AIDA vs PAS: My Pick on Which Formula to Use and Why

Copywriting formulas get a bad rap. People hear “formula” and picture paint-by-numbers marketing copy that reads like a robot trying to sell you socks.
But here’s the truth: a formula doesn’t replace your brain. It aims your brainso you don’t stare at a blinking cursor like it owes you money.

Two of the most popular frameworks you’ll see in marketing copywriting are AIDA and PAS. They’re both simple, both effective,
and both wildly misunderstoodkind of like avocados and taxes.

In this article, I’ll break down AIDA vs PAS in plain American English, show real-world examples, explain the strengths and weak spots,
and make a clear pick for which one I’d reach for first (and why). Spoiler: I’m not throwing either one into the trash. I’m just choosing the one
that earns “default” status on my writing desk.

What AIDA and PAS really mean (without the marketing fog machine)

AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

AIDA is the classic “take the reader on a journey” framework. It’s built to guide someone from “I wasn’t thinking about you”
to “Okay, tell me what to do next.”

• Attention: Grab focus with something relevant (not just loud).
• Interest: Keep them reading by connecting to their world and making the topic feel personal.
• Desire: Turn “that’s neat” into “I want that,” using benefits, outcomes, and proof.
• Action: Ask for the click, signup, purchase, reply, or next stepclearly and confidently.

Think of AIDA as a well-paced movie: opening scene hooks you, middle builds tension, climax makes you want the win, ending tells you where to go next.

PAS: Problem, Agitate, Solution

PAS is the “get to the point and twist the point (gently)” framework. It’s designed to hit a pain point quickly, make the cost of
inaction feel real, and then offer relief.

• Problem: Name the pain clearly. Make the reader feel seen.
• Agitate: Turn the volume up on consequences, frustration, and emotional stakes.
• Solution: Present the fix (your offer), then make the next step easy.

If AIDA is a movie, PAS is a great cold open: “Here’s the problem. Here’s why it’s worse than you think. Here’s the way out.”

Why formulas still matter (even if you’re allergic to “marketing speak”)

Your reader has three things working against you: distractions, skepticism, and a thumb that scrolls faster than your best punchline.
A copywriting formula gives your message a job description. It makes sure you:

• Start strong instead of “warming up” for 300 words.
• Stay focused on the readernot your product’s autobiography.
• Build momentum toward a clear call to action.
• Match the structure to the channel (ads, emails, landing pages, blog intros, sales pages).

The goal isn’t to sound formulaic. The goal is to sound intentional.

The real difference: AIDA is a journey, PAS is a pressure point

Here’s the cleanest way to think about AIDA vs PAS:

• AIDA organizes persuasion across a sequence of micro-moments: hook → curiosity → wanting → doing.
• PAS organizes persuasion around urgency: pain → intensified pain → relief.

AIDA is great when your reader needs context, reassurance, and buildup. PAS is great when your reader already feels a problem and wants a fix now.
One is a guided tour. The other is a shortcut with a flashlight and a very honest map.

My pick: PAS is my default (and here’s why)

If I have to pick one framework to use most often, across the messiest range of marketing situations, I pick PAS.
Not because AIDA is “wrong”but because PAS is usually the fastest way to get to clarity.

1) PAS matches how people actually buy when they’re busy

A lot of marketing happens mid-chaos: someone’s between meetings, on their phone, annoyed, and looking for a quick answer.
PAS respects that. It starts where the reader already is: in the problem.

2) PAS is naturally customer-centric

Problem-first copy forces you to talk about the reader’s reality before you talk about your solution. That prevents the classic mistake:
opening with your product features like you’re reading a receipt out loud.

3) PAS is easier to write without fluff

With AIDA, writers sometimes get stuck in the “Interest” stage and accidentally build a cozy little campfire of words that never turns into Desire
or Action. PAS is less forgiving (in a helpful way). It nudges you toward a point and a payoff.

4) PAS shines in high-intent channels

When someone clicks an ad, searches a specific query, or lands on a page because they’re already aware of a pain point,
PAS can feel like mind-readingin the best way.

5) PAS is flexible without losing the spine

You can make PAS short for ads, medium for emails, or long for landing pages. You can soften the agitation, add proof, insert FAQs, and build trust.
The backbone stays the same: “This hurts. Here’s what it costs. Here’s the fix.”

When AIDA wins (and I absolutely use it)

Even though PAS is my default, AIDA wins in situations where the reader needs more runway before they’re ready to act.
Here are the most common AIDA-friendly scenarios:

You’re selling something complex or unfamiliar

If your offer requires educationlike a new category, a technical product, or a premium serviceAIDA helps you pace the explanation without
losing persuasion. You can earn attention, create curiosity, then build desire with outcomes and proof before asking for the next step.

You’re writing longer-form copy

AIDA is excellent for sales pages, webinars, product pages, and detailed case-study-driven landing pages where you need a narrative arc.
It keeps the reader moving instead of wandering.

You’re nurturing (not just converting)

Email sequences, thought-leadership content, and brand-building campaigns often need more than “here’s the pain.” AIDA lets you build identity,
credibility, and desire over timethen ask for action without feeling pushy.

Your audience is pain-sensitive or skeptic-heavy

Some audiences shut down if agitation feels too intense. AIDA can be a softer entry point: attention with curiosity, interest with insight,
desire with proof, action with low-friction steps.

How to choose in 30 seconds (a simple decision checklist)

If you’re stuck deciding between AIDA and PAS, run this quick checklist:

Use PAS when:

• The reader already feels the pain (or suspects it) and wants a fix.
• You’re writing ads, short landing pages, cold emails, or punchy blog intros.
• The offer is straightforward and the value is easy to explain.
• You want fast clarity and a strong conversion angle.

Use AIDA when:

• You need to educate, differentiate, or build trust before asking.
• You’re writing long-form pages, product storytelling, or nurture sequences.
• The buyer journey is more considered (higher price, higher risk, more stakeholders).
• You need a smoother “persuasion ramp,” not an immediate “pain-to-relief” jump.

Side-by-side examples (AIDA vs PAS in the wild)

Let’s make this practical. Below are examples you can adapt for your own marketing copy.
Same offer. Two frameworks. Different feel.

Example 1: A time-tracking app (email opening)

AIDA version

Attention: Your calendar says you’re booked solid… but your day says otherwise.

Interest: Between context switching, “quick questions,” and the 14 tabs you swear you’ll close, it’s hard to tell where your time goes.

Desire: Our time tracker shows exactly what’s eating your focusand helps you reclaim hours each week with simple, automatic reports.

Action: Start a free trial and see your first weekly report in 10 minutes.

PAS version

Problem: You’re working all day, but the important stuff keeps slipping.

Agitate: Then Friday hits and you’re stuck guessing what you accomplishedwhile deadlines creep closer and your brain feels like a browser with 47 open tabs.

Solution: Use our time tracker to capture your week automatically, spot the biggest time leaks, and fix them with one simple plan. Start your free trial today.

What changed? AIDA feels like a guided narrative. PAS feels like “Yes, that’s my lifeplease help.”
If your audience is already frustrated, PAS often lands harder.

Example 2: An online course (landing page hero)

AIDA version

Attention: Learn the skill that turns “I have an idea” into “I have a paying business.”

Interest: In six weeks, you’ll build a simple offer, write your first sales page, and launch with a clear planeven if you’re starting from zero.

Desire: Get templates, coaching, and real examples so you’re not piecing together advice from a thousand random tabs.

Action: Enroll now and get instant access to Module 1.

PAS version

Problem: You keep collecting ideas… but you’re not launching anything.

Agitate: Every week you wait, the doubt grows, the momentum shrinks, and you end up “researching” againaka procrastinating with better branding.

Solution: This course gives you a step-by-step launch plan, templates, and deadlines that force progress. Enroll now and start Module 1 today.

What changed? AIDA leans aspirational. PAS leans urgent. Both can work, but the best choice depends on the audience’s awareness:
dream-first vs pain-first.

Example 3: A DTC skincare product (short ad copy)

AIDA version

Attention: Breakouts don’t care how busy you are.

Interest: This gentle serum targets clogged pores without stripping your skin.

Desire: Clearer-looking skin in weekswith ingredients people actually tolerate.

Action: Shop now and get free shipping today.

PAS version

Problem: Your skin clears up… then breaks out again.

Agitate: It’s exhausting. You switch products, your skin freaks out, and you’re back to square one.

Solution: Try our gentle, barrier-friendly serum that helps keep pores clear without the harsh feel. Shop now.

What changed? PAS is often easier to squeeze into short formats because it’s naturally concise and emotionally direct.
AIDA can work in short ads too, but you have to be disciplined with word count.

Common mistakes (and quick fixes) for both frameworks

AIDA mistakes

• Attention that’s clever but irrelevant: If the hook doesn’t connect to the offer, you’ll get curiosity clicks and weak conversions.
• Interest that’s just features: Translate features into outcomes and context. Make the reader feel the “so what.”
• Desire without proof: Add social proof, specifics, comparisons, or a clear mechanism (“how it works”).
• Action that’s timid: Use a direct CTA, reduce friction, and clarify what happens after the click.

PAS mistakes

• Problem that’s too generic: “Struggling with marketing?” is wallpaper. Be specific: “Spending on ads but can’t explain where the leads went?”
• Agitation that becomes melodrama: You’re not writing a soap opera. Keep it real, relatable, and respectful.
• Solution that’s vague: Don’t just say “we help.” Say what changes, how it changes, and what the next step is.
• No trust-building: Add proof, clarity, guarantees, or risk-reversalespecially for skeptical audiences.

My favorite “best of both” move: PAS inside AIDA

If you want a practical upgrade, here’s a combo that works ridiculously well:
use PAS to create emotional traction, then use AIDA to pace and convert.

Here’s what that looks like:

• Attention: Call out the problem (PAS Problem) in a sharp, specific hook.
• Interest: Expand the context and stakes (PAS Agitate), but keep it grounded.
• Desire: Introduce the solution with benefits + proof (PAS Solution + credibility).
• Action: Give one clear next step (CTA), then support it with low-friction options.

This hybrid approach keeps you from being too “story time” (AIDA-only) or too “pain punch” (PAS-only).
It’s often the sweet spot for landing page copy and sales emails.

of practical “experience” notes (what it feels like to use AIDA vs PAS day-to-day)

Here’s what tends to happen when writers actually use these frameworks in real projectsnot in theory, not in a perfect world,
but in the land of messy drafts, last-minute launches, and stakeholders who think “make it pop” is a strategy.

PAS usually feels like flipping on a light in a dark room. The moment you write the Problem as a single, specific sentence,
the rest of the copy starts behaving. You stop describing your offer like a proud parent at a school play (“Look! Features!”) and start describing
the reader’s reality (“This is what’s annoying you, and here’s why it keeps happening”). That specificity is a cheat code for focus.

The Agitate part is where most people get nervousand honestly, that’s healthy. If you have a conscience, you should feel a little
cautious here. The best “agitation” isn’t fearmongering. It’s naming the real cost of the problem: wasted time, missed revenue, stress, confusion,
decision fatigue, awkward conversations, late nights, or the slow drip of “I should’ve fixed this months ago.” The most effective agitation often
reads like a friend calling it straight, not a villain monologuing.

Then, the Solution becomes easier to write because you’re not guessing what to sayyou’re answering what you just raised.
The solution section almost writes itself when you can finish this sentence: “Instead of that, you get this.”
The fastest wins show up when the solution is concrete: what the tool does, what changes, what the user experiences in week one,
and what “success” looks like. Add a little proof (testimonials, specifics, demos, guarantees), and your conversion copy gets sharper without getting longer.

AIDA, on the other hand, feels like directing traffic. It’s incredibly helpful when your message could ramblelike when you’re selling something
with multiple benefits, a longer buying cycle, or an audience that needs education. AIDA prevents the “random walk” draft: the kind that starts with
a hook, detours into features, takes a scenic route through founder stories, and ends with a CTA that sounds like an apology.
With AIDA, you can ask: “Did I earn attention? Did I build interest? Did I create desire with proof? Did I ask for action clearly?”

The day-to-day reality is that most high-performing pages use a blend. You might open with a PAS-style problem, build interest with a clear mechanism,
create desire with benefits plus social proof, and finish with an action step that removes friction. The “experience” lesson is simple:
frameworks aren’t cagesthey’re guardrails. They keep your copy from falling off the road when you’re moving fast.

Conclusion: my pick, summed up (and how you should use it)

If you want one formula to start using today, pick PAS. It’s the fastest path to clear, customer-first copyespecially for conversion-focused
writing like ads, landing pages, and sales emails.

But don’t treat AIDA like it’s “the other one.” AIDA is outstanding when you need to build understanding, trust, and desire across a longer message.
In real marketing, the best move is often to lead with a PAS-style problem and then let AIDA guide the pacing to the CTA.

My final advice: choose one framework for the first draft, then edit like a human. Add specificity, proof, and a voice that sounds like your brand
not like an acronym wearing a trench coat.

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