<![CDATA[The increasing adoption of digital marketing among MSMEs has intensified competition in attracting consumer attention within social media environments. However, high exposure to digital content does not always generate purchase intent because consumers require psychological engagement before forming buying intentions. This study aims to analyze the role of the AIDA model as a psychological mechanism mediating the relationship between content quality and purchase intent among digital MSME consumers in Kabupaten Pamekasan. The research employed a quantitative explanatory approach through a survey of consumers exposed to MSME digital marketing content. Data were collected using purposive sampling and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The findings reveal that content quality positively and significantly influences the AIDA process, while AIDA significantly affects purchase intent. Furthermore, AIDA was proven to mediate the relationship between content quality and purchase intent, indicating that consumers do not directly develop purchase intentions solely through content exposure. Instead, consumers undergo gradual psychological processes involving attention, interest, desire, and action before forming buying intentions. This study strengthens the Hierarchy of Effects Theory by repositioning AIDA as a latent psychological mechanism within digital consumer behavior and provides strategic implications for developing psychologically engaging digital marketing communication for MSMEs.]]>
