How can you create a content marketing funnel that stands out?

Understanding a content marketing funnel is like having a roadmap in a content-saturated digital world. It's crucial because it ensures your content serves a purpose and guides your audience through the right message at the right time, building trust and engagement. It's about standing out and creating a meaningful connection.

The funnel should be designed to attract, engage, and convert audiences through personalized and valuable content at each stage. To stand out, it's crucial to leverage data analytics and AI to understand audience needs and predict trends, creating content that resonates on a personal level. Interactive content such as quizzes, augmented reality experiences, and live streams can enhance engagement, while machine learning can optimize content distribution to reach the right audience at the right time. The content marketing funnel is likely to become more integrated with virtual reality, voice search, and IoT devices, offering seamless and immersive experiences.

The primary difference between creating ads and content is value. When designing a content marketing funnel that truly stands out, ask yourself how you can provide the most value to your prospective customers as they progress through the key stages of their consideration journey. The ultimate goal is to build trust. So for those who don't know you yet, provide simple tools that help them evaluate your offering against others they might consider. Do this honestly, objectively, and be persuasive only where it fits. If there are no good tools that help people quickly evaluate the key considerations of whatever they are buying from you, make them. If and when you can make their assessment job easier, they will trust you & share with colleagues.

Content marketing is an incredibly powerful tool in an entrepreneurs toolbox. But like any tool we need to gain expertise in it, hone it, and keep it sharp. A content funnel helps us visualize the different parts of this tool and how each part fits with the overall marketing strategy so we can use it, improve it, and turn it into success. Ultimately, a content funnel helps to illuminate the journey a potential customer needs to go on to build a relationship with your brand. Top of Funnel (TOFU) is what first attracts their attention to knock on the door, Middle of Funnel (MOFU) is them walking in through the door to better understand your solution, and Bottom of Funnel (BOFU) is them getting to the finish line, ready to become customers.

A content marketing funnel refers to the process of guiding audiences through a series of interconnected content experiences across various media channels. It typically involves creating a narrative that unfolds progressively, with each piece of content contributing to the overall story. This approach aims to engage and immerse the audience at different touchpoints, building a deeper connection and guiding them toward a desired outcome, such as brand loyalty or product adoption or interestingly towards political agenda.

“The human mind is a story processor, not a logic processor” as NYU social psychologist Jonathan Haidt observed. Cognitive science research from the past two decades shows that human beings often make subconscious, emotional, and sometimes irrational decisions in one part of the brain, and then provide rational and logical justifications in another. Storytelling connects with the region in the brain where decisions are actually made.

"CONTENT" is often just a disguise for "sales material." Nobody likes being sold to. Just look at your own behavior. By weaving a narrative that places your prospect at the center of a story - you effectively remove the tension that sales creates. AND you position yourself as a valuable resource the prospect goes to (regardless of your product set). The connection from resource to vendor is a seamless one.

Storytelling transforms content from mere information to an experience that sticks with the audience. In the TOFU phase, a good story acts like a hook, making the audience more likely to remember and engage with my brand. As they descend into MOFU, storytelling helps illustrate complex ideas in a relatable way. It builds trust as I share customer successes or personal anecdotes, showing I understand their challenges and have thought-through solutions. Finally, at BOFU, stories serve as the final nudge. They help customers envision the success they could achieve with my offerings, turning abstract benefits into tangible outcomes.

The importance of storytelling lies in the manner in which it engages the human mind. It makes the consumer feel invested in the story and helps them enter the sales funnel or lead generation funnel as supporters instead of skeptics. It is, however, key that the storytelling be genuine and not a very salesy attempt in the garb of a story. Striking this balance can have some incredible effects!

Treat storytelling as the quintessential element that elevates your brand. It is not merely narrating tales; rather, it is about creating a narrative so compelling that it resonates with your audience. Aim for an emotional impact that lingers, akin to the lasting impression of a gourmet dish. In the realm of content marketing, a well-crafted story becomes the cornerstone of enduring brand loyalty.

Creating TOFU content is like casting a wide net to catch as many potential leads as possible. I start by identifying the common questions and pain points my audience has through market research, customer feedback, or SEO tools. Then, I craft content like informative blog posts or engaging videos that address these issues. For example, I'll write a how-to guide or create a tutorial video that solves a basic problem or educates on a topic relevant to my business. I make sure the content is easy to digest—think clear headings, bullet points, and eye-catching images or graphics. The key is to provide value without making a hard sell. I'll end with a call to action that gently leads them to more in-depth content.

From my experience, building a strong lead magnet which provides a real value for your potential customer is the best way to capture the target audience and provoke interest to your product. Leading our user from a stranger through a prospect into a paying customer is a journey and by giving free value in the beginning, you drive higher brand loyalty and get into consideration mindset of your clients.

Top of the funnel (TOFU) content serves as the appetizer in your content array. Consider it the initial taste of a culinary delight. Employ attention-grabbing headlines as the appetizer, complemented by visually appealing elements. Enhance the experience with relatable narratives, serving substantive information as the main course. Conclude with a dessert-like call to action that leaves the audience anticipating the subsequent stages.

To create top-of-funnel (TOFU) content that attracts and educates, focus on addressing your audience's pain points and providing valuable information. Craft attention-grabbing headlines and introductions, sparking curiosity.Use hook of different kinds 1 questions, sound or what ever will make the mind tune in.Incorporate visuals and compelling storytelling to enhance engagement. Implement SEO strategies for discoverability. By offering educational content that genuinely helps your audience, you not only attract their attention but also position your brand as an authority, laying the foundation for a meaningful and informed customer journey through the marketing funnel.

For TOFU, I use Free products in my featured sections. LinkedIn tips, checklist. I use more or less the same content category for TOFU and MOFU.

Middle of the funnel (MOFU) content requires a nuanced approach, analogous to the meticulous preparation of a slow-cooked dish. Integrate success stories and authoritative content, tailor-fitted with a personalized touch. Your content should resemble a bespoke suit, tailored to suit the palate of your audience. Conclude with a compelling call to action, akin to the satisfaction derived from a second helping.

Middle-of-funnel (MOFU) content should nurture and persuade. Internet marketers often use case studies, demonstrating real-world success stories with their products. They leverage email campaigns with targeted content, guiding leads through the consideration phase. For instance, HubSpot provides in-depth guides and webinars, educating users on inbound marketing. Neil Patel employs comprehensive blog posts, addressing specific pain points and subtly promoting his services. MOFU content should provide in-depth information, address objections, and subtly showcase the value proposition, fostering trust and guiding potential customers toward a confident purchasing decision.

I focus on communicating a must-have value proposition, backed by social proof and I segment by niche and subniche. I plan 30 days in advance (I post 7 times a week)

An additional perspective in enhancing a content marketing funnel involves user-generated content. Encouraging and showcasing content created by your audience can foster a sense of community and credibility. User-generated content, such as reviews, social media shares, and testimonials, provides authentic experiences, influencing potential customers at various funnel stages. Leveraging this content not only builds trust but also amplifies your brand's reach and engagement. Offering incentives for user-generated content creation and making it easily shareable can strengthen relationships with your audience, establishing a dynamic and interactive funnel that resonates with prospects on a personal and relatable level.

In the MOFU stage, it's key to show how my offerings solve customer problems. Through case studies, I give real examples of the value I provide, making the benefits tangible. Personalized emails based on customer interests deepen engagement. I target their specific needs, so the content hits home, urging them to take the next step. I wrap up with a direct call to action, like inviting them for a demo, to move them closer to a decision. By clearly showing how I stand out and directly addressing the customer's stage in the journey, my MOFU content not only informs but also persuades.

Bottom of the funnel (BOFU) content is the dessert in your content repertoire—a culmination where skepticism transforms into advocacy. Utilize storytelling to fortify the value proposition, infusing a sense of urgency and exclusivity to augment conversion rates. Analogous to a culinary masterpiece, orchestrate the conclusion such that the last engagement proves the most satisfying.

Bottom-of-funnel (BOFU) content aims to convert and delight. Online coaches like Marie Forleo use testimonial videos, showcasing client success stories to build trust and demonstrate the transformative power of their programs. Similarly, Tony Robbins employs webinars offering exclusive insights and limited-time offers, creating a sense of urgency. BOFU content should highlight specific benefits, provide social proof, and offer exclusive incentives, ensuring a seamless transition from consideration to conversion. The key is to deliver content that not only converts leads into customers but also exceeds expectations, creating a positive post-purchase experience.

Share narratives, insights, and examples that bestow an added layer of distinction. Whether in the form of an anecdote or an unforeseen twist, leverage this space to infuse an element of uniqueness. Much like an exceptional dish, let your content stand out through its distinctive flavor, and thus, commence the content journey.

In content marketing, sharing real stories, like my own entrepreneurial ups and downs, creates genuine connections. It's about the journey as much as the destination. Staying current is key, too—what engages my Nashville network might differ from summer talks in Maine. Always listen, adapt, and tell a good tale; it turns content into conversation.

Create a feedback loop for each stage to gather customer feedback. Here's a step-by-step approach: - Create funnel - Quickly expose your funnel to potential customers - Set up mechanisms to capture real-time feedback for a/b testing - Leverage this feedback to identify problem areas, such as product-market fit, customer retention, or value proposition - Implement necessary adjustments based on the feedback - Continuously repeat this cycle to refine your ideal funnel By maintaining a fast-paced feedback loop, you significantly expedite the process to creating a high converting marketing funnel