The biggest problem for me was figuring out what people even click on. I used to think flashy banners and aggressive text would automatically get attention, but most of my early ads barely got any engagement. A few even got impressions with almost zero clicks, which felt pretty frustrating after spending time setting them up. After messing around with different styles, I noticed that cleaner ads with short text worked way better than crowded designs.

I also stopped trying to sound too “salesy.” Weirdly enough, ads that looked more casual and direct seemed to get more interaction. Timing also mattered more than I expected. Some campaigns looked dead during the day but picked up later at night. One thing that genuinely helped me was reading examples from other people instead of only following generic marketing advice. I found this guide on Adult Adverts and it gave me a better idea of where beginners usually start and what kinds of networks are easier to test without wasting too much money upfront.

I still think testing matters more than copying someone else’s “winning formula.” What works for one niche may completely fail for another. But if you’re new to this, I’d say keep the ads simple, don’t overdesign everything, and pay attention to what people actually respond to instead of what looks impressive to you personally.