The First 3 Seconds – What Makes People Stop Scrolling on Social?

In this episode of Tea Talks, Darren and Matt discuss one of the most overlooked but vital parts of any ad creative: the first three seconds. Whether you’re running paid campaigns or posting organic content, what you do in those opening moments determines whether your audience sticks around — or scrolls past.

Here’s what brands need to know:

Why the First Three Seconds Matter

• Social platforms are built for speed — people scroll fast.
• Your creative is interrupting, not requested. It has to earn attention.
• The aim is to grab interest before they realise it’s an ad.

A powerful hook is essential. Without it, even great creative won’t get seen.

What Makes a Great Hook?

Think of it as a combination of movement, messaging, and relevance.

Visual Hooks:

• Quick camera movement or zooms
• Subtle actions (e.g. opening a drawer or making a bed)
• Before-and-after transformations

Text-Based Hooks:

• Bold, on-screen questions
• Messages that speak to your target audience’s pain points
• Headlines that feel personal or spark curiosity

Verbal Hooks:

• “Are you struggling with…” questions work well
• Directly address the viewer’s problem or goal

Know Your Audience

The hook only works if it speaks to the right people.

• Research their problems, desires, and decision-making triggers
• Match your messaging to their stage in the buying journey
• Tailor visuals and language to reflect their world

As Matt puts it: “We’re like mini-psychologists. It’s our job to get inside the customer’s mindset.”

Why Movement Matters

Static shots don’t stop the scroll. Even small movement can create just enough disruption.

• Quick pans or zooms grab the eye
• Movement signals this isn’t just another still post
• Subtle product actions outperform flat talking heads

Split tests from past campaigns showed that even a basic zoom-in outperformed a slow pan in video ads.

What Home & Garden Brands Can Do

Hooks that work well in this space include:

• Before-and-after garden makeovers
• Problem-led questions (“Is your lawn struggling this summer?”)
• Friendly faces delivering a message to camera

People connect with people. That human connection makes them pause, especially on platforms like Meta or TikTok.

The Takeaway

To create scroll-stopping ads:

• Lead with movement
• Use hooks that match your audience’s mindset
• Make it clear within seconds who the ad is for and what it’s about

If you get those first three seconds right, everything else has a better chance to perform.

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