If you work in marketing or sales, you’ve likely already heard about what the AIDA method is.
It’s a classic formula for crafting messages that capture attention, generate interest, and lead the user toward a decision. That’s why it’s often used in content, campaigns, ads, and any copywriting piece designed to convert.
But if you’re not yet familiar with the method or formula, this post is for you.
We’ll explain what AIDA is, what its stages are, its advantages, and even examples of how to apply it.
The AIDA method is a classic form of persuasion used to drive sales. Its name describes the customer journey, from discovering a brand to making a purchase:
Attention.
Interest.
Desire.
Action.
The goal of the AIDA formula is to guide the user step by step. That’s why marketing and sales teams use it to capture and convert customers.
As noted above, the model focuses on leading the user through a natural decision path, and each stage plays a strategic role:
Attention. It’s the initial hook that stops the user and invites them to look. It can come through striking headlines, videos, or images that spark immediate curiosity.
Interest. It dives into what matters to the user—for example, the benefits or how the product fits their needs or problems.
Desire. This phase turns information into motivation by tapping into emotions, highlighting the value proposition, and using social proof, use cases, or testimonials.
Action. This is what guides the user toward a specific next step. It might be a CTA such as “sign up,” “request a demo,” or “learn more.”
As you can see, the stages map the path a person follows until they take a concrete action. If you want to map each one and see how the user progresses, try using graphic organizers to identify friction points.
The method can be applied across different marketing and sales tactics to structure more persuasive messages.
Here are some common ways to use AIDA:
Advertising copy. Structure the ad in four clear parts: attention-grabbing headline, main benefit, promise reinforcement, and the final call to action.
Email marketing. Use it to define the subject line, the opening line, how you present the offer, and the closing button or link.
Landing pages. Their structure reflects the full AIDA funnel. That is, an initial attention-grabbing section, social proof, and the main form or CTA within the sales funnel.
Social media. It guides the hook in the first lines or seconds, improving engagement and conversions.
Sales presentations. AIDA helps structure creative presentations that connect with the audience—with an engaging intro, explanation of the opportunity, value proposition, and a close with a clear next step.
Consultative sales. It orients the conversation: initial questions, needs exploration, personalized recommendation, and agreement on the next action (demo, trial, proposal).
Because it’s a flexible structure, you can build a schedule to visualize which message belongs to each stage and ensure coherent execution.
What does it look like to put the AIDA formula into practice?
Here are several examples that show how to turn theory into concrete messages you can easily adapt to your business.
AIDA method example applied to day-to-day scenarios:
Attention: “Still wasting time creating your invoices by hand?”
Interest: “Our software generates invoices automatically and sends payment reminders for you.”
Desire: “Save time, avoid errors, and get paid on time.”
Action: “Download the free trial and create your first invoice today.”
Attention: “Subject: Do your campaigns get clicks but few real sales?”
Interest: “We’ll show you which ads convert best with a simple metrics dashboard.”
Desire: “Invest only in what generates revenue and stop wasting budget”.
Action: “Click ‘Try free for 14 days’ and review your data today.”
Attention: “Run your business without hundreds of spreadsheets open.”
Interest: “Connect your data in a single dashboard to see revenue, expenses, and results in seconds.”
Desire: “Make confident decisions with clear reports that are easy to share with your team.”
Action: “Tap ‘I want to see it in action’ and schedule a quick demo.”
To practice without starting from scratch, take advantage of AI tools. Some help generate first drafts of copy or designs before you refine them.
An AIDA funnel can offer highly appealing benefits, but it also has limits. So before you design marketing and sales campaigns, keep the following in mind:
Clarity. It summarizes the persuasion process in four steps that are easy to understand and explain to any team.
Structure. It provides a logical order for building ads, emails, pages, and presentations without starting from zero.
Conversion focus. It keeps the spotlight on guiding the user toward a specific action, not just generating visits or clicks.
Versatility. It can be applied to almost any industry, format, and communication channel.
It’s a linear model. It assumes the user moves in order from attention to action—something that doesn’t always happen when people enter and exit the process multiple times.
It can fall short. Especially if the decision process involves many touchpoints, back-and-forth, or high-risk purchases.
However, you can extend or complement the method with other models—for example:
Combine AIDA with PAS to dig deeper into the problem before presenting the offer.
Extend it to AIDAS, a variant that adds a satisfaction stage and accounts for the post-action experience.
Integrate it with approaches like the flywheel. Here, AIDA functions in the attraction phase but combines with loyalty and advocacy actions.
You can use AIDA as a foundation and adjust it with other methodologies when the decision process requires more depth or support.
Beyond the AIDA funnel, there are other persuasive writing frameworks that may fit better depending on the message type or context:
PAS (Problem–Agitate–Solve). Ideal when you want to center on the user’s problem, amplify its urgency, and present a direct solution.
BAB (Before–After–Bridge). Useful for messages that aim to show a clear transformation—for example, where the user is today.
ACCA (Awareness–Comprehension–Conviction–Action). An option for more explanatory content where you need to educate before persuading and asking for action.
Which should you use?
It depends on your goal:
Use AIDA when you want to guide the user step by step toward conversion.
Choose PAS if the user’s pain is the core of the message.
Opt for BAB if you’re aiming for a transformation narrative.
Use ACCA when you need to build understanding before persuading.
Fortunately, AIDA isn’t rigid—you can combine it with other strategies as long as it aligns with your objectives.
AIDA is one of the most widely used frameworks for structuring marketing and sales messages, especially in digital environments. Its simplicity makes it easy to apply in ads, emails, landing pages, presentations, and any format where you need to lead the user from attention to action.
In a saturated digital landscape, having a structure like this is the difference between just another message and an effective one. Plus, it can be expanded or combined with other models depending on each campaign’s objective.
And just as AIDA streamlines marketing and sales, DolarApp simplifies managing your finances—with sending and receiving USDc and EURc, as well as conversions. We offer transparent, competitive exchange rates for buying or selling currencies.
AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action—the four stages for capturing and converting customers. The method explains how a person goes from discovering a message to making a decision.
It’s used to structure persuasive messages and guide consumers until they decide to buy a product or service. In other words, it helps capture attention, maintain interest, spark desire, and motivate a specific action such as purchasing, signing up, or requesting more information.
Yes. AIDA works as an effective tool in digital sales, enabling you to create ads, emails, landing pages, and posts that grab attention instantly and drive clearer, more consistent conversions.
One example is an ad that presents a problem to capture attention:
“Out of coffee?” It then generates interest: “We offer same-day delivery,” desire: “Choose from more than 20 fresh blends,” and pushes you to act: “Place your order here.”
Sources:
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