The 10 Copywriting Formulas That Never Go Out of Style (AIDA, PAS & More) -

Here’s a dirty little secret about professional copywriters.

They don’t stare at a blank page and wait for inspiration. They reach for a formula — a proven framework that maps the reader’s psychology and structures the argument before a single word is written.

That’s not laziness. It’s craft.

Copywriting formulas are cognitive maps built on decades of behavioural research. They work because human psychology hasn’t changed — people still want to avoid pain, pursue pleasure, and make decisions that feel safe. The formulas that have survived over a century of use are the ones that tap directly into those constants.

Here are the 10 you need to know, what each one does, and exactly when to use it.

Why Formulas Work (And Why They Don’t Make Your Copy Generic)

A formula gives your copy a skeleton. Your voice, your offer, and your understanding of your reader are what give it flesh.

Think of it this way. A great chef doesn’t invent a new recipe from scratch every time they cook. They work within proven structures — and make them their own. The formula is the structure. Your specificity and insight are what make it memorable.

The AIDA formula was first outlined in 1898 by marketing pioneer Elias St. Elmo Lewis. More than a century later, it’s still one of the most used frameworks in email marketing, landing pages, and advertising — because it maps the exact cognitive journey a buyer takes before making a decision.

That’s not a coincidence. That’s proof.

1. AIDA — Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

The oldest formula in the book. Still the most used.

AIDA maps the psychological journey a buyer takes from first encountering your message to making a decision.

Attention — Stop the scroll. Grab the reader with a bold headline, a surprising stat, or a question they can’t ignore.
Interest — Pull them deeper. Speak to their situation, their problem, or something they didn’t know before.
Desire — Make them want what you’re offering. Paint the picture of the outcome. Use benefits, not features.
Action — Tell them exactly what to do next. Be specific and remove every point of friction.

Best for: Email campaigns, landing pages, ads, sales letters.

Example in action:

Attention: “Your email list is bleeding money.”
Interest: “Most business owners send emails that get opened — and ignored.”
Desire: “What if every email you sent actually drove sales?”
Action: “Hire a copywriter who writes emails that convert. [Book a call today →]”

2. PAS — Problem, Agitate, Solution

The most emotionally powerful formula in short-form copy.

PAS works because it meets the reader in their pain — then makes them feel it more acutely before offering relief. According to Crazy Egg, PAS is considered AIDA’s biggest competitor precisely because it leads with empathy rather than attention-grabbing.

Problem — Name the problem clearly. The more specific, the better.
Agitate — Twist the knife. What does this problem cost them? What happens if it goes unsolved?
Solution — Present your offer as the answer. Keep it clear and direct.

Best for: Email copy, Facebook ads, cold outreach, sales page openers.

Example in action:

Problem: “Your blog posts aren’t ranking.”
Agitate: “Every month they sit there — unread, unshared, invisible. Meanwhile your competitors are pulling in thousands of visitors from the same topics.”
Solution: “SEO blog writing built to rank and convert. [See how it works →]”

3. BAB — Before, After, Bridge

The transformation formula. Perfect for selling outcomes.

Before — Describe life with the problem. Make it vivid and relatable.
After — Describe life after the problem is solved. This is the dream state.
Bridge — Show your product or service as the path from Before to After.

Best for: Social media ads, email campaigns, landing page hero sections.

Example in action:

Before: “Your website gets traffic — but no leads. Your inbox stays empty.”
After: “Imagine waking up to enquiry emails from pre-sold prospects who already trust you.”
Bridge: “That’s what conversion-focused homepage copy delivers.”

4. FAB — Features, Advantages, Benefits

The formula that turns specs into desire.

Most business owners default to listing features. FAB forces you to translate every feature into the real-world benefit your customer actually cares about. As Plexxie explains, FAB helps you go beyond “what” your product does to “why it matters” to the person reading.

Feature — What it is or does
Advantage — Why that matters
Benefit — What it means for the customer’s life

Best for: Product pages, sales letters, email copy for physical or digital products.

Example in action:

Feature: “5-email welcome sequence”
Advantage: “Nurtures new subscribers automatically over five days”
Benefit: “So you build trust and make sales while you sleep — without touching your inbox”

5. The 4 Cs — Clear, Concise, Compelling, Credible

Less a formula, more a quality filter you run every piece of copy through before publishing.

Clear — Does the reader instantly know what you’re offering and who it’s for?
Concise — Have you cut every word that doesn’t earn its place?
Compelling — Does it make the reader want to keep reading and act?
Credible — Does it back up its claims with proof, data, or social proof?

Best for: Editing and reviewing copy across all formats before hitting publish.

6. PPPP — Picture, Promise, Prove, Push

Direct response legend Dan Kennedy’s four-P formula for long-form copy.

Picture — Paint a vivid image of the outcome or the problem
Promise — Make a clear, specific promise your offer delivers on
Prove — Back it up with testimonials, data, or case studies
Push — Create genuine urgency and tell them to act now

Best for: Sales letters, landing pages, direct mail, long-form email campaigns.

7. The Slippery Slide

Not a formula — a philosophy. Attributed to copywriter Joseph Sugarman.

The idea is simple: every element of your copy exists to keep the reader moving to the next line. Your headline gets them to read the first sentence. The first sentence gets them to the second. And so on — all the way to the CTA.

Write your copy so it’s almost impossible to stop reading. Short sentences. Open loops. Questions that demand answers. Transitions that pull the reader forward.

Best for: Sales letters, long-form landing pages, email body copy.

8. OATH — Oblivious, Apathetic, Thinking, Hurting

A formula for matching your message to your audience’s awareness level.

Before writing anything, identify where your reader sits on the OATH spectrum:

Oblivious — They don’t know they have a problem. Educate first.
Apathetic — They know the problem but don’t think it’s urgent. Agitate.
Thinking — They’re actively looking for solutions. Compare and position.
Hurting — They’re in pain and need relief now. Sell directly and urgently.

Best for: Audience research, ad targeting, email segmentation, landing page messaging decisions.

9. QUEST — Qualify, Understand, Educate, Stimulate, Transition

A longer-form formula designed for nurturing cold audiences over time.

Qualify — Filter for your ideal reader immediately
Understand — Show you get their problem intimately
Educate — Give them new, valuable insight they didn’t have before
Stimulate — Build desire for the transformation your offer delivers
Transition — Move them smoothly and naturally toward your offer

Best for: Long-form sales pages, webinar scripts, lead magnet copy, long email sequences.

10. Star, Story, Solution

The narrative formula. Perfect for brand storytelling and building emotional connection.

Star — Introduce a character (you, your customer, or a relatable persona)
Story — Take them through the struggle — the before, the journey, the turning point
Solution — Reveal how the product or service changed everything

Best for: About pages, email welcome sequences, video sales letters, brand origin stories.

How to Choose the Right Formula

You don’t need to pick one and stick with it forever. You match the formula to the format, the audience awareness level, and the conversion goal.

As Thrive Themes notes, elite marketers don’t rely on one formula — they stack them. PAS for the hook. FAB for the body. AIDA for the close. That combination produces copy that feels natural to read but is carefully engineered to convert.

The formula is the structure. Your research, your voice, and your understanding of the reader are what make it work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do professional copywriters always use formulas? Most experienced copywriters have internalised these structures so deeply they use them without thinking. But they all started by learning the frameworks consciously and applying them deliberately. Mastery comes from repetition, not memorisation.

Is AIDA still relevant in 2025? Absolutely. AIDA maps the fundamental psychological journey of a buyer — and that hasn’t changed in over a century. What changes is the medium and the speed. But attention, interest, desire, and action are still the four steps every conversion follows.

Can I combine multiple formulas in one piece of copy? Yes — and you should. Many great sales letters use PAS to open, FAB to present the offer, and AIDA to close. Think of formulas as tools in a kit, not rules in a rulebook.

Which formula works best for email copy? PAS and AIDA are the most effective for email. PAS works especially well for cold outreach and promotional emails because it leads with empathy. AIDA works well for launch sequences and nurture campaigns where you’re building a case over several paragraphs.

Where can I learn more about copywriting formulas? Start with The Copywriter’s Handbook by Robert Bly and Influence by Robert Cialdini. Both are essential reading for any copywriter serious about their craft.

Want these formulas applied to your own sales page, emails, or blog? Work with Patrick Mumo →

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