How to Make Your Facebook Ads Stand Out in the Feed
We live in the 'Attention Economy.' Your ad is not competing against other businesses; it is competing against a video of a cute puppy, a photo of your customer's ex-boyfriend, and a breaking news story. To win, you have to be visually louder and more interesting than everything else on the screen. If you blend in, you disappear. Here is how to design ads that act as a visual speed bump for the scrolling thumb.
Standing out doesn't mean being the loudest or the brightest. It means using contrast and psychology to grab the eye.
1. Use 'Pattern Interrupts'
The human brain ignores things that look predictable. If every post in the feed is a polished, studio photo, a polished studio photo becomes invisible. A 'Pattern Interrupt' is something that breaks the visual flow.
Try this: Use a bright, unusual background color like electric purple or neon yellow. Or, use an image that is upside down. Anything that makes the brain say, 'Wait, what is that?' works.
2. High Contrast is King
Subtle pastels are nice for a wedding invitation, but they are terrible for Facebook Ads. You want high contrast. If your background is dark, your text should be bright white. If your product is red, put it on a blue background. You want the elements to pop off the screen, not blend together.
3. Add Movement (Even a Little)
Our lizard brains are hardwired to notice movement. A static image is easy to scroll past. A video is harder to ignore. But you don't need a full movie. Use a GIF or a simple animation where just the text moves or arrows point to the product. Even 10% movement increases stopping power by 50%.
4. Faces with Emotion
Humans look at other humans. It is biological. But a blank face is boring. Use faces that show extreme emotion—shock, joy, confusion, or laughter. If someone in your ad looks surprised, the user will stop to see what they are surprised about. It creates instant curiosity.
5. The 'Native' Text Overlay
Instead of using fancy fonts, try using the native Instagram or TikTok text fonts on your image. It makes the ad look like a piece of content created by a friend, which tricks the brain into stopping to read it.
Design Without a Designer
You don't need a degree in color theory to make ads that pop. Stirling uses AI to automatically select high-contrast colors and layouts that are proven to stop the scroll. It handles the science of attention so you can focus on the sales.
