The AIDA model - in marketing and copywriting. Examples and explanations

The AIDA model - what does the acronym stand for?

AIDA is an acronym for the words: Attention (comment), Interest (interest), Desire i Action. The task of the AIDA model is to win the customer over through four stages of communication based on the language of benefits. Each has a specific role in building engagement and convincing them that your offer is the best choice or solution to their problems. The order is not random - first you need to capture the recipient's attention, gain interest for a longer period of time, convert it into a desire to own and finally encourage them to complete the purchase.

From 1925, when the book The Psychology of Selling and Advertising by Edward K. Strong Jr. was published, it became common to attribute the authorship of the AIDA model to Elmo Lewis. He formulated the tenets of advertising as follows: attract attention, maintain interest, arouse desire, and then added a fourth element: make it happen. It goes without saying how much the world around us and the possibilities of the media have changed since then, but as it turns out, AIDA is just as effective in the age of the Internet as it was a century ago. The human-centric approach to marketing, focused on human emotions, still works perfectly.

Attention - or how to attract the viewer's attention?

Gaining attention is an absolute must. Without this, the subsequent steps of the AIDA model are pointless. But how do you stand out in a world where we are bombarded with hundreds of advertising messages every day? The answers are creativity, a personalised approach and a clear message.

The recipient can be made more interesting in several ways, for example by referring to his or her current situation. You have the problem - we have the solution. All you need to do is raise an issue that your potential customer is facing. A surprising headline, an intriguing graphic, an unusual question - use anything that can make them stop their eyes right at your ad. For example: „Did you know that 85% people lose money through poorly chosen equipment? Find out how to avoid it!”. Simple slogan content that appeals to the essence of the problem is much more effective than suggesting that „Our company is the best and has the solution to all your problems”.

Advertising can play on people's emotions or be mysterious and make them read the message more deeply. „If I can't grab the reader's attention with the headline alone and then hold it with the content, there's no point in writing further. An excess of headlines and superfluous embellishments is simply wrong”-advice from advertising pioneer Elmo Lewis surprisingly holds true more than a century later. Text headlines should succinctly state what can be found in a section of the article - they need to be inviting and clearly worded.

Interest - how to create and sustain interest?

Attracting attention is only the beginning. The next step is to keep the recipient's interest. In practice, this means providing him with valuable content that develops the topic he has encountered. At this stage, you need to show that you understand his or her needs and that you have the solution to his or her problem. This is where the so-called target group comes into play - it has to be specific, because without it, your content may simply fall on deaf ears.

How do you create interest? Firstly, focus on the potential customer's needs and emotions. For example, a laptop advertisement starts with the question: „Does your computer stop working at crucial moments?” and taps into the emotions of the user, who has certainly experienced a similar situation, regardless of the reasons for the breakdown. Then develop the topic by showing how your product or service will help solve the problem. Arousing curiosity makes the recipient want to find out more - whether by clicking on a link or browsing your entire offering.

Desire - how to create desire?

Interest is another small step towards your goal - now you need to build desire. This is the point at which a potential customer should feel that your product is exactly what they need. How do you achieve this? By showing the benefits of having it. Among other things, storytelling, or skilful storytelling, comes to the rescue. A well-conducted story grabs attention, makes the recipient interested and allows them to forget that they are the recipient of a marketing message.

Take the example of perfume advertising, which does not just talk about the fragrance per se, but about the benefits for the customer. It does not just focus on listing the key features and benefits of the product - dry information does not do much. The message can appeal to the confidence that the purchaser will gain by using this particular perfume: „With this fragrance you will make an unforgettable impression”. The desire to own stems from emotion - so the recipient must imagine how their life improves when they use your offer.

Check also: Why use an interactive agency?

Action - how to get people to act?

 

The final step, the call to action - the stage that crowns the sales process. The most important thing now is to make it clear and concrete what the user should do next. Making a mistake at this stage will result in the user ultimately not taking up your offer despite desiring your product or service. You need to literally call the customer to action through a neatly placed Call to Action in the text.

The CTA should be visible and understandable. Examples include the sentences: „Sign up now and receive 20% discount!” or „Buy today with free delivery!”. You need to ensure that the recipient feels that the action directly benefits them - time-limited discounts, limited editions or extra freebies work well.

Advantages of the AIDA model in modern marketing

Why does the AIDA model continue to triumph in the advertising world? Primarily because of its versatility. It can be used in any industry - from retail to niche B2B services. It works well in short TV commercials, social media posts, Instagram rolls or blog articles.

In content marketing The AIDA model is useful for planning a variety of content on a website. Introductory articles are effective in attracting attention, while developing content reinforces interest and creates desire. Content that encourages action, such as downloading an e-book or subscribing to a newsletter, can be included at the end.

Disadvantages and limitations of the AIDA model and copywriting

One certain problem with the AIDA model is optimising content for SEO. Focusing solely on emotion and sales can make the text less valuable from a search engine point of view. Google's algorithms place a higher value on content that provides the user with specific information and answers their questions, and this requires a good balance between the author's creativity and the technical requirements of SEO. This is why professional copywriting.

A good copywriter knows how to use key phrases, but at the same time ensures that the text flows and has a natural tone. A blog article that attracts attention with a catchy title, develops the topic in an interesting way, evokes emotions and ends with a call to action must contain keywords that increase its visibility in Google. Such content engages the audience and simultaneously achieves high rankings in search results.

Why use the AIDA model in marketing?

 

Times are changing and AIDA is still being successfully applied to various forms of marketing communication. Of course, the whole concept is also evolving, adapting to the current expectations of the advertising market. For example, we have seen the emergence of AIDAS, a model extended to include customer satisfaction with the purchase made (Satisfaction), and AIDACS, with an additional credibility stage (Credibility).

Creating AIDA-based content is a good step towards communicating more effectively with your audience. If you notice that your messages are not having the desired effect, analyse their structure and make changes according to this model. Better adaptation to the needs of your target audience, more effective CTAs or skilful building of emotion and interest will yield noticeable results.

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