Sell more with AIDA: killer landing pages in 4 steps

No matter what product or service you’re building, your final goal is to profit. AIDA is a simple formula for shipping landing pages that make people reach for their wallets. Let’s see what the acronym stands for, and why the AIDA method is so successful at leading consumers down the funnel.

From a glance to a purchase

AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action – the four states a customer will pass through before they spend money on your company’s offering. The model is based on proven psychological discoveries, which is exactly why it performs so well and is used by marketers all around the world.

What is the thought sequence most people experience between first seeing a product and making a purchase? Understand it, and your landing pages will serve as natural guides through this process – leading customers right where you need them.

This is the internal monologue of a consumer through the lens of AIDA:

• Attention – oh, what is this…?
• Interest – wow, let me read on…
• Desire – I want to have one!
• Action – let me get it right now!

Let’s dive deeper into these four steps that your landing page or another type of sales copy should cover.

Attention: better grab it fast

If you fail at the first “A”, nothing about “I”, “D” or the other “A” will save you. For a chance at gaining conversions, you need to stand out – and with attention now known as the currency of the 21st century, don’t expect a walk in the park.

A convincing headline? A challenging question? Maybe some original visuals? We’re all over obvious clickbait, so the top part of your landing page has to scream “real, tangible value below”.

Interest: show how you bring value

Congratulations, you have convinced a consumer to invest a few more seconds in your landing page. Now, it is time to show them it was the right choice to keep reading.

How do you do that? The answer is simple, although sadly, I can’t say it’s easy. You need to show your potential customer that you understand their pain, and that your product or service can heal it.

Generic claims won’t do: you should present the answer to the reader’s problem in a way that will make them feel you really get them. Get rid of the fluff. Instead, offer concise, relevant content that presents specific benefits your potential customers can soon enjoy.

Desire: prove you will solve their problem

So, you’ve caught someone’s attention and interest. But… you still need to make them want to pay you. Awaken a desire.

Your readers may now be happy to have learned something from your landing page, but education is not your final goal – that is to close a sale. You have to convince the consumer that what they need is your solution.

This is right where you show what makes your product or service special (we sure hope it does bring unique value). It is also a great moment to present social proof like reviews, ratings, or testimonials.

Action: make it easy to pay you

Let us expand on this one: you have to convince the consumer that what they need is your solution… and that when they need it is now.

Transform a reader into a buyer by making it easy to take the final step. Display an easily noticeable button with a crisp CTA: ask the user to make a purchase, subscribe to your service, enrol on your course, or join your newsletter.

This is also a great place to dispel any doubts your customer might have – perhaps you should mention the free shipping, no-credit-card-needed trial period, or only sending one relevant e-mail per week.

How about designing your next landing page around the AIDA concept and seeing how it performs? Don’t forget to A/B test your CTAs and see how small changes in wording can make a great impact on conversion rates.