How to Create a Content Marketing Funnel that Converts

March 29, 2024 at 13:07 PM EDT

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Originally Posted On: https://clictadigital.com/how-to-create-a-content-marketing-funnel-that-converts/

IIs your business struggling? Do you need to make sales? Part of the problem is likely your content marketing funnel and overarching content marketing strategy, or lack thereof.

Gone are the days when companies put an ad in the local newspaper and, voila, more customers. In fact, like newspapers and TV, traditional advertising is going the way of the dodo. For small and medium-sized businesses, the future is content.

Content Will Always Be King

You’ll often hear the word used for streaming services and online magazines. But for marketers, it has a different meaning. Content is everything you put up on your site — your social media, blog posts, interviews, and customer testimonials.

The content in your content marketing sales funnel can be a company case study or a how-to video.

“Content brings the voice of the customer into your marketing,” explains Brian Becker, VP of content marketing at JPMorgan Chase. “That’s when you sound so much more authentic.”

As with any change, some companies are hesitant. Creating a content marketing strategy can be costly. And there’s a cornucopia of jargon to wrap your head around — “top of funnel content , ‘‘content funnel,” ‘or “entire content funnel.” However, failure to develop a whole content funnel will hurt your company.

Here’s the truth – if you’re not producing content for different content marketing funnel stages, you’re missing out on customers, sales, and a boost to your reputation.

In this guide, we will end the confusion. We’ll describe content marketing, how you can develop a content marketing strategy, and why content is so important.

Let’s get started!

What is a Content Funnel?

Every leading brand has a strategic content funnel built into its content marketing strategy. From Microsoft to John Deere, they’re all churning out content day after day.

But what is a content funnel?

It creates and circulates helpful content — blogs, social media posts, videos, newsletters – to current and prospective customers. You’re not trying to give them the hard sell. Nor does a marketing funnel content strategy even stress your business.

The goal is to become an authority in your field, to be the go-to source for everything relevant to your industry. And so, you funnel existing and potential clients into buying your service or product by raising brand awareness.

Does it work? See for yourself by going through these recent statistics from Review 42:

60% of B2C marketers actively utilize content marketing strategies.
Globally, 56% of businesses intend to raise their spending on content creation.
Within businesses, 73% have designated an employee to monitor content creation.
A significant 72% of companies affirm that content marketing drives lead generation.
Over 80% of marketers plan to increase their investment in content marketing funnels.
An overwhelming 92% of marketers and businesses acknowledge content as a valuable asset for their operations.

Content works! End of story.

Why Marketing Funnel Matters

Competition will always be fierce in the digital market. On top of that, customers’ attention spans are short, so having a well-defined marketing funnel is crucial for success.

A content marketing funnel is a strategic framework that guides potential customers through the various stages of the buying process. Hence, it ultimately leads to conversions.

Attracting and Engaging Prospects

The top of the funnel is where awareness begins. By creating high-quality, relevant content, businesses can attract the attention of potential customers and draw them into the B2B content marketing funnel.

Whether blog posts, social media updates, or videos, engaging content helps establish a connection with the target audience. Moreover, these tools can also encourage them to learn more about the brand and its offerings.

Building Trust and Authority

As prospects move through the middle of the funnel, they seek more information to help them make informed decisions. It’s where content plays a crucial role in building trust and establishing the brand as an authority in its industry.

Additionally, businesses can nurture leads by providing valuable insights, answering common questions, addressing pain points, and positioning as trusted advisors.

Guiding Prospects Towards Conversion

The bottom of the marketing content funnel is where leads are ready to purchase. Here, targeted content that addresses specific needs and concerns can help push prospects toward conversion.

Whether it’s case studies, product demonstrations, or customer testimonials, providing the correct information at the right time can help overcome objections and close the sale.

Increasing Customer Lifetime Value

The funnel continues once a prospect becomes a customer. It’s just the beginning of a long-term relationship. By continuing to deliver valuable content within the full funnel content marketing, businesses keep customers engaged and encourage repeat purchases.

Additionally, satisfied customers are more likely to become brand advocates, spreading the word to others and driving even more business.

Measuring and Optimizing Performance

One of the critical benefits of a marketing funnel is that it provides a framework for measuring and optimizing performance.

By tracking metrics such as website traffic, engagement rates, and conversion rates at each stage of the funnel, businesses can identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions to optimize their marketing funnel content strategy.

The content marketing funnel matters because it provides a strategic framework for attracting, engaging, and converting prospects into customers.

Businesses can build trust, establish authority, and drive meaningful results by delivering the right content to the right audience at the right time.

Whether a small startup or a large enterprise, implementing a well-defined content marketing funnel can help you achieve your marketing goals and grow your business in the digital age.

When is the Right Time to Plan Your Marketing Funnel?

The right time to plan your marketing funnel is before launching any marketing campaigns or initiatives. It should be one of the first steps in your overall marketing strategy.

Defining your content marketing sales funnel early on ensures your content efforts align with your business goals. Furthermore, it also meets your target audience’s needs. However, there is always time to create or refine it.

Whether you’re just starting or looking to optimize your existing strategy, planning your marketing funnel can lead to more effective marketing efforts.

Marketing Funnel Infographic

We put together an infographic to make things easier to understand. Take a look below and read a more detailed information about the individual elements of the marketing content funnel infographic:

Share this Infographic On Your Site

The entire content funnel comes in three broad parts:

Top of funnel content = awareness stage
Middle of funnel content = consideration stage
Bottom of funnel content = decision stage

Middle of Funnel Content Marketing

Middle-of-funnel content speaks directly to your target audience. Most people engaging in the content marketing funnel stages won’t buy anything. Middle-of-funnel content is about targeting those who will. You discuss why your product is valuable and compare it to other brands.

Middle-of-funnel content marketing includes:

How-to articles & videos
Original research
Gated guides (subscription-based)
Welcome series emails
Webinars and events

Bottom of Funnel Content Marketing

Bottom-of-funnel content is all about sealing the deal. The entire content funnel has narrowed as more and more potential clients have dropped out. With bottom-of-funnel content, you aim to nudge potential customers into purchasing or prompt existing customers to return.

Bottom-of-funnel content marketing includes:

Sales articles
Your story
Landing pages
Service pages
Testimonials
Case studies/customer stories

What is an Example of Content Funnel Marketing?

Now you know all the jargons. You’ve learned about blog content and full-funnel content strategy.

Let’s now explore a few impressive examples. We’ll review a couple of different types of content to spark your creativity and get you thinking about building your marketing funnel.

Example of Content Marketing #1: Blogging with Rip Curl

Surfing company Rip Curl already boasts an impressive social media profile, with over 100,000 YouTube subscribers and millions of Facebook followers. But why? They’re not all super loyal to the brand.

The answer: Rip Curl adds values. They’re providing a service with their content.

Just look at their blogging efforts. Not only are they churning out marketing funnel content at a steady pace, but they’re also writing exciting and engaging pieces. They’ve got ultimate guides to essential surfing products (they also just happen to sell) and interviews with top surfing pros.

It’s fun and engaging, and they’re hitting every part of the marketing funnel.

Example of Content Marketing #2: Social Media with Superdrug

Superdrug doesn’t exactly fill you with excitement. They sell cosmetics and beauty products. But don’t be too dismissive — with 1M followers on Instagram, they’re doing something right. With top make-up tips and short video tutorials, they’re creating value. It’s the service customers want. It informs, connects, and entertains.

It’s gold-standard content creation—little wonder they’re so popular.

What are the Three Pillars of Content Marketing Funnels?

A content funnel can only succeed with the three pillars. Remember these as you plan your content and develop your full-funnel content strategy. The three pillars of content marketing include creation, optimization, and promotion:

1. CREATION: Content Creation

You don’t have a content plan without videos, podcasts, webinars, testimonials, and blog content. You must produce a steady stream of valuable and relevant content for your customers. Otherwise, you’ll drift off into the digital ether. Customers are loyal, but they aren’t that loyal.

Try to build a full-funnel content strategy for the next six months. What do your customers want to know? What can you offer?

2. OPTIMIZATION: Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

We’ve not talked a lot about SEO in this guide. However, it’s one of the two ways you build a content marketing funnel. When a customer has a question — like ‘What’s the best food blender?‘ — your blog content needs to rank in Google (or another search engine) for them to find it.

SEO means keywords, engaging content, images, and titles. It’s a way of writing and formatting content to maximize visibility. After all, the more content you share, the more potential sales.

3. PROMOTION: Social Media Marketing & Digital PR

Modern businesses can only survive with social media. It’s the #1 place to promote your content and build brand awareness. You can use Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, X (formally known as Twitter), Instagram, and others.

You can build a loyal brand following through fun, informative videos or links to your latest blog post. It’s critical to drive customers through your content marketing funnel.

However, if you really want to double down on your brand reputation you must consider digital PR. This is the key element that not only gets your name in front of the right audience, it helps create and establish a cohesive message so you reach your ideal customers across multiple platforms.

Here are a few tips:

What’s your tone? Your copy and content should fit your brand’s tone. Fun and zany content isn’t likely to attract new customers if you’re a pharmaceutical company. But it’s the perfect voice for a marijuana business.
Hone and refine. You should constantly tweak and edit your posts to gain excellent traction: experiment and test. See what works – then double down.
Focus your resources. Companies need to maintain a social media presence across half a dozen platforms. Find the platforms that work for your business and forget the rest.

Create Your Funnels With Clicta Digital

Content marketing is across several stages of the customer experience. If you need help in this aspect, we’re here.

Curate a content marketing funnel that converts with help from professionals. From the customer’s first impression to the point where they convert, a strategic and well-executed content marketing strategy can create a significant ROI for your business.

Are you looking for a world-class content marketing agency to strategize, execute, and promote your content marketing strategy? Contact Clicta Digital Agency today for a free consultation!