5 Tips for Creating Engaging Social Media Ads (With Examples)

If someone asked you to picture an advert, you’d probably imagine an image with a one-liner and a CTA. That’s great… just not for social media.

When it comes to ads on social media, the key is blending in rather than trying to stand out in order to embed yourself in the feeds of potential customers. In this social media ads guide, our paid social team shares the creative best practices we use to help brands get more from every pound they spend.

The 5 Best Practices for Social Ad Creative Design

1. Make Them Native To The Platform

The best social media ads don’t actually look like ads. When people are scrolling their For You page or feed, you have seconds, if that, to grab their attention. If a post clearly looks like an advert, they’ll scroll straight past.

Ad content that looks like an organic post is far more likely to hold attention for longer. Reels and UGC (user-generated content) are two of the best formats for creating native-feeling, engaging ads.

2. Use Hooks

Hooks matter just as much in paid content as they do in organic posts. For a static ad, you need a strong written hook. For a Reel, you want both a verbal and a written hook in the first couple of seconds. Here are three types of hooks that consistently grab attention:

• Negative hooks: Open with a statement that highlights a problem, fear, mistake or frustration. It sparks curiosity because the viewer wants to know what’s going wrong, how to avoid it, or what they might be missing. Example: “Three mistakes that are making your garden look tired.”
• Curiosity hooks: Ask a question or make a statement that makes your audience curious, so they keep watching to find out more. Example: “This is the one thing every good night’s sleep has in common.”
• Controversial hooks: Lead with a strong opinion. People rally around views they share, which makes this a great way to connect with the right audience. Example: “Hot take: grey sofas are ruining your living room.”

3. Vary Your Formats

Don’t rely on one style of ad. The strongest social ad accounts are constantly testing different formats side by side. For example, you could run a static before-and-after, a top-tips Reel and a UGC-style video at the same time to see which resonates best with your customers.

4. Feature People Wherever You Can

Content with people in it usually outperforms content without, because people connect with people. It’s hard to connect with a colourful square that says “Buy my item!”

For instance, if you sell tables and chairs, show people sitting around the table, perhaps having a family dinner or a coffee with friends. It helps your audience picture themselves doing the same.

5. Don’t Try To Reinvent The Wheel

Stuck on what to create? Look at which of your organic posts have performed best and use them as inspiration for your ads. A lot of the time, the answer is right in front of you (on your grid!).

How much do social media ads cost?

There’s no fixed social media ads price. Platforms like Meta run on an auction, so what you pay depends on your audience, your industry, the time of year and, crucially, how engaging your creative is. You set a daily or lifetime budget, and the platform charges based on impressions or clicks.

That’s why creative matters so much: ads that hold attention tend to deliver more results from the same budget.

Looking for a social media ads agency?

At Circus, our paid social specialists plan, create and optimise campaigns with one goal: commercial results. With senior specialists on every account and transparent reporting, you’ll always know exactly what your budget is delivering.