Do you ever wish that there was an easy formula for writing persuasive web copy?
What if you could just follow a few rules to write web copy that converts web visitors into buyers?
Or just drop a few words into a machine and your seductive copy rolls out at the other side?
Well, I don’t have a robot that automatically generates copy that sells. But I have a couple of lesser-known formulas that will help you write more persuasive copy. And I have a warning about a smelly formula that leads to disaster and possibly chases your web visitors away.
Shall we start with the stinky formula?
AIDA – the eternal princess of copywriting formulas
AIDA is the best-known copywriting formula.
American advertising pioneer Elmo Lewis developed the formula around 1900 for designing and writing adverts.
The idea behind AIDA is that an advert has to
- attract the Attention of its audience;
- create Interest and Desire;
- encourage people to take Action – e.g., request a brochure, send in a coupon, or call to buy.
Most copywriting formulas are reincarnations of the eternal princess AIDA. They follow a similar process:
- ACCA (Awareness – Comprehension – Conviction – Action)
- AIDPPC (Attention – Interest – Description – Persuasion – Proof – Close)
- IDCA (Interest – Desire – Conviction – Action)
- AAPPA (Attention – Advantage – Proof – Persuasion – Action)
- PPPP (Picture – Promise – Prove – Push)
If you haven’t given up yet, you can read about 27 more copywriting formulas here.
Mindblowing eh?
But they’re all just variations of good old AIDA.
What’s good about the AIDA formula? And why do I say this formula is a bit smelly?
Of course AIDA is a simple formula. That’s good. And it’s easy to remember as she’s an Ethiopian princess in a famous opera with the same name.
The process AIDA describes seems to make sense, too.
But does it?
The web is not like an advert in a magazine.
When people land on your website, you already have their attention.
This is an important distinction with old-fashioned advertising. Many advertising agencies still think they need to draw attention with a fancy, flashy presentation on their home page – but instead they’re just annoying their web visitors.
You don’t need to draw attention to your website like you need to draw attention to an advert in a magazine. Your web visitors already clicked through to find out more about you. Your task is to create interest and desire.
And that’s the problem with the rather stuffy princess AIDA. First she chases web visitors away if you follow her suggestion to focus on drawing attention. And then this decaying princess doesn’t explain much about how to create interest and desire.
I only like the last A of AIDA because action is important on the web. Each web page needs a clear call-to-action that stands out and that encourages your web visitor to take the next step.
But let’s go back to the I and D of AIDA…
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How to create interest and desire on the web
Remember:
On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely. ~ Jakob Nielsen
People don’t read web pages. They scan web pages.
To get your web visitors interested, you need a value proposition that entices a scanner to start reading. You need a clear and credible headline, bullet points, and an image. You need to let web visitors know they’re in the right place. Tell them there’s a strong possibility they’ll find what they’re looking for. Draw them into your story so you can create desire for your product.
You create interest with your value proposition; and then you describe your service to create desire. That’s when my two favorite copywriting formulas become useful: FAB and PAS.
A powerful copywriting formula: FAB
FAB stands for Features – Advantages – Benefits.
FAB reminds us to always focus on customers. Our customers aren’t interested in features, and they aren’t interested in specifications, they don’t even care about advantages. All they want to know is what you offer to them. How do you make them happier or richer?
In my book How to Write Seductive Web Copy, I use the following example to describe the difference between features, advantages, and benefits:
Imagine you’re selling an oven. One of its special features is a fast preheat system. The advantage of this system is that the oven heats up to 400º F (200º C) in just five minutes. The benefit is that a cook doesn’t have to hang around until the oven is finally warm enough. It makes cooking less stressful and you have a much better chance to get dinner ready in time even if you’re extremely busy.
To create interest in and desire for your product you need to pinpoint the benefits you offer to your reader.
Have you read product descriptions on Zappos.com? Most include a feature or advantage with a benefit. Take, for instance, this description for a pair of sandals:
- Adjustable buckle strap [feature] allows for a secure, personalized fit [benefit].
- 100% caoutchouc lite outsole [feature] with shock absorber heel [feature] reduces the jarring effects [advantage] for comfortable stride [benefit].
Or take the headlines for the Copywriting Academy of Andy Maslen:
- How to be a better copywriter and make more money in 2013.
- Do you want the respect, the rewards and the results you get from being a successful copywriter?
Andy Maslen focuses on benefits in his headlines. Features of his offer – like video-based course, 5.5 hours of video, 33 exercises, 2 marked assignments and a 300-page manual – are described later in the copy.
An alternative copywriting formula: PAS
PAS stands for Problem – Agitate – Solution; and Dan Kennedy says this:
“When you understand that people are more likely to act to avoid pain than to get gain, you’ll understand how powerful this first formula is. (…) It may be the most reliable sales formula ever invented.” ~ Dan Kennedy
PAS is powerful because problems can attract even more attention than benefits. People want to avoid pain, hassle, risks, glitches, and problems.
How does the PAS formula work?
It’s simple: First you describe a problem, then you agitate by highlighting the emotions that go with the problem, and then you offer your solution.
The Premise landing page (discontinued) shows how to use the PAS formula—it describes several pain points that online marketers experience and goes on to show how Premise provides solutions. The agitation might be light, but it works well. For instance:
Problem and Agitation:
To get action, you need a clean, great looking, landing page with effective copy, but finding a good designer on short notice is next to impossible and hacking code is no fun.
Solution:
Premise empowers you to quickly and easily build custom, graphically-enhanced landing pages without cost, code, or hassle. Plus, copywriting advice is delivered directly into WordPress for each landing page type.
The harsh truth about copywriting formulas
No copywriting formula can guarantee that your copy will sell.
You can write the most beautiful copy in the world, but if your copy doesn’t address your web visitors’ needs and problems, you’ve wasted your time with writing.
The only way to write powerful web copy is to understand what makes your reader tick. Use the PAS and FAB formulas to translate features into benefits your customers care about, and into problems they want to avoid.
Know the pain points you can solve. Understand the fears you need to overcome. Appreciate the desires you can fulfill.
The secret to writing good copy isn’t about picking the right formula; it isn’t even about choosing the right words; and it isn’t about using short sentences.
What you write is more important than how you write it.
Understand your customer as if you can read his mind. Know how to sell to him. And your words will flow almost naturally.
Enchanting Copywriting course
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“I have struggled to make my own website for my solo language coaching business for 8 years. I got stuck on the copy every single time. (…) Henneke’s course saved me. I loved the recipes that teach you, step by step, how to organize your sales page and what to say in each section. Each section has an objective. Plus, the example layouts for different kinds of businesses were invaluable.”
~ Alanna Beach
“As soon as I’d finished the course I pitched for some work writing long-form sales description pages. I would never have done this if I hadn’t taken the course. (…) I won the pitch and the client was very pleased with the work.”
~ Julia
I just love it here Henneke, your writing is 👌
Awww, thank you, Susan 🙂
Thank you Henneke for your useful advice. It is always wonderful to read your posts.
I have a great, threatening question which hurts me…
And I need your opinion.
**** The question is this: do I need to use social networks if I wish to be a good copywriter?
I feel that a blog is my world. I love well there. I can be myself and I can dialogue with my audience.
I know that I have to I improve my writing and I can write better, engaging my audience.
So I know my field battle: my blog (about the crime world on which I have been working for years). I see that my audience is growing and I only need to transform my audience in a community.
And here I have the same question…
*** Do I need a social profile to build a community or my blog can be enough? Because… I find that a blog is the right space for me and I feel that social network profile is something vaneshing…
I wish to have your opinion, Henneke. Thank you 🙂
I don’t really know. I have a very low social media presence. I’m only active on Twitter sharing 4 or 5 tweets per week. I have Instagram and LinkedIn accounts but I stopped actively sharing there 3 years ago as I don’t have enough time and prefer to be writing for my blog. I’ve never had a Facebook account.
However, many bloggers get a lot of readers via social media, and even I get a surprising number of new email subscribers via LinkedIn as I get regularly recommended there. So, social media can work very well but it’s not a must if you have already other ways to gain readers and if there’s no need to grow faster. The majority of new readers come to me via organic search and word-of-mouth.
As always, valuable reading. Thank you, Henneke.
Years ago, a friend helped me get better organized for making presentations. His advice, use PCAN (Problem, Cause, Answer, Net Benefit) to identify the key elements. It’s provided a handy thinking model, like FAB and PAS.
I like that formula! Thanks for sharing, Doug.
I loved the text, Henneke!
Nowadays we also see a bunch of different brands with ads that use the same texts as a consequence of those copy-and-paste formulas.
Yes, that’s a good point. Understanding and then applying a copywriting formula (good practice) is quite different from copy-and-paste (awful practice).
As someone who is just trying to grasp copywriting I immensely enjoy all of your emails Henneke. Thank you.
That’s lovely feedback. Thank you, Selena.
Hi,
Just wanted to drop in and thank you for this article.
But I think your point about the first “A” being redundant isn’t quite accurate. For PPC copywriters battling with limited characters and the need to stand out in the SERPs, grabbing the attention of readers is vital to getting that click in the first place.
Non-the-less, I find the other two models you provided much more thought-provoking.
Best wishes from Germany!
Isn’t the best way to attract attention in a limited space to point out the problem you solve or the benefit you offer so you quickly make a connection with what your reader is looking? Isn’t that better than attracting attention for attention’s sake? This way you go straight to the I of Interest.
Hi!
I love your articles as well as your emails!
I’m developing a free “email course” as an incentive to get people to subscribe to my list.
I think I might have learned that trick somewhere on the internet but I just can’t remember where… 🙂
I’m also reading your books! They are very useful and concise.
Ha! I might know who gave you the idea for a free email course. 😉 If you haven’t read it yet, you might like this, too: https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/how-to-write-an-email-sequence/
And thank you for buying my books. Enjoy!
Dear Henneke,
You wrote a thought provoking article comparing persuasive writing to overly pushy sales writing. You had 5 examples of pushy sales sentences. You rewrote these 5 sentences using persuasive less pushy language. I enjoyed learning the differences between the 2 styles of writing.
I can’t find this article from you. Can you send it to me?
Thanks, Dan Edwards
Hi Dan
I’ve been scratching my head trying to think of which post you’re referring to.
The only one I can think of is this one about gobbledygook but it has only a couple of examples: https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/gobbledygook/
Could it have been that one?
Dropping in from your newsletter series and I wanted to say, “thank you for this article”. It may be dated, yet it’s still an excellent piece that feels timeless.
Stay healthy. Stay safe.
Thank you, Danny. I’m glad you enjoyed this.
I hope you’re staying safe and healthy, too.
Thank you for another helpful article. Its interesting that you think it is not important to get a website visitor’s attention. Everything I have learned about the way people use websites, and my studies on CRO at MECLABS, as well as reviews of countless user recordings, proves otherwise. Website visitors are not going to engage without a powerful headline and a headline’s sole purpose is to get attention. You said it yourself, people don’t read. And if there is not something powerful on the page right off the bat, then they may half-heartedly skim through the page looking for something, anything to get their attention and draw them in. Or they may not even scroll, as 40% of users don’t, and just click the back button.
I agree with the importance of a powerful headline on web pages. What I think we don’t need to do is grab people’s attention with overly busy graphics. People should see the headline first (because of the font size and white space around it), and the headline should quickly confirm to them what the page is about so it arouses interest (with the right people) to further exploring the page or the site.
Perhaps I should have defined better what I mean with grabbing attention?
You’re amazing and your blog articles have helped me immensely. Who am I to tell you how to add clarity to your articles? But perhaps it couldn’t hurt?
You made a very valid point in your comment and I’m thankful you made it. Comments and questions make me a better teacher.
I’m glad you’re finding my site useful. Thank you, Robert!
Hi Henneke,
Thank you for this brilliantly useful article. I just was interested to know, how do you resolve the conflict between PAS and the wisdom of not focusing on negativity but promoting positivity in marketing? I have read a lot of theories extolling the virtues of switching things around to make a positive out of a negative yet PAS dwells twice on the negative before revealing a solution! Do you think the positivity message isn’t necessary as long as clear solutions are offered? Thanks
Hi Jess, great point!
I don’t think PAS equals negativity.
Some marketers might abuse the formula and use the agitation part to make a reader feel insecure, so they’re more likely to buy. But I don’t advocate this.
We can simply empathize with a problem that people are experiencing, then show that we understand their feelings, and, lastly, offer a solution. You can empathize with people without being condescending or making people feel insecure. It’s simply acknowledging that problems exist and the service or product you offer is there to help. It can be done in an honest, non-pushy way.
Thank you Henneke for all tips you give away. Helps me a lot to understand my goals while copywritting. It’is Wonderful that Internet and web marketing combine so many artistic skills : writing, drawing, design… have a perfect day!
Thank you for your lovely comment, Azucena. I appreciate you took the time to leave your comment 🙂
It’s very nice to see this perspective on the AIDA formula. As someone trying to learn copy writing in the digital age, it’s refreshing to see this take on the eternal princess.
Thank you, Henneke, for this post. It is much appreciated!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Tricia. Happy copywriting!
This is so beautiful and succinct. Thank you Henneke
Thank you, Verse.
Thanks Henneke for your tips. I totally agree that people do not read websites, thay just scan pages, but today, as all people are using the web to catch information, it is very important to arise their attention, not with flash presentations of components (today out of fashion), but with a simple and clear message getting to an action. Otherwise people will just flown away. Then, as many companies today do web marketing actions to attract visitors, it happens that many people land to a site non because they are interested in it, but maybe for curiosity and then skip away if site is not interesting.
Yes, I’m glad the flash presentations have gone out of fashion. Now we only have to get rid of all those moving carousels (and flashy adverts!)
Thank you for stopping by, Fabrizio. I appreciate it.
Hello Henneke,
This copywriting article is full of practicable ideas. Thank you.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Ashok!
You’re an excellent writer, Henneke. So clear, so simple and so understandable. No babble or officespeak here. Thanks for this information – really good.
One quick query though: you said here “To create interest in and desire for your product you need to hone in on the benefits you offer to your reader.”
Shouldn’t that read “home” in, rather than “hone” in?
Thanks again – Paul Herring Queensland Australia
Thank you, Paul.
I looked it up, and both “home in” and “hone in” are possible but “hone in” is chiefly used in the US, so readers outside the US (like you!) may find it wrong. I’ll change it so it doesn’t feel wrong to my readers outside the US. Despite living in the UK, I read mostly in American English, so my word choice can sometimes seem a tad unusual.
I appreciate your suggestion.
I’m late to the game here, but I noticed you said “home in” and thought it was a mistake. I even considered emailing you about it, since as a copywriting blog I’m sure you get lots of helpful readers pointing out your typos. Glad I read the comments to get the full story first!
Maybe I should pick another word as it’s causing so much confusion?
Thank you for reading, Hannah, and for stopping by to leave a comment.
Great article Henneke!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Adrian. Happy copywriting!
Hi Henneke,
Absolutely agree!! PAS & FAB formula could serve the best outline for any sales copy.
Plus short sentences and selecting right words will be frosting on the cake. And if it’s well organized, the copy is like talking to your customer.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, Mehera. Your comment is a good summary of how to write good copy 🙂
Your article is interesting as always, Henneke. The copywriter’s job is to be a salesperson, a salesperson who writes copy that sells products or services. The formulas are just there to aid the writer.
The most important thing is the customer. And as the writer, you use the formula that best help you get the customer to take the desired action.
Yep, I fully agree with you, Terrence. Formulas are just an aid for writing copy that sells.
I’m never quite sure whether a copywriter should be a marketer or a sales person. Maybe both?
Thank you for stopping by to leave a comment. I appreciate it! 🙂
I too think that copy writers are both marketers and sales people – but at different times and places in the customer journey.
A Copy writer is a marketer when they are more content writers, blog, email newsletters, white papers – that is at the start of a customer journey – Attracting and Interesting the reader who is only a prospective future customer.
Further along that journey as a reader homes in towards the customer station – the Action stage, then the copy writer is more a sales person. Like on the landing page or in launch sequence.
What do you think?
Yes, I think that’s true.
Over time, I’ve started to think less of my role as marketer or sales person, and I’m more focused on helping readers. A blog post helps people by answering a questions or solving a tiny problem. A sales page helps people make a decision whether a product or service is right for them.
Boiled down to essentials, presented with ease, and, all in all, nicely done. I will remember the point well. Indeed
Thank you, Richard 🙂
As regards AIDA it’s interesting how many times people need to reinvent the wheel. Well, the wheel is still round. 🙂
Makes me thinking about how many times Think and Grow Rich has been reinvented too. Or How to win friends and influence people.
Very interesting post as usual, I’ve noted down those copywriting formulas even as you say they are probably not enough to beat Google and their permanent updates.
Anyway very good.
P.S. I’ve mentioned your ebook in a comment on the last post at The Sales Lion, hope it’s cool. 🙂
That’s super-cool, Andrea. Thank you for your support! 🙂
Oh Henneke. I love you and your blog <3
For me, I will combine PAS and FAB for more enchanting. And of course the detail are important. Right? 😉
Best,
Danial.
Yep, you can mix up PAS and FAB!
Thank you for stopping by, Danial. I appreciate it 🙂
Great article, Henneke.
You stopped me in my tracks this morning, and made me read the whole thing. Valuable reminder regarding Dan Kennedy’s PAS formula being the leader of the copywriting pack, too.
I need to use this PAS approach more often in my clients work.
I hope you didn’t arrive somewhere too late because you were reading my article, Kevin 😉
I guess that focusing on benefits feels more natural than problems. That’s why most people tend to follow the FAB rather than the PAS formula?
Yeah probably.
We also see/hear the competition focusing on the benefits and features of their stuff, so we get sucked into their vortex, without giving thought to the importance of rubbing some salt in the problem before proposing our [hopefully unique and relevant] solution.
Dear Henneke,
Thank you for this post.
After reading I instantly re-checked my ‘finished’ translation of the packaging of a our new type of shoe-inlays.
I ‘think’ I have to re-write some paragraphs using the ‘feature-advantage-benefits’.
I think I will… 🙂
My best
Moniek
That’s great to hear!
You’ll probably find product descriptions on the Zappos website quite useful as source of inspiration.
Thank you, Moniek 🙂
This is easily the best copywriting blog I follow. Thanks for the amazing quality you give away so freely.
You’re most welcome, Paul. Thank you for stopping by!
Henneke,
Thanks for reminding me that it’s all about my customer.
Sometimes in the day to day tasks of managing my business, I forget about the person I’m writing to – her name, her favorite food, what car she drives, and most importantly – what keeps her up at night, and how my product can help.
In the beginning I created a very elaborate representation of her – and then out of the blue, she showed up!
So you actually met your “avatar” after describing her?
Yes!
Although her hair was a different color, she turned out to be one of early supporters and instrumental in the development of our product after she signed up for our mailing list.
We asked for readers to fill out a survey and if they would be willing to be interviewed by phone. She was one.
Now, we’ve met many who are are ideal, and it all started from the exercise of creating and writing to the avatar.
Great example of how an avatar works, Lisa. Thank you for sharing!
Henneke,
I simply love reading your posts. Your writing style is so captivating.. even enchanting!
As I’ve said before, I’m a 25 year veteran of the advertising industry, been a copywriter all that time. But you, you write with a freshness, a heart and soul, an interest and intrigue that always makes me feel you are more interested in me, the reader, gaining benefit from what you write, than you are trying to “impress” me. The ego of many writers gets in the way of them communicating effectively, but yours never does.
And again, I’ve found myself reading one of your posts and thinking to myself… “wow, that’s great, I could really apply what Henneke’s saying to my job.. tomorrow!”
Keep them coming.
🙂
Mark
Hey Mark – that’s a great comment. Thank you so much.
And you’re right: I’d rather be helpful (and teach something) than impress people with my writing skills. You’ll never hear me calling myself a guru. 😉
Awesome Henneke– will be sending this to several people who I’ve worked with in the past. “Appreciate the desires you can fulfill.” is a beautifully worded statement that really resonates with me: I sometimes find myself second guessing my own value.
Thank you, Jordan 🙂
It’s a simple statement – but it’s often the most difficult part of copywriting. It’s not easy to know what exactly your customers are looking for.