How to Make Ads that Stop People From Scrolling

Contents

First impression is very important. In a busy social feed, an ad has a fraction of a second to grab attention and give someone a reason to pause.

If you want ads that gets people’s attention and lead to results, focus on two things, the first is, what people see in the first 300–700 milliseconds, and the second is, what happens next when they tap or click.

The first part is about visuals, motion and a single clear idea. The second is about giving the user a fast, pain-free path to the thing you promised.

Turn Visual Contrast Into Instant Attention

To grab attention right away, make that first image pop! Bright colors and a lot of contrast work great on social media feeds because our eyes go straight to what stands out.

But don’t just throw clashing colors together. Instead, make sure there’s a clear visual difference between what you’re showing and the background, and keep the main thing you want people to see nice and simple. See sample below:

Visual ad creative

Start with something that really grabs you, like someone looking right at the camera, or a really cool shot of your product.

Faces make people feel something right away and help them get what the ad is about faster. Put that together with a close-up, some empty space, and a clear, sharp picture, so it looks good even when it’s small.

If you’re adding text, keep it short and easy to read on phones. Use big letters, short lines, and don’t use more than two fonts. Put the text on a solid or see-through block if the background is too distracting. And definitely skip long sentences, the ad should get the message across quick.

Points To Note For Ad Visuals

High-contrast focal point: subject clearly separates from background.
Human presence: one to two people, natural expressions, clear eye line.
Readable overlay text: 6–10 words max, large type, short lines.
No busy backgrounds: if necessary, apply subtle blur or a dark overlay.
One color accent: pick a bold accent color that repeats in the CTA or product.

Use Motion to Stop Endless Scroll

Motion resets attention. Quick, subtle movement in the opening instant of a video is one of the fastest ways to stop endless scroll. It could be a head turn, a product sliding in, or a quick zoom.

Short-form video formats are built for this; even a 6–10 second clip can outperform a longer video if it hooks immediately.

Rules for motion:

Open with movement in the first 0–2 seconds.
Keep total ad length tight: 6–15 seconds for most social placements.
Use a clear visual arc: hook → value cue → call to action.
Avoid long intros or brand logos that delay the hook.

When you don’t have much to spend on making videos, animated GIFs or cinemagraphs (still photos with a small repeating motion) are great low-cost options. They bring some action to your content without needing a whole film production.

Write Copy That Drives Action

Copy in ads should do three things: clarify the offer, create relevance, and prompt action. In feeds, viewers skim, so every word must earn its place.

Lead with a short, clear benefit line. Avoid industry jargon and long descriptions. Use active verbs and concrete outcomes. For example:

“Get 30% off your first order,” “Book a 10-minute demo,” “See how this saves 2 hours.”

If your offer relies on emotion, combine a human image with a one-line evocative phrase that suggests a feeling or transformation.

For CTAs, be explicit and action-oriented:

“Shop deal,” “Start free trial,” “Claim gift.”

Put the CTA in both the visual (button or overlay) and in the copy so users see it no matter how they engage.

Choose the Right Format for Your Goal

Use the format that fits the platform and the intent you want to capture.

Short-form vertical video: best for awareness and engagement on TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. Use rapid edits, captions, and a single, clear message.
Carousel: good for showing multiple features, steps, or products. Each card should advance the story, don’t repeat the same image across cards.
Single image: still powerful when the shot is arresting and the headline is sharp. Use for simple offers and retargeting.
Collections / instant experience: use when you want an in-feed storefront or interactive landing without leaving the platform.

Pick one objective per ad. If the goal is clicks, optimize for CTR and make the CTA front-and-center. If the goal is view-through or brand lift, optimize for completion rate and watch time.

Authenticity Makes Ads Feel Human

If you want to be seen as real, actually be real. Show images and scenes that feel natural, not fake.

Use actual photos of people who look like your customers, real smiles, real work, and real hands.

Keep clips short and honest. Show someone opening your product, quick customer reviews on video, or a simple how-to.

Use natural light, keep the script light, and talk like you are having a conversation. This makes your ads seem like friendly advice instead of annoying interruptions.

Offer Design: Make the Value Clear and Immediate

A compelling incentive is often what moves a user from pause to engagement. Offers work best when they’re simple, tangible, and immediate: discounts, free trials, limited-time bonuses, or low-effort lead magnets.

See sample below.

Ad offer design

Design the offer as part of the creative: show the discount in text overlay, show the free item visually, and show a quick example of the outcome. Avoid vague promises; a specific, concrete offer converts faster.

Build a Repeatable Ad Production Workflow

A repeatable production process speeds up iteration. Use these steps as a baseline for every campaign:

Concept (one-line idea): save 3 to 5 variations of the core hook.
Shot list (visuals to capture): focus on the opening 1–2 seconds.
Rapid shoot: capture multiple takes and candid B-roll.
Quick edit: produce 3 edits: 6s, 10s, 15s (vertical and square crops as needed).
Submit for platform specs: check resolution, caption rules, and file type.
Launch paired with testing plan (A/B or multivariate).

This framework supports speed: the more creative versions you can launch and test in the first week, the faster you’ll find what works.

Testing and Measurement

Measure early and measure smart. Use these primary metrics to judge whether creative is working:

Click-through rate (CTR): how often people click from the ad.
Conversion rate (CVR): of those clicks, how many complete the desired action.
Cost per acquisition (CPA): ad spend divided by conversions.
Average watch time / completion rate: how much of the video is watched.
Return on ad spend (ROAS): revenue earned divided by ad spend (if applicable).

Testing approach:

A/B test one variable at a time. Test creative variations while keeping the audience and landing page constant.
Test formats. Run the same creative as a carousel and as a short video to see which format performs for your audience.
Set clear thresholds. Decide what counts as a winner (e.g., a 20% higher CTR or a 15% lower CPA) and scale winners quickly.
Iterate weekly. Pause underperformers and reallocate budget to winners; refresh creative every 1–4 weeks depending on ad fatigue.

Avoid testing multiple big changes at once; if you change headline, color, and CTA simultaneously, you won’t know which tweak produced the lift.

Keep the Promise After the Click

An ad only completes its mission if the landing experience honors the promise. If the ad promises “20% off today,” send that user to a page where the discount is visible immediately, with a single CTA and minimal fields on forms.

Guidelines:

Keep loading time under 3 seconds on mobile.
Match the ad creative to the landing page (visuals, headline, tone).
Reduce friction: if you need an email, ask only for email. If you need purchase, pre-fill where possible.
Use a single conversion goal per landing page.

If the landing page is slow or confusing, even great creative will produce poor returns.

Accessibility and inclusivity

Don’t treat accessibility as an afterthought.

Captions for videos help everyone, they improve comprehension in sound-off feeds and widen reach to users who rely on captions.

Use high-contrast text, descriptive alt text for images, and readable fonts.

Consider cultural relevance in imagery and messaging; inclusivity expands your audience and reduces the risk of missteps.

Common Problems and Quick Fixes

Low CTR: tighten the opening hook. Try a different color accent or a close-up face.
High clicks but low conversions: check landing page alignment and speed. Remove barriers like excessive form fields.
Short watch times: start with movement, shorten the ad, or put the strongest shot at the top.
Ad fatigue: swap creative elements (image, headline, CTA) every 1–3 weeks depending on frequency.

Your 4-Step Ad Launch Framework

Create three short hooks. Produce three 6–10 second edits that open with different motions (head turn, product pop, quick text animation).
Build a single landing page. Match one hook to a dedicated landing page with the same headline and a one-click CTA.
Run a controlled A/B test. Split spend evenly across the three hooks and measure CTR and CVR for 5–7 days.
Kill or scale. Pause the worst performer, double spend on the winner, then create two follow-up variations to iterate.

Bold the steps and make them part of your campaign checklist so the team knows what to do next.

Budget and scaling

Begin with a little testing budget that lets you reach statistical significance: across many platforms this means enough impressions so you see clear differences in CTR or CVR.

Once a creative variant shows reliable lift, scale gradually and watch CPA and ROAS. Scaling too fast can change auction dynamics, so increase budgets in 20–30% steps and watch key metrics for signs of degradation.

Legal and brand safety

Avoid exaggerated claims and always include required disclaimers for pricing or promotions.

Make sure your creative follows platform policies (no misleading content, no prohibited items). Keep brand voice consistent so ads feel like part of a coherent presence rather than random interruptions.

Conclusion

An ad that stops the scroll is the result of two things working together: a fast, arresting visual that earns attention, and a simple, friction-free experience that converts that attention into action. Design the opening frame to win the first glance, keep the message single and repeat it in visual and copy, then test and measure to discover what actually drives results for your audience.