Why Most Ads Fail and How to Fix Them

If you’re trying to get more leads from your ads but feel like they’re falling flat, this post will save you time and money.

I remember the first time I tried to write an ad. I had just started diving into marketing seriously. I was watching the best in the game, studying what made their ads work, and taking notes like my life depended on it.

But when it came time to write something real for a small local business… I froze.

Blank screen. Cursor blinking. No idea what to say.

I thought I was prepared, but I quickly realized that knowing what others are doing isn’t the same as knowing what you should do.

The Hidden Reason Most Ads Don’t Work

When I started digging deeper, I ran into a problem: conflicting advice everywhere.

• “Use emotional storytelling!”
• “Be direct and make a bold offer.”
• “Focus on branding!”
• “Branding is useless, focus on response.”

Eventually, I did what a lot of people do: I copied what I saw others doing, made a few tweaks, and hoped it worked.

But here’s the thing… even if the ad looked decent, I had no way of knowing if it actually worked. No clear offer. No call to action. No way to track the result.

And when I asked, “How did that ad do?” I heard what a lot of business owners hear:

“Oh, it’s not really about direct response. It’s more for brand awareness.”

That’s the moment I realized something was broken.

Marketing Should Be Measurable

Imagine spending money on anything else—software, equipment, even lunch—and not caring what you get in return.

Sounds crazy, right?

But that’s how most people treat marketing. They throw money into ads and hope something good happens. But hope is not a strategy.

I made a commitment early on: every dollar I spend on marketing should be tied to a result.

That doesn’t mean branding is bad, it just means if we’re spending money, we need to track what happens after.

The One Rule That Changed Everything

There’s a principle I started applying to everything I do. You might’ve heard it:

“What gets measured, improves.”

This is the foundation of results-driven marketing.

If you want to improve your ads, start by making them measurable. That means:

• Add a specific call to action
• Tell people what to do next (call, click, fill out a form)
• Track what happens
• Adjust based on what you learn

One of the first things I set up for any campaign—whether for myself or a client—is this:

Every ad needs a measurable goal.

That one rule changes everything. Suddenly you’re not guessing. You’re improving.

If you want to know how we would do this for your med spa, get in touch with us today.