Minute 0-5: pick one objective
Choose the single outcome you care about this week: click-through, first purchase rate, or landing page engagement. One objective keeps creative decisions focused.
Minute 5-12: select 3 reference swipes
Pull three saved ads with different hook styles but similar audience intent. Diversity in execution gives better experiments than three near-identical references.
Minute 12-18: extract transferable patterns
- Hook formula
- Offer framing
- Proof element
- CTA posture
Keep this pattern-level, not copy-level. You are adapting logic, not cloning lines.
Minute 18-25: write the brief
Create one-page brief bullets for your designer or editor:
- Audience and pain point
- Three hook variants
- Core message and proof
- Visual direction references
- Primary CTA and fallback CTA
Minute 25-30: define pass/fail criteria
Set a clear threshold before launch. This avoids emotional calls later and lets your team iterate based on data.