How to plan your content using the AIDA Model

When it comes to content creation there are lots of ways you can approach it. However, as a business owner, it is important to ensure you don’t get caught up with creating content for content sake and you always have a clear purpose for your content. The AIDA Model is a proven marketing model to move an individual from a prospect to a client or customer. When you plan your content with the AIDA model in mind you can rest assured that you are creating the right content to generate sales in your business. Sound good? If so, keep on reading and find out how to plan your content using the AIDA model.

 

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WHAT IS THE AIDA MODEL?

The AIDA Model is a marketing model that is used to describe the stages a person must go through to turn from a prospect into a client or customer.

As shown in the diagram below the acronym stands for:

• Awareness
• Interest
• Desire
• Action

By creating content for each stage of the funnel you can ensure that you are creating the right content to make more people aware of your business and then ultimately convert them into a client.

 

AWARENESS

The top of the funnel is the awareness stage. At this point in your funnel, the focus is on introducing new people to your business and brand.

There are a few ways you can do this:

 

• Search & Content Marketing – Have you ever type something into Google and ended on a website that you’ve never visited before. If so, this proves the power of search. As a business owner, you have the power to provide content that is the answer to a specific problem someone is searching for. By using search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques you can create content that ranks well on Google or YouTube and brings new people into your world.

 

• Social Media – No matter what social media platforms you use (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and more) there are ways to use the platforms to make new people aware of you. Remember that the focus is on getting people who are currently unaware of you to see your content for the first time. For example, you might create content with the focus of it being shareable. In this instance, you are relying on your current followers sharing your content with their followers and as a result, new people becoming aware of you. Another way to use make social media content discoverable by people who aren’t following you is by using hashtags. This would allow people searching the hashtag to possibly see your content and become introduced to you.

 

• Press – Getting mentioned in the press is a great way to have your business or brand introduced to new people. Media companies usually have a large following so it has the ability to put you in front of lots of new people. With press there are two different approaches you can take. You can focus on niche publications that have a smaller audience but are closely aligned with the target market of your business. The second option is to go for a larger publication and know that there will be a lot of wastage, but you’ll be seen by a large audience and a number may then decide to find out more about you and your business.

 

• Collaborations – Another great way to get seen by new people is to do collaborations. This is similar to the power of being mentioned in the press except for now there are lots of companies and individuals you can collaborate with and be showcased in front of their audience. This could be writing a guest blog post, being interviewed on a podcast or delivering a workshop in someone’s Facebook group.

 

• Advertisements – If you want to speed up the rate at which new people become aware of you then you should consider advertisements. This can be any form of advertisement, however, for small business owners the focus will usually be on social media advertising (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram) or Pay-Per-Click (Google Adwords). Digital adverts give you the advantage of being able to target who your advert is shown to. You will need to ensure that the advert is designed specifically for the ideal client you are trying to attract.

 

INTEREST

The next part of the funnel is the interest stage. At this point the focus is on creating interest in potential clients and customers about the services and products you offer. You should be focusing on making sure people know what you offer and then building their interest in what you offer.

 

• Social Media – Unlike before where the focus was on gaining new people now you’ll want to create social media posts that introduce your services and/or products to your followers. You’ll want to make sure you have dedicated posts that make it crystal clear what you offer and the benefits to those who buy it.
• Landing Pages – You should have landing pages for your services and/or products. On the pages, you’ll be able to make it clear who the service is for and what the benefits are.
• Lead Magnets – A great way to get someone to prove they are interested in your business and what you offer is by having a lead magnet. A lead magnet is something you offer in exchange for an email address. This could be an eBook, checklist or voucher. Creating lead magnets for your business not only allows you to get a clear signal from someone that they are definitely interested, rather than a random visitor on your site, but it also means you have an email address to be able to move them further down the funnel.

• Newsletter – You may have a regular newsletter that you send out to your mailing list. With your newsletters, you’ll want to be building the relationship your subscribers have with your brand in general, as well as making sure they are aware of what you sell.

• Content Marketing – If you have a blog, podcast or YouTube Channel you can be creating content there that is building interest. In the awareness stage high-value content is used primarily for the function of being optimised for search purposes. At this stage, you aren’t looking at it being the answer to someone’s search, but instead deepening their relationship with the company and highlighting what you offer. Don’t currently have a blog, podcast or YouTube channel and struggling to choose which one is right for you? Check out – Blog vs Podcast vs YouTube: Where should you create content for your business?  

 

DESIRE

The next part of the funnel is the desire stage. This is where a potential client or customer moves from being interested in what you offer to desiring a specific service or product. At this stage, you’ll be nurturing the relationship further and making people feel as if they need to buy what you are offering.

 

• Email Marketing – A great way to turn interest into desire is through email marketing. Unlike other forms of content, it can feel very 1:1 (even if it is an automated email sequence). Now depending on how someone joined your mailing list, you may be able to get really targeted. Whereas in your normal newsletter you may be focusing on making sure people are building a deeper relationship with your business in general and this stage you want to be focusing on persuading someone to buy one specific thing.
• Case Studies – Case studies are a great way to highlight the benefits but in a human way. The benefit of a case study is that it allows an individual to imagine themselves as the person mentioned in the case study. It helps them to visualise how their life would change if they too were to buy your service or product.
• Testimonials – These work in a similar way to case studies, but rather than being written about the client they are written by the client. Whilst you can’t create this content it is your responsibility to ask for testimonials from previous clients.

• Sales Pages – You might have a landing page and sales page in one and that is fine. The main thing about a sales page is that it should include everything a buyer needs to know. Think of all the possible questions someone might have an ensure you have a FAQ section so they have no reason to leave the page before buying.

• Webinars – Webinars are a great type of content to offer for the desire stage. In a webinar, you can be sharing the case studies and testimonials, but most importantly you can answer questions. Having someone answering questions in real-time might be what finally gets someone to move from desire to action.

 

ACTION

The final part of the funnel is action. They’ve decided they want to buy from you and are ready to take action to buy! 

• Seamless Checkout Process – If you are selling something solely online then you need to make the process as easy as possible. Make sure it is clear on your website where they can purchase from. If they need to sign any T&Cs have them integrated into the checkout process. Ensure that all the information they need to know is on the checkout page so they don’t have to wonder off anywhere else.
  
• Sales Calls – Maybe you prefer to talk to all of your clients before they sign up (that is absolutely fine and what I do for my 1:1 clients). In that case, make it easy on your website to book a call with you. You can use an online calendar function such as Calendly or Acuity. Then be set up on the calls to take card payments over the phone.

 

There you have it! You now know how to plan your content using the AIDA Model.

As you can see there is a lot to consider when creating content to attract and convert new clients. If you want to maximise the effectiveness of your marketing then you’ll need to ensure there is content at every stage of your funnel so your potential client can go through the whole funnel and sign up!

If after reading this post it all feels too complicated don’t worry, I’m here to help! I love getting into the nitty-gritty of planning content and helping business owners to get strategic about their marketing so they can sign more clients.

Sound good? Book a Content Strategy Day.

Looking for ongoing support instead? You can drop me a message here or if you would prefer to discuss your situation on a call then you can book a call here.