I’ve been thinking a lot about relationship ads lately. You know, the kind of ads you see online that are supposed to get people interested in dating services, apps, or sometimes even just content about relationships. I’ve noticed some ads feel super natural, while others instantly make me want to scroll past. That got me wondering: what are the common mistakes people make when they’re running relationship ads?

For me, the first time I tried working with relationship ads, I didn’t realize how tricky they can be. Unlike a product ad where you just show features and benefits, these ads tap into emotions—trust, curiosity, loneliness, excitement. If you mess that up, the ad doesn’t just fail, it can actually annoy people. And once an ad annoys someone, they’re definitely not going to click.

One big pain point I had early on was tone. I thought being funny and slightly cheeky would grab attention. But some of my ads came across as mocking instead of lighthearted. A few people even commented saying the ads felt “too pushy” or “kinda fake.” That stung, because I didn’t want my ads to sound disrespectful. It made me realize that when it comes to relationships, people are extra sensitive. They don’t want to feel judged or tricked.

Another thing I learned the hard way was about images. I once used stock photos that looked polished but clearly staged. The result? Almost no clicks. People can tell when a picture doesn’t feel authentic. I compared that with another test where I used natural-looking lifestyle images (not even super high quality, just more realistic), and the engagement jumped. That was a huge eye-opener for me—authenticity beats “perfect-looking” every time in this space.

I’ve also seen others make mistakes with targeting. It’s tempting to just aim ads broadly and hope they land, but relationship ads don’t work like that. A generic message won’t connect with someone who’s divorced and looking for a second chance the same way it connects with a college student looking for casual dating. The more I narrowed down the audience, the better results I got. It sounds obvious, but honestly, I ignored it at first because I thought I’d save time by casting a wide net. Spoiler: it wasted money instead.

One softer mistake (but still important) is making assumptions about gender or preferences. I used to write ad copy like “Guys, are you tired of being single?” and then realized… what about women? Or people who don’t fit that mold? It narrowed my reach unnecessarily. Now I try to keep the wording open and inclusive. Not only does it feel more respectful, but it also brings in a more diverse audience.

Something that really helped me was reading about what not to do from people who’ve already tested things in this space. I stumbled on this blog post called Common Mistakes in Relationship Advertising, and honestly, a lot of it matched the trial-and-error lessons I had already gone through. It was kind of comforting to realize I wasn’t the only one making those mistakes. Seeing examples laid out made me more careful about tone, images, and assumptions before putting ads out there.

Now, I’m not saying I’ve cracked the code on relationship ads—far from it. But I do think there are a few casual takeaways worth sharing:

• Keep things real. If it feels fake to you, it’ll feel fake to the audience.

• Watch the tone. Supportive > pushy. Lighthearted > mocking.

• Don’t assume too much about who’s on the other side of the screen.

• Test small things (like images or wording) before you go all-in.

At the end of the day, relationship ads are really about connecting on a human level. And humans pick up on inauthentic vibes really fast. That’s why mistakes in this area stand out more than, say, an ad for sneakers or gadgets. If you approach it with honesty and a bit of empathy, you’ll probably avoid the worst slip-ups.

Curious if others here have tried running relationship ads too. Did you face the same issues with tone and images, or was it something totally different for you?