For our emarketing class we were told to find websites that demonstrated AIDA. First of all, what is AIDA and why should anyone care? AIDA is a marketing term that stands for Attention, Interest, Desire and Action. These are the four things advertisements and, in reference to electronic marketing, websites especially should do. Since this is for electronic marketing, I will discuss everything in reference to website design.
AIDA Defined:
Attention: The website should grab the viewer's attention to keep them on the site. This can be done with bright colors, bold fonts, clean designs that invoke a viewer's trust, etc. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a website is too busy and I have to sift through information to figure out what's going on.
Interest: Once attention is grabbed, interest is piqued by photos, videos and interesting headings that make viewers want to see more.
Desire: This is where the website makes the viewer want to make a reservation or buy tickets. This is done through intriguing descriptions of an experience, prices, coupon offers, etc
Action: Buttons and links that put the viewer in action- click for more info, book now, click to book, check availability, etc.
The reason these marketing aspects are important even for those of us who don't have a business website is that we want to incorporate these into our portfolios. No one wants to look at a portfolio that is boring or messy.
AIDA Defined:
Attention: The website should grab the viewer's attention to keep them on the site. This can be done with bright colors, bold fonts, clean designs that invoke a viewer's trust, etc. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a website is too busy and I have to sift through information to figure out what's going on.
Interest: Once attention is grabbed, interest is piqued by photos, videos and interesting headings that make viewers want to see more.
Desire: This is where the website makes the viewer want to make a reservation or buy tickets. This is done through intriguing descriptions of an experience, prices, coupon offers, etc
Action: Buttons and links that put the viewer in action- click for more info, book now, click to book, check availability, etc.
The reason these marketing aspects are important even for those of us who don't have a business website is that we want to incorporate these into our portfolios. No one wants to look at a portfolio that is boring or messy.
Example of a website that uses AIDA:
I chose the Castle of Chaos website because right off it grabbed my attention.
- My attention was initially caught by the bold title and the dark theme of the page. The lettering stands out
- My interest was kept with the scrolling specials in the middle of the screen, as well as the pictures that went with the themed locations
- Desire was piqued by the different themed locations. It made me want to read more about what they offered and think about buying the slightly more expensive ticket so I can visit all three. That's pretty good marketing.
- There are several options for me to put my desire to action. Buy Tickets Now, More Info on This Location, Sign Up, Share with Your Friends, Apply Now (in reference to job recruits)
Now Look at the Asylum 49 Website..
This is the Asylum's homepage. It is a very intriguing design caught my interest since it's dark and perfect for a haunted house. I immediately want to know more, but the only information presented is a video. The navigation options pop out once you scroll down, but it forces the viewer to click through pages to find information. I find this to be a nuisance to have to track down information, and to top this off, there are no calls to action. In fact, reading through the site it's almost a dare to come. They don't seem to care if people come- there's no way to buy tickets online and they make it inconvenient for customers by doing cash only. While this type of reverse psychology marketing works for some people, it undoubtedly turns other potential customers away. That being said, the market segment that this type of advertising attracts is probably in line with what the business wants, and obviously they aren't worried about offending the people they want to stay home.
I think the Asylym website shows a nice contrast to The Castle of Chaos. Although both are for haunted houses, they have two completely different marketing strategies online. Castle of Chaos makes customer interaction simple and inclusive. The website is user-friendly and encourages people to participate, establishing a customer driven business.
The Asylum's strategy seems to be exclusivity. They don't want just anyone to come to their attraction; only those who fit their profile are invited, and that possibly makes people want to go even more. The website reflects a strong personality that people will either hate or love. Their website was much more of a hassle to navigate, and there wasn't as much to get out of it.
All of these assumptions were made based off the websites and the use of AIDA. Just saying, basic marketing components can have a profound impact on customer perception. That's just one reason businesses should care about things like AIDA.
I think the Asylym website shows a nice contrast to The Castle of Chaos. Although both are for haunted houses, they have two completely different marketing strategies online. Castle of Chaos makes customer interaction simple and inclusive. The website is user-friendly and encourages people to participate, establishing a customer driven business.
The Asylum's strategy seems to be exclusivity. They don't want just anyone to come to their attraction; only those who fit their profile are invited, and that possibly makes people want to go even more. The website reflects a strong personality that people will either hate or love. Their website was much more of a hassle to navigate, and there wasn't as much to get out of it.
All of these assumptions were made based off the websites and the use of AIDA. Just saying, basic marketing components can have a profound impact on customer perception. That's just one reason businesses should care about things like AIDA.