How to Structure Your Online Content So That It Converts
If you’re like many small business owners, you juggle many different duties and responsibilities. You’re salesman, bookkeeper, order fulfillment, marketer and janitor. It can be difficult to keep all the balls in the air, especially when people keep throwing new ones at you.
While we can’t help you with the janitorial duties (sorry!), we can help you with one aspect of your marketing, namely copywriting.
For decades, successful marketers and copywriters have used a simple formula that goes by the acronym of AIDA. The letters stand for:
A = Attention
I = Interest
D = Desire
A = Action
Okay, let’s break each of those down.
Attention
This is arguably the most important piece of this framework. When writing, it’s vital to capture your reader’s attention. If you don’t, they may never open your email or read more about your product.
Make sure your headline is strong and that the opening paragraph addresses your prospect directly by using the words “you” or “your.” (Both of these words have been proven to quickly get attention.) Talk about a compelling problem or need they have that your product or service can solve for them.
Interest
Once you’ve gotten their attention, it’s time to start discussing your product or service. Begin to build your argument by conveying that you understand their problem and know how they feel. Show them how and why your solution is the best one for them.
Desire
Build upon the interest you’ve generated up to this point by including additional proof that your product or service will solve their problem. Feel free to include statistics or other facts here that support your previous arguments. Even better are testimonials or real-life success stories that other customers have had.
Action
If you’ve done your job by getting their attention, generating interest and building desire for your product or service, they should be ready for the next step. First, decide what action you want them to take (sign up for your newsletter, purchase a product, etc.). Then craft a simple and clear call to action to encourage them to do just that.
Finally, when you’re ready to distribute your content, don’t forget the little details that make you look like a trustworthy professional. Include your logo and contact info if you’re sending out an email. Or if you’re opting for a direct mail campaign, be sure to have it printed on sophisticated business stationery from PaperDirect!