Have you ever seen a product that made your head turn? It caught your attention, right? Now, that doesn't necessarily mean you were interested in the product, but for some reason, you find yourself watching the ad and listening to what it's all about. Maybe it's the music, the characters, the theme, or maybe it's the AIDA framework.

The AIDA framework is used by many explainer video creators. It can be used to translate your ideas into simple, engaging videos. It is a marketing strategy that has been around for more than 100 years. Yep, that's right, and it was created in 1898. It is an effective way of communicating your business' branding and storytelling. With the use of the AIDA framework, you can build a clear structure for videos and more effectively present your brand to potential customers online.

AIDA is an acronym that stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. These are the four phases of the buying process.

Attention

When using the AIDA framework, the first step, of course, is attention. It is the viewer's first reaction to what they see in your video. It is critical to keep their attention on the screen by using the right colors and textures, proper camera angles, and other visual effects. You'll want to create an attention-grabbing introduction so that your viewers are compelled to continue watching your video. Remember that you only have a few seconds to grab your prospect's attention, so it is important to create your first scene right.

Interest

Next, you want to get the viewers interested in your product by telling them what it is and why they should care about it. Interest is the reason why your prospects want to watch your video. If you don't keep them hooked, then they wouldn't be interested to know more, resulting in low video engagement and low conversion rates.

Desire

Desire is the third stage in the process. This is where you make sure that your viewers want to purchase what you’re selling by making them believe that it will help them achieve their goals. This is where you want the viewer to really want your product. One way to do that is by showing how it will make their life easier or more fun, or how it solves their problem or save some money. 

Action

The fourth step in the AIDA framework is action. You got their attention. They are interested and want your product or service. They are ready to take action. You just need to give them the direction they need in order to do just that by adding a call-to-action at the end of your video. For example, you can tell them to click the "shop now" button or to go join your email list in order to learn more.

Let's create an ad in Doodly using the framework. To do that, we need a product to sell. In this exercise, we're choosing a not-so-typical product to sell in the market. Let's see how we can present that using the AIDA framework.

Scene 1 - ATTENTION

The first scene should immediately capture the attention of your viewers. To do this, we will present a problem that people can relate to. Let's use Phil's character from Doodly as our main character. Now, remember that your first scene is your attention-grabbing scene, so make it relatable and realistic.

Scenario: Phil uses a water hose for his big garden at home, and every time he does, he incurs a high water bill.

To execute:

Add all the characters and props you need. We want to present our main character looking worried about his high bill. You can immediately add your voiceover and make sure that it is in sync with your animation. If not, you need to adjust your layers by either adding a delay or adjusting the animation duration of each asset in your scene.

Scene 2 - INTEREST

For the video that we are creating, the second scene is where we want to present the product. This is the part where you can talk about the benefits, features, and positive feedback from people who have used it. This is where you address the problem mentioned in your first scene.

To execute:

You can import your own logo, add text to it, and place it beside your product. Another way of presenting your second scene is by adding a pan & zoom effect. You can direct the camera to focus on areas you want your audience to look at.

Scene 3 - DESIRE

In the third scene, we want to see a happy character that is finally relieved from his worries. Remember seeing Phil in the first scene looking so worried? Our goal in our third scene is to make the viewers remember the happy Phil and not the frantic one. You can discuss additional benefits or compare the old product to yours and tell your viewers why your product is better than any other product.

To execute:

Add a happy Phil presenting the solution you want to give your viewers. Also, since we added a pan & zoom effect in our second scene, we need to bring the camera angle back to fully show the entire frame of your video.

Here's how you can do it:

Now, just because our acronym is only four letters, it doesn't mean that our scene should only be four. You can always add additional scenes when needed on any portions of the AIDA framework, especially if you need to highlight the benefits of your product. But, don't make your video too long. If you will upload it on a website, keep it below a minute. With today's social media platforms, 15 seconds or less is the ideal duration to keep viewers engaged.

Scene 4 - ACTION

The last video is when we want people to take action after watching the ad. Decide how you want to get in contact with your potential customers. It can be by asking for their email address, asking them to fill out a form, directing them to another website, and many other ways. You can use platforms like Voomly to let viewers click a link directly on your video. That way, it is easier for you to direct them to the next step of your promotion.

To execute:

For our sample video, you can place the company's brand logo in the middle of your scene with your product placed on both sides of it. Use a big arrow to direct people where to click, and don't forget to write a descriptive text. You can also add a piece of background music to your video. Your voiceover should be loud and clear, so keep the voiceover at 100% and turn your background music's volume to only 20% or less.

Let's take a look at the final output of our sample video:

So why did we use the AIDA framework for our video? It was an easy way to organize the content. We only had a small amount of time to create, edit and produce the Doodly explainer video. The framework helped streamline the process, so we didn't lose any time wondering what to say, when to say it, and how to say it.

If you're still having a hard time creating your video flow, just remember these questions as you work on your scenes and build your video based on your answers:

Attention - What do you want to engage your audience with?

Interest - What will keep people from watching your video?

Desire - Why do people want to watch? What's in it for them?

Action - What do you want your viewers to do next?

Hopefully, these tips have given you a good idea of how to create a simple and effective explainer video for your brand, product, or business. If you want to learn more, be sure to check out the rest of our blog and the Doodly website. We've got plenty of other useful information, videos, and resources that can help you become a better video creator. Happy doodling! :)