Paid Ad Copy

Paid Ad Copy

When to Use

Use this skill when the user explicitly needs copy for paid advertising placements -- messages that appear in exchange for money spent on a platform. Specific trigger scenarios:

• User asks to write, draft, create, or improve ad copy for a paid campaign on any platform (Google, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, Microsoft/Bing, Pinterest, X/Twitter, YouTube)
• User wants Google Search or Performance Max ad headlines and descriptions and needs copy that fits Google's Responsive Search Ad (RSA) format or legacy Expanded Text Ad (ETA) format
• User needs social media ad copy for a paid placement -- sponsored posts, carousel ads, story ads, or collection ads -- as distinct from organic posts
• User wants to run A/B or multivariate copy tests and needs structured variants with different messaging angles
• User asks to refresh underperforming ad creative and wants new copy angles to test against a control
• User is launching a new product or promotion and needs copy for multiple paid channels simultaneously
• User needs copy for retargeting sequences, where messaging must acknowledge prior user behavior (site visit, cart abandonment, video view)

Do NOT use when:

• User needs organic social media content, captions, or post strategies -- use social-media-strategy instead
• User needs full landing page copy, hero text, or page body copy -- use landing-page-copy instead
• User needs email subject lines, body copy, or nurture sequences -- use email-campaign instead
• User needs SEO meta titles and descriptions for organic search -- use seo-metadata instead
• User needs long-form content like blog posts, white papers, or guides -- use content-writing instead
• User needs product description copy for an e-commerce listing page -- use product-description instead
• User needs a complete brand messaging guide or tagline strategy -- use brand-messaging instead

Process

Step 1: Gather Mandatory Inputs Before Writing a Single Word

Never attempt to write ad copy without these inputs. If any are missing, ask directly.

• Product or service: What exactly is being sold? Get the full name, core features, and the single most differentiating capability. Vague inputs like "our software" produce vague copy.
• Target audience: Ask for demographics (age range, job title, income level if relevant), psychographics (what they want, what they fear), and behavioral context (are they actively searching, or are they being interrupted while scrolling?). Active searchers respond to direct benefit messaging; passive scrollers need a pattern interrupt.
• Platform(s): Each platform has its own character limits, ad unit structures, creative formats, and audience mindset. Confirm every platform in scope.
• Campaign objective: Distinguish between awareness (maximize reach/impressions), consideration (clicks, video views, engagement), and conversion (purchases, leads, installs, signups). This determines how aggressive the CTA should be and how much time can be spent building up desire vs. driving immediate action.
• Key offer: Specific price point, discount percentage, free trial length, or guarantee. "Good value" is not an offer. "$9/month, first 30 days free" is an offer.
• Unique selling proposition (USP): What one thing does this product do better than alternatives? If the user cannot articulate this, help them identify it before writing. Ask: "If a competitor ran your ad, which line would feel like a lie?"
• Competitor context: What are the top 2-3 competitors? What claims do they make? Knowing this prevents writing copy that sounds identical to everyone in the market.
• Destination: Where does the ad click go? Copy must be consistent with the landing page. A mismatch between ad promise and landing page content destroys Quality Score on Google and tanks conversion rates everywhere.
• Tone constraints: Professional (LinkedIn B2B), casual (Instagram DTC), urgent (flash sale), empathetic (healthcare), bold (performance apparel). Ask if the brand has a style guide.