The Best Performing Ads Are NOT What You Think

When creating ads for social media platforms like Meta and TikTok, we often face a critical question: should we aim for high-production, polished content or more authentic, raw material? In our latest Tea Talks episode with Matt, our Head of Paid Social and Darren, our Head of Creative we explored this dilemma and discovered some valuable insights.

The power of authenticity in social media advertising:

• Social media is an interruption-based platform where users aren’t actively seeking ads
• Authentic, “social-first” content typically performs better at stopping the scroll
• Content that feels native to the platform gets higher engagement rates
• Platforms reward higher engagement by showing your ads to more people

We’ve found that ads that don’t immediately look like ads often perform better. When content blends naturally with what users expect to see in their feeds, they’re more likely to engage with it before realising it’s promotional.

What “authentic” doesn’t mean:

• Low-quality or thoughtless content
• Poorly lit or badly composed shots
• Content without strategy or messaging
• Truly amateur production

There’s an important distinction between “low-budget” and “low-quality.” Authentic content can be created with minimal resources but still maintain good lighting, clear audio, and thoughtful composition. The key is creating content that focuses on relatability rather than production value.

The ideal approach – a strategic blend:

• Mix authentic, social-first content with more polished promotional materials
• Use employee-generated content (EGC) to showcase the human side of your brand
• Consider the platform-specific expectations (TikTok as entertainment vs. Meta as social)
• Always prioritise understanding your audience’s pain points over production quality

Rather than choosing between authenticity and polish, we recommend creating a diverse content mix. This gives the platform’s algorithms more to work with and allows you to determine which approaches resonate best with your specific audience.

Why people connect with authentic content:

• It joins the conversation happening in customers’ heads
• It addresses real problems in relatable ways
• It showcases real people, creating human connection
• It feels less like a sales pitch and more like helpful information

Most importantly, great ads are about connecting with your audience on a human level. Whether you’re using high-production videos or smartphone footage, what matters most is understanding your audience’s needs and speaking directly to them in a way that feels genuine.

As Matt perfectly summarised: “The idea will always be more important than the camera.” Focus first on your message and understanding your audience, then worry about production quality.

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