The services ad playbook, from 11,042 real ads.

Local, professional and education: Agencies & B2B Services, Dental, Vision & Hearing, Education & Courses, Home Improvement and 7 more. What the typical ad looks like, what sets this market apart, and what the ads that last do differently.

11,042 ads / 428 brands / 11 categories / November 2026

Housing.com ad

Housing.com

Ran 1,276 days

Grand Canyon University ad

Grand Canyon University

Ran 1,103 days

Each of these ran 800+ days

The default

The typical services ad, step by step.

The most common choice at each step, and how common it really is. Whatever is not the default is, by definition, less crowded.

Sponsored
1No hook
2Value for money
3Pro shoot4No people
5Problem and solution
6No offer7No proof
8Learn more

The default services ad, assembled from the most common choice at every step. See real ones

  1. 1

    HookNo hook

    26%

    What stops the scroll: the headline on the creative, or the first line of copy when there is none. Runner-up: Benefit claim, 18%.

  2. 2

    The main reason to buy that the ad leans on. Runner-up: Results, 18%.

  3. 3

    Creative stylePro shoot

    45%

    How the creative was made, from phone-shot clips to designed graphics. Runner-up: Designed graphic, 30%.

  4. 4

    Who's on screenNo people

    44%

    Whether the creative shows people, and how. Runner-up: One person, 28%.

  5. 5

    The idea the ad is built on, from testimonials to sale promos. Runner-up: Product showcase, 20%.

  6. 6

    OfferNo offer

    58%

    The deal on the table, if there is one. Runner-up: Discount, 11%.

  7. 7

    ProofNo proof

    68%

    What the ad uses to back up its claim. Runner-up: Stats, 6%.

  8. 8

    ButtonLearn more

    53%

    The button under the creative. Runner-up: Book now, 12%.

Signature moves

What sets services apart.

Rare in other markets, routine here. If you are new to this market, these are the moves your competitors already make.

Offer / Signature

Free quote or consult offers are 12x as common in services as in other markets.

The deal on the table, if there is one.

of services ads10%
of ads in other markets1%

1136 of 11,042 ads against 134 of 16,067

See every ad tagged Free quote or consult

2.4 yearsRunning

Zoopla

1.9 yearsRunning

Oscar Wylee Eyewear

1.7 yearsRunning

William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance

1.6 yearsRunning

Optical Express2 versions

4 of the 1136 ads behind the top bar. Open any of them for the full breakdown.

Angle / Signature

The "Trust and guarantees" angle is 4x as common in services as in other markets.

The main reason to buy that the ad leans on.

of services ads12%
of ads in other markets3%

1297 of 11,042 ads against 472 of 16,067

See every ad tagged Trust and guarantees

2.3 yearsRunning

Renewal by Andersen LLC

1.5 yearsRunning

Mr. Rooter Plumbing

1.2 yearsRunning

Timothy Sykes2 versions

1.2 yearsRunning

Lemonade

4 of the 1297 ads behind the top bar. Open any of them for the full breakdown.

Tone / Signature

Authoritative copy is 2.8x as common in services as in other markets.

How the copy sounds.

of services ads13%
of ads in other markets5%

1386 of 11,042 ads against 731 of 16,067

See every ad tagged Authoritative

3.9 yearsRunning

Housing.com

11 monthsRunning

Magoosh5 versions

10 monthsRunning

Sokolove Law

8 monthsRunning

Kaplan Schweser

4 of the 1386 ads behind the top bar. Open any of them for the full breakdown.

Launched vs lasting

What services brands launch is not what lasts.

Services ads in their first 30 days against services ads that ran 90 days or more. Brands keep paying for what works, so the gap is the closest thing to a results column an outsider gets.

Emotion / Lasts

Ads that play on aspiration make up 24% of ads that last and 17% of new ads.

The feeling the ad plays on.

of ads that ran 90+ days24%
of ads in their first 30 days17%

709 of 2,954 ads against 772 of 4,608

See every ad tagged Aspiration

2.4 yearsRunning

Apartments.com

1.6 yearsRunning

Mindvalley

1.5 yearsRunning

Beltone Hearing Aid Center

1.4 yearsuntil Jun

Firmoo Online Optical Store

4 of the 709 ads behind the top bar. Open any of them for the full breakdown.

Tone / Lasts

Hype copy makes up 15% of ads that last and 10% of new ads.

How the copy sounds.

of ads that ran 90+ days15%
of ads in their first 30 days10%

429 of 2,954 ads against 467 of 4,608

See every ad tagged Hype

1.3 yearsRunning

Homeaglow2 versions

1.3 yearsRunning

Pair Eyewear

1.2 yearsRunning

Magnetic Marketing

1.2 yearsRunning

Rosetta Stone

4 of the 429 ads behind the top bar. Open any of them for the full breakdown.

Tone / Gets launched, does not last

Urgent copy makes up 10% of new ads but 3% of ads that last.

How the copy sounds.

of ads in their first 30 days10%
of ads that ran 90+ days3%

441 of 4,608 ads against 84 of 2,954

See every ad tagged Urgent

1 dayRunning

Empire Today2 versions

1 dayRunning

Udacity

1 dayRunning

Sono Bello2 versions

2 daysRunning

Stansberry Research

4 of the 441 ads behind the top bar. Open any of them for the full breakdown.

Offer / Gets launched, does not last

Discount offers make up 14% of new ads but 8% of ads that last.

The deal on the table, if there is one.

of ads in their first 30 days14%
of ads that ran 90+ days8%

661 of 4,608 ads against 233 of 2,954

See every ad tagged Discount

New todayRunning

Allure Medical

New todayRunning

GEICO

New todayRunning

MyEyeDr.

New todayRunning

GlassesUSA.com

4 of the 661 ads behind the top bar. Open any of them for the full breakdown.

The longest-running services ads

One per brand. Open any of them for the full breakdown.

Browse all services ads

5.1 yearsRunning

Seeking Alpha

3 yearsRunning

Grand Canyon University

3 yearsRunning

Charlie Health

2.4 yearsuntil Apr

The Motley Fool Australia

2.2 yearsRunning

Young America's Foundation

1.2 yearsRunning

The Corcoran Group

The services meta right now

What is changing in services advertising, week by week, from every new ad we watch.

See everything that is changing

Offers and proof

When services ads make an offer, Discount leads.

Most ads here offer nothing and prove nothing. This is what the rest reach for, and only what this market actually runs. Tap any row to see the ads.

Category by category

Where each category breaks from the pack.

Each category against the rest of services. Every card opens that category's top ads.

Agencies & B2B Services

623 ads

  • Ads that start with the problem: 56% here, 23% across the rest of services.
Browse Agencies & B2B Services ads

Dental, Vision & Hearing

1160 ads

Follows the services playbook closely. Nothing stands out yet.

Browse Dental, Vision & Hearing ads

Education & Courses

1741 ads

  • Ads that play on aspiration: 50% here, 14% across the rest of services.
  • The "Results" angle: 39% here, 15% across the rest of services.
Browse Education & Courses ads

Home Improvement

1156 ads

  • Discount offers: 34% here, 8% across the rest of services.
  • Sale promo ads: 40% here, 14% across the rest of services.
Browse Home Improvement ads

Home Services

1137 ads

  • The "Health and safety" angle: 21% here, 7% across the rest of services.
Browse Home Services ads

Insurance

1497 ads

  • The "Health and safety" angle: 29% here, 6% across the rest of services.
  • Ads that play on safety: 44% here, 19% across the rest of services.
Browse Insurance ads

Legal Services

467 ads

  • Problem and solution ads: 67% here, 22% across the rest of services.
  • Ads that start with the problem: 65% here, 23% across the rest of services.
Browse Legal Services ads

Med Spa & Aesthetics

905 ads

  • The "Results" angle: 46% here, 16% across the rest of services.
  • UGC style ads: 36% here, 18% across the rest of services.
Browse Med Spa & Aesthetics ads

Real Estate

1322 ads

  • Product showcase ads: 37% here, 17% across the rest of services.
  • Aspirational copy: 21% here, 8% across the rest of services.
Browse Real Estate ads

Telehealth

685 ads

  • The "Saves time" angle: 31% here, 11% across the rest of services.
  • Ads that play on relief: 38% here, 16% across the rest of services.
Browse Telehealth ads

Trading & Investing Education

349 ads

  • Free guide or tool offers: 25% here, 3% across the rest of services.
  • The "Make money" angle: 25% here, 3% across the rest of services.
Browse Trading & Investing Education ads

Seen the services playbook? Make yours.

Open any ad on this page and remix it for your own brand in about 30 seconds.

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