7 signs an ad is selling (and 3 that mislead)

Updated 23/09/2026 · a guide by the Kairós Sonar team

No single signal proves an ad sells. Together, they tell a story that's hard to fake. These are the ones that count — and the ones that seem to count but mislead.

The 7 signs

1. It has been running for more than 30 days. Whoever loses money switches it off within days.
2. It has several versions. The same creative in several ad sets is scale.
3. The page has many active ads. Whoever has margin tests a lot.
4. It ranks high by impressions. Shown a lot = a big budget.
5. It has high reach in the EU. You don't reach hundreds of thousands of people by chance.
6. It runs on several platforms. Facebook, Instagram and more: the advertiser is widening the funnel.
7. It leads to a store with a clear offer. Price, shipping, delivery times and guarantee clearly visible.

3 signals that mislead

• A spike of ads on a single day. Dozens of new ads at once is a store testing, not winning: wait to see which ones survive.
• A single, very old, inactive ad. Being on the list isn't the same as being active: check the status.
• Form ads. They can have huge reach and be there to collect leads, not to sell online.

How Kairós Sonar combines the signals

Sonar's 0-to-100 “Strength” adds up days running, position by impressions, the advertiser's active ads, creative versions and real reach in the EU. It's the fastest way to separate what lasts from what's only being tested.

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