Repurposing copy may save time, but it almost always costs performance. Each platform has its own culture, user expectations, and engagement behaviors. Copy that works in one environment can feel invisible, or worse, off-putting, in another.
The good news? You don’t need more copy. You need better decisions about how it shows up.
Before You Write a Single Word, Lock These In
Strong copy starts with clarity. Before you write, answer these questions:
1. What is this ad supposed to do? Is it focusing on awareness, consideration, or conversion?
If you can’t articulate the single job of the ad, the copy will try to do too much and undoubtedly fail.
How to Take Action: Write the goal in one sentence at the top of your doc. If the copy doesn’t support that goal, cut it.
2. What does the brand sound like on (insert platform here)? Brand voice should stay consistent, but expression should flex by platform.
How to Take Action: Create a short “platform translation” for your brand voice (e.g., “TikTok = looser, Meta = clearer, YouTube = more direct”).
3. Who is this for, and what do they care about right now? Context matters. Seasonality, mindset, and platform intent all shape how copy lands.
How to Take Action: Write one sentence starting with: “Right now, my audience is thinking about…” If you can’t finish it, the copy will feel generic.
4. What does this platform reward? Algorithms don’t reward effort, they reward behavior.
How to Take Action: Before writing, answer: What does engagement look like here: is it video views, follows, or clicks? Then write toward that behavior.
How Paid Social Copy Should Change by Platform
Meta (Facebook & Instagram)
Meta gives you range, and expects you to use it.
What to do differently:
- Write multiple angles, not variations of the same line
- Test emotional hooks against functional benefits
- Optimize the first line as aggressively as the creative
Meta Ad Copy Checklist:
- 5+ primary text variations with different hooks
- 5 headlines that each stand on their own
- One version that leads with a question
- One version that leads with a clear outcome
If all your copy sounds the same, you’re under-testing.
TikTok
On TikTok, copy supports the moment, it doesn’t drive it.
What to do differently:
- Treat copy as an extension of the video, not a headline
- Write like a person, not a brand
- Stay aware of trends, but don’t chase every one
TikTok Ad Copy Checklist:
- Keep copy under 100 characters
- Read it out loud—if it sounds scripted, rewrite it
- Ask: “Would this feel normal in a comment section?”
If the copy feels like it belongs in a brand deck, it doesn’t belong here.
Reddit users don’t want ads, they want context.
What to do differently:
- Lead with experience, not a pitch
- Write like you’re starting a conversation, not closing a sale
Reddit Ad Copy Checklist:
- Write in first person
- Remove brand claims and superlatives
- Lead with curiosity or a genuine problem
If it wouldn’t survive as a comment, it won’t survive as an ad.
YouTube
YouTube viewers are intentional, but impatient.
What to do differently:
- Deliver the value fast
- Make the outcome obvious early
YouTube Ad Copy Checklist:
- Lead with the problem or payoff in the headline
- Use keywords that match how people search
- Test CTAs beyond “Learn More” (e.g., Discover, Join, Try)
Assume attention is earned second by second.
How to Actually Improve Copy Performance Over Time
Great copy isn’t written once, it’s refined continuously. Refresh copy as often as you refresh creative to keep messaging relevant and performance strong. Additionally, instead of evaluating results only at the ad level, track performance by hook to understand which opening lines are actually driving engagement and clicks. Then, save your strongest first lines and reuse their structure across future campaigns and platforms to scale what’s working more efficiently. Your copy should be always evolving based on what works, and most importantly, what doesn’t.
CodeFree Tip: Create a shared doc of your favorite lines, best-performing hooks, phrases that consistently underperform and platform-specific wins. Not only will they help your team to see, but patterns emerge faster when you look for them.
There’s no universal “best” paid social copy, only copy that fits the moment, the platform, and the audience. Write with intention. Test relentlessly. Let performance guide your decisions. Because when copy feels native, relevant, and clear, clicks follow.