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The digital world is noisy and we’re all fighting for the same people to stop scrolling and pay attention! So, how do you make sure your image and video ads don’t get lost in the chaos?

First impressions matter, especially when your ad has about 1.7 seconds to grab attention. Whether it’s an image or a video, the key is bold, clear, and high-quality visuals that pop. Here’s how to do it:

: These stand out against busy social media feeds.

 don’t love text-heavy images. Keep it clean and to the point.

: We’re wired to connect with people. A smiling face or a dramatic expression works wonders.

: Even subtle motion (like animated text or a quick zoom) keeps viewers engaged.

For video ads, the first three seconds are everything. You need to make your audience pause and think, “Oh, what’s this?”

 – No long intros! Jump straight into something 

 – Something that sparks curiosity, like “What if you never had to meal prep again?”

 – Many people watch without sound, so make sure your message is clear even when muted.

People aren’t here to watch a feature film (unless you’re advertising one). The best-performing video ads are often under 15 seconds. For images, keep the message concise. Ask yourself: If someone only looks at this for two seconds, will they get the point? If not, simplify it!

Your audience should know exactly what you’re offering at a glance. Avoid vague messaging.

Instead of:  “Transform your skin today!”

Try: “Get glowing skin in 7 days – try our Vitamin C serum now!”

A strong call-to-action (CTA) is non-negotiable

Never assume people will just know what to do next. Tell them! Whether it’s “Shop Now” or “Sign Up Today” make it clear and compelling.

Even the best marketers don’t get it right the first time. A/B test different visuals, text, and formats to see what works best for your audience. What grabs attention? What gets clicks? Keep tweaking until you find the perfect combination for your audience.

Mastering image and video ads isn’t about throwing money at something and hoping for the best. It’s about understanding what makes people stop scrolling, pay attention, and take action.

person mastering image and video ads on a laptop and mobile phone

Want to create image and video ads that stop people scrolling? We cover everything from eye catching visuals to killer CTAs and A/B testing. Learn how to grab attention and boost engagement with your ads.

If you're in charge of B2B marketing strategy, you might overlook social media as a channel, thinking that your business is based on personal referrals and that your target customer doesn't use social media to seek suppliers. But today, there's no business that doesn't benefit from social media marketing. And here's why. 

They are on social media, having conversations. They might even be having conversations about your industry or even your company. Having a presence will help you maintain relationships with customers and ensure you're not out of the loop.

New customers can find you via social media, plus having engaged and up to date social media profiles supports SEO - so if ranking on Google is important to your business, social media is a must.

Every company benefits from having strong branding and social media can help you position your brand. When done well, that positioning will in turn resonate with your target customers so you're front of mind when they are in that purchasing mindset.

Company social media channels build trust

If your business is looking to acquire new customers, building trust is going to be an important objective. Brands with a considered social media strategy and good community management will appear a safer choice compared to those without.

There's no other form of advertising that's as targeted

No matter how small your industry or niche is, you'll find your audience somewhere on social media. Whether it's baby boomers or gen Z you are looking for, they're congregating on social media so don't miss out on opportunities to build relationships with key players.

Take a look at how we utilised social media marketing for Alpha Crew in this 

.

If you work in B2B and would like some advice with your marketing strategy, you can sign up for a FREE social media workshop with our team. Find out more 

person devising b2b marketing strategy on the go

B2B marketing is a different kettle of fish. But your B2B marketing strategy should still include social media, here's our top 5 reasons why.

Why Your B2B Marketing Strategy Must Include Social Media

Meta’s new rules mean that if your website falls into a “restricted” category then certain website actions are now off-limits for ad optimisation. Some actions which have been effected include: donations, lead generation, or purchases. A lot of charities fall under the “health and wellness” category, so they’ve been hit hard by this change.

Meta says it’s all about protecting user privacy but the lack of transparency around how sites are classified makes this extra tricky.

: Without conversion tracking, Meta’s algorithms can’t target your ideal supporters as accurately.

 Say goodbye to custom audiences based on website actions.

: Awareness campaigns are still fair game, as are any campaigns with conversion goals which take place on Metabut direct-response fundraising is taking the biggest hit.

There are a few things you can try to overcome these changes…

Think Meta made a mistake? Hit that appeal button and see if you can get your website reclassified. This does mean going around the houses with Meta Support, which we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemy but you might get somewhere!

: Focus on campaigns that don’t rely on website conversions. Utilise Meta for prospecting and awareness and convert that interest elsewhere.

Keep all your conversion goals within Meta

: Eg. run a Meta Lead Gen form synced to your CRM, rather than directing people to the forms on your website.

Track clicks through Meta, not conversions

: Use Google Analytics to measure ad performance.

Some charities are launching separate domains for fundraising campaigns to sidestep restrictions. By directing your ad traffic to a domain which isn’t flagged as “health and wellness” you can sidestep the restrictions.

Meta isn’t the only channel in town! Check out:

 – Great for awareness and video focused campaigns.

 – Alternative platforms with unique targeting options.

 (like My Thank You) to turn appreciation into action.

Yes, these changes are a curveball but you’ve got this! Adapt, experiment, and stay ahead of the game. Meta isn’t the only player in town and with the right strategy, your charity can keep making an impact.

Big changes are happening in the world of Meta advertising and if you rely on digital ads to rally support, you need to know what’s up. Meta’s new restrictions on conversion tracking have thrown a spanner in the works - especially for charities. 

Meta’s new ad restrictions: What charities need to know

Oddly satisfying videos have become one of the biggest content genres on the internet. On TikTok, the 

 views. For context, that’s around 18 video views for every person on the planet. 

Smart brands have jumped on this trend for their own social strategy and it has proven to be a major success for businesses in those “boring” industries.Videos from 

like this one of him taking a swimming pool from green to clean

, have amassed millions of views and an audience of 14.5+ million.

The Hydraulic Press Channel—while not technically set-up for brand marketing purposes—is a textbook example for anyone working in the machinery biz. Turns out, hydraulic presses + everyday objects = the stuff of content magic. Their 

 has 9.5M+ subscribers, they have 2.6M+ followers on 

Now, if you’ve been in the digital marketing space for *ahem* a while, you might remember a certain brand that revolutionised this type of content. First launched in October 2006(!!) Blendtec’s “

” series was on nearly every marketing team’s radar. They blended everything from 

, just to prove how powerful their product could be. As a result of this one idea, 

What this type of content proves is that 

the elements of your business that seem boring to you, could be completely novel to your audience

this 60 second video of a man cleaning a rug

If you’re looking for a content idea that demands little production (but has the potential to take your social channels to new heights oddly satisfying videos could be just the thing.

Blendtec Founder, Tom Dickson, talks about the success of “Will it blend?”

Get content inspo from the original /oddlysatisfying subreddit

An interview with Lauri and Anni Vuohensilta from The Hydraulic Press Channel

Wightlink Ferry pokes fun at the ASMR trend

The psychology behind oddly satisfying videos

In the pool with…Armin Ulrich from Placid

—a toolkit that helps brands streamline their content with dynamic templates. 

 brand can use ASMR videos to their advantage. So, of course, we had to ask him about it…

In a sentence or two, describe your idea about how brands can use oddly satisfying content?

Brands can remix existing content (such as podcast highlights or educational videos) with oddly satisfying content to increase viewer retention and tap into current trends.

What are some examples of ASMR videos that brands could pair with their own content?

Closeups of people or machines cutting, squishing or crumpling things

Closeups of people baking, building legos, sewing, painting, crafting

Why do you think ASMR videos are so successful?

ASMR videos are the brain tickles of the internet. They’re like a sensory escape for people, offering some form of relaxation and entertainment.

Have you seen an example of a brand using ASMR content really well?

IKEA's "Oddly IKEA" campaign is a great example

. They combined ASMR with visuals of their products being assembled, creating an experience that was as engaging as brand-centric.

Finally, what advice would you give to brands that are going to start applying this ASMR strategy to their social channels?

If you’re sourcing ASMR content, don’t overthink it—just go with the trends that are currently hitting the mark.

If you’re creating ASMR content of your own, think about how you can make it more on-brand. For example: If you sell art suppliers, create an ASMR video with the sound of brushstrokes. Or if you’re a drinks brand, the fizz of a beverage.

Create an oddly satisfying video for your brand or a video that pokes fun at the oddly satisfying trend (like 

That's our wrap up on the oddly satisfying trend. Now all that's left to do is start experimenting! 

Have you ever been in the middle of a task, only to find yourself zoning out to videos of people cutting kinetic sand?  

Hydraulic presses and other "oddly satisfying" content

It comes as no surprise when a brand like 

 has fun content. I mean, it’s a colourful cereal brand for adults!

But you probably wouldn’t expect Citizens Advice—yes, 

 is the perfect blend of educational and entertaining. And this strategy has paid off. They have over 147K followers and almost a million likes across their content.

Things are somehow funnier when they come from someone or somewhere unexpected. It’s like that time 

the queen “jumped out of a helicopter” with James Bond at the London Olympics

If you’re in a “boring” industry, you almost have the upper hand.

Typically, businesses in “boring” sectors are B2B, or exist in very traditional industries that still wear this mask of a stiff, corporate culture.

But behind the mask of even the biggest conglomerates are 

. People with personalities who are great at their jobs.

These people don’t just exist in your business, they’re also your target customers. And if they can acknowledge that they, as a person, can be both professional and fun, then surely they could think the same of your business?

Sao Paolo’s rail network’s video content is *chef’s kiss*

Fun sells (here’s a study that proves it)

The ultimate guide to TikTok marketing for B2B

Need to convince your boss that fun is the future? Try this approach

What Citizens Advice learned from their first year of posting on TikTok

Watch the video to hear our thoughts on: 

Why it pays for brands to make people laugh.

In the pool with…Eleanor Sutherland from Citizens Advice

Meet Eleanor Sutherland. Based in Sheffield, she’s the Senior Digital Marketing Strategist at Citizens Advice and one of the brains behind their 

What’s one thing you’ve learned about creating content for a charity like Citizens Advice on TikTok?

Probably how to make more traditionally dry or boring content somewhat entertaining. Or that people like to engage with videos they feel passionate about, which then generates comments and more views. So if I was starting an account from scratch I’d think about what people would really care about seeing.

How do you come up with fun content ideas?

Me and my colleague Cara just watch a lot of videos and share trends we like or think will work well. We try to understand what the real point is of the trend, and why people are interacting with it. Then we go through possible topic ideas that could work. Sometimes these go well, sometimes not.

What advice would you give to a social media manager who has to handle sensitive topics (e.g. the cost of living crisis), but still wants to incorporate some lighthearted humour?

There are a few things. Firstly, I think you’ve got to really know the platform well and what kind of videos trends are being used for so you can feel confident with your choice. Secondly,  you’ve got to know what your limits are, and whose side of a story you are on. For example, we knew that as long as we were giving people helpful information, we could stretch our tone of voice. But we would never make the people we help the but of the joke, but we could say make a joke out of the person creating the problem, like their employer or landlord.

Which piece of content did you have the most fun making?

 because it is completely silly and wouldn’t make sense unless you’d seen the trend a few times. It also didn’t involve me speaking!

How can someone convince more people in the office to get involved with TikTok content?

Sometimes I’ve had success by making the process seem a lot less scary, so showing them example videos. I also try to pull on their heart strings by telling them it is good for the organisation. To be honest I think people already know if they are open to the idea of it or not, so just give people lots of opportunities to volunteer. They may just be a little shy in the beginning.

. Why don't you try and create something like this? 

Use this prompt: What are your team’s biggest icks related to industry?

Beauty. Travel. Food. Fashion. When it comes to content, these industries have it breezy. But what if your brand specialises in selling machinery? Or software? Or will writing services?

Even if your brand exists in a “boring” industry, you can still create content that’s engaging and fun. 


You can still have fun in a “boring” industry

Hollis Funeral Home is a father-daughter business based in Syracuse, NY. They have 930K+ followers on TikTok and over 20 million views. And it’s because they show this personable side to funerals and embalming. E.g. 

In this video, where Eileen rates the outfit that someone will wear to their own funeral

Eileen's dad, Charlie, is an internet treasure

Funeral directors actually want you to live

Over in Washington, you have Return Home Terramation. They specialise in natural human composting (you might’ve seen their work in 

). In their day-to-day content, you’ll see everything from their 

CEO geeking out over hursts at a funeral convention

their team talking about their wishes for when they die

. And then, there’s the normal workplace stuff like 

 (because it turns out, funeral directors actually want you to live).

We’re also loving the chatty, walk-and-talk style of 

 that Guardian Angel weren’t afraid to post on a brand account, and this 

“How well do you know your loved ones” festive quiz

Professionals in the death space—funeral directors, nurses, estate planners—are trained to contain their emotions in front of families. But through fun content, these brands are showing the personalities behind the people who look after our loved ones when they pass. And there’s something so comforting about that.

Long conversations about death with The Glam Reaper

This company that turns ashes into diamonds has over 1.7M followers

Big Led answers all your weird questions about embalming

There’s an entire podcast about undertaking

People tag Lauren the Mortician to warn others about dumb ways to die

6 tips for creating content in sensitive industries (e.g. funerals, legal etc)

In the pool with…Conor and Michael from Mortuary Marketing

Based in Chicago, Conor and Michael Cooney are the Founders of 

. Michael himself is a fourth-generation Funeral Director and Embalmer, and Conor is a Digital Marketing Specialist (he previously worked for the Walt Disney Company). Together, they’re changing the way funeral homes market themselves.

Why do you think fun content is so successful in the death industry?

Contrary to popular belief, funeral directors possess a great sense of humor, which often goes unrecognised. Up until recently, people haven’t had the opportunity to see that side. It’s like we’ve pulled back the curtain.

Why did you decide to niche down and work specifically with funeral homes?

We come from a line of funeral directors spanning four generations, affording us an intimate understanding of the industry's traditions and challenges. Funeral directors work year-round and often struggle to keep up with the times. It’s a very traditional industry and we saw the immense potential for modernisation and creativity.

Which piece of content have you had the most fun making?

What advice would you give to funeral homes that are interested in creating content that’s more fun (but are scared of coming across as disrespectful)?

First and foremost, maintaining a tone that is tasteful and respectful is paramount for funeral homes. The gravity of the subject matter should never be forgotten, and sensitivity to the emotions of grieving families should guide the content creation process. But, it's essential for funeral directors to connect with families on multiple levels. This means crafting content that not only aids families during their challenging times but also resonates with them in their current life circumstances.

, crowdsource “Ask us anything you want to know about [industry]” questions from your audience and make a video answering them.

And that's all we've got on the death industry. We hope that's provided some food for thought. If marketing can be brought to life (see what we did there?) in death, then surely there's no sector off limits.

About two years ago, WIRED published a video where a mortician answered people’s questions about dead bodies. It’s as gory as it sounds. And yes, it went viral. 

A quick search on TikTok and you’ll discover that videos tagged #mortician have 1.7 billion views and #funeralhome has over 992M views. People are fascinated with death and these brands are tapping into it.

Who knew the death industry could be…fun?

Use Instagram analytics and 3rd party software to track and monitor the best times to post from your accounts. Sites like Hootsuite, Later and Iconosquare can tell you the most engaging times to post every day, and when your followers are most active so you can target them while they are online. You can also select times based on the content of your post, for example if you are posting a recipe idea, try sharing in the afternoon so it can serve as dinner inspiration for your followers and encourage them to engage.

Make the most of Instagram’s features and use story stickers to open up conversations with your followers. There’s a Q&A feature, polls and quizzes that can be added to your stories to help open up a two-way stream of conversation between you and your followers, so you aren’t just talking at them all the time, but with them. Also including prompts in your captions can get discussions going in the comments - make sure to reply and engage to keep them interested!

According to research, the most popular caption length in 2020 was over 400 characters! And these posts were found to have more engagement. So make sure to pack all your info into the caption and keep your audience interested.

Instagram saves are a great way to boost engagement. To increase post ‘savability’, create content that your followers will want to revisit. This can include ideas, inspiration and tips, like if this post appeared on Instagram! Check out our blog post on 

Views are an extra source of engagement for Instagram posts, so try to get lots of video content on your feed. They generally tend to perform better with audiences and can be fun to make! Instagram reels are also a great way to be experimental with bite-size content in a creative way. If you’re wary about broaching the TikTok world, this can be a good taster.

Hopefully these top tips have inspired you to create more engaging content. If you're looking for more help and advice, 

Need to boost your numbers? Suffering from a severe case of in-active followers? Read on for our five top tips on how to increase engagement on Instagram.

How To Increase Instagram Engagement

Interviews 💦 Marketing Examples 💦 Social Media Trends 💦Content Ideas 💦 Useful Links

We find the best examples of brands making a splash on the internet, so you don’t have to. 

Sign up for the not-so-serious side of social media.

Mastering Image and Video AdsBy Emma

The power of a scroll-stopping visual

Nail the hook in the first few seconds

Keep it short and sweet

Make your message super clear