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using ads to build my brand from nothing

Here's what I have planned for the next 12-24 months. Ads will help.

Ross Pruden

• 2 min read
using ads to build my brand from nothing
after many months (and dollars) spent learning Facebook ads, I can't wait to jump back into it.

For most of 2025, I did a deep dive into learning Facebook ads, mostly with a personal coach who had overseen thousands of dollars of ad spend. His lessons were invaluable and gave me a frame work to diffuse the fog I'd had around Meta's complicated ad dashboard.

This time around, I'm further mastering Meta ads so I can market my novel effectively. It turns out that I love Facebook advertising. There's something magical about crunching numbers... I can easily stare at Meta's Ad Business Suite for hours trying to figure out what the numbers are telling me. CPC too high but it doesn't have enough impressions to know if I should turn off the ad... etc.

I'm planning multiple rapid releases for The Sapient Saga later in 2026, so there's lots to do before then, too much to say in one post.

So here's my overall publishing strategy, in the broadest of strokes:

  1. Master traffic ads on Facebook so I'm ready to run a great launch. (in process)
  2. Write 40+ short stories in the same sci fi universe and offer them as a surprise prequel book one month before the novel launches. (24,000/90,000 words done... and counting!)
  3. Write the novel to publish in October 2026. (first draft already written, but I'm currently overhauling it to bring in sync with the 40+ short stories)
  4. Get a jump on book #1 for a November 2026 release. (pending)
  5. Run some Facebook ads now to test various creative elements to optimize for preorders, get new web site members, and invite more people wanting to find out about this crazy universe I'm building. (in process)

There's a lot to get done in the coming months but Facebook ads are a huge part of it. I plan on diving into running ads in more detail, perhaps even with live updates, so make sure you become a member to get updates as I go!

Books/courses on Facebook ads I can personally recommend (no affiliate links):