Unlocking The Little-Known Secrets of Content Marketing Funnel: How to Crush the Competition Even If You're Starting A Small Business
Are you tired of pouring your heart and soul into social media, only to see your efforts go unrewarded? Do you find yourself endlessly chasing followers, creating content that doesn't convert, and wondering if there's a better way to attract customers? Most business experience this frustration and disappointment you might have experienced – Countless hours spent on social media, creating content that falls flat, and feeling like your business is stuck in a never-ending cycle.
To help you break free from that vicious cycle, here’s the secret sauce that will transform your business – Introducing the game-changing strategy: the high-converting content marketing funnel. It's not just for big-budget companies or marketing gurus. It's a powerful tool that can work wonders for small businesses as well.
In this blog post, we'll unveil the simplest and most effective method to build your very own content marketing funnel. Whether you're a one-person team solo entrepreneur or running a team, this approach will supercharge your growth and help you rule your corner of the internet!
Are you ready to discover the secrets that will turn strangers into loyal customers? Let’s unlock the secrets of the high-converting content marketing funnel that helps you dominate the internet, and how to set it up to rev up your marketing game!
Why Content Marketing is Important for Small Businesses
When you're running a business, it's tough to stand out from all the competition. Everyone wants to get noticed and have people choose them. That's where content marketing comes in!
As a business owner, you want to give people good reasons to pick you over everyone else, no matter the price. And that's where content marketing comes to the rescue. It's all about understanding what people care about, teaching them about what they need, and showing them why your stuff is exactly what they've been looking for.
But here's the thing: Most businesses focus on getting seen by as many people as possible. They want everyone to notice them and buy their stuff. But let's be real, how many ads do you actually remember seeing today? Probably not many. (This means only very few ads are effective and working!)
Instead of wasting time on flashy ads that people forget, let's focus on building trust. See, people have so many choices nowadays, and they want to feel connected to the businesses they buy from.
Imagine you're at a farmer's market. Two apple vendors are selling their apples. One vendor shouts, "Buy our apples now!" The other vendor invites you to taste their apples, shares their story, and offers helpful apple recipes. Which vendor would you trust more? Most likely, the one who took the time to build a connection and earn your trust.
Content marketing works the same way. It's like setting up a tasting table at the market. Instead of pushing sales, you provide valuable content that builds trust. By offering helpful information and showing genuine interest, you become a trusted source. When people trust you, they're more likely to buy from you. Content marketing helps you earn trust, grow relationships, and can also make people buy from you again and again – That's why content marketing is so powerful! It benefits both your sales and your brand in the long run.
And get this: Content marketing is three times more effective than traditional marketing and costs less than half of that! (Source: Content Marketing Institute) So why not give it a shot? It's time to shift your focus to building lasting connections and attracting the right people—the ones who really care about what you offer. Engage with them, earn their trust, and guide them toward buying from you. That's the magic of content marketing!
Still not sure if content marketing is for you? Uncover these 10 content marketing myths that are holding back your small business.
Different formats of content marketing
When it comes to content marketing, you've got options for how to reach people. You can go with good ol' text, like blog posts and articles, where you can dive deep into a topic. Then there's video content, which grabs your attention and shows things in action. And let's not forget about audio content, like podcasts, so you can listen and learn on the move.
By using these different types of content, you can make sure you're reaching all kinds of people. Some like to read, some like to watch, and some like to listen while doing other stuff. Mixing it up with text, videos, and audio means you can connect with your audience, no matter how they like to consume content.
3 Types of content you need to create your first winning marketing funnel
When it comes to building a winning marketing funnel using content, understanding how to have different types of content, platforms, and tools work together seamlessly is key.
There are 3 types of content that make up a killer marketing funnel, think of them as the content power trio, each playing a unique role in attracting and engaging your audience. They are what we call the 3 S's – Star Content, Snackable Content, and Straight-To-You Content, and they are the secret ingredients to a successful marketing funnel. In this section, we'll dive into each of the 3S’s, explore their strengths, and guide you on how to leverage them effectively.
“Snackable Content” or bite-sized short-form content
Snackable Content has become a popular and effective way to engage with your audience. Just like grabbing a quick snack to satisfy your hunger, Snackable Content offers bite-sized, easily digestible pieces of information that can be enjoyed on the go. In this section, we'll explore the power of Snackable Content and how it can drive engagement and captivate your audience's attention.
One common mistake many business owners make is giving in to the fear of missing out and trying to be on every platform at once. It’s the common “shiny object syndrome.” But it's important to strategically choose your marketing tactics and start by showing up where your audience already hangs out.
By focusing on building solid relationships and loyalty on one platform, it’s much faster and easier to grow on another platform for your Snackable Content when you’re ready to scale. Why? Because when you already built credibility and have an audience who trusts you and enjoys what you share on one platform, you can quickly drive traffic and direct their attention to another one.
Think of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter, where you've likely seen different types of Snackable Content. These platforms are perfect for sharing quick and engaging content that can be consumed in just a few minutes.
“Star Content” or long-form content
Get ready to shine bright with your "Star Content"! It's like the main event, where you turbocharge the valuable insights and ideas you share and leave your audience in awe. Star Content is all about providing valuable information and building trust and credibility with your target audience and customers.
So, what makes Star Content so special? It's the kind of content that brings the WOW factor, and it gives a way more complete answer to any question your audience might have compared to your Snackable Content. It's thorough, accurate, and packed with all the juicy details. When you create Star Content, you're showing off your expertise and giving your audience something truly valuable and usually actionable.
Now, you might be wondering, "Why can't I just stick to social media?"
Here are 3 reasons why social media isn’t enough to build a killer content marketing funnel:
Star Content helps you rank high in search engines, so great for SEO. That means when people are searching for answers, they're more likely to find you and your incredible content.
Plus, Star Content has staying power. It usually remains relevant and useful for the next 3 to 5 years, which is a much longer shelf life than social media content. And you can continue to attract new viewers, listeners, subscribers, and/or followers with your Star Content long after they’re posted. This means you get a lot more return on your effort and time investment in creating them.
And if you’re thinking, “I don’t have time for this! I already got my hands full having to make social media content.” Don’t worry. Star Content actually helps boost your social media game. You can break it down into bite-sized pieces and share it across different platforms, and you’ll have endless social media or Snackable Content ideas from your Star Content! (Check out how to master the art of repurposing your content without boring your audience.)
For Star content, we're talking platforms like blogs, podcasts, and YouTube – all channels that allow people to get a lot more value from each piece of content, which makes them more likely to quickly trust you and instantly interested in what you share and sell.
“Straight-To-You Content” or direct, two-way communication
We've covered Snackable Content for engagement and awareness and Star Content for trust and credibility. Now, this is where you take control of direct communication with your target audience and reach them directly!
You've put your heart and soul into creating amazing content, but relying solely on the algorithm of each social media platform can be unpredictable. (And an emotional nightmare sometimes!) You want to make sure your important marketing message gets delivered straight to the people who want to hear from you. That's where Straight-To-You Content comes in. No more relying on tricky algorithms or hoping our content shows up in front of the right people. It's all about building a direct line of communication.
We wish we had known to implement Straight-To-You Content sooner. It's the ultimate secret to reaching out to prospects and audiences in the most direct way possible, and guess what? It's how we sell and see the most return and results now.
Straight-To-You Content takes your relationship with your audience to a whole new level. It's the missing puzzle piece that allows you to nurture and deepen connections, build trust and desire, and ultimately, make sales.
A popular way to deliver Straight-To-You Content is through email marketing. But depending on where your target audience is and how they communicate, messaging apps like WhatsApp, Line, and Telegram or text messages might make more sense to build this direct line to them.
Instead of hoping that your audience sees your content, use Straight-To-You Content to build a dedicated audience list of people who actively opt in and love hearing from you.
The best part? This direct connection isn't just about engagement and awareness—it's about making money. Straight-To-You Content opens doors to selling and a direct way of generating revenue. It's a game-changer.
Speaking of selling and making your audience take action and buy your products or services, let’s see how to use the 3S’s to set up your high-converting marketing funnel.
Understanding the Marketing Funnel: Introducing AIDAR
As a business, your main goal is to make more sales and get more customers. But how do you make that happen? Well, that's where the marketing funnel comes in.
Think of the marketing funnel like a journey that you guide people through. It has different stages or goals along the way to help them make a purchase.
First, you want to make people aware of your business and what you offer. This is the "Awareness" stage. You want them to know you exist and what you're all about.
Next comes the "Interest" stage. You want to grab their attention and make them interested in what you have to say and what you sell. You want them to think, "Hmm, this looks cool!"
Once they're interested, you want to build up their "Desire" for your stuff. You want them to want it and think, "I need this in my life!"
After that, it's time for them to take action and make a purchase. This is the "Action" stage. You want them to buy what you're selling and become a customer.
But it doesn't stop there! You also want to keep them coming back for more. This is the "Loyalty/Retention" stage. You want them to stay around, remember you, and keep choosing your business.
When you put all these stages together, it forms the AIDAR model (Awareness-Interest-Desire-Action-Retention), which helps you guide people through the marketing funnel. It's like a roadmap to turn strangers into loyal customers.
How to use the 3S’s Content Power Trio to Build A Successful Marketing Funnel
First up, we have Snackable Content. You focus on building awareness & interest. Here's what you want to achieve with Snackable Content on social media platforms:
Get more people to know about your brand and what you offer
Bring people to your website and Star Content
Gain Straight-To-You Content subscribers for emails or platforms like Telegram.
Looking to get more eyes on your content? Here are 11 tactics to boost your reach & get noticed by the right people.
Now, let's talk about the superstar of our trio, Star Content. This is where you share longer and super helpful info to keep your audience engaged and generate interest. Here are your goals for Star Content:
Quickly show that you're an expert and build credibility
Make people want to come back for more of your amazing insights and tips
Get even more folks to become Straight-To-You Content subscribers
Oh, and here's a secret tip: If you use SEO well, more people can find your Star Content through searches, also increasing awareness.
And with Straight-To-You Content, this is where to do the selling and how you continue to create desire, make people take action, and grow retention. Your goals are:
Get people to want what you sell
Get people to take action, like visiting a specific page or making a purchase
Keep your existing and past customers happy and coming back for more.
By getting clear on your content goals, you'll know exactly where you're headed. No more creating content just for the sake of staying present. Now that you understand how the marketing funnel works, the 3S's Content Power Trio, and their purposes, it's time to take action. Start building your very own funnel today!
Not sure what content to create? Here are 12 ways to find the next content ideas your audience craves in 3 minutes.
Feeling confused about what to share before your next launch? Here's what & when to create buzz-generating pre-launch content.
Also, check out these 7 pro tips to make your business stand out & create an impressive brand － even if you're starting out!