Why Your Hooks are Killing your Ads

You don’t have a media buying problem.
You don’t have a budget problem.
You’ve got a hook problem.

If your ads are falling flat, it’s likely not your targeting or your funnel — it’s the first 3 seconds.

Why your hooks are killing your ads

Most marketers overthink copy. But the best performing ads don’t try to be clever — they grab attention fast and earn the scroll.

Here’s what a bad hook looks like:

❌ “Introducing our all-new [product name]...”
❌ “We believe in quality, sustainability, and innovation.”
❌ “Are you tired of [generic pain point]?”

These are safe. But safe doesn’t sell.

They sound like ads, and people scroll away from ads.

Copywriting Lesson: Steal the Netflix Effect

When you're writing hooks, think of your ad like the first 3 minutes of a Netflix pilot.

You need tension.
You need stakes.
You need to say something that feels unskippable.

Great hooks do one or more of the following:

• Start mid-conflict: “This founder lost $80K on TikTok ads — here’s what actually worked.”
  

• Make a bold claim: “This $49 product outsells Nike’s sneakers.”
  

• Build curiosity: “Most people miss the one line in their bio that 3x conversions.”

Fix Your Hooks Fast with This Framework

Here's a quick framework to test in your next ad:

Problem → Twist → Curiosity
🔁 “Most skincare routines suck. This one reversed 10 years of damage in 3 months.”

Specific → Unexpected → Proof
🔁 “We sold 20,497 units of this supplement with zero influencers. Here’s the landing page.”

Callout → Intrigue → Payoff
🔁 “If you're a new founder and running Facebook ads, this will save you $4,000.”

Write 10 hooks. Run 3. Scale 1.

Most people get this backwards: they spend hours writing the body copy and 2 minutes on the hook. Flip that.