Advertising is hard

Advertising is hard is an advertising education and visibility platform that offers free learning resources and a paid bid-based board for brands to gain exposure. The site collects real-world advertising strategies, skill guides, AI tools, and an ad inspiration library, all free, while monetizing through an auction-style leaderboard where the highest bidder gets the top spot on the page.

What is Advertising is hard?

Advertising is hard is a free-to-learn advertising education site with a paid, bid-based visibility board. It takes real advertising strategies from Reddit and X, packages them into write-ups and guides, and offers downloadable AI skill files for Claude. The platform is web-based and curated by an editor named Dylan, who also runs a public book club on the site.

Key Features

• Free strategies — 20 write-ups of organic and paid advertising plays pulled from Reddit and X, each crediting the person who ran it and linking to the original.
• Skills library — 20 guides covering Facebook ads, Google Ads, SEO, creative, copywriting, and landing pages; a single email address unlocks all of them.
• AI skills — 12 downloadable skill files built on the open Agent Skills standard that teach Claude what the ad platforms changed.
• Ad library — 16 curated ads worth stealing from, usable as reference material or handed to an AI.
• Book club — 34 books debated publicly; users can sign in with X to add their own picks.
• The Board — a paid leaderboard where your bid is your rank, with bids in whole dollars and $1 steps; the top five appear on every page.

Who is it for?

• Beginners in advertising — learn from real strategies and comprehensive guides without spending anything.
• Marketing professionals — stay updated on ad platform changes via AI skills and the ad library.
• Brands and startups — buy a board spot to get visibility on a site frequented by advertising learners.
• AI enthusiasts — download skill files that turn Claude into an advertising-savvy assistant.

What can you do with Advertising is hard?

• Learn advertising for free — read the strategy write-ups and guides, then apply them to your own campaigns.
• Teach your AI about ads — download AI skills to keep Claude informed about the latest ad platform updates.
• Find ad inspiration — browse the ad library to study ads worth stealing.
• Get visibility for your brand — bid on the board to appear at the top of the page; #1 is currently at $10.

How does the board work?

Enter your URL or X handle and choose a whole dollar amount; your rank equals your bid. If you're already on the board, entering the same URL lets you pay only the difference to climb. Getting outbid moves you down a row, and bids are not refunded. The board resets every 90 days, moving all bids to an All-time leaderboard.

Pricing

Advertising is hard is freemium. All learning content — strategies, guides, AI skills, ad library, and book club — is free. The only paid feature is The Board, where bids start at $2. The current #1 spot costs $10, and taking it requires an $11 bid.

FAQ

Is Advertising is hard free?

Yes, all learning resources on the site are free. The only thing you can pay for is the board, where your bid determines your rank.

How much does it cost to take #1 on the board?

The current #1 spot is at $10. To claim it, you need to bid $11. Bids are in whole dollars, with $1 increments.

What happens when the board resets?

The board clears every 90 days. All bids from the current season move to an All-time leaderboard permanently. Bids are not refunded or carried over.

What are AI skills?

AI skills are downloadable skill files built on the open Agent Skills standard. They teach Claude what the ad platforms changed, so the AI can give more accurate advertising advice.

Do users get refunded if outbid?

No. Getting outbid doesn't refund you; it just moves you down a row on the board.