The marketing funnel is a model which illustrates the consumer journey towards their path to purchase. There are various versions out there, but at its core, it demonstrates that a consumer must first become aware of a product or service (Awareness), then consider purchasing it (Consideration), and lastly, decide whether or not to purchase (Decision).
UNDERSTANDING THE MARKETING FUNNEL
Think of the last time you purchased something (or decided not to purchase for that matter). You first had to know the product or service existed. Maybe you were heading home from visiting family and saw a billboard for the next McDonald’s or you saw a commercial for the latest tech gadget. Whatever it was, you had to see an advertisement to become aware that it existed.
Once you saw the ad and were interested, you’re now wanting to learn more. You might be researching online to see what other options are available or price comparing on Amazon.
After having thought about it for probably longer than you would like, you now have to make a decision: are you going to purchase this product or service? This is when you are in the decision phase.
This same process happens for every purchase. It can be a quick decision - where you probably didn’t even realize this process happened - or it can span over multiple months.
ALIGNING THE MARKETING FUNNEL WITH YOUR DIGITAL MARKETING
As advertisers, it’s imperative that we invest in each phase of the marketing funnel. We have to generate awareness for our business, reach people that are considering purchasing, and drive users to take action.
It’s more than just setting up a campaign for each stage though; you must make sure your message connects with the consumer during each phase of their buying decision. For example, if someone has never heard of your business, let the message be informative, so they know what you offer. If you are targeting previous website visitors, then remind them of your promotion in order to help convince them to purchase.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Digital marketing platforms make it easier for advertisers to align their campaigns with the marketing funnel. For example, Facebook Ads Manager has three campaign objectives to choose from: Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion. Google Ads allows you to select from a list of goals when creating a campaign: sales, brand awareness and reach, product and brand consideration, and more. Set up at least one campaign for awareness, consideration, and decision, and match your targeting and message to the campaign objective.
DOES IT WORK?
Netsertive recently released a new solution for Automotive dealerships, Social Connect, that aligns Facebook advertising with the marketing funnel. It works by generating awareness and driving interested car buyers to complete a form in Facebook that is immediately added into a dealership’s CRM. Customers are able to generate impressions, drive high-intent website traffic, and capture leads. One customer saw a 203% increase in leads through this approach. Find out more here.
Mary Clayton Shearer
Mary Clayton Shearer is a Product Marketing Specialist at Netsertive. Previously, she was on our Operations team, performance tuning all your campaigns for over a year and a half. A graduate of NC State, you can find her at local restaurants and parks or cheering on the Wolfpack outside of work.
