Hello and welcome to the sixth lesson of the course “Copywriting from zero in 30 days”! In the previous episode we talked about how to start a text. Today we are going to learn how to write a simple yet effective full-fledged copy in just 15 minutes. Using the legendary AIDA model.
By the way, if you have watched the previous lessons carefully, you can already write such a text. You just need to combine everything that we have learned so far and put it into practice. This is what we will do today.
AIDA model in copywriting
In 99% of cases good copywriters write effective commercial copy according to AIDA model. This is a model of marketing behavior of people. If a person sequentially goes through four stages (each of which refers to a separate letter), then the probability of a purchase or any other target action increases.
Of course, there are other models and formulas. For example, PmPHS, ACCA, ODC, PPPP and many others. But technically they are just derivatives of AIDA, and, therefore, we will not consider them now.
To better understand the principle of the model, imagine that our text is divided into 4 parts. Each part corresponds to one stage of AIDA model and clearly fulfills its tasks. Let’s look at each of them separately.
Stage 1. (A) — Attention
The first stage of the audience’s perception is attention. This, by the way, is quite logical, because in order to read the text, a person must pay attention to it.
If we are talking about a single text, then there are usually two elements that attract attention: the title image (optional) and the headline.
The image immediately grabs the attention of the audience and ideally evokes the right emotions. The headline, in turn, holds the attention and conveys the key benefits and uniqueness. We talked about how to write such headlines using 4U formula in the fourth lesson of this course.
Stage 2. (I) — Interest
Audience’s attention is short-lived and usually lasts less than 7 seconds. That’s why it’s critically important to translate it into interest. Otherwise, the audience will leave and we will lose it. The interest is generated mainly by the lead, the beginning of the text. And we already know how to write it from the previous lesson.
In our example, I’m using the problem-enhancer-solution approach to create the lead. If you want to read it more carefully, here’s a link to the file.
Stage 3. (D) — Desire/Decision
This stage has two main tasks. First: to make readers want to do what we need. It’s an emotional response. Second: to make the audience decide to take the target action. This is a rational reaction.
Emotions are usually evoked with the help of psychological triggers and engaging elements: pictures, photographs and verbal images. We will talk about triggers in one of the future lessons. For now, we will simply place a few photos and engaging phrases in the text.
The rational response is usually formed with the help of benefits and objection handlers. You already know how to write benefits from the third lesson, and how benefits differ from features, characteristics, and abstractions.
A few words about objections. We mentioned them in the previous lesson, but now we will dwell on them in more detail.
An objection is something that confuses our audience and prevents people from taking the target action. Here are the most common examples: “Too expensive!”, “No money!”, “I don’t believe you!”, “I don’t need it!”, “I’ll think about it later…” and so on.
In order to convince the audience, we need to neutralize the actual objections. The pieces of text that do this are called handlers. We’ll talk about how to write them in one of the future lessons as well.
Stage 4. (A) — Action (CTA)
The final stage of AIDA model is the call to action (or CTA). It is always an imperative verb that says what the audience should do here and now. For example: “Sign up”, “Order”, “Subscribe”, “Book”, “Download”, etc.
Call to action sometimes is reinforced by a deadline or deficiency. Also note that there should always be a physical opportunity to perform the desired target action for the audience. For example, if we ask the audience to call, then we need a phone number right below CTA. If we ask to visit our shop, then we should place an address and a map in the text. If we ask to register, there should be a sign-up button, and so on.
Layer cake principle in copywriting
The four stages of AIDA model form a complete commercial text structure. And it is very effective for selling goods, services or ideas. In addition, one of the key principles of copywriting is clearly visible here – the principle of layer cake.
Here is the essence of this principle. Copywriters, unlike writers, never write text in a single piece, like a story. Instead, they develop the copy as a set of independent blocks. This, first of all, has a practical meaning. If a block doesn’t work and doesn’t solve its tasks, it can be replaced by another one without changing the rest of the text. And it’s very convenient.
Also note that in copywriting almost every block contains a subtitle. This is necessary, firstly, to thin out the text so that it doesn’t seem too large and “heavy”. Secondly, to make it easier for the reader to skim through the copy and pick out the main things, even without reading. Thus, we save the audience a lot of time, evoking gratitude and goodwill. Finally, subheadings often play an important role in search engine optimization.
Practical task
Now it’s time to practice. Try to develop a block-based sales copy using AIDA model and the information from this and previous lessons. Pick a product or service of your choice. Also make sure that the blocks in the text are autonomous, though logically related to others, and each of them, starting from the headline, can be replaced without affecting the rest of the text.
You will succeed! Take care of yourself and see you in the next lesson.