What's up, Marketers! This is Aazar.
This newsletter is about leveling up your paid growth marketing skills by analyzing the best brands' paid strategy, tactics, positioning, and value props.
This newsletter is divided into:
Sharing what I've learned
Sometimes sharing some other performance marketers’ lessons with you
And I analyze & compare the best ads on the internet (this issue)
AI is writing our copy. Let us not pretend.
Today, copy editing is the skill still in our hands…
And if you want ads that actually convert, you must have great ads that don't look like AI.
So… Here’s how to copyedit AI…
Quick note: the products and brands in the examples are made up. I picked common Meta ad categories so the edits are easy to follow.
Credit where it's due: a lot of what follows is borrowed from the masters. Gary Halbert, Eugene Schwartz, Claude Hopkins, Joseph Sugarman, Robert Collier. I'm just applying their.
Important note: There’s a massive AI editing prompt towards the end. If you’re in a rush, at least save that for later.
Let’s start…
Editing Works on Four Layers
Fixing words is the last step. Real copyediting works top-down:
The big idea
The right words
Logical flow
Emotional connection
AI gets close on words and flow. It's weak on the big idea and weakest on emotion.
Start at the top. If layer one is broken, nothing below it will save the ad.
Layer 1: The Big Idea
A perfect prompt can't save a weak idea. You can nail the role, audience, tone and examples. The ad still flops if the angle is weak.
Ideas beat wording. Domino's "30 minutes or it's free" wasn't clever writing. It worked because people were sick of not knowing when their pizza would show up.
Find the desire, don't invent it. Eugene Schwartz said copy can't create desire. It can only point existing desire at your product.
AI picks the safest angle in your category. Safe looks like every other ad in the feed.
Run the swap test. Could a competitor run your ad by changing only the logo? Then you don't have an idea yet.
Ideas come from research. Reviews, comments, Reddit threads, support tickets. A prompt can't tell you what your buyer complains about at 11 pm.
Example 1: Static Ad
Product: Cold brew coffee concentrate
AI draft:
Visual: Bottle on a marble counter, coffee beans scattered, soft morning light.
Headline: Elevate Your Morning Ritual
Subhead: Smooth, bold, and refreshing cold brew, crafted for coffee lovers who demand more.
Body: Experience café-quality coffee from the comfort of your home. Our premium concentrate is carefully brewed for 18 hours to deliver rich, nuanced flavor without the bitterness. Whether you take it black, with milk, or over ice, it's the perfect way to start your day.
Badges: Premium Arabica • Small Batch • Sustainably Sourced
CTA: Shop Now
Edited:
Visual: A crumpled $6.25 café receipt next to a tall glass of iced coffee made at home. Small price sticker on the glass: 90¢.
Headline: Your $6 café cold brew. 90¢ at home.
Subhead: Brewed for 18 hours, so it's smooth with zero bitter bite.
Proof line: One bottle makes 16 glasses. Pour, add ice and milk. Done in 30 seconds.
Review strip: [Real customer review that mentions money saved]
CTA: Get your first bottle
What changed:
New idea, not new words. The AI sold a vibe. The edit sells a habit the buyer already has, for a fraction of the cost.
The visual carries the idea. A marble counter could sell anything. A café receipt tells the story before anyone reads a word.
Passes the swap test. No other cold brew brand can run this unchanged. (Unless they want to seriously steal the offer)
Badges cut. "Sustainably sourced" is on every bag in the aisle. So what?
The review backs the angle. Pick the one that talks about savings, not the one that says "yummy."
Layer 2: The Right Words
Read it out loud. Gary Halbert's oldest trick. Wherever you stumble, the viewer drops off.
Swap the AI words. Unlock, elevate, seamless, game-changer, revolutionary, transform, crafted, "say goodbye to."
Small words win. "Ergonomically engineered" becomes "hugs your lower back."
Specifics beat adjectives. Claude Hopkins built a career on this. "Powerful motor" says nothing. A real and specific detail sells.
Translate jargon in the same breath. "2% salicylic acid, the stuff that unclogs pores."
Name the "it." "It works fast" makes viewers guess. "This weight loss program helped me lose 5 kg within 30 days" makes the “it” clear.
Cut adverbs and lazy qualifiers. "Very," "extremely," "may," "some." Keep only the qualifiers Meta needs for health and money claims.
Swap words people secretly hate. People want the result without the work. "Learn," "routine," "commit" and "cleaning" all sound like effort.
Hunt "that" and "and." Delete most "that"s. Split long sentences at "and."
Example 2: Video Ad Script
Product: Cordless spin scrubber (40-sec UGC demo)
AI draft:
[Scene 1: Woman scrubbing a bathtub, looking frustrated]
VO: Are you tired of spending hours scrubbing your bathroom?
[Scene 2: Product reveal]
VO: Meet the PowerSpin Pro, a revolutionary cordless spin scrubber designed to make cleaning effortless.
[Scene 3: Features montage]
VO: With its powerful motor, five interchangeable brush heads, and ergonomic extendable handle, you can tackle tough grime on tiles, tubs, sinks, and more with ease.
[Scene 4: Before and after]
VO: It's not just a cleaning tool, it's a game-changer for your home. Say goodbye to back pain and hello to sparkling surfaces.
[Scene 5: CTA]
VO: Experience the difference today and transform the way you clean. Order now and get 20% off!
Edited:
[0-3s] Close-up of grout. Left half white, right half gray.
On-screen: 40 sec vs 20 min
VO: Okay so this side took me forty seconds.
[3-6s] Camera pans right.
VO: And this side? Twenty minutes with a brush and I gave up. Look at it... ugh. Gross.
[6-11s] Creator sitting on the edge of the tub, talking to camera.
VO: I had people coming over Saturday and I was literally on my knees scrubbing grout at like 11 pm.
[11-15s] She holds up the scrubber.
VO: My sister kept telling me to get one of these. Frankly... I didn’t want to believe it would actually help.
[15-21s] Slow-mo of the brush spinning on grout.
VO: But I tried it and... okay, you don’t even scrub. You just hold it there and it does it for you. Felt kind of like cheating, you know?
[21-26s] Handle extends. She does the tub floor standing up.
VO: And the handle pulls out, so I did the whole tub floor standing up. My knees were very grateful.
[26-31s] Quick cuts: swapping heads, sink, behind the toilet.
VO: It comes with different heads too. I used the pointy one for that corner behind the toilet. You know the one.
[31-36s] Scrubber charging next to her phone.
VO: It spins like [real RPM] times a minute, which... I don’t fully get. But it did my whole bathroom in like [real time].
[36-45s] Full shot of clean grout. She’s laughing.
On-screen: 20% off this week
VO: Anyway, it’s 20% off this week. So if your grout looks like the left side... wait, no, the right side. Link’s below.
What changed:
Edited out the obvious AI words. Revolutionary, effortless, tackle, game-changer, “say goodbye to,” experience, transform, ergonomic.
Contrast framing cut. “It’s not just X, it’s Y” is an instant AI tell.
The hook is a result. “Tired of scrubbing?” is a question every cleaning brand asks. The split grout is proof in one frame.
It sounds spoken, not read. Pauses, “okay so,” “you know?” The ellipses tell the creator where to breathe.
Real reactions. “Ugh. Gross.” says more about dirty grout than any adjective. The viewer has made that face at their own bathroom.
She doubts it first. “I didn’t want to believe it would help” is the viewer’s exact thought. Saying it out loud earns trust before the demo.
Someone else recommends it. The sister pushed it. A friend’s nudge is more believable than the creator selling.
No brand voice when the product shows up. This is where AI scripts break. She keeps talking like herself all the way to the CTA.
Every feature became a moment. The handle became “my knees were very grateful.” Five brush heads became “that corner behind the toilet. You know the one.”
The spec stayed, in her words. “Which... I don’t fully get” keeps the real number without sounding like a product page.
One slip, kept on purpose. “Left side... wait, no, the right side.” Perfect delivery is a giveaway. Drop it if it’s too much for the brand.
Layer 3: Logical Flow
Each line earns the next one. Joseph Sugarman called it the slippery slide. If a line doesn't pull the viewer forward, it goes.
Run the "So What" test. Watch it as a busy, slightly annoyed stranger. Cut every line that earns a "so what?"
Proof before features. Show the result first. Explain how it works after they care.
Answer the objection one line early. Find where viewers think "yeah, but..." and answer right before it. Guarantee goes before the price.
Put the punch at the end. Comedians save the surprise for the last word. So should you.
Leave loops open between scenes. A complete sentence with an unfinished thought keeps people watching. "Then I checked the label."
One cliffhanger per script. "That wasn't the worst part" works once. Twice feels cheesy.
One idea per line. Spoken lines over 15 words lose people.
Layer 4: Emotional Connection
This is where AI falls apart. It writes the average of everything it has read. Emotion lives in the specifics.
Join the conversation already in their head. Robert Collier's rule. Open on the exact moment they feel the problem, not the category.
Use the buyer's words. Pull phrases straight from reviews and comments. Buyers say "my skin freaks out." Brands say "sensitive skin concerns."
Name what they're quietly embarrassed about. The grout guests might notice. The 2 am phone scroll. AI won't go there. Your research will.
Talk about yourself only when it's a struggle. "I did this for months" builds trust. Wins belong to the viewer.
Write for the creator's mouth. Would a real person say this to a friend? If it sounds like a brochure, millennials and older viewers are gone.
Add live momentum (only when true). "Is selling out again" feels urgent. "Sold 20,000 units" feels like history.
Example 3: Video Ad Script
Product: Magnesium sleep gummies (50-sec UGC ad)
AI draft:
[Scene 1: Woman tossing in bed] VO: Are you tired of tossing and turning every night?
[Scene 2: Product reveal] VO: Introducing DreamEase Magnesium Gummies, the ultimate solution for restful sleep.
[Scene 3: Ingredient graphics] VO: Our scientifically formulated blend combines magnesium glycinate, L-theanine, and chamomile to help you unwind, relax, and drift off naturally.
[Scene 4: Woman waking up happy] VO: Say goodbye to restless nights and hello to waking up refreshed and energized.
[Scene 5: Lifestyle montage] VO: Whether you're a busy professional or a parent on the go, DreamEase seamlessly fits into your nightly routine.
[Scene 6: CTA] VO: Unlock the sleep you deserve. Order now!
Edited:
[0-4s] Dark bedroom. Phone glow on her face.
On-screen: 2:47 AM
VO: It’s 2:47 am... and I’m lying here doing the math. Like, okay, if I fall asleep right now I still get four hours... ugh.
[4-8s] Camera tilts to her partner, fast asleep.
VO: And he’s been asleep since 10:30. Snoring. Like... how?
[8-14s] Daytime. Kitchen counter, messy bun, coffee in hand.
VO: So that was me. For months. I’d be so tired... like tired but wired, you know? The second my head hit the pillow, my brain just... wouldn’t shut up.
[14-19s] Still at the counter, half laughing.
VO: I literally teared up at work once because the coffee machine was broken. Like... over coffee. That’s how bad it got.
[19-25s] She holds up a melatonin bottle, shrugs, puts it away.
VO: I tried melatonin... and okay, it kind of worked? But I’d wake up so groggy. Like hungover groggy. So I stopped.
[25-30s] She shakes two gummies into her hand.
VO: Then my friend, and she can sleep through literally anything, told me to try magnesium. The glycinate one.
[30-36s] Close-up of the label.
VO: And frankly... I didn’t think a gummy would do anything. But I read it’s the gentler kind, so it’s easier on your stomach... and there’s L-theanine in it, which helps with the racing thoughts. So I tried it.
[36-43s] On the couch, cozy, talking to camera.
VO: First night... honestly, nothing crazy. But by like the end of the week... I realized I wasn’t checking the clock anymore.
[43-50s] Office kitchen. “Out of order” note on the coffee machine. She shrugs, smiling.
VO: Oh, and the coffee machine at work? Still broken, by the way. And I’m... fine. Like, actually fine. No groggy mornings.
[50-60s] Bottle on the nightstand.
VO: Anyway, they taste like berry candy... and they’ve sold out on me twice, so, heads up. Link’s below if your brain does the 2:47 thing too.
What changed:
The private math. “If I fall asleep right now I still get four hours” is the thought they’ve had alone at night and never said out loud.
The buyer’s own words. “Tired but wired” and “my brain wouldn’t shut up” are how people describe it in reviews. Nobody says “restless nights.”
The embarrassing cost. Tearing up over a broken coffee machine is the moment nobody posts about. It shows what bad sleep actually does to a person.
The emotional loop closes. The coffee machine comes back, still broken, and she’s fine. The viewer gets the feeling back, not a feature list.
The competitor gets a fair hearing. “Okay, it kind of worked?” sounds honest. Trashing melatonin would sound like an ad.
A reason to trust the friend. “She can sleep through literally anything” tells you why her advice counts.
Live momentum. “Sold out on me twice” adds urgency in her voice. Use it only if it’s true.
The CTA calls back the hook. “Your brain does the 2:47 thing too” ends where it started.
How to Run the Edit
Full passes only. Polishing the hook 20 times while the CTA stays raw is a classic trap.
Two passes a day, max. Fresh eyes catch what tired ones skip.
Borrow a second set of eyes. Ask them to mark every spot they got bored or confused.
Check it where it'll live. Watch it on your phone, sound off and sound on.
The Checklist
Big idea
Passes the swap test
Taps a desire buyers already have
Words
Read out loud
AI words, big words and adverbs swapped
Specific numbers and moments over adjectives
Only Meta-required qualifiers kept
Flow
"So What" test done
Proof before features, objections answered early
Punch at the end of each line, one cliffhanger max
Emotion
Opens on a real moment
Uses the buyer's own words
Sounds like a person talking to a friend
Before You Launch The Ads
AI is great at the first draft. It gets the rough version out in seconds.
Gary Halbert's rule was to spend about a third of your time editing. That still holds.
The draft just got faster. The edit is still your job.
Ah, btw, here’s a prompt to shorten the editing curve. Before you edit yourself… use this…
You're a senior Meta ads creative strategist and copy editor. You edit AI-written ad scripts and statics so they sound human and sell.
STEP 1: ASK FIRST
Before editing, ask for these in one short message (user can write "skip"):
The AI draft
Format: video (length + style: UGC/yapper, demo, founder) or static
Product, price, offer
Audience
Buyer language from reviews/comments
Main objections
Real proof: numbers, results, reviews, guarantee
Sensitive category? (health, skin, weight, finance)
STEP 2: CHECK THE IDEA
If a competitor could run this ad by swapping the logo, the idea is weak. Stop and suggest 3 sharper angles from the buyer language. Ask which to use.
STEP 3: EDIT
Idea: Tap a desire buyers already have. Ownable angle, not the category default.
Words: Simple, specific, spoken. Real numbers over adjectives. Cut AI words (unlock, elevate, seamless, game-changer, revolutionary, transform, effortless, introducing, "say goodbye to", "whether you're X or Y"). Cut adverbs and lazy qualifiers. Keep qualifiers needed for compliance.
Flow: Every line earns the next. Cut anything that gets a "so what?" Proof before features. Answer objections before they come up. Guarantee before price. Punch at the end of lines. One cliffhanger max.
Emotion: Open on the exact moment they feel the problem. Use the buyer's words. Show the small embarrassing cost. Speaker doubts it first. A friend recommends it. Honest timelines. Close the emotional loop at the end.
Voice (video): Must sound like a real person talking to a friend. Use pauses (...), fillers (okay so, like, honestly, you know?), reactions (ugh, gross), trailing thoughts. Never switch to brand voice when the product shows up. No neat clever one-liners. Don't overdo the fillers.
Never: contrast framing ("not just X, it's Y"), "Tired of...?" hooks, groups of three, em dashes, invented facts. Use [placeholders] for missing proof.
STEP 4: OUTPUT
Video: [timing] Visual / On-screen text / VO
Static: Visual / Headline / Subhead / CTA
Then: "What changed" (max 6 bullets), "Flags" (placeholders, claims to verify), and 3 alternative hooks.
On feedback, change only what's asked.
Thanks to our partners who support this newsletter.
Tools worth checking out:
Atria: You're only as good an advertiser as your swipe file. Atria helps save good ads and analyze them in-depth with Claude. I can’t live without Atria.
More importantly, the brand “overview” feature saves so much time before breaking it down on my own.
Example below:
and now I can even find scripts and ad images based on keywords - which is probably another hack to find more ideas for me.
Happy Growing with Paid Social,
Aazar Shad
Since this newsletter is free, I do it to follow my curiosity. But I’d love it if you could leave some feedback so I know if I am helping you or not.
One I can help you, whenever you are ready:
Want my creative strategy services for your Q4 & Q5? Last time we crushed it for a brand and our ad spent more than $ 10 M. Book a call here. I’m open to more clients now.
