How to Create Scroll-Stopping Ads on Instagram and Facebook

How to Create Scroll-Stopping Ads on Instagram and Facebook

If you’ve ever found yourself mindlessly scrolling through Instagram and suddenly stopped on a video, maybe it made you laugh, feel inspired, or just look twice, you already know what makes great advertising.

That’s exactly what Sunshine Coast and Brisbane businesses need to be doing in 2025: creating content that stops the thumb.

Let’s be real… Attention spans are shorter than ever. The first three seconds make or break your ad. But when you combine smart strategy with genuine storytelling, you can turn a few seconds of video into thousands of impressions, clicks, and sales.

Here’s how to do it right.

1. Start with a Hook That Grabs Instantly

The first three seconds decide whether someone watches or keeps scrolling.

Maybe it’s a question: “What if your business could double its reach in 30 days?”

Maybe it’s a powerful visual; a builder walking through a finished home, a café steaming a perfect flat white, or a fitness coach cheering a client through a set.

On the Sunshine Coast and in Brisbane, locals love authenticity. Don’t open with your logo. Open with emotion. Lead with the outcome your audience wants; not the process.

2. Keep It Short, Simple, and Focused

Less is more. A 20-second ad that hits hard beats a 60-second one that rambles.

Each ad should focus on one message and one action. If you’re promoting your café, highlight one signature dish. If you’re a builder, show one transformation.

The goal isn’t to tell your whole story, it’s to spark enough interest for people to click through and learn more.

3. Design for Sound-Off Watching

Most social media users watch videos without sound. That means if your ad relies on dialogue, you’ve already lost half your audience.

Add captions, on-screen text, and visuals that speak for themselves. Use short, bold sentences or phrases that appear in rhythm with the video.

At Three Strand Media, we design every short-form video and ad to perform even if the sound is off. Because that’s how most of your audience is watching.

4. Optimise for Mobile and Platform

Think vertical. Think visual. Think fast.

Instagram Reels and Facebook Stories are made for portrait videos that fill the screen. Keep your key visuals and text in the centre third of the frame, where eyes naturally focus.

And if you’re targeting local customers, use location-based cues. Sunshine Coast beaches, Brisbane skylines, familiar cafés. They create instant recognition and trust.

5. Tell a Story, Not Just a Sales Pitch

The best ads don’t feel like ads. They feel like stories.

A fitness trainer sharing how one client regained confidence.

A local builder walking through the home that changed a family’s life.

A restaurant owner showing their team preparing meals before the dinner rush.

Stories connect emotionally. When your audience feels something, they remember your brand. That’s how you build community — not just clicks.

Bringing It All Together

Great ads come from understanding people. Not just algorithms.

For businesses across the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, the difference between being scrolled past and being remembered is how you show up. When you blend creativity, authenticity, and smart video strategy, you don’t just get views — you get results.

At Three Strand Media, we help local brands craft social media video ads that stop the scroll, build trust, and drive sales. We handle everything from concept and scripting to filming, editing, and optimisation — so you can focus on running your business.

🎥 Get in touch today to create scroll-stopping video ads that put your brand in motion across the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.