Paid Advertising Platforms for a Funnel Marketing Approach

In this blog, we'll explain how marketers can use paid advertising platforms to reach potential customers at different stages of the sales funnel. It provides useful insights into how to use different advertising platforms and marketing tactics to target potential customers at the top, middle, and bottom of the sales funnel. We look at using social media marketing, paid search ads, email marketing, and customer loyalty programs to attract, engage, and retain customers.

Which Paid Advertising Platform is Best for your Business?

Paid advertising can be a powerful tool for reaching potential customers and driving conversions. It is however, important to choose the right platforms and strategies for your business. Email marketing, social media posting, and other platforms can also play a role in your advertising efforts.

Lauren Rae
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Using Different Paid Advertising Platforms at Different Stages of the Purchasing Journey

Top of funnel (TOF):

At the top of the funnel, you can use social media marketing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to reach a broad audience with content that is designed to generate awareness of your brand and products. These ads should be focused on getting people to engage with your content and follow your page. You can use a variety of ad formats to showcase your products and highlight the benefits of your brand, including:

  • Image ads
  • Video ads, and
  • Carousel ads.

Middle of funnel (MOF):

As people move further down your sales funnel and become more interested in your brand, you can use Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads to target more specific keywords related to your products. This can help you attract qualified leads who are actively searching for what you have to offer. You can use a variety of ad formats on these platforms to reach potential customers at this stage of the purchasing journey, including:

  • Search ads;
  • Display ads, and
  • Sponsored content.

Bottom of funnel (BOF):

At the bottom of the funnel, you can use retargeting ads on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to remind people who have already expressed interest in your brand about your products or services. You can use a variety of ad formats for retargeting, such as dynamic ads and sponsored posts. These ads can help you to show relevant products to people who have visited your website or engaged with your content in the past. You can also use Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads to target specific, high-converting keywords to drive sales and conversions.

In addition to paid advertising, email marketing can be a powerful tool for reaching potential customers at every stage of the purchasing journey. You can use email newsletters to keep subscribed people informed about your brand and products, and targeted email campaigns to nurture leads and drive conversions.

In the world of digital marketing, it's important to understand the different stages of the sales funnel and how to effectively target potential customers at each stage.

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Here's a look at how to use different advertising platforms and marketing tactics to target top of funnel, middle of funnel, and bottom of funnel:

Top of funnel (TOF):

The top of the funnel is the initial stage of the sales process, where potential customers are first introduced to your brand. At this stage, the focus is on attracting and educating potential customers. To target top of funnel, consider using tactics like the following.

Social media marketing:
  • Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn can be effective tools for reaching a wide audience and introducing them to your brand.
  • You can use social media ads, sponsored posts, and organic posts to promote your brand and engage with potential customers.
Paid search ads:
  • Paid search ads, such as Google AdWords, can be a great way to reach potential customers who are actively searching for products or services related to your business.
TikTok ads:
  • TikTok is a popular social media platform, particularly among younger users.
  • While it's still in its early stages, TikTok advertising can be a great way to reach a younger audience and introduce them to your brand.

Middle of funnel (MOF):

The middle of the funnel is the stage where potential customers are considering their options and evaluating whether your product or service is the best fit for them. At this stage, the focus is on convincing potential customers to choose your brand.

To target middle of funnel, consider using tactics like:

Remarketing:
  • Remarketing involves targeting ads to people who have visited your website but have not yet converted.
  • By showing targeted ads to these potential customers, you can remind them of your brand and encourage them to consider making a purchase.
Email marketing:
  • Email marketing can be an effective way to nurture leads and persuade potential customers to choose your brand.
  • Make sure to segment your email list and send personalised, relevant content to improve the effectiveness of your emails.
LinkedIn ads:
  • LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that can be a great place to reach business-to-business (B2B) leads.
  • LinkedIn ads can be targeted to specific industries and job titles, making it an effective platform for targeting middle of the funnel leads.

Bottom of funnel (BOF):

The bottom of the funnel is the final stage of the sales process, where potential customers are ready to make a purchase. At this stage, the focus is on closing the sale and retaining customers. To target bottom of funnel, consider using tactics like:

Facebook and Instagram ads:
  • Facebook and Instagram offer a wide range of targeting options that can be effective for reaching bottom of funnel leads.
  • You can use Facebook and Instagram ads to promote specific products or offers and target specific demographics or interests.
Google Shopping ads:
  • Google Shopping ads are a type of paid search ad that showcase your products in Google search results.
  • They can be a great way to reach potential customers who are ready to make a purchase and help them find the specific products they are looking for.
Personalised product recommendations:
  • Using personalisation to recommend products to potential customers can be an effective way to close the sale and encourage repeat purchases.
  • You can use personalisation tools like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to recommend products based on a customer's past purchases or browsing history.
Customer loyalty programs:
  • Customer loyalty programs can be a great way to retain customers and encourage repeat purchases.
  • You can offer rewards or discounts to customers who make frequent purchases or refer friends to your business.

By using a combination of these platforms and strategies, together with continuous measurement and optimisation, you can effectively reach potential customers at every stage of the purchasing journey and drive them towards a conversion. Whether you are just starting out with paid advertising or are looking to optimise your existing campaigns, it's important to choose the right platforms and strategies for your business. Working with a digital marketing agency like GRAVITATE Digital can help you understand the best investment and approach for your business.

Want to learn more? Reach out to the GRAVITATE team today for a chat.

Yours,

GRAVITATE Digital

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"In the world of digital marketing, it's important to understand the different stages of the sales funnel and how to effectively target potential customers at each stage."