews and analyze them to identify common complaints. ⇢ Example: If multiple 1-star reviews mention allergic reactions to your “allergen-free” product, avoid making such claims in your ads until the issue is resolved. This step is crucial for ensuring your ads don’t inadvertently highlight areas where your product may fall short. 5️⃣ Integrate Psychological Frameworks ↳ This taps into the psychological principle of Social Proof. By using phrases from 5-star reviews, you’re leveraging real customer experiences to persuade potential buyers. ↳ This also taps into the Availability Heuristic, where people overestimate the importance of readily available information - in this case, glowing reviews. By highlighting the benefits most frequently mentioned in reviews, you make them top-of-mind for your audience. ⇢ Bonus: This further aligns the customer journey, because they'll notice the same words when THEY go through reviews, further backing your claim. This framework turns customer feedback into a strategic asset, making your ads both relevant and persuasive. Found this helpful? Like, follow, and repost ♻️ so others can too!

Creating good ad creative for B2B is hard. A lot of B2B campaigns perform badly, simply because the ads are $h*tty. We ran ads for 200+ B2B companies. Here are our 5 biggest learnings to create high-performing B2B ads: (some might be opposite to what you believe is true) 1. Don't make your ad look like an ad. People don’t want to see ads on social media. So if your ads don’t look like ads, you have a better chance of grabbing your prospect's attention. 2. Start with the problem of your prospect. If you start with your solution, your prospect is less likely to want to listen. 3. A good ad - contrary to popular belief - doesn’t need a forced call to action (CTA). I’ve heard way too often that an ad always needs a CTA. No, it doesn't. Don't ask people to click, download, or buy. Your ad should instead create an understanding of your solution, trust, and top-of-mindness. 4. Your ad has to be clear and easy to understand. People’s brains are hardwired to consume as few calories as possible. Especially when people are on social media, they don’t want to think. So don’t try to push too much information, or make your message complex in any way. 5. Use humor. For some reason, people believe that B2B marketing cannot be funny. Nonsense. People on social media either want to laugh or to learn. So making your ad funny is a great way to capture attention. Now. Take a critical look at your ads before you keep running your campaigns to avoid burning cash.

We’ve found a way to hand scripts to AI without getting deliverables that sound like a robot. We use these 2 templates to turn one script direction into multiple creative variations for our clients. TEMPLATE 1: STRICT HANDOFF We start by giving very specific directions for the script: persona, false beliefs, emotional agitation, key mechanisms, and the exact script structure. Then we use an AI prompt to write the script based on those constraints, generate multiple variations, and finally make human-led tweaks and refinements. PROMPT: You are a direct response copywriter for paid social ads. I will provide you with strict strategic direction for the script, including: – Target persona – Core pain points and false beliefs – Emotional agitation points – Key mechanisms and claims – Exact script structure and flow Using these constraints, write the full script for a paid social video. Then generate 4 total versions of the script, keeping the same core message, strategy, and talking points while varying tone, pacing, or structure. Do not introduce new angles, claims, or messaging outside of the provided direction. Optimize purely for clarity, persuasion, and performance. Here is the first 60% of the script: [PASTE SCRIPT HERE] Here are the bullet points for the second half: [PASTE BULLET POINTS HERE] The video should be approximately [LENGTH] seconds long. TEMPLATE 2: LOOSE HANDOFF I provide AI only the strategic context on angle, core motivator, persona insight, and a few hook examples. From there, I use these AI prompts to write a full script that aligns with the creative direction: PROMPT 1: You are a direct response copywriter for paid social ads. I'm going to give you the strategic context for a script. Write a full script based on this context. Angle: [INSERT] Core motivator: [INSERT] Persona insight (how this person thinks/feels): [INSERT] Hook examples: [INSERT] Video length: ~60 seconds After the product introduction, the second half of the video must cover: [INSERT TOPICS] PROMPT 2: Now take that script and create 3 additional variations. Each should take a different approach. Vary the hook style, shift the emotional tone, or restructure the pacing while keeping the same angle, motivator, and required topics. With our internal AI bots, both of these templates give pretty solid scripts for our creatives. That said, the research and angle prioritization are still something we handle before using these templates.

More than 90% of brands don’t have a robust creative process in place Leaving significant revenue opportunities untapped. Here is my proven ad creative process that brands need to follow to excel in paid social: Step 1: Research Research lays the groundwork for creating high-converting ads. Begin by analyzing historical performance data, conducting competitor research, and gathering customer feedback and reviews. Organize these insights around your customers' pain points to craft compelling messaging. Step 2: Brief Craft a comprehensive brief that outlines all elements of the ad creative request, including visual examples, ad copy, aspect ratios, and audience targeting information. The more prescriptive you make the brief, the easier it will be for designers to bring your vision to life. Prioritize creative tasks based on performance metrics and scheduling. Step 3: Production and Editing Designers will execute the creative brief, developing designs and performing any necessary post-production edits. Step 4: QA Conduct a thorough quality check on the creative to ensure alignment with your brand and messaging. Make any necessary edits before launching. Step 5: Launch Content Launch the new ad creative on the designated social platform(s) and closely monitor performance metrics. Ensure adherence to naming conventions for effective performance analysis. Step 6: Analyze Performance Track and analyze performance metrics, focusing on KPIs such as spend amount, purchase amount, and cost per purchase. Evaluate creative-specific KPIs like video hook, video average play time, and click-through rate. Compare results against established benchmarks to draw insightful conclusions. Finally, loop back to the research step to incorporate learnings and continually optimize your ad creatives for success. — If you’re looking for help in ad creative development to maximize performance, please DM me.