Three seconds. That’s how long you have to stop someone mid-scroll and make them care about your ad. Not five seconds. Not “once they read the copy.” Three seconds.

In those three seconds, their brain makes a dozen unconscious decisions: Is this relevant? Is this trustworthy? Is this worth my time? Most ads fail this test spectacularly.

Here’s what happens in those crucial first moments: the human brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text. Your audience sees your ad before they read it. They feel it before they think about it.

This is why stock photos kill ads. Generic imagery triggers the “this is an ad” filter instantly. Your brain has been trained to ignore anything that looks like marketing. But authentic, unexpected visuals? They break through.

The best ad creatives understand visual hierarchy. Your eye follows a predictable pattern – top left, across, down, and around. Smart advertisers put their hook in the top third, their proof in the middle, and their call-to-action where the eye naturally lands.

Colour psychology isn’t marketing fluffit’s neuroscience. Red creates urgency (think sale banners). Blue builds trust (think Facebook). Green suggests growth or money. But here’s the twist: contrast matters more than colour choice. A bright yellow button on a dark background will outperform a blue button on a blue background every time.

Movement catches attention, but random movement annoys. Strategic animation – like a subtle pulse on your CTA or text that appears progressively guides the eye without overwhelming it.

The fatal mistake? Trying to say everything in one ad. Your ad’s job isn’t to sell, it’s to get the click. Save the selling for your landing page.

Test everything, but test with purpose. Don’t just A/B test colourstest emotions. Don’t just test headlinestest hooks. The difference between a converting ad and a money pit often comes down to understanding what makes people stop, look, and click in those first three seconds.