Most AI-written ad copy is immediately recognizable — and not in a good way. It's vague, overwrought, and sounds like it was written by a committee who'd never run an ad in their life. "Unlock your potential today!" Yeah, no.
The problem isn't AI. The problem is that people prompt it like they're ordering from a vending machine. Specific, well-structured prompts get copy that actually sounds like a human wrote it — because you're giving it the raw material to work with.
Here's exactly how to do it.
Before You Write a Single Ad: The Brief
Every decent copywriter starts with a creative brief. It's the difference between AI giving you generic garbage and AI giving you something you can actually test. Run this first.
Foundation Prompt — Ad Brief
I need to write paid social ads for [PRODUCT/SERVICE] at [PRICE].
Here's the brief:
- Who we're targeting: [SPECIFIC AUDIENCE — age, situation, mindset]
- Their #1 problem: [THE PAIN]
- What they've already tried that didn't work: [ALTERNATIVES THEY'VE FAILED WITH]
- What our offer does differently: [UNIQUE MECHANISM OR APPROACH]
- Desired outcome: [WHAT THEIR LIFE LOOKS LIKE AFTER]
- Offer details: [PRICE, WHAT'S INCLUDED, ANY BONUSES OR URGENCY]
- Tone: [e.g. warm and direct, not hype-y]
- Platform: [Facebook/Instagram/Google]
Use this brief for all ads we write in this session.
✱ Save this brief as a doc. Every time you run a new campaign, you update the brief and it takes 5 minutes instead of 30.
Prompt 1: The Hook Bank
The hook is the only thing that matters at first. If your first line doesn't stop the scroll, nothing else matters. Generate a lot of them and test.
Prompt 1 — 20 Ad Hooks
Write 20 different opening lines (hooks) for a Facebook/Instagram ad for [PRODUCT/SERVICE].
Include 4 of each type:
- Pain-led ("If you're [doing X frustrating thing], this is for you")
- Curiosity ("The reason most [audience] can't [achieve outcome]...")
- Contrarian ("You don't need [common belief] to [achieve outcome]")
- Result-led ("How [audience type] is [achieving outcome] in [timeframe]")
- Direct offer ("Get [specific outcome] for $[PRICE]")
Write each hook as the full opening sentence of an ad. Bold the 5 you think are strongest.
✱ Test your top 5 hooks as creative variables. The winning hook often outperforms everything else — finding it is worth more than perfecting the body copy.
Prompt 2: Full Ad Variations
Prompt 2 — 3 Complete Ad Variations
Using the brief above, write 3 complete Facebook ad variations for [PRODUCT/SERVICE].
Each ad needs:
- Primary text (150–300 words): hook → story or problem → solution → CTA
- Headline (under 40 characters): direct benefit
- Description (under 30 characters): supporting detail or urgency
Make each variation lead with a different angle:
Ad 1: Lead with the problem/pain
Ad 2: Lead with the result/transformation
Ad 3: Lead with a story or "I used to..." angle
Format clearly so I can copy each into Ads Manager.
Prompt 3: Short-Form Video Scripts
Prompt 3 — Reels/TikTok Ad Scripts
Write 3 short-form video ad scripts for [PRODUCT/SERVICE]. Each script should be 30–45 seconds when spoken at a natural pace (roughly 75–110 words).
Script structure:
- Hook (first 3 seconds — must work as a visual OR spoken line)
- Problem acknowledgment (5–8 seconds)
- Solution introduction (8–10 seconds)
- Proof or specifics (8–10 seconds)
- CTA (final 5 seconds)
Tone: conversational, like talking to camera — not scripted-sounding. Write what you'd actually say.
✱ After generating, read the script aloud. If you stumble or it feels unnatural, tell AI: "make it sound less scripted" and iterate.
Prompt 4: Retargeting Copy
Your retargeting audience already knows you — cold ad copy falls flat with warm audiences. They need different copy.
Prompt 4 — Retargeting Ads
Write 3 retargeting ad variations for people who have visited [WEBSITE/LANDING PAGE] but didn't buy.
These people know what we offer. They hesitated for a reason. Address the most likely objections:
1. "[OBJECTION 1 — e.g. not sure if it's worth it]"
2. "[OBJECTION 2 — e.g. timing isn't right]"
3. "[OBJECTION 3 — e.g. not sure it works for their situation]"
One ad per objection. Each 100–150 words. Close with an urgency or scarcity element if applicable.
Prompt 5: A/B Test Variations
Prompt 5 — Systematic A/B Variations
Take this ad that I've already written: [PASTE YOUR AD]
Create 4 variations to test against it, each changing ONE element:
Variation A: Different opening hook only (keep everything else identical)
Variation B: Different CTA only (try 3 different CTA phrasings)
Variation C: Shorter version — cut to 50% of the original length
Variation D: Reframe the angle — instead of [current angle], lead with [alternative angle]
Label each variation clearly and flag what changed and why it might perform differently.
✱ One variable at a time. If you change too much at once you won't know what's working.
What Makes AI-Written Ads Actually Work
The difference between AI ad copy that converts and copy that gets ignored comes down to two things: specificity in the prompt, and your willingness to edit the output.
AI will almost always write slightly more formal, slightly more polished copy than you'd actually say out loud. Your job is to rough it up a little. Shorter sentences. Contractions. The occasional incomplete sentence. Real people don't talk in paragraphs.
The quickest way to better ad copy
Paste your best-performing organic post into AI and ask it to rewrite it as a paid ad. Posts that already stopped the scroll organically contain language that resonates with your audience — you're just packaging it as an ad. Works better than starting from scratch almost every time.
Want the full system?
Ad copy is one piece of the puzzle.
The Profit Accelerator Playbook covers paid ad creative, plus content, email, sales copy, market research, SOPs, and 6 more workflows — all with structured prompts and step-by-step guidance for business owners running lean.
Get the Playbook →
Also available: Everyday AI Guide · AI Agent Guide