Creating a digital marketing funnel is hard, and that’s why it’s critical for you to know how to build a digital marketing funnel.

It turns out that when you have the right information, creating a funnel is actually easy. You can push prospects from the top of the funnel to the bottom where they become customers.

In this article, we look at the three stages prospects go through before they become customers. At each stage, we present the ideal way to market to them.

Let’s get cracking.

How to Build a Digital Marketing Funnel Stage 1: Visitors/Subscribers

Your goal as a marketer is to have the top of your digital marketing funnel capture the attention of as many users as possible. The secret to success here is to attract those users who are searching for solutions related to product/service of your industry.  

Here’s how you go about this:

Start by writing and publishing useful resources for your customers. These could be tools, guides, charts and blog posts that are just helpful. Do not mention your business in these posts just yet.

At the top of the funnel your goal should be to capture the attention of as many prospects as possible.

Even though it sounds strange, the objective of leaving your business out is that your visitors are in the awareness stage. So, just help them solve their problems and do not start marketing to them.

How do you increase the reach of your messages?

First, make sure that your content is optimized for keywords. This helps people looking online to find you easily. You can also share your content on social media. 

Second, it would really help if you produce unique and insightful content. People usually start discussing such content. Also, use link building techniques to promote your content on related websites.

In the next step on how to build a digital marketing funnel, we look at how to communicate with leads.

How to Build a Digital Marketing Funnel Stage 1: Marketing To Leads and Qualified Leads

Pushing your web traffic users down the funnel is no easy task. People love the free resources that you create. Is it the right time to present your business to them?

The ideal time to present your brand is when the prospects start seriously considering solutions. Remember that throughout the funnel, your work is to help the prospects… not to tell them about yourself or your products.

At this point, think of the questions that usually pop up in their minds when making a purchase. If possible, create a video showing them what to do to get the best deal or make the right decision.

Remember that up to this point, you are just helping the prospect. Do not start mentioning your business or marketing to them.

The trick here is to place this valuable information behind a landing page. This forces them to submit their contact information to get the information. Once they provide this information, consider them a lead.

But still, hold on!

Do not start marketing towards them. Start collecting information to understand how interested and qualified they are. If the lead has a good budget and is in your target group, then start mentioning your brand.

At this point, the quality of the leads is more important than their quantity. In fact, having many leads who will never make a purchase will simply hurt your business.

In the next section on how to build a digital marketing funnel, let us look at how to best handle a sales qualified lead.

How to Build a Digital Marketing Funnel Stage 3: A Sales Qualified Lead

Your lead is now at a position where they know the solution you offer towards solving their problem. At this point, they are ready to make the final decision.

Your lead is now ready to be pursued by your sales team. They probably want to know if your business will be a great fit for them. Hand the lead over to your sales rep so that they can try and make them a customer.

Only when a prospect becomes a sales qualified lead can you hand them over to your marketing team. They are ready to become customers.

If things work out for the client, they are likely to become brand advocates and evangelists. They will tell everyone how great the experience of working with you was.

How do you achieve this?

By creating special content and offers for your customers.

Conclusion

Creating a great digital marketing funnel is as easy as talking to the three customer personas. You need to find the right way to talk to them. You only want to mention your business at the later stages.

Only pass a lead to your sales team when they are qualified. Otherwise, you will have a huge number of prospects who will never buy. Need help creating your digital funnel? 

With years of experience as digital marketers, Geeks of Digital know what works and what doesn’t. We will help you with market research to funnel creation using our award-winning Market Research Blueprint.