The ‘Set and Forget’ Ad Myth That’s Costing You Sales
You know that feeling when you throw money at Facebook or Instagram ads, cross your fingers, and hope for the best?
Yeah. We’ve all been there.
“Set and forget” doesn’t work. And if you’ve tried running social media ads and ended up with crickets instead of clients, it’s not because ads don’t work.
It’s because social media platforms will gladly take your money—even if your ads are completely broken.
The good news? There’s a formula that works. Ads don’t have to feel like an expensive guessing game. When you have the right checklist in place, you’ll get leads and sales—without burning through your budget.
Let’s fix this. Here’s your no-BS checklist for running high-converting social media ads, whether you’re on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Step 1: Start With the Right Goal (Because ‘More Clients’ Isn’t a Strategy)
Let’s be real—most business owners jump into ads without a clear goal.
If you want to actually get results, you need to decide:
- Do you want leads? (Email sign-ups, booked calls, webinar registrations?)
- Do you want sales? (People buying directly from the ad?)
- Do you want brand awareness? (More people seeing your business?)
Each goal requires a different ad strategy.
🔥 If you’re a service-based business, the best goal to start with is lead generation. It’s easier to turn a lead into a paying client than to convince a cold audience to buy immediately.
Step 2: Know EXACTLY Who You’re Targeting (Hint: It’s Not ‘Everyone’)
One of the biggest mistakes I see? Running ads without a clear audience in mind.
Facebook and Instagram reward specificity. If your targeting is too broad, your budget gets wasted on people who will never buy.
Think about your dream client and ask:
✔️ Who are they? (Age, gender, job title, income level)
✔️ What’s their biggest frustration? (The thing that keeps them up at night)
✔️ Where do they hang out? (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest?)
💡 Example: Instead of targeting “female entrepreneurs”, try “women coaches earning £5K-£20K/month who struggle with lead generation.”
More clarity = better targeting = lower ad costs.
Step 3: Create a Scroll-Stopping Ad (Because ‘Book a Call’ Isn’t Enough)
Most ads fail because they blend in instead of standing out.
Your audience is not on social media to buy—they’re scrolling, watching cat videos, and avoiding work. If you want them to pay attention, your ad needs to:
✅ 1. Grab attention in 3 seconds
- Bad: “Hey, we run ads for business owners.”
- Better: “Struggling to get leads from social media? Here’s why your ads aren’t working (and how to fix them).”
✅ 2. Speak to their biggest pain point
Your audience doesn’t care about your service. They care about their problem.
- “You’re amazing at what you do—but your ads aren’t bringing in leads. Let’s fix that.”
✅ 3. Have a strong call-to-action (CTA)
- “Download your free guide” (instead of just “Learn More”)
- “Book your free strategy call” (instead of “Contact Us”)
🔥 Pro Tip: Your ad should feel like a helpful post, not an ad. Use real-life images, client wins, or behind-the-scenes content instead of cheesy stock photos.
Step 4: Don’t Send Traffic to Your Homepage (Your Landing Page Needs to Convert!)
This is a big one.
🚫 Your homepage is NOT a landing page. If you’re sending ad traffic to your homepage, you’re losing sales.
Your landing page needs to be focused on one thing—getting people to take action.
Here’s what works:
✔️ A clear offer (freebie, webinar, or free call)
✔️ A strong headline that speaks to their pain point
✔️ Testimonials or proof (because people trust people)
✔️ A simple opt-in form (just name + email—keep it easy)
No distractions. No extra links. Just one goal.
💡 Pro Tip: Your landing page should convert at least 25% of visitors. If it’s lower, tweak your messaging or simplify the page.
Step 5: Track Your Ads (Because What Gets Measured, Gets Improved)
Even the best ad needs tweaking—which means you need to track your numbers.
Here’s what matters:
📌 Click-Through Rate (CTR): If your ad’s CTR is below 1%, your creative or messaging isn’t landing.
📌 Cost-Per-Lead (CPL): If your CPL is too high, your targeting might be off.
📌 Conversion Rate: If people click but don’t opt in, your landing page needs work.
🔥 Pro Tip: Run at least 3-5 ad variations to test different headlines, images, and copy. The best-performing version gets more budget.
