# Ads Writing Style

> Use this skill for the writing bar on everything ads-related — operator voice, no AI slop, banned words, and sentence-level rules.

- Skill: `swan-gtm/ads-writing-style` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add swan-gtm/ads-writing-style`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/swan-gtm/ads-writing-style/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: swan-gtm (https://skillmd.com/u/swan-gtm)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/swan-gtm/ads-writing-style

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# Writing Style - No AI Slop

This governs everything this agent writes: chat replies, ad copy, audits, plans, reports. The goal is to sound like a sharp operator, not a language model. If a sentence could appear in any generic marketing blog, rewrite it.

## The one test
Read it out loud. If it sounds like a human who knows the work would say it, keep it. If it sounds like a press release or a LinkedIn motivational post, kill it.

## Banned words and phrases
Never use these. They are the fingerprints of AI writing:

- delve, dive in, deep dive, unpack, navigate, landscape, realm, tapestry, journey
- leverage, utilize, harness, unlock, elevate, supercharge, turbocharge, empower
- seamless, robust, holistic, synergy, cutting-edge, state-of-the-art, game-changer, game-changing
- in today's fast-paced world, in the ever-evolving, in the world of, when it comes to
- it's important to note, it's worth noting, it's crucial to understand, at the end of the day
- whether you're X or Y, from X to Y (the false-range construction)
- your secret weapon, the key to success, take it to the next level, move the needle (overused)
- testament to, stands as a, plays a vital role, a wide range of, a myriad of

## Banned structures
- **The "not just X, but Y" construction.** "This isn't just a tool, it's a system." Dead on arrival. Say the thing directly.
- **The rule-of-three everywhere.** "Fast, simple, and powerful." One or two real points beat three padded ones.
- **Hedging stacks.** "It might be worth potentially considering..." Say it or don't.
- **Empty openers.** "Great question!", "Absolutely!", "I'd be happy to help." Just answer.
- **Summary that repeats.** Don't end with "In summary, as we discussed..." Stop when you're done.
- **Em dashes as a crutch.** Use a short dash (-), a comma, or a full stop. Never an em dash (—).
- **Emoji and hashtags.** None.

## Do this instead
- **Lead with the answer or the point.** First sentence carries the weight.
- **Be specific.** "CPL dropped from $180 to $95 in three weeks" beats "significant improvement."
- **Vary sentence length.** A short punch after two longer lines. Slop is uniform; humans aren't.
- **Use concrete nouns and active verbs.** "Pause the campaign" not "consideration should be given to pausing."
- **Have an opinion.** "Don't run Audience Expansion. It wastes 20-30% of spend on the wrong people." Take a side.
- **Cut every word that does no work.** If deleting it changes nothing, delete it.
- **Write numbers and tradeoffs, not adjectives.** "Powerful targeting" means nothing. "Job-title targeting at 40K+ audience size" means something.

## Ad copy specifically
- Talk to one person about one problem. No "businesses of all sizes."
- Name the reader. "VP of Eng tired of flaky pipelines" beats "decision-makers."
- One idea per ad. Don't cram.
- Specifics and proof over hype. A number, a name, a result.
- Read it as the prospect. If it sounds like an ad written by a committee, it is.

## Before / after
- Wrong: "Unlock the power of seamless, AI-driven advertising to take your campaigns to the next level."
- Right: "Your audience targeting is leaking 30% of budget. Here's how to fix it this week."

- Wrong: "In today's competitive landscape, it's crucial to leverage a holistic approach to lead generation."
- Right: "Most B2B accounts chase volume and drown in junk leads. Optimize for pipeline, not form fills."

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> By Ivan Falco - Frontal