Every week, I see the same post on Reddit: "My ads suck."
Sound familiar? You're not alone.
This one caught my eye because it's the eternal struggle for so many brands and startups. The poster was running ads that were getting decent CTR (2.5%) but abysmal conversion rates (0.3%).
Ouch.
But here's the thing - this isn't just about one person's failing ads. It's about a fundamental misunderstanding of how modern advertising actually works.
Let's break down what's really happening here.
First, a decent CTR with terrible conversion rate is better than having both metrics be bad. Why? Because at least you’re gathering signal on what messaging resonates.
What happens next is more important though.
The real issue isn't the ad creative (though that matters). It's the entire customer journey.
When someone clicks your ad, they're raising their hand saying "I'm interested." Then they land on your site and... nothing happens. That's not an ad problem. That's a funnel problem.
In the Reddit post, the OP was selling women's clothing with a pretty standard product page. No urgency. No social proof. No compelling reason to buy NOW rather than later (or never).
Sound like your brand?
Here's what you need to fix:
Your landing page needs to match your ad's promise
If your ad shows a specific product or makes a specific claim, your landing page better deliver immediately. Don't make people hunt. The cognitive load of searching creates friction, and friction kills conversion.
One commenter suggested creating dedicated landing pages for each ad. That’s kind of extreme, but they're not wrong.
Your social proof is probably weak (or non-existent)
Reviews. User photos. Numbers sold. Testimonials. These aren't optional.
The OP's site had none of this. No wonder people weren't converting - there was zero evidence anyone else had ever purchased!
Your checkout process is probably too complicated
Every. Single. Step. Is a chance for someone to bounce.
The average cart abandonment rate is around 70%. That means for every 10 people who start checkout, 7 will leave without buying. Simplify ruthlessly.
You're likely not retargeting effectively
First-time visitors rarely convert. The magic happens when you stay in front of them through retargeting ads, email sequences, and SMS.
Remember: ad platforms don't care about your conversion rate. They care about their revenue. They'll gladly take your money for clicks that go nowhere.
It's on YOU to fix the leaky bucket.
One Reddit commenter summed it up perfectly: "You need to focus on your landing page and overall conversion funnel. A 0.3% conversion rate means something is fundamentally broken."
The beauty of this situation is that it's actually fixable. If you're getting clicks but not conversions, you don't need to reinvent your creative strategy. You need to fix what happens AFTER the click.
Try this: go through your own buying process as if you were a first-time customer. Where do you get confused? Where do you have to think too hard? Where are you missing proof that others have bought and loved your product?
Those friction points are killing your conversions.
The good news? Fixing your funnel is typically easier and cheaper than constantly creating new ad creative. And the ROI is massive - even taking that 0.3% conversion rate to 1% would triple your results with the exact same ad spend.
So before you scrap your ads and start over, make sure the problem isn't what happens after the click.
That's where the real money is being left on the table.
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