To explain the concept of bottom-of-funnel marketing, it’s important to see the entire marketing funnel in perspective. So let’s use an analogy: imagine that you’re shopping for a new TV in a busy electronics store.
You’ve done your research on the latest models and specs (top-of-funnel). You’ve browsed the aisles for a while (middle-of-funnel), but now you need that final push to make the purchase decision. That’s where bottom-of-funnel (BOF) marketing comes into play.
BOF marketing is the key to convincing potential customers to go ahead and make a purchase. It closes the gap between consideration, the mid-funnel stage, and conversion. It gives them the final push or incentive to make an informed decision.
In the electronics store analogy, that could mean talking to a sales assistant who offers to waive the delivery fee if you purchase right now.
But what about digital marketing? How do you encourage online buyers to make a purchase and potentially become loyal brand advocates? Even when they are not right in front of you, but on their laptop or phone?
That’s where a well-thought-out BOF marketing strategy can really shine.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the tactics, metrics, and campaign examples of successful BOF marketing. From retargeting ads to personalized messaging, you’ll find strategies here to help you master the art of bottom-of-funnel marketing. Let’s start turning potential customers into loyal buyers.
BOF marketing, also called lower-funnel marketing, is the last stage in the marketing funnel. The goal is to help guide people over the finishing line to conversion. At this stage, your aim is to convince potential customers to buy your product or service. You do this by providing content that really motivates them to take action.
By this stage, prospects have already interacted with TOF and MOF content, which aims to educate and build trust. To work as planned, BOF content needs to be highly personalized. It should speak to people who are already interested in your brand. The goal is to help them decide to follow through and convert. Ultimately, BOF content must make prospects understand why your product or service is the best choice to meet their needs.
Bottom-of-funnel marketing tactics are critical for increasing conversions and driving revenue. Here are five main tactics that businesses can use to effectively engage potential customers in the BOF stage:
BOF ads drive conversions by targeting people who have already shown interest in a product or service.Retargeting ads are a good example. They are designed for people who previously visited a website or added items to their shopping cart, but didn’t purchase. To be even more effective, retargeting ads can be personalized with a discount or other offer to incentivize a purchase.
Personalized email campaigns are another good way to engage potential customers in the BOF stage. An email campaign that speaks directly to an individual’s tastes or interests can be a powerful thing. To do this, businesses can tailor targeted content to specific audiences. For example, individual product recommendations, special offers, and promotions are likely to increase conversions.
Product demos are an effective way to showcase the value of a product or service and encourage potential customers to make a purchase. A demo can be a pre-recorded video content or live demonstrations. Demos can address any questions or concerns that potential customers may have about the product. They are a good tactic to push customers across the finishing line to a sale.
Studies show thatcustomer reviews increase conversions. Showcasing positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers helps businesses build trust and credibility. This is an essential component to drive them towards a purchase.
A sense of urgency encourages people to stop delaying and make a purchase. Limited-time offers are a good tactic for this. Offers may include special promotions, discounts, free shipping, or other incentives that are only available for a limited time.
If you’re struggling with ideas for your BOF content, we’ve put together a few examples for specific industries. Perhaps some of these content ideas will inspire you:
To evaluate how effective your BOF marketing strategies are, it pays to measure performance using bottom-of-funnel metrics. Here are some of the key metrics to consider when measuring BOF performance:
For an example of a good BOF email campaign, you don’t need to look further than Starbucks. Starbucks sends out highly personalized emails to people who sign up to their newsletter. See the welcome email below. Take note that it promises insider goodies such as promotions and offers for purchases at Startbucks cafes.
Fashion brand Marc O’Polo achieved a return-on-ad-spend (ROAS) of up to 1500% by using Outbrain’s native Smartad and optimization technology. The technology allowed them to target the audience most likely to convert and generate as many conversions as possible within the set budget. This increased their revenue and brought about significant performance and sales increases. Marc O’Polo plans to test more native advertising solutions from Outbrain in the future and expand their cooperation.
A great way to understand BOF marketing and how it fits into your funnel is to compare it to the top-of-funnel stage. At this stage,customers are just becoming aware of your business. Here are the differences between TOF and BOF marketing in terms of goals, audience, and content:
For this example, let’s imagine the marketing funnel of a car manufacturing brand.
In the initial TOF marketing stages, the brand may run TV, billboard, and social media ads to show off the best features of their latest car model. This should catch the attention of potential car buyers and generate awareness and interest.
Then, as long as they’re interested enough, the potential car buyer will do some of their own research. Now we’ve reached themiddle-of-funnel stage. It’s likely that they will visit the car manufacturer’s website and read up on the specification and features. They may visit comparison websites to find out more. At this stage, potential customers will often provide their personal details to the car dealer, in exchange for exclusive information or offers. This data will be used to create email lists for bottom-of-funnel campaigns.
At the BOF stage, car manufacturers will use more targeted methods to convert potential buyers into customers.
For example, they can create personalized email campaigns that provide information about the new car model, financing options, and dealer locations. Additionally, they can use retargeting ads to reach people who previously visited their website or showed an interest in their cars. As well, they may offer test drives, promotions, and other incentives to encourage potential customers to make a purchase.
From awareness to consideration and – yes – conversions, Outbrain’s digital advertising platform offers a full-funnel solution for businesses and brands. This includes a range of ad formats and experiences that are ideal for BOF and conversion-oriented marketing campaigns.
Be sure to check out theads gallery and explore how Outbrain can help you at every stage of the marketing funnel, including bottom of the funnel.
Want to learn more about the marketing funnel? Why not check out our articles aboutTop-Funnel Marketing andMid-Funnel Marketing, as well as theGuide to Full-Funnel Marketing.
