AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire and Action – four necessary steps in effectively entice prospects to make a purchase or take a desired action! It is a marketing tool used by both advertisers and marketers, developed by Advertising Authority E. St. Elmo Lewis in his book “Financial Advertising”. This method has been commonly used in advertising platforms such as in television, radio, and print advertisements. Over the course of time, other platforms have risen like social media, emails, and even company websites.
AIDA works this way: First, the advertisement must attract attention and once you have their attention, it must ignite a spark of interest. After getting them interested, the ad should create a desire to act. Lastly, once you’ve created that desire, then it should prompt them to buy. Using this strategy will likely give one a general understanding on how to market wisely a certain product or service, while keeping in mind the target audience’s perspective.
In this article, we will discuss, step-by-step, how Verz Design implements the AIDA model in writing content to achieve a strategic, compelling, and sales-oriented web copy in all our websites. To prove loyalty in our beliefs and practices in this industry, excerpts from our very own Verz Design website and a few from some of our projects with our clients will be used in explaining how the four items in AIDA can be successfully applied in web copywriting.
A is for Attention
Always the first step in marketing is to be quick and direct to grab the customer’s attention. Attractive banners with strong imagery and enticing copy will catch their attention and make them want to stop and read what caught their eye in the first place. Use powerful words and focus on individual elements that can effectively lead them to particular areas of conversion that you want them to take notice of. However, if everything is emphasized, then the customer might be weirded out and feel overwhelmed instead, so it’s essential to know where you want them to focus.
Web Banner from the Verz Design website
In our website, we made use of this opportunity to advertise ongoing promotions such as the “Unleash Your Potential” banner ad that aims to promote design services in line with the holiday season. The catchy slogan with the supporting copy below is straight to the point, informative, and very timely given that Christmas is just around the corner – shortand sweet, it’s enough to catch someone’s attention. Partnered with the photograph of an office worker in an iconic Superman pose with “Verz Design” on his shirt, this website banner is both attention-grabbing and witty in its own way.
Web Banner from StorageTree website
Another example IsStorageTree’s website banner wherein they kept it straight-to-the-point with a simple HD stock photo and the slogan that says, “Unclutter Your Life” – clean, concise, and effective.
I is for Interest
Gaining the interest of your prospects is a deeper process because you have to know and understand their wants and needs for them to resonate with what you’re selling. Once you have their attention, the next step is to intrigue them with your unique selling proposition. In short, you have to whet their appetite, reel them in, and make them want what you have to offer.
By doing so, give them fresh and relevant information that augments the attention-grabbing headline. Select some important wordings or texts and enlarge the font so that this will make it easier for your potential customers when going through your website. The use ofbig fonts is essential for this isone quick way to arouse your customer’s curiosity, and it also gives them a concise idea of what you’re selling, without requiring them to read the entire copy.
Client’s Rights and Responsibilities page on Verz Website
Seen in the example above is an excerpt from the Clients’ Rights and Responsibilities page with texts encircled in red. The enlarged texts that say, “Your rights as our client are very important.” immediately give the readers an idea of what to expect in that page. The idea is to give them chunks of information on what you have to offer, so that you don’t have to make them read long copies when they’re not yet invested; that will come around in the later stage of the process.
Provide them with benefits and privileges that will separate you and give you a step up in the competition. Keep in mind that now that you have their attention, you have to hit them between the eyes and make them curious for more.
Keep texts concise, but complete. You need to awaken their interest first and make them aware of the several products and services that you have, to get them intrigued.
Top 3 Reasons to “Why Verz?”
The above photo explains the three main reasons as to why Verz is the place to be; reel the customers in and get them interested by letting them know that quality and value for money is the key to good service. There is always a need to make them aware of what makes you special amongst your competitors, for them to take interest on you.
D is for Desire
Now that you have their best interest in mind, you need to move the potential customer from “liking” it to “wanting” it. Create desire by eliciting an emotional connection with your prospects.
For them to trust you, your brand personality should be evident and relatable. What makes your product or service desirable? How can you create that emotional connection with your potential customers? One option is to add a personal touch to your web copy by making it seem like you are talking directly to them, for this can build trust and transparency in both parties. Find their inner desires and use the power of words to appeal to them, and to convince them that it is a good decision to make the purchase. Avoid jargons and note that the customer always wants the information straight to the point.
Verz Web Design Portfolio
They also need to be reassured that they will get their money’s worth and to do this, back up your claims with some proof such as showcasing your portfolio and featuring a few testimonials from your clients. This will help convince them to avail your services because you are giving them reasons to go for your company by bravely showcasing your very own sample of past projects.
Client Testimonials on Verz Design Website
A is for Action
Now that your prospect wants the product, the final step is to persuade them to take action. Always remember that call-to-action texts should be taken seriously because this is the key to ensure conversion. Specify the call-to-action texts with the type of business that you are in, to make it more personal and relevant with the product or service that you are selling. As much as possible, use active voice because this makes it straightforward and more powerful. Strategic placement should always be considered as well as those followed with compelling copy for this has the higher chance to convince your prospect to engage and buy from you.
Call-to-action on top of the Verz Design website
Call-to-action on top of the Eureka Translations website
Call-to-action on top of the Start Early website
One technique that usually works in the advertising industry, is to create a sense of urgency in your call-to-action by including a promotion with a limited time offer or limiting the number of people that can avail the promotion.
Web Banner promoting Responsive Web Design upgrade for a limited time period
Since we want our customers to have the best user experience that they can have, including a customized “Thank You Page” is essential too and may give you a higher chance on the possibility of turning your visitors to brand loyalists. A Thank You Page is a landing page where customers are taken after taking an action such as sending an enquiry form, or even making a purchase. This is a chance to create a lasting impression, and to make them want for more, so it’s best to utilize this opportunity to get your customers to return.
Thank You Page in Verz Design website
Remember that as AIDA is a well-tested formula in targeting a specific target market to effectively take action, one must not sacrifice the user experience of his/her website. As much as possible, make ways to blend this concept onto your web copy, but don’t bend over backwards your website around it. That is the key to writing a cunningly good and effective web copy for any website!
Curious to know more as to how we apply this formula to web copywriting? Leave the professional work to us and trust us to provide a well-crafted and compelling web copy for your website! Call us at +65 68411680 for a FREE consultation today!