The abbreviation AIDA stands for the English terms:
- A ttention (attention)
- I nterest (interest)
- D esire (desire)
- A ction (action)
The AIDA model is very successful and widespread in advertising and marketing circles. The model describes the various steps that take place from a person entering the awareness phase of a marketing tool to the final decision-making. The concept of AIDA originated in 1898 when the American advertising expert Elias St. Elmo Lewis wrote a magazine article about the principles of advertising.
The AIDA formula was originally used to optimize the interaction between buyer and seller. Lewis provided an explanation of how to target potential customers through advertising and marketing communications, and how customers differentiate between brands in order to make a final purchase decision.
The model describes the necessary number of tasks that are required to lead a customer from the awareness phase to the action that leads to a conversion. Because of this, the formula is still used in digital marketing today.
In the world of marketing, the AIDA formula is also known as the impact hierarchy model. That’s because every element within the formula is designed to have an effect. The formula requires that marketers formulate messages that are
- attract the attention of a target group
- Arouse interest in the advertised product
- stimulate the desire to buy
- encourage the target audience to buy the product
This is how the AIDA model works
According to fun-wiki, AIDA is an impact hierarchy model of the marketing funnel that describes the purchase of a product or service. Every consumer must first go through one stage in order to move on to the next. For example, if salespeople do not first grab consumers’ attention, there is no hope of generating interest in their product or service. Therefore, they certainly can’t expect buyers to take action and purchase an item that hasn’t piqued interest.
In this way, the effects hierarchy reflects the decisive marketing funnel. With each step, fewer consumers walk toward the ultimate action for a product. Let’s say a campaign attracts 80 percent of the total audience with its first ad. Ultimately, buyers come to the point where they want to learn more about the offering or the company. Some of the prospects have already jumped off and have no desire to buy the product.
Therefore, only a fraction of those with the desire will actually reach the tipping point of making a purchase. In this way, the AIDA formula limits the number of consumers who are involved in the campaign and ultimately become customers.
How AIDA is used
As with any hierarchy, it is important for consumers to go through each level in order to become a customer. It’s also important to understand each step. In this way, consumers can continue to be successfully inspired to reach the critical stage of action that leads to a purchase or other conversion.
Attention
In order for consumers to acquire the necessary knowledge and to know where and how to shop, it is first necessary to get the customer’s attention. Therefore, the information that will grab the consumer’s attention must be at the beginning of a text and they will read the rest of the text.
To get attention, marketers need to research general problems, concerns, interests, and characteristics of the target market, and then design their marketing campaign to take these into account.
To get awareness of your campaign, marketing strategies can start in places that normally grab consumers’ attention, such as on social media or on radio or television. The appearance of the marketing efforts, whether content marketing, classic advertising, media or something else, therefore attracts the user’s attention if it differs from the surrounding content.
Alternatively, an exciting, shocking or provocative element can be used in the content to attract attention. Important elements can be a shocking headline, a captivating photo, or personalizing the ad according to the consumer’s own preferences. Once a consumer’s attention is drawn, the likelihood of them looking for more information increases. Getting attention involves the following steps:
- make a striking statement
- ask a question that appeals to the target audience
- offer something for free or at a discount
- an anecdote or short amusing story
Interest
Even if marketing has already caught the attention of consumers, the battle is not over. Now, marketers need to keep the consumer interested long enough to pass on their most relevant information that the consumer needs to proceed through the funnel. Depending on the service, product, or line of business, they can accomplish this in a number of ways.
Some marketers go for humor, provocative imagery, or personalization. These are strategies that are used in the first stage of attention grabbing to keep consumers interested during the routing and to get to important information. Others focus on creating clear, concise, and easy-to- use websites to display interesting company information. That the marketers decide on one or more of these aspects is very important in order to bring consumers to the next level in the AIDA hierarchy. The following methods can be used to arouse customer interest:
- Ethos – building trust, credibility and authority
- Pathos – addressing emotions, values and interests
- Logos – well constructed context and arguments
Desire
Now that the marketing professionals have successfully captured consumer attention and interest long enough to share information about your product or service, it is now time to nurture consumer desire. The desire to learn more about what a product has to offer can help create a desire to see how that product meets the consumer’s needs.
To encourage the desire, the facts and features that the consumer already knows about the product can be added. Alternatively, a consumer can be encouraged to wonder how he or she has managed to get along without the product or service in the past. At this point the stage is set for the consumer to make the final decision and take action. To arouse the desire it is possible:
- Communicate the unique selling point or product attributes
- anticipate possible objections and break down barriers
Action
After making sure that consumers have learned as much as possible about the company and the product or service, they are almost ready to place an order. But the marketing work is not done yet. It still needs to be ensured that the idea of ordering something was a thought in the consumer’s mind. It works out if the consumer thinks that he will benefit from the purchase.
The call-to-action takes place in this phase. This can be a final reminder of a phone call, a visit to the website, or some other form of contact. If the user is already on the company’s own homepage, the mention of the current offer or an additional call can stimulate the consumer to act. Ultimately, making the website or the ordering system as simple as possible helps ensure that the newly acquired customers can carry out smooth campaigns. The final marketing task can be:
- to make the execution of the order simple and clear
- Emphasize the positive results for the customer
- set a response date
- for example offering a free extended warranty
- provide the contact details such as telephone number, contact person or pages in social media
AIDA has been a widely used and recognized method of turning consumers into customers since the end of the 19th century. Even in the digital age, the formula is a proven method that helps companies sell.
