{"id":7572,"date":"2023-09-22T10:00:59","date_gmt":"2023-09-22T17:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlegrain.com\/?p=7572"},"modified":"2026-02-23T11:41:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T19:41:08","slug":"how-to-create-marketing-funnel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlegrain.com\/blog\/how-to-create-marketing-funnel\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build and Optimize a High-Converting Marketing Funnel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated July 2024.<\/em><\/p>\n

The key to automating a consistent flow of qualified leads is setting up a quality marketing funnel.<\/p>\n

By guiding potential customers through a series of stages, from awareness to conversion, well-crafted marketing funnels can increase conversions, drive revenue and create loyal customers.<\/p>\n

In this comprehensive guide, we\u2019ll show you how to do that. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to optimize your existing funnel(s), this guide will help you create a simple marketing funnel that best fulfills your needs.<\/p>\n

\n

TABLE OF CONTENTS:<\/i><\/a><\/h3>\n

This process is key to not just converting sales, but also building a sustainable marketing moat<\/a> that protects your business from competitors in the long run.<\/p>\n

\n
    \n
  • What Is a Marketing Funnel?<\/strong><\/a>\n
      \n
    • Marketing Funnels vs. Sales Funnels \u2013 Are They the Same?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Marketing Funnel Examples<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
    • Stages of a Marketing Funnel<\/strong><\/a>\n
        \n
      • Basic Three-Stage Funnel (ToFu\/MoFu\/BoFu)<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
      • Detailed Five-Stage Funnel<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
      • AIDA: The\u00a0<\/strong>Four-Stage Content Creation Funnel<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • How to Build a Marketing Funnel for Your Content<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
      • Stage 1: Problem\/Need Recognition (ToFu)<\/strong><\/a>\n
          \n
        • Keyword Strategy for ToFu<\/strong><\/li>\n
        • Best Channels for ToFu<\/strong><\/li>\n
        • Examples of Content for ToFu<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Stage 2: Information Search (MoFu)<\/strong><\/a>\n
            \n
          • Keyword Strategy for MoFu<\/strong><\/li>\n
          • Best Channels for MoFu<\/strong><\/li>\n
          • Examples of Content for MoFu<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
          • Stage 3: Evaluation of Alternatives (MoFu)<\/strong><\/a>\n
              \n
            • Keyword Strategy for MoFu<\/strong><\/li>\n
            • Best Channels for MoFu<\/strong><\/li>\n
            • Examples of Content for MoFu<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
            • Stage 4: Purchase Decision (BoFu)<\/strong><\/a>\n
                \n
              • Keyword Strategy for BoFu<\/strong><\/li>\n
              • Best Channels for BoFu<\/strong><\/li>\n
              • Examples of Content for BoFu<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
              • Which Marketing Funnel Metrics Should I Track for Each Stage?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n
              • Final Word on Marketing Funnels<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                \n

                Get Marketing Funnel Help<\/span><\/a><\/p><\/b><\/p>\n

                What Is a Marketing Funnel?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                A marketing funnel\u00a0is a roadmap that illustrates the customer journey from awareness of a product or service to the final stage of purchasing and beyond.<\/p>\n

                This roadmap usually consists of paid ads, social media, SEO, content marketing and many other channels. Here\u2019s what a basic marketing funnel<\/a>\u00a0looks like:<\/p>\n

                \"Image7\"<\/figure>\n

                While the concept is simple enough, marketing funnels can be very complex for several reasons, including:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • There are many different marketing channels to choose from (paid ads, SEO, etc.).<\/li>\n
                • Your customers may have varied pain points (a doctor who wants a survey tool may have different needs from a teacher who needs a survey tool).<\/li>\n
                • Every customer has a different level of awareness (some have heard of your brand and are looking at alternatives, while others don\u2019t even know that solutions exist).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Given these variables, it\u2019s easy to understand how creating marketing funnels can quickly become complicated.<\/p>\n

                  Even if you\u2019ve never sat down to formally create one, you probably already have a marketing funnel without knowing it. The reality is that most businesses have multiple funnels. In addition to capturing people through blog posts, a business might attract prospects through paid ads, influencer marketing<\/a>, or some other marketing channel.<\/p>\n

                  Marketing Funnels vs. Sales Funnels \u2013 Are They the Same?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

                  Although both terms are used interchangeably, a\u00a0marketing funnel is different from a sales funnel:<\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • The marketing funnel <\/strong>primarily emphasizes the broader stages that prospects go through, from initial awareness to becoming qualified leads. It encompasses all the marketing activities that attract and engage potential customers. It focuses on building and maintaining relationships with potential customers by providing valuable information and content.<\/li>\n
                  • The sales funnel<\/strong>, although part of the marketing funnel, is narrower and concentrates on the stages of the marketing that occur after <\/em>a lead is generated and qualified. It\u2019s primarily concerned with the actual sales process and converting qualified leads into customers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    Here\u2019s a basic sales funnel<\/a>:<\/p>\n

                    \"Image5\"<\/figure>\n

                    Marketing Funnel Examples<\/strong><\/h3>\n

                    An example of a marketing funnel could be someone who travels the buying journey via:<\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • Blog Post > Email List > Conversion<\/li>\n
                    • Podcast Ad > Blog Post > Conversion<\/li>\n
                    • Facebook Ad<\/a>\u00a0> Landing Page > Conversion<\/li>\n
                    • Influencer Social Post > Landing Page > Conversion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      Basically, if people are purchasing your product or service online, you have a marketing funnel whether you know it or not.<\/p>\n

                      Here\u2019s an important thing to keep in mind: Although your marketing model may seem clear and simple on paper, it\u2019s not always that linear in real life. There are often regressions and jumps as people actually go through your marketing funnel.<\/p>\n

                      For example, in the example below, even though both Customer A and Customer B came in through content marketing, they each had a very different customer journey and experienced the funnel differently:<\/p>\n

                      \"Image9\"<\/figure>\n

                      This is one of the reasons why our strategy at Single Grain\u00a0is to create an omnichannel marketing plan<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 because you never know where you will capture potential customers. Even after a customer has made a purchase, your funnel can continue with cross-sells and upsells.<\/p>\n

                      Now that you know what a marketing funnel is and how it works, we\u2019ll show you how to build one that uses the channels most appropriate for your business and that isn\u2019t ridiculously complicated.<\/p>\n

                      After creating a marketing funnel that earns our business enough valuable leads to sustain a seven-figure revenue, we wanted to share a framework for marketing funnels that will help you reliably generate leads regardless of your current available resources and industry.<\/p>\n

                      Related Content:<\/strong>
                      \n*                       What\u2019s the Right Content for Each Stage of the Marketing Funnel?<\/a>
                      \n*                       3 Scalable Content Promotion Strategies to Blast Your Funnel<\/a>
                      \n*                       The Types of Videos to Use at Each Stage of the Marketing Funnel<\/a>
                      \n<\/p>\n