AISAS Marketing Model: The Modern Approach to Online Business Success

In the fast-evolving landscape of online business, traditional marketing models like AIDA have shown their limitations. Once widely adopted, AIDA’s five steps—Attention, Interest, Desire, Memory, and Action—were considered essential to driving customer purchases. However, with the surge of e-commerce and online marketing, a more dynamic and comprehensive strategy is needed.

Enter AISAS, a new marketing model developed by the advertising giant Dentsu, specifically tailored for the digital age. AISAS stands for Attention, Interest, Search, Action, and Share, making it an ideal framework for businesses looking to harness the power of online marketing. In this article, we’ll explore how AISAS improves upon AIDA and how you can apply it to your online business for maximum effectiveness.

1. Attention – Capturing Your Audience’s Attention

The first step in both AIDA and AISAS is capturing attention, but in the age of digital marketing, the approach must be more strategic. With online channels flooded with content, gaining attention requires utilizing a broad range of tools such as social media, digital ads, and even influencer marketing.

Example: Running targeted ads on Google or Facebook can increase visibility, while leveraging trending topics or viral content can quickly gain attention. For instance, tying your product to a popular cultural moment or a trending hashtag can exponentially boost exposure.

AISAS Marketing Model The Modern Approach to Online Business Success

2. Interest – Creating Genuine Engagement

After capturing attention, the next critical step is fostering interest. In this stage, content creativity plays a pivotal role. With information overload being a significant challenge, your messaging must be compelling enough to keep users interested.

Example: Instead of just posting a bland product description, you could create engaging content like unboxing videos, customer reviews, or even interactive tutorials that show how your product solves a specific problem. A well-executed demo video can make your brand more relatable and engaging.

3. Search – Directing Customers to Seek More Information

Unlike AIDA, AISAS introduces an essential additional step: Search. With customers now empowered by digital tools, they tend to conduct their research before making a purchase decision. Your goal is to ensure your brand appears in their search results.

Example: This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) becomes critical. Ensuring that your website ranks high on Google or other search engines by using relevant keywords, optimizing page load times, and creating high-quality content can make a significant difference. If your brand ranks well, users will naturally click through to explore your offerings further.

4. Action – Encouraging the Purchase

Once the customer has shown interest and has conducted their research, the next step is to drive them to take action, which is usually a purchase. Here, you can use a variety of tactics to push them towards conversion.

Example: To encourage action, you can implement psychological triggers such as scarcity (“Only 3 items left!”), urgency (“Limited time offer!”), or social proof (“Join 500 satisfied customers today”). Additionally, incorporating clear call-to-action buttons like “Buy Now” or “Sign Up” ensures a seamless experience for the customer.

AISAS Marketing Model The Modern Approach to Online Business Success

5. Share – Amplifying the Message Through Word-of-Mouth

The final step in the AISAS model—Share—is what truly sets it apart. In today’s digital landscape, word-of-mouth has taken on a new form through social sharing. When customers share their positive experiences with your product, it not only validates your brand but also expands your reach exponentially.

Example: A well-designed referral program or incentivized sharing can boost this behavior. For instance, offering a discount or a free product to customers who share their purchase on social media and tag friends can generate significant organic traffic and engagement.

Non-linear AISAS: Flexibility in Modern Marketing

One unique advantage of AISAS is that its steps don’t always need to be followed in sequence. For instance, a campaign could start with Share by encouraging users to spread the word about a product they haven’t even purchased yet, subsequently driving more interest and searches. This flexibility makes AISAS more adaptable to modern marketing strategies.

Example of Non-linear Approach

An online fashion retailer might first launch a social media challenge encouraging users to share photos wearing similar products, building a buzz even before the product release. This generates significant Interest and Search behavior before the official launch, accelerating the final Action step when the product becomes available.

Conclusion

The AISAS model is a versatile and effective framework that addresses the shortcomings of the traditional AIDA model, particularly in the context of digital marketing and online business. By leveraging each step—Attention, Interest, Search, Action, and Share—you can create a holistic marketing campaign that not only attracts customers but turns them into advocates for your brand.

If you’re looking to maximize your online business success, consider integrating AISAS into your marketing strategy