“Everyone’s always asking about funnels…talking funnels…pitching funnels. Many decision-makers (folks with budget responsibilities) have never really examined what a marketing funnel is…and assume it’s as simple as paying for advertising and getting purchase outcome. Turns out, it is a bit more complex than that. For all involved…here’s a quick guide to the structured process we marketers refer to as the marketing funnel:
Understanding the Digital Marketing Funnel
The digital marketing funnel is a framework that describes the customer journey from initial awareness of a product or service to the final purchase and beyond. It typically consists of several stages: Awareness, Interest, Consideration, Intent, Evaluation, and Purchase.
***Stages of the Digital Marketing Funnel
Awareness: At this stage, potential customers become aware of your brand or product through various channels such as social media, search engines, and online ads. According to HubSpot, 70% of consumers prefer getting to know a company via articles rather than ads (HubSpot, 2024).
Interest: Once consumers are aware, they show interest by seeking additional information. This can involve visiting your website, reading blogs, or engaging with social media content.
Consideration: In this stage, prospects start comparing your offerings with competitors. Providing valuable content like case studies, webinars, or comparison guides can help in this phase.
Intent: Prospects indicate they are interested in your product, often by adding items to a cart or signing up for a newsletter.
Evaluation: Customers evaluate their options and may request demos or consultations.
Purchase: This is the final stage where the customer makes a purchase.”