Stephanie Donelson

Today’s buyer’s journey is complex, with many touchpoints, many points of entry, and a whole hell of a lot of content!

When we think of the typical buyer’s journey we think of three key stages: TOFU (Top of Funnel), MOFU (Middle of Funnel), and BOFU (Bottom of Funnel).

These stages an also be thought of as: Awareness (TOFU), Consideration (MOFU), and Decision (BOFU). As you design content for these different stages it tends to go from content that casts a wider net and is considerably more generic and then gets more targeted as the buyer reaches the bottom of the funnel and is ready to buy (or not).

Your content should be made to match the stage of the buyer’s journey, which can be summed up as:

• TOFU: Buyer knows they have a problem or challenge
• MOFU: Buyer understands their problem and wants to solve it
• BOFU: Buyer is actively researching and vetting specific solutions

The next logical question is what content formats or types typically fit the bill for the TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU stages? Let’s take a closer look!

TOFU content

• Evergreen blogs
• Sponsored content or influencer content
• Educational videos or how-tos
• Webinars
• Podcasts 
• Organic social media
• PPC ads/social media ads
• Research reports/industry analysis 

MOFU content

• Case studies or testimonials
• Ebooks
• Checklists or cheat sheets
• Webinars
• Explainer videos 
• Email nurture streams
• Comparison charts/guides (your brand vs. competition)
• Paid social media
• PPC ads/retargeting
• Direct mail

BOFU content

• Case studies
• Product comparisons 
• Specs 
• Pricing
• Product demonstration videos
• Free trial or coupons/promotions
• Direct mail
• Consultation or demo
• Loyalty program info or membership options
• Get started guides

Buyer’s journey content in action

Let’s walk through an example. We’ll say I’m doing marketing for a digital marketing agency and we’re targeting customers who specialize in the B2C space.

TOFU content I’d create:

• Blogs on topics like: Top 5 marketing trends B2C businesses need to know about, common mistakes brands make launching a digital marketing campaign, and digital marketing terms every business owner should know
• Sponsored content in a business trade publication about the benefits of a certain digital marketing tactic, like retargeting ads
• Podcasts with topics about social media best practices, dos and don’ts with PPC ads, and digital marketing trends to keep an eye on
• A research report on digital marketing for small businesses

MOFU content I’d create:

• An email nurture series that tells the story of how small businesses leverage digital marketing to drive sales
• Case studies featuring both small and medium-sized businesses that have benefitted from digital marketing
• A template for a social media marketing plan
• An eBook, the comprehensive guide to digital marketing
• A series of social media videos: what to expect when getting started with digital marketing

BOFU content I’d create:

• Marketing services brochures
• Pricing sheets
• A postcard that introduces the prospect to their regional sales rep or account manager
• A landing page with an offer for a free consultation or free marketing asset
• PPC ads with an offer for a discount on the first month’s service
• A guide or checklist on how to get set up for success with the digital marketing agency

Of course your content mix will look a bit different based on your target audience and some content will work across different stages of the buyer’s journey. There are no concrete rules about what content only works in a certain stage, but I hope this blog helps serve as a guideline of what does tend to work well across industries.