TOFU
Category: Marketing
TOFU (Top of the Funnel) - Awareness
Goal: To attract the attention of a broad audience, build trust, and position yourself as an authority in the field. The focus is on education, not sales.
Audience profile: Broad targeting, people who are just discovering their problem.
Key tactics and content:
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Creating content around topics that your target audience searches for (like "how to", "what is", "why is this happening to me...").
- Blog posts: Educational articles, lists, how-to guides that answer common questions and problems.
- Social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, X): Sharing useful tips, infographics, short videos that engage the audience and direct them to deeper content.
- Podcasts: Participating in or hosting podcasts on general industry topics.
- eBooks and White Papers: More in-depth material in exchange for an email address (for building a database).
- Video content (YouTube): Educational videos, concept explanations, expert interviews.
Success metrics: Website visits, impressions, social media follower growth, lead magnet downloads, time on site.
What does the TOFU → MOFU → BOFU funnel represent?
These are the three main stages of the customer journey (Buyer's Journey) before purchase:
- TOFU (Top of the Funnel) - Top of the funnel: Awareness stage. Customers realize they have a problem or need, but are not yet looking for a specific solution.
- MOFU (Middle of the Funnel) - Middle of the funnel: Evaluation stage. Customers have already defined their problem and are actively searching and comparing different solutions and providers.
- BOFU (Bottom of the Funnel) - Bottom of the funnel: Decision stage. Customers are ready to make a decision and choose a specific provider or product.
Visual summary and key takeaways
| Stage | Goal | Audience | Sample Content | Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOFU | Attraction & Education | Broad audience | Blog posts, infographics, social media | Traffic, engagement |
| MOFU | Interaction & Qualification | Interested leads | Webinars, emails, case studies | Registrations, leads |
| BOFU | Conversion & Sales | Hot, ready leads | Demos, consultations, offers | Sales, ROI |
Key takeaways:
- Different content for each stage: Don't offer a price quote to someone in the TOFU stage. That's like proposing marriage on a first date.
- Tracking and automation: Use marketing automation (like HubSpot, Mailchimp) to track user behavior and automatically move them through the funnel with appropriate messages.
- Inter-departmental collaboration: Marketing is responsible for TOFU and MOFU to generate quality leads. The sales department takes over in BOFU to convert them. Their synchronization is critical.
- Most importantly, understand the needs and pain points of your audience at each stage of their journey and respond with the most appropriate content.