Why Your Ads Aren’t Working (And No, It’s Not the Algorithm)

Let’s cut the crap: if your ads aren’t working, it’s probably not because "the algorithm is broken." It’s because your ads suck.

Most businesses blame Meta, Google, or whatever platform they’re on — but rarely take a good, honest look at what they’re putting in front of people. The targeting is wrong, the creative looks like it was built in Microsoft Paint, and the copy reads like a robot wrote it after drinking NyQuil. You can’t throw up a half-baked post, click “boost,” and expect clients to come flooding in.

Real talk: the algorithm is smarter than most marketers. It knows who’s likely to click, who’s likely to buy, and who’s just out here creeping on their ex. But none of that matters if your ad doesn’t speak to the right audience with the right message.

Start by fixing your offer. Are you selling something people actually want? Does your ad clearly communicate the value in under 5 seconds? Would YOU click on it? Or does it sound like a high school business project trying to be “disruptive”?

Next: your targeting. Are you actually speaking to the people who have the problem you solve? Or did you just check a few interests and call it a day?

And the creative... please. Stock photos of someone smiling in an office chair don’t sell anything. Neither does a wall of text in size 12 font. You need scroll-stopping visuals and words that make people feel something.

Bottom line: It’s not the algorithm. It’s your ad. Fix it.