Competition in business is constantly increasing, and it can be very difficult to reach a desired audience. Lead generation is vital to a business’s future expansion, and even just survival. Lead generation lets businesses expand their market and increase revenue. Generating leads also helps audience growth and brand awareness. A solid lead generation strategy can eliminate the need for cold calling and ineffective outreach methods. According to Hubspot, 67% of businesses use lead generation as their sole metric to evaluate content success. One method for generating leads is through top-of-funnel marketing or ToFu.
What exactly is Top-of-funnel marketing?
Top-of-funnel marketing might sound like yet another newly developed strategy to confuse businesses, yet it’s been around for a while. The sales funnel was created by E St Elmo Lewis in 1898 and is considered to be the first marketing theory put to paper.
The sales funnel refers to the so-called customer journey. In the beginning, a marketing campaign will attract a wide range of potential customers – this is the top of the funnel. As these consumers move down the funnel some will drop out at different points; perhaps your product isn’t right for them or is too expensive for instance.
As the funnel narrows, the people left are those who are most interested in your brand, and most likely to make a purchase.
But, the biggest group of consumers is at the start of the sales funnel. And if your business can attract more interest here, you will generate far more leads. Agencies such as 3wh.com concentrate on strategies to generate more leads at the beginning of the customer journey. And the benefits are huge.
How does top-of-funnel marketing benefits businesses?
By concentrating on the upper part of the funnel, businesses will be targeting a wider audience. From this pool of potential customers, there is a greater chance of generating leads.
And because a brand can be with the consumer at the start of their purchasing journey, there is a greater chance of developing relationships and improving customer retention.
Supplying content and engaging with audiences at the top of the funnel means businesses have the chance to educate consumers and create greater awareness around their brand.
How can you utilize top-of-funnel marketing for lead generation?
There are a number of tactics and different types of content for creating awareness at the beginning of the sales funnel. Below are seven examples of content that can help generate leads through top-of-funnel marketing.
1. Blog posts- Funnel Marketing
Articles and blog posts are very effective ways to provide information about services and products at the upper end of the funnel. As a customer starts their purchasing journey, blogs are ideal for providing data and relevant material.
New and up-to-date content is vital, but old material can be useful too. There are ways to revive old blog content, and this can be effective in ToFu marketing.
Also Read: How Do You Use Content To Generate Leads
2. Social media- Funnel Marketing
91.9% of marketers who work for companies with over 100 employees used social media in 2021 to reach audiences. The majority of consumers discover new brands and products through social media now, and these networks provide ample opportunity for lead generation.
3. Promotional advertising
Paid advertising can reach a huge audience very quickly. Online advertising can be set to target specific demographics which means ads reach audiences who are relevant and engaged.
4. Webinars- Funnel Marketing
When individuals sign up for webinars they will give you their details. This data can be utilized for marketing and lead generation. Webinars are also great for product promotion and demonstration. And your brand can engage directly with an audience.
5. Videos
It is often cited that video is the most engaging kind of content. Landing page video is said to increase conversions, and video helps to reduce bounce rates.
Video can be used to spread a brand’s message as well as educate viewers. Video can be positioned on a number of platforms as well as your website, and analytics help track how successful the content is. There are some metrics to track video content success, and poor-performing content can be repurposed and tweaked.
Also Read: Six Effective Marketing Strategies for Selling Services Online
6. Influencer marketing
Instagram and other platforms have become great marketing tools, largely due to influencers. Brands can use influencers all the way through the sales funnel. However, influencers can be great at generating awareness at the very start of the customer journey.
7. SEO- Funnel Marketing
Optimization will help your website to generate more traffic via search results. Video content boosts website traffic, and organic leads are golden at the top of the sales funnel.
If your website and content are optimized, you will rank higher on SERPs. This will lead to more people visiting you as they begin their purchasing journey. If you attract consumers through organic search terms then they are more likely to be retained and converted to sales.
Summary of Funnel Marketing
Lead generation is about gaining interest from a particular group of people. Top-of-funnel marketing techniques can increase brand awareness with potential customers.
By attracting followers at the top of the sales funnel, your brand has a greater chance to generate leads and retain these customers as their journey progresses. Ultimately, lead generation through ToFu marketing should end with increased conversions and higher revenue.
Interesting Reads:
What IS a Sales Funnel And How To Create A Sales Funnel For Your Business
