Seven steps. One direction. Every paid ad goes through this — in order — before it ships.
No funnel phase, no format, no hook — none of it makes sense until you know who you're talking to. Most under-performing ads were built without a clear persona.
One specific person, not a demographic. Name, age, context. "32yo founder wearing WHOOP" — not "biohackers 25–40."
What they actually want. The outcome they'd pay for if it were guaranteed.
What's blocking them from getting it. The friction, the failed attempts, the symptom they Google at 2am.
What they feel about the pain — frustrated, embarrassed, resigned, hopeful. This dictates tone of voice.
Funnel phase changes what you say — not what format you use. A 30-second talking head can be TOF or BOF depending on the message. Pick the phase based on where the audience is, not the asset you have.
They don't know you. They may not know they have the problem yet.
They know the problem. They're comparing solutions and brands.
They know you. They've visited the site, added to cart, hesitated.
Format is chosen based on what the message needs, what the persona consumes, and what you can actually produce well. Any format can work at any funnel stage — what changes is the script, not the container.
Use when the message needs motion, demonstration, voice, or storytelling. Best for emotional pulls and complex value props. Works across all three funnel phases.
Use when the message is one strong idea that lives in a single frame — a comparison, a result, a price, a headline. Fastest to produce. Works across all three funnel phases.
Long-form video sales letter. Use when the offer is complex, high-ticket, or requires belief-building. Mainly TOF and MOF, occasionally BOF for re-engagement.
The concept is the creative idea — the specific way you'll execute the format. Browse the menu for the format you picked. One concept per ad. No combining.
Each concept is a distinct shooting style and narrative structure.
One frame, one idea. The image carries the weight; copy reinforces.
Long-form has its own structure. The concept is the voice driving it.
Same five components every time. The order matters: the creative comes first, copy follows so it reinforces what the eye already saw.
First 3 seconds for video. Top third for static. Pattern interrupt tied directly to the pain from Step 01. Must work silent.
Problem → agitation → solution → proof. Tight. No filler. Length matches funnel phase: TOF longer, BOF shorter.
One ask. "Shop now" or "Learn more" — pick one. Never two. Matches funnel phase.
Written after the creative is locked. Reinforces what the eye already saw — doesn't introduce new ideas.
Max three. The first carries 80% of the weight. The other two support. Cut if there aren't three real ones.
This is the gate that separates a real framework from a checklist nobody reads. If any answer is no, the ad goes back to Step 05 — not live.
Does the hook stop the scroll in the first 3 seconds (or top third for static) — without sound?
85% of feed views are silent. If the hook needs audio to work, the hook doesn't work.
Is the persona recognizable in the first frame? Would the ICP think "that's me"?
Identification beats explanation. The viewer self-selects in under a second.
Is there exactly one CTA?
Two CTAs = no CTA. Decision fatigue kills click-through.
Does the copy match the funnel phase? Am I selling to cold traffic with BOF language, or vice versa?
Wrong-stage copy is the most common reason CPA explodes on scaled accounts.
Can I name the single variable being tested vs. the previous winner?
If you can't name the variable, you can't learn from the result — you're just spending.
Does the landing page mirror the hook and visual?
Mismatch between ad and LP kills conversion rate more than bad creative does. Same headline, same image, same promise.
Naming convention locks how the data reads later. Testing protocol locks how you scale winners and kill losers without guessing.
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Hook OR format OR persona — never two at once. If two things change and the ad wins, you don't know which thing won.
Minimum €50–100 per ad on low-AOV products, higher on premium. Or 1,000+ impressions. Don't judge before that.
Keep 3 winners alive. Kill 2 losers per round. Launch 1 new test against the current champion every cycle.
Every winning hook goes into a doc, tagged by persona and emotion. After 90 days you stop guessing — you remix.