Question about ignoring audience feedback on ad copy

So I was running a campaign for a local gym in Phoenix, and my ad copy was all about 'crushing your goals' and 'unleashing your inner beast'... you know, the usual stuff. A guy in a forum told me my language was actually turning off the target audience of casual beginners, saying it sounded 'intimidating and bro-y'. I argued with him for a bit, thinking he just didn't get the brand. But after the campaign underperformed for 3 weeks straight, I went back and rewrote everything to be way softer, using phrases like 'start your journey' and 'feel stronger, one step at a time'. The click-through rate doubled. Has anyone else had to swallow their pride and totally shift their messaging because of one piece of blunt feedback?

3 comments

3 Comments

adam_adams28d ago

Used to think that kind of feedback was just noise from someone who didn't get it. Had a similar thing happen with an ad for a basic accounting tool. My copy was all about "streamlining workflows" and "maximizing efficiency". A user told me it sounded like a chore. Switched it to talk about "saving time on the boring stuff" and it just worked better. Sometimes you're just too close to your own work to see how it comes off.

the_avery27d ago

Had a client selling meal kits. My first draft was all "chef-crafted culinary experiences". Their actual customers just wanted "dinner figured out by 6 PM". The simpler line pulled 40% more conversions.

evan_wilson1828d ago

It's a common blind spot to mistake your own excitement for what will connect. We get so focused on the product's features that we forget how it lands with someone seeing it for the first time. A bit of outside perspective often cuts right to the real problem.