Mistakes to Avoid When Running Social Media Ads

Billions of people use social media and it’s one of the best mediums to market your brand. It has now become a must-have for businesses. And this is not only sales-wise but it also builds trust from people in a sense that your business has a digital presence. Running social media ads can be one of the best ways to grow your brand, boost sales, and reach your ideal customers. But while platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok make it look easy, a few simple mistakes can quickly waste your budget and hurt your results.

At Pickled Pear Media, a trusted social media marketing agency, we’ve seen it all: the good, the bad, and the “why is this ad still running?”. So before you hit “publish”, here are the most common mistakes to avoid when running social media ads.

1. Not Defining a Clear Goal

Before spending a single dollar, ask yourself, what do I want this ad to achieve?

Are you trying to:

• Drive traffic to your website?

• Get more followers?

• Increase sales?

• Collect leads?

Each goal requires a different ad strategy, creative, and audience. Without a clear objective, your ads may look great but deliver little to no return. A good digital marketing agency will always start with strategy before design.

2. Targeting the Wrong Audience

One of the biggest advantages of social media advertising is precise audience targeting. Yet, many brands still cast the net too wide.

If you try to reach everyone, you’ll end up reaching no one. Instead, focus on:

• Age, gender, and location.

• Interests and online behaviour.

• Lookalike audiences based on your best customers.

The more specific your targeting, the better your results, and the less you’ll waste on uninterested users. That’s a key part of an effective social media strategy.

3. Ignoring the Power of Creative Design

Even the best targeting can’t save a boring ad. Social media is visual, fast-moving, and competitive, so you have seconds to grab attention.

Avoid low-quality images, too much text, or bland colours. Instead:

• Use bold visuals and clear branding.

• Test videos as they often outperform static images.

• Keep your message short and punchy.

A strong creative is essential for every social media marketing campaign. It’s what helps your brand stand out from the noise.

4. Forgetting to Test and Optimise

Many businesses set up their ads, cross their fingers, and hope for the best. But the truth is, testing is key to long-term success.

Run A/B tests with different:

• Headlines

• Images or videos

• Calls to action

• Audiences

Then, use the results to optimise future campaigns. What works for one ad may not work for another, and that’s okay. Testing helps you learn faster and spend smarter.

5. Ignoring Analytics

If you’re not tracking your results, you’re flying blind.

Always monitor your campaign metrics such as:

• Click-through rate (CTR)

• Cost per click (CPC)

• Conversion rate

• Return on ad spend (ROAS)

These numbers tell the story of what’s working and what’s not. Regularly review them to make informed decisions and improve performance over time.

6. Skipping the Landing Page Check

Your ad might be perfect, but if your landing page loads slowly or looks messy, potential customers will bounce.

Before launching, check that:

• The page is mobile-friendly.

• The message matches your ad.

• The call to action is clear.

• It loads quickly, within 3 seconds.

A seamless user experience helps convert clicks into customers.

Final Thoughts

Running social media ads doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require strategy and attention to detail. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll make the most of your budget and start seeing real results.

At Pickled Pear Media, we help businesses craft high-performing ad campaigns that attract, engage, and convert. If you’d like help taking your social media ads to the next level, reach out to our team today.