Table of Contents
- Why Doesn’t Your Content Drive Conversions?
- AIDA: An Old Method That Never Goes Out of Style
- Breaking Down Each Step of AIDA (and How to Apply It to Real Content)
- When to Use AIDA (and When Not To)
- Apply AIDA Right Now
Why Doesn’t Your Content Drive Conversions?
Writing great content is one thing, but crafting it in a way that makes readers pause, feel connected, and take action is what keeps many writers up at night.
I’ve spent hours writing a single blog post, only to stare at zero clicks. At times, I’ve even asked myself:
- “I thought this post was good, so why isn’t it converting?”
- “Am I being too wordy?”
- “Or… did I get something wrong?”
I bet you’ve been in that situation too—or maybe you’re going through it right now. And honestly, it’s not because you don’t know how to write. It’s just that you haven’t had a clear enough structure to guide readers toward action.
Once you learn about AIDA, you’ll realize: writing with purpose isn’t as hard as it seems.
AIDA is a simple model with 4 steps: Attention – Interest – Desire – Action.
Since I started using AIDA, my writing has become simpler, clearer, and most importantly: my content has a clear goal and actually gets readers to do what I want.
In this article, I’ll walk you through:
Understanding what AIDA is and why this framework, over 100 years old, is still effective
Step-by-step guidance on applying AIDA to real content (blogs, sales pages, social posts…)
And of course, specific examples + a checklist for you to apply right away if you want
AIDA: An Old Method That Never Goes Out of Style
AIDA is a classic marketing framework used to create content with a clear goal and guide readers toward action. The name AIDA stands for 4 steps:
Attention – Grab attention
Interest – Spark interest
Desire – Ignite desire
Action – Call to action
It sounds simple, and in fact… it dates back over 100 years. But don’t let its “age” fool you.
What makes AIDA still relevant today is how closely it aligns with the reader’s decision-making journey. Whether you’re writing an ad, a blog, a social post, or even an email—AIDA works incredibly well.
Instead of writing based on intuition, AIDA helps you:
Know exactly where to start
Guide content in a coherent, focused way
And most importantly: end with a clear action
Breaking Down Each Step of AIDA (and How to Apply It to Real Content)
AIDA may sound simple—just four letters representing a sequence of psychological actions: Attention – Interest – Desire – Action. But the more I write, the more I realize: the simplest formulas are often the ones that unravel the most complex challenges.
And AIDA does just that—by clearly mapping out the journey a reader takes, from skimming the opening line to genuinely caring, wanting to learn more, and ultimately… taking action.
Attention – When You Have Just 3 Seconds to Make Them Stop
Before readers decide to engage with your content, they need a reason to… stop. It’s that simple. Every piece of content begins with a fleeting moment: someone scrolls past, their eyes glancing at a headline or an opening line. If nothing grabs them in that moment, they’ll keep scrolling. No hesitation.
That’s why Attention is the most critical step in AIDA—because without it, you have no chance to deliver anything that follows.
So, how do you grab attention?
My approach is to put myself in the reader’s mindset and context. What are they thinking? What problems are they facing? What’s making them feel frustrated, confused, or curious? Then I write a line that, if I were them, I couldn’t just scroll past.
- Sometimes it’s a question.
- Sometimes it’s a relatable situation.
- Sometimes it’s a simple truth that sparks a feeling of: “Wait, that’s so me.”
For example, in this post’s opening, I started with “Why Doesn’t Your Content Drive Conversions?“. I knew this is a feeling many content writers have experienced, and I needed to address it right away to create a connection.
Attention isn’t about clickbait. It’s not about “grabbing views.” It’s about showing readers: you understand where they are, and this content is worth pausing for. Without attention, everything else—no matter how brilliant—becomes irrelevant.
Interest – When Readers Start Thinking: “This Feels Relevant to Me”
Grabbing attention is the first step, but it’s not enough to keep people engaged. Readers might be curious, but if they realize after a few lines, “Oh, this isn’t for me,” they’ll leave. That’s why the Interest step is crucial: it must make it clear to readers that this content is truly relevant to them.
To me, Interest is like a confirmation. It’s a way of saying: “Yes, I understand what you’re going through, and this content will help you work through it.” No need for grand promises. Just be sincere and relatable enough for readers to feel they’re in the right place.
My approach is to describe the exact situation readers are in. No assertions, no assumptions—just evoking that familiar feeling. Something like:
- Have you ever spent an entire afternoon writing a post, only to wait… and see no one engage?
- Have you ever felt discouraged after writing a long piece, wondering: ‘Will anyone even read this to the end?’
These kinds of lines aren’t just storytelling. They help readers see themselves in your content. And once you achieve that, they’ll want to keep reading—not because you promised something, but because they feel you’re addressing their thoughts.
In the Interest phase, you don’t need to rush to solutions. No need to mention formulas or tips yet. Your job is to create a trustworthy, relatable space where readers think: “Okay, I want to hear more from this person.” And once you’ve kept them this far, the next step becomes much easier.
Desire – When Readers Start Wanting Something Specific
After readers see the content is relevant to them, your next task is to spark a clear desire. Not a vague wish, but something specific—easy to visualize, achievable, and compelling enough for them to think: “I want that too.”
At this stage, writers often fall into two extremes: being too vague or too pushy. If you just say generically, “This will be super effective,” readers won’t feel anything. But if you rush to a call-to-action before they’re ready, it’s like inviting someone to eat when they’re not even hungry.
For me, the most effective way to create Desire is to paint a better, yet attainable, picture for the reader. No exaggeration. No hype. Just show them clearly: if they apply what you’re about to share, what will they gain—in a way that’s understandable and close to their experience.
For example, with AIDA, I don’t claim it’ll turn you into a master copywriter overnight. Instead, I share honestly: “Since I started using AIDA, my writing became clearer, less rambling. And I started seeing people read to the end, click the CTA, and leave feedback.” These are small enough results to feel realistic but big enough to make readers want them.
The key is not to force it. Desire isn’t about “urging.” It’s about helping readers envision a better outcome and making them want to move forward on their own. If you nail this part, they’ll start asking themselves: “So, how do I do it? Where do I start?” And that’s when they’re ready for the final step.
Action – When Readers Are Ready and Just Need You to Point the Way
This is the most critical moment—and also where many writers drop the ball.
You’ve guided readers through all three steps: they’re paying attention, they feel connected, they want something. But if you don’t clearly show them the next step, they might just… scroll away. Not because they’re uninterested, but because they’re unsure what to do next.
I used to shy away from CTAs. I was afraid of coming off as “salesy” or too much like an ad.
But after skipping them too many times, I realized: content without a call-to-action is like a great conversation with no follow-up connection. It slips away. It ends abruptly.
The issue isn’t whether you include a CTA—it’s whether you do it the right way.
A good CTA doesn’t have to be “buy now” or “sign up now.” Sometimes it’s as simple as:
“Try using AIDA in your next post and see what happens.”
“Download the checklist if you want a clearer structure for writing.”
“Read on to learn when AIDA works best.”
In other words, you’re opening a door, not pushing people through.
For me, Action isn’t about “closing the deal.” It’s about guiding readers further, deeper. And if they’ve followed you this far, a next-step invitation is something you absolutely should include. Not just to prompt action, but to ensure the connection between you and the reader doesn’t end after one encounter.
A good post might make people nod in agreement. But a post with a well-timed CTA will make them do something specific and remember you more.
When to Use AIDA (and When Not To)
AIDA is a simple, memorable, and highly effective framework when you need to guide readers toward a specific action. That means they don’t just read and scroll away—they do something afterward, like clicking a button, leaving information, or reading another post.
For “one-shot” content like ads, landing pages, sales emails, or high-conversion social posts, AIDA truly shines. It helps you follow the right journey: grab attention, hold interest, spark desire, and seal the action. Quick, clear, and effective.
But precisely because of its strong “behavior-guiding” nature, AIDA isn’t always the right fit. Some content doesn’t need to end with an action.
Sometimes, you just want to share a perspective or tell a story to build a connection with readers. If you force AIDA’s structure in those cases, the content can feel awkward and unnatural.
In such situations, I often turn to a different approach, like RIOA.
RIOA is another four-step framework: Reader, Idea, Offer, Action. It sounds similar to AIDA, but the approach is quite different. It starts with the reader. You need to clearly identify who they are, what they’re thinking, and what challenges they face. Then comes the Idea—what you want to share—followed by the Offer (a specific solution), and finally, Action (if needed).
RIOA’s strength is its flexibility. You can use it for blog posts, analyses, or even personal content where empathy and understanding matter more than any formula. And if you don’t use any framework at all, you can still start with a story. That style isn’t fast, but it’s incredibly authentic.
Read more about Mastering the RIOA Framework to Turn Any Content into a Conversion Machine
Ultimately, the most important thing isn’t which formula you use, but whether you truly understand who you’re writing for and what you want them to feel. A framework is just a tool. It supports you but doesn’t replace empathy.
When you start from that place, AIDA, RIOA, or any other formula becomes just a method—you must never limit yourself to a single approach or way of doing things.
Apply AIDA Right Now
AIDA isn’t a magic formula, but it’s a reliable framework. When you know how to guide readers through each step, from attention to action, your content will be clearer, more purposeful, and more likely to convert.
Now it’s your turn to try it.
Pick a blog post, a video script, or any content you’re working on, and try rewriting it using AIDA. Once you’re done, if you want an outside perspective, feel free to share it with me. I’m always happy to provide feedback if you need it.