{"id":597,"date":"2021-02-02T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/?p=597"},"modified":"2025-07-21T09:04:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T13:04:08","slug":"content-marketing-funnel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/blog\/content-marketing-funnel\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Content Marketing Funnel?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The average person consumes 11.4 pieces of content<\/a> before making a purchase decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re not wired to buy something the first time we see it\u2014especially if we can\u2019t work out why we need it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aside from the odd impulse buy (we\u2019ve all been there), the purchasing process starts before a shopper even realizes they have a problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This subconscious adventure is our brain\u2019s way of justifying a purchase and validating a good decision. We don\u2019t want to regret our latest buy, so we research\u2014and we research hard<\/em>\u2014before we go all in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s no surprise then that content plays a huge part in the buying process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As marketers and content strategists, understanding which types of content work best at each stage is key to delivering value and creating a robust content marketing strategy<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the content marketing funnel? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Without content, a traditional sales funnel is \u2026 well, incredibly bare and boring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s unlikely that anyone will buy your product because they don’t know why they need it or how it will help them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we talk about a content marketing funnel, we\u2019re talking about the process that consumers go through before they buy a product\u2014in terms of the content that guides them through that process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each step of the journey should serve up content that targets consumers\u2019 specific needs at that exact moment in time. The aim is to gently nudge them through the funnel and convert them into customers using different types of targeted content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are three critical stages in the content marketing funnel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Top-of-the-Funnel (TOFU)<\/strong>: This is where you\u2019ll see the most leads. They are problem-oblivious and usually aren\u2019t ready to make a purchase right away. This is where you can use lead qualification software<\/a> to make sure only the right kinds of leads would trickle down your funnel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Middle-of-the-Funnel<\/strong> (<\/strong>MOFU<\/strong>):<\/strong> Leads enter this stage of the funnel when they become problem-aware. They\u2019re usually shopping around for solutions and may be considering your problem or service as one of those solutions. This stage will likely see higher conversion rates than the former.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Bottom-of-the-Funnel<\/strong> (<\/strong>BOFU<\/strong>)<\/strong>: Leads that make it here are the real deal. They\u2019ve got their wallet in hand, and they\u2019re ready to buy\u2014hopefully from you.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"omniscient
    Image by Lizzie Davey<\/sub><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    To add another layer to the party, you\u2019ll often see four action-powered words running alongside the core \u201cOFU\u201d stages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Attract<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Engage<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Convert<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Delight<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      These are a loose indication of the goal for each stage. While it\u2019s essential to keep a smile on your audience\u2019s face throughout the entire funnel, \u201cdelight\u201d comes in at the end when a customer has made a purchase and turns into a potential loyal, long-term brand advocate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      How to Build a High-Converting Content Marketing Funnel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The hardest part about building a successful content marketing funnel<\/a> is knowing what type of content best fits each stage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Solve this by digging into what your customers need at each point:<\/p>\n\n\n\n