The social media marketing funnel – how to build one that sells more

Social media play an enormously important role in business, marketing and sales today. They let you reach an unlimited number of people and substantially raise recognition and, in the end, sales for any brand. They are one of the key elements of Digital Marketing as a whole.

Still, few companies tap the full potential of social media. To squeeze the most out of what your company does, you need a structured process that leads straight to specific marketing goals. You need a funnel that turns potential audiences into real customers of your company.

What is a marketing funnel?

The marketing funnel (also called the sales funnel) is a model that describes the path a potential customer travels from first contact with a brand all the way to closing a purchase or taking another action we want. The name "funnel" reflects the shape of the process – at the start we have a wide group of potential customers, and at the end only those who take the action we were after (our goal) are left.

A marketing funnel is made up of several stages, usually split into the top, the middle and the bottom of the funnel. Each stage is meant to focus on different jobs and carry the potential customer to the next stage.

Here are the main stages of a marketing funnel:

Top of the Funnel is the first stage, the one focused on winning the attention of potential customers and generating brand awareness. Its goal is to reach as many potential customers as possible, get them interested in the brand and spark curiosity. At this stage we are not necessarily going for an immediate sale; we focus on building a relationship and long-term engagement with the customer.

Example: a cement manufacturer – a LinkedIn post covering the latest industry news (discoveries, technologies, trends).

Middle of the Funnel is the second stage of the marketing funnel, the one focused on growing the interest of potential customers and building their trust. At this stage potential customers are already aware of their needs and are weighing up the options available on the market. Our goal is to convince them of the benefits of our brand's offer and to develop the relationship. We want to show that our offer is the best solution for their needs.

Example: a manufacturer of car wiper blades – a Reel on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram showing the product in practical use and presenting the advantages of the technology behind it.

Bottom of the Funnel is the last stage of the marketing funnel, the one focused on turning the interest of potential customers into concrete actions, i.e. a purchase, a service sign-up, a subscription or another action we want. At this stage potential customers are already convinced of the value of the brand's offer and are considering closing the deal. The goal is to move them effectively into taking the intended action. We focus on delivering the extra incentives and support that will convince customers to take that final step.

Example: an aesthetic medicine clinic – a Facebook and Instagram post presenting the different packages on offer along with precise instructions on how to book a treatment.

In the rest of this post we walk through exactly how to build a social media marketing funnel, plus examples of it in use for B2B and B2C industries.

The social media marketing funnel – the benefits

Even though the sales funnel is common and self-evident in practically every marketing channel, the vast majority skip it entirely when creating content for social media. And yet we know how important this tool is from a business point of view. What do we gain from a properly planned funnel?

Help with creating content

A social media marketing funnel gives structure and direction to the content you create. Every stage of the funnel needs its own content, content that grabs attention, sparks interest, builds trust and encourages action. With a funnel, the goals and the message are clearly defined. That makes it far easier to plan and create content aimed squarely at the needs and expectations of your target audience.

More sales

A social media marketing funnel helps turn user interest into real conversions and sales. By leading users through the successive stages of the funnel, from building brand awareness to closing the transaction, the marketing funnel creates a structure that makes it easier to walk potential customers to a buying decision. You can use tools like remarketing, personalized offers and dedicated promotional campaigns to effectively encourage users to buy.

More engagement under your posts

A social media marketing funnel helps raise user engagement under your posts. That in turn translates into bigger reach and more interactions. By publishing valuable content, starting discussions, replying to comments and engaging users, you can build relationships, earn loyalty and attract new potential customers. The marketing funnel helps you concentrate your effort on the activities with the biggest impact on that process. It helps you work more effectively.

The 4 stages of a social media marketing funnel

For a marketing funnel to be fully effective it has to sit inside the company's overall marketing strategy. Things like target audiences and goals have to be the factors that set the structure and the plan of the social media funnel.

Building reach and brand awareness

Right at the top of the funnel, the key is to deliver content that grabs the attention of potential customers and builds brand awareness among them. Content that shows the brand to new audiences. Publishing inspiring, educational and engaging content matters enormously here.

• Introduce yourself. Bring readers into the world of your brand by telling its story and sharing its values and mission. Talk about what it does, what sets it apart and what it looks like from the inside. Tell your audience what you offer and how you work. That way, right at the start, they find out whether they are interested in your brand and want to see more of what it shares.

• Show yourself as an expert. Share industry advice, interesting facts, case studies and inspiring content. Don't focus on the offer, focus on showing your company as a specialist people can trust. Don't make the content overly complicated – the point of it is to reach as many people as possible.

It matters that you use video and live streams, which have a huge impact on user engagement. And don't forget funny, entertaining content, which will help you build a bond with your audience and has strong viral potential. This is also a great place for Real Time Marketing done properly.

What to publish:

• brand stories
• inspiring content
• industry advice and tips
• interesting facts and statistics
• case studies
• funny and entertaining content

Remember that content in the top of the funnel should deliver value and get potential customers interested – you are building the foundation for the later stages of the marketing funnel.

Building affinity and attachment

Once our content has reached a lot of people and given them some sense of our brand, it is time for the next stage. The middle of the funnel on social media is about winning over the people who are seriously interested in what our company offers and who may decide to take a specific action in the future.

Deliver valuable information and content that helps potential customers understand the brand's offer better and see for themselves that it meets their needs.

• Show your products, their specifications and how they work in practice.
• Show the company at work behind the scenes, the people, or the production process.

What to publish:

• video and live streams
• presentations of the company and its services
• presentations of products and how they are used
• how-to content tied to your industry

Decision and conversion

The bottom stage of the funnel is the moment to turn the potentially interested into real customers of our company. Publish content that encourages them to buy and cements their loyalty and engagement.

You need to create the triggers and incentives that push potential customers into the final buying decision and give them a positive experience with your brand.

What to publish:

• posts with recommendations from happy customers
• case studies of our customers' success
• expert opinions and awards
• promotions, limited-time offers
• information about how delivery works and whether returns are possible

Care and loyalty

If you have managed to get someone interested in your brand and talked them into buying, this is absolutely not the moment to rest on your laurels. It is a common mistake, and after all it is far easier to convince someone who has already been a customer to buy again than someone meeting the brand for the first time.

The fourth stage of the funnel comes after the customer has bought, and it matters just as much as the earlier ones. At this point we focus on building a long-term relationship with the customer and raising their engagement.

What to publish:

• prompts to share opinions, photos or reviews
• usage instructions and guides for the product they bought
• an offer of add-on products (upselling)

Build long-term customer engagement and encourage customers to come back and recommend your brand to others.

Examples of a social media marketing funnel

CEMENT MANUFACTURER (B2B)

Top of the Funnel:

Goal:

Winning the attention of potential customers and generating brand awareness.

Action:

A series of posts across three themes:

• covering the latest industry news, discoveries, technologies and trends in cement production. You can draw on reports, studies and interesting finds from around the world.
• covering the company's history, how it looks today and what it has achieved. Bringing the audience into the world of the brand.
• Humorous and interesting content. It can include entertaining elements and pieces with the potential to spread easily and quickly among a large audience.

You can publish posts on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, and write articles on the company blog.

Example:

"How do innovative solutions in cement production affect the durability and strength of a structure?"

Middle of the Funnel:

Goal:

Growing the interest of potential customers and building trust.

Action:

Creating expert content and case studies that show the concrete value of the cement the brand offers. You can post short videos, infographics, multimedia presentations or webinars showing the cement's unique properties, how it is used in practice and the benefits for customers.

Example:

"Case study: how did XYZ cement contribute to the successful construction of the XYZ bridge?"

Bottom of the Funnel:

Goal:

Turning the interest of potential customers into concrete actions, such as a purchase.

Action:

Publishing content focused on the specific products and services the company offers. You can create LinkedIn and Facebook posts presenting the different cement options along with their unique features and applications.

It is also worth posting recommendations from happy customers, information about special promotions or discounts, and explanations of how ordering and cement delivery work.

Example:

"10% off every product, until the end of the month only!"

Care and loyalty:

Goal:

Building a long-term relationship with customers and raising their engagement.

Action:

Publishing content that engages customers after they have bought the cement: usage instructions, guides on maintenance and care, updates on innovation in the industry, the chance to join a loyalty program or offers for regular customers. You can also encourage customers to share their opinions, photos or reviews of the cement they use.

Example:

"10% off every product, until the end of the month only!"

CAR WIPER BLADE DISTRIBUTOR (B2C)

Top of the Funnel:

Action:

Creating inspiring, engaging content about keeping a car clean and safe.

You can publish posts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok with practical tips on caring for a car and keeping it clean.

Example:

"5 simple tricks to keep your car's wiper blades in perfect condition for longer".

Middle of the Funnel:

Action:

Creating content that shows car wiper blades in practical use and the advantages of the technology behind them. You can post short videos or photos on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok showing how the blades deliver perfect visibility and safety while driving in all kinds of weather.

Example:

A video showing the wiper blades in action in the rain.

Bottom of the Funnel:

Action:

Publishing posts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok that promote a specific wiper blade offer, along with information about special promotions, discounts and the limited time the offer runs. You can also include reviews from happy customers, photos of the blades on customers' cars and instructions on how to buy.

Example:

A post with a graphic and a description of a special offer on car wiper blades, plus a link to the online store.

Putting the power of paid to work

Across the whole social media marketing funnel you can use both content that generates reach organically and paid ad campaigns, which let you target the audience more precisely.

All the magic happens in exactly that deliberate, well-built combination of the two. With paid social media ads set up properly, you can support the funnel effectively at every one of its stages.

The really crucial piece when it comes to using ads effectively is remarketing: the set of strategies for reaching people who have already been in contact with your brand at some stage. By installing tracking codes you can serve them ads that match precisely the action they took. Reminding them, for instance, that the promotion they were interested in is still running 🙂

Goal:

Reinforcing the marketing funnel with paid ad campaigns.

Action:

Creating ad campaigns on social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok aimed at reaching new potential customers, remarketing to people who have already been in contact with the brand, and personalized offers and promotional campaigns. You can also use analytics tools and A/B tests to optimize how well the ad campaigns perform.

Summary

The funnel is an important tool that helps businesses run their marketing effectively. It lets you focus on the right stages of the process, understand customer behavior and needs, and adjust the marketing strategy so you reach your audience directly and hit the marketing goals you set. Put together a process that lets your company sell effectively on social media.

If you want help and professional support in putting the whole process together, come to us. Our social media and online advertising specialists will be glad to help. We will analyze your current situation, define the goals together, work out the target audience and build the route to reaching your customer effectively.