April 07, 2021
If you can only memorize one thing about marketing, let it be the marketing funnel.
The marketing funnel is a conceptual framework that puts all tactics into context.
When you’re deciding on your online advertising goals, segmenting your emails, planning your social media strategy, and crafting CTAs, the skill that will consistently help you is a clear understanding of the marketing funnel.
So what exactly is this miraculous funnel?
The digital marketing funnel is an illustration of the journey customers take to go from people who don’t know about your brand to people who buy from your business again and again.
It’s a central concept in , the marketing methodology that focuses on bringing customers to you through content.
There are three key marketing funnel stages. While different digital marketers give these stages different names, you can start by learning these simple terms:
As a business owner, you want to develop content for every stage of the funnel, so you don’t lose prospects at different stages of the buying journey.
Content Marketing For The Top Of The Funnel (ToFu)
Top of the funnel content builds awareness and credibility for your brand. At this stage, you give without asking for anything in return. Your audience doesn’t fully understand its problem yet. They’re still asking questions, so it’s up to your brand to help them find the answers.
Your goal is to attract all of the people searching for answers related to your industry, service, or product.
You should create and publish content that focuses on helping this audience, not selling to them. This includes content such as:
You want to draw people to your brand’s online headquarters (your website), impress them with how much value you provide through free, high-quality content, and convince them to continue coming to you with their problem.
How Do You Come Up With Ideas For ToFu Content?
Content Marketing For The Middle Of The Funnel (MoFu)
Middle of the funnel content demonstrates how your product solves your audience’s problem and why your solution is special without including a hard sell. At this stage, your customers understand their problem, and they are considering solutions from your brand and other companies. You want to continue cultivating the relationship you have with them through educational content.
The content types in the middle of the funnel are not too different from the content types at the top of the funnel. What’s different is the angle and the amount of reciprocity.
ToFu content helps customers define the problem without asking for something in return.
MoFu content asks for something in return to gauge how motivated a customer is before your brand invests too much time. So while the content types stay the same, access becomes more exclusive. You ask for an email address or phone number before sharing valuable content like:
Notably, MoFu content can also be used on existing customers. After someone buys your product or subscribes to your service, there are extensive opportunities for upselling and cross-selling.
How Do You Come Up With Ideas For MoFu Content?
Content Marketing For The Bottom Of The Funnel (BoFu)
During the BoFu stage, your leads are eager to buy. They may be speaking to sales or independently comparing prices. It’s time to close the deal with this sales funnel.
You were patient and focused on education during the previous two stages of the marketing funnel. Now, it’s time to get down to brass tacks. Your content must answer the following questions:
Content types that help answer these questions include:
How Do You Come Up With Ideas For BoFu Content?
Talk to your sales team: At this stage in the marketing funnel, your sales team directs the conversation. Ask them what questions they usually receive from customers. This will help you narrow down what kind of content your customers need at the sales stage.
The Marketing Funnel Focuses Your Efforts and Generates Revenue
A marketing funnel is one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal. It helps focus your efforts, keep your content relevant, and identify which areas require the most attention. Understand your marketing funnel and you’ll understand how to systematically transform your brand audience into lifelong customers.
Webinars are an excellent way to move people through your marketing funnel! If you are ready to connect with your customers and generate leads for your business, check out our free webinar guide: .
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