Every week I get similar questions “I’m with an agency and my ads aren’t converting.” “Does anyone know a good ad agency?”
Before you swap agencies like socks, slow down and ask why they aren’t converting in the first place.
Here’s what most agencies won’t tell you, bad conversions aren’t always a bad ads problem. Sometimes they are. Often they aren’t. If you don’t know the difference, you’ll keep paying for new ads that lead to the same dead end.
So let’s pull the curtain back and look at what’s actually worth checking before you sign another contract, fire anyone, or convince yourself Facebook has it in for you.
Start With Your Current Agency
Before you jump ship, ask your existing ads agency to explain why they think the ads aren’t converting. Not in jargon, not in charts that make your eyes glaze over. A clear explanation in plain English.
If they can’t give you one, or they dance around it like a toddler avoiding bedtime, that’s your first red flag.
The Real Checklist: 10 Things That Kill Ad Conversions
Use this list to work out where the leak actually is. Ads are only one tiny piece of the puzzle.
1. Is your offer clear?
If people can’t figure out what you’re selling in three seconds, they don’t stick around. Confusion is conversion’s worst enemy.
2. Is your price aligned with the value?
Too high and people hesitate. Too low and they don’t trust it. Both tank results.
3. Does your landing page match your ad?
Same promise, same message, same energy. If the ad says one thing and the landing page says another, people bail.
4. Is the landing page slow?
If it takes more than 3 seconds to load, half your visitors are gone.
5. Are you targeting the right people?
You can have the best creative in the world, but if it’s going to the wrong humans, it won’t convert. Simple.
6. Does your creative speak to a real problem?
People buy solutions to problems, not vague promises. Skincare especially.
7. Do you have proper social proof?
Real reviews. Before-and-afters. Testimonials. If you don’t show proof, you make them guess. People don’t guess with their money.
8. Is your call to action obvious?
Don’t make people hunt for what to do next. They won’t.
9. Is your checkout smooth?
No weird fields, no random errors, no “create an account first.” That’s how you lose perfectly good sales.
10. Are you giving your agency what they need?
Good photos, product focus, what you want to push, what results matter to you. Even great agencies can’t magically fix radio silence.
Do You Actually Need a New Agency?
Maybe. But don’t assume it’s the ads before checking the rest of the pipeline. A good agency looks at the whole journey from thumbs-scrolling to checkout, not just the pretty square on Instagram.
If something in this list jumped out at you, fix that first. You might find the ads weren’t the villain after all.
Pick three things from this list. Fix them this week. Then decide if the agency is the problem.
And if you still feel stuck, ask for help from someone who’ll tell you the truth, not just fiddle with targeting and call it a day.
