The three stages include top-of-funnel marketing (TOFU), middle-of-funnel marketing (MOFU), and bottom-of-funnel marketing (BOFU). TOFU is designed to generate leads and attract new customers who are unfamiliar with your business, while BOFU encourages consumers to make a purchase. MOFU bridges the gap between these two stages.

According to Leads At Scale, a staggering 79% of leads are never converted into sales. MOFU aims to address this issue, offering the potential for a significant increase in revenue.

We covered some content strategies for the TOFU stage in a previous post, and we’ll explore the next step here. In this article, we’ll examine how MOFU contributes to the marketing funnel and share 10 strategies for deploying it effectively. We’ll also briefly explain how to measure its success and highlight some common mistakes to avoid.

But before we get into that, we need to understand just what exactly is MOFU?

What is MOFU?

MOFU is an often overlooked stage, but without it, you risk losing many customers to competitors who recognize its importance. This stage occurs after you’ve sparked initial awareness and interest with potential customers and are now looking to show them why they’ve come to the right place.

At this point, the consumer is seriously considering your product or service and wants to become more informed before taking the final step. They’re not quite ready to make a purchase yet, but they could be if they find the value they’re looking for in what you offer.

There are several ways to guide a potential customer through the middle of the marketing funnel. All of them aim to demonstrate why your business is the right choice to solve the problem or meet the need they’re facing.

So, how is this achieved? Here’s how it works.

How MOFU Works

The main component of MOFU is creating content that educates potential customers. This involves clearly explaining your products and services and demonstrating their value in a way that keeps readers engaged. 

The information should be easy to access and digest, while highlighting why they should choose you over your competitors. Since you’ve already piqued their interest, longer-form content is appropriate and often encouraged.

This stage is also an opportunity to build a relationship with your audience. While many business owners wait until after a purchase to begin fostering a connection, it’s smarter to start earlier with people who have already reached the middle of the funnel.

Ultimately, the goal of this stage is to move interested prospects to the next step of the funnel, and your content should keep this at the top of mind. Addressing pain points and showing how you can solve their problems can persuade readers to take action.

Now that we understand how MOFU works, let’s dive into some strategies that best support its purpose.

MOFU Strategies

Segmentation

Segmenting your audience allows you to create advertisements that appeal to specific demographics, fostering a deeper connection. However, segmentation doesn’t have to be based solely on age, interests, etc. It can also be tied to the specific product or service that initially caught a potential customer’s attention. This means you can tailor content, such as email campaigns, to individuals based on their specific interests rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Email Marketing

Email campaigns remain one of the most cost-effective and efficient marketing tools. They’re especially powerful at this stage of the marketing funnel because recipients have voluntarily shared their contact information. Email marketing offers creative flexibility, allowing you to share links to other MOFU content and deliver targeted, personalized messages. 

Retargeting Ads

Retargeting ads are shown to users who have already visited your website. These ads often relate to the products or services previously viewed and aim to reinforce their value and add urgency. Retargeting ads can appear in multiple placements, including social media, banners, and sidebars on various websites.

Reviews and Testimonials

If you’re looking to establish trust and credibility, there’s no better way than reviews and testimonials. According to Reputation, which surveyed 2,000 U.S. consumers, 77% “mostly” or completely trust reviews, and 91% say they influence purchasing decisions. This type of social proof can be integrated into a wide range of promotional materials.

Case Studies

Case studies offer in-depth demonstrations or explanations of how past customers used your product or service to solve a problem. They serve as powerful social proof, especially for potential buyers looking for evidence that your business can meet their needs.

Blog Posts

Blog posts are versatile tools that support every stage of the marketing funnel. Two of the most effective types for MOFU are “how-to” articles and comparison posts. “How-to” content positions you as an expert by offering actionable guidance, while comparison posts highlight how your offerings outperform competitors. Blogs should be updated regularly to maintain relevance and establish your brand as a trusted industry resource.

Free Trials or Demos

Odds are you’ve tried on a shirt at a department store or test-driven a car before buying it. These are examples of free trials or demos, and can be used for nearly any product or service. When a customer can physically see the value of your offerings, they’ll be able to make a completely informed decision rather than relying on what others have to say.

Webinars and Virtual Events

Virtual events like webinars are excellent opportunities to dive deeper into topics that interest potential customers. In addition to showcasing your product or service, webinars allow you to answer frequently asked questions and address common objections. These events can be conducted live or recorded in advance.

Content Upgrades

Content upgrades are bonus offers or additional resources given to users who’ve already provided their contact information. They’re especially useful at the MOFU stage because they target individuals who’ve already shown interest in your business. Content upgrades can be attached to TOFU or MOFU content, such as webinars, guides, or free trials, to further nurture leads.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is becoming increasingly effective. Matter, who surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers, reported that 69% trust personal recommendations over information directly from a business. It’s also accessible for local businesses, as influencers don’t have to be national celebrities to be effective. Just 11% of surveyed consumers reported that they prefer a celebrity to promote a business, making community influencers a cost-effective and trustworthy marketing asset.

How to Measure MOFU Marketing Success

Now that we’ve explored 10 ways to implement marketing strategies in the middle of the funnel, it’s time to track their effectiveness. Since there are many mediums you can use to promote different aspects of your business at this stage, there are also several methods for measuring success. This step is essential, as it should directly influence how you allocate your marketing budget. If one strategy is outperforming another, consider shifting more of your budget toward the more successful approach.

Here are three key methods you can use to ensure you’re getting the most out of your MOFU efforts.

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Whether you’re linking to landing pages from email campaigns, blog posts, social media posts, or video content, tracking the rate at which users click through to your website is a strong indicator of effectiveness. When your content resonates with your audience’s pain points and interests, your CTR will increase. A low CTR, on the other hand, suggests it may be time to reassess and refine your campaigns

Engagement

Not all content is intended to lead a potential customer to visit a link. Sometimes its purpose is simply to inform, so monitoring engagement is the best method to evaluate success. Tracking the time a user spends watching a video or reading a blog, the amount of likes and shares on a social media post, and which landing pages on your website are visited most often can all provide beneficial insights into what content connects with your audience. 

Conversion Rate

Unlike conversion rates at the bottom of the funnel, which focus on completed sales, MOFU conversion rates track how many users complete a desired action after interacting with your marketing. These actions might include signing up for a free trial after watching a demo, joining your email list, or downloading informational resources. If your conversion rate is low, consider updating your offers or redesigning aspects of your campaign to better appeal to your audience.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

You’re almost ready to implement these MOFU strategies, but it’s important to stay on track and avoid common mistakes that can cost you time and money. Here are four to keep in mind as you build your new campaigns.

Not Specifying Content

This applies to both the content itself and its intended audience. If a potential customer has reached the MOFU stage, they no longer need generic messaging to keep moving forward. Clearly showing how your products or services solve specific problems is far more effective. Additionally, narrowing your target demographic can help your content resonate more deeply. Different people have different goals, so speaking directly to them as individuals, rather than to a broad group, can help you stand out from the competition.

Using One Strategy

We’ve listed 10 strategies here, and there are many more available, so be sure to test multiple approaches and see what works best. Relying on just one channel or method can significantly limit your reach, especially since people prefer to engage with content in different ways. Diversifying your strategies also helps maximize your marketing budget, as you might be investing in tactics that are less effective without realizing it.

Coming Off as “Salesy”

At this point, consumers have already expressed interest in your offerings, but they’re not quite ready to make a purchase. That’s why it’s important to avoid sounding overly “salesy,” which can feel off-putting and discourage engagement. In today’s marketing landscape, consumers are more skeptical of pushy sales tactics and often tune them out. Save the hard sell for your BOFU strategies and keep your MOFU content focused on education and value.

Neglecting Customer Needs

Few things waste marketing efforts faster than ignoring the needs of your potential customers. This often happens when marketers focus too much on what they want to promote instead of what the consumer actually wants to know. It can also occur when you highlight product features rather than the real-world benefits they deliver. Always have your audience’s needs top of mind, and you’ll see better engagement and stronger results.

Best Version Media Can Help

Creating a comprehensive marketing plan is a taxing endeavor, but Best Version Media makes it significantly easier to execute. By bundling display ads and social media campaigns, you can maximize your marketing budget while boosting your brand awareness.

BVM also offers listings, reviews, and reputation management that enhance your online presence on search engines, directories, and maps, all from one convenient dashboard.

To get started on your new marketing strategy, get in touch with BVM today.

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However, that doesn’t mean it’s an impossible task. There are several methods that local businesses can use to drive sales, and it all starts at the top of the marketing funnel. 

What Is a Marketing Funnel?

A marketing funnel is a visual representation of the stages that potential customers go through before making a purchase. It serves as a guide for marketing teams to generate leads through content and lead individuals through the buying process.

The funnel consists of three stages: top-of-funnel (TOFU), middle-of-funnel (MOFU), and bottom-of-funnel (BOFU). While all stages are vital to the process, this blog will focus on the first stage, as it’s the starting point for new customers to find and interact with your business. According to HubSpot, “At least 47% of buyers view three to five pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep, and most expect brands to create content to gain their interest.”

TOFU content intends to address that and build awareness among potential customers. You’re not selling anything yet; instead, you’re simply increasing brand recognition by creating content that engages and informs while improving search engine optimization (SEO).

This means it’s essential that the content demonstrates your expertise and authority in your industry, ultimately encouraging individuals to move further along the funnel. There are several ways to achieve this, and some ways will work better than others depending on your marketing goals, target audience, and other factors.

To help you get started with your marketing funnel, here are 10 effective TOFU tactics that local businesses can use to attract interest and drive sales.

Tactics

1. Content Marketing

Content marketing is valuable at every stage of the funnel, but it’s especially crucial at the top. Its greatest strength is its ability to adapt to any audience and for any objective, whether it’s addressing pain points, explaining your products or services, or showcasing your general expertise. Content marketing can take many forms, including blogs, infographics, videos, case studies, and more.

2. Social Media

Social media advertising offers a variety of platforms and marketing strategies to choose from. The platforms you choose typically depend on your target audience. For example, Facebook tends to attract an older demographic, while Instagram appeals more to younger users. Your content strategy will also vary based on your audience. Creating eye-catching graphics, hosting giveaways, and running contests are just a few effective ways to use social media at the top of the funnel.

3. Search Engine Optimization

When someone searches online for the products or services you offer, you want your business to appear as early as possible in the results. HubSpot reports that 75% of search engine users never scroll past the first page of results, and 61% click on one of the top three results. To improve your ranking, include common keywords and phrases on your website that your target audience is likely to search for. This strategy often overlaps with content marketing, as blogs, infographics, and similar content can help boost SEO. If you’re new to your industry or community and find it difficult to compete with established businesses in the surrounding area, consider targeting secondary markets with your keywords and phrases.

4. Display Ads

Display advertising is highly effective for local businesses for multiple reasons. One of the biggest advantages is the ability to target internet users based on geographic location. You can customize your targeting to reach only the areas you serve, and your ads can appear across nearly every website your local audience visits. Display ads also allow for creative freedom, as they can achieve many goals and have several different placements on websites.

5. Testimonials

If you’re trying to establish credibility with someone unfamiliar with your business, testimonials are one of the most effective ways to do so. Research from Wyzowl shows that “9 out of 10 people say they trust what a customer says about a business more than what that business says about itself.” Testimonials can be collected and displayed in various ways, and experimenting will help you determine what works best for your business. Common sources include reviews on listing sites and social media pages, which are often unsolicited and perceived as more authentic.

6. Direct Mail

While it may seem outdated in today’s digital age, direct mail can still produce impactful results, especially for local businesses. Like display ads, direct mail can target specific audiences and often feels more personal than digital marketing. It tends to leave a longer-lasting impression and is far more likely to be read in its entirety. It also offers more space for detailed and visually appealing designs compared to limited online ad formats. Local newspapers and magazines are still regularly distributed, helping maintain a strong connection between advertisers and their communities.

7. Referrals

Word-of-mouth marketing is among the oldest forms of advertising, yet it remains one of the most effective. Like testimonials, referrals tend to be more trustworthy than traditional ads. While it’s ideal when satisfied customers voluntarily refer others to your business, you can also encourage referrals with incentives. Offering discounts on future services or bonus credits can build customer loyalty while expanding your reach, without using significant marketing resources.

8. Broadcast Ads

Television, radio, podcasts, and videos are excellent platforms for forming emotional connections with consumers. These formats allow for creative storytelling that appeals to your target audience better than many other advertising options. They also provide the opportunity to be selective with the channels you advertise with, as each platform hosts a variety of shows with a wide range of topics.

9. Sponsorships and Events

Sponsoring or participating in local events is a great way to increase brand awareness and foster a sense of community. Setting up a booth at a fundraiser or festival, or sponsoring a local youth sports team, are just a few examples that have proven to benefit local businesses. These efforts are typically cost-effective and offer face-to-face interaction with potential customers, something digital advertising can’t replicate. 

10. Influencer Marketing

While large corporations have the resources to hire celebrities to endorse their products, local businesses can adopt a similar approach on a smaller scale. Many communities have local influencers with dedicated followings who share content about businesses, events, and news in the area. Collaborating with these influencers can boost your credibility and help you reach audiences you might not have accessed otherwise.

Let Best Version Media Help Boost Your Brand Awareness

You don’t have to increase brand awareness on your own. Best Version Media offers the ability to bundle geo-targeted social media and display ad campaigns, helping you maximize your marketing budget and reach only the audiences most valuable to your business.

In addition, BVM provides listings, reviews, and reputation management, all from one easy-to-use dashboard, so you can efficiently manage every aspect of your advertising without wasting valuable time.
To take the next step in your marketing journey, reach out to BVM today.

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