Let's talk about the Digital Marketing Funnel.

By: Eric Silva

Although in some cases a company's growth may seem to depend on unknown or mystical factors, the truth is that most corporate success stories are usually the result of good analysis of the situation and the timing of the company's formation (and development) by its founders or directors.

One of the key principles for a company's growth and success is to remember that analysis and research must be a constant in decision-making processes, not just at the beginning, but throughout the entity's activities. This is a lesson that becomes clear when we look at cases like Blockbuster or Kodak, two giants that were leaders in their sectors for many years, but became so entrenched in the service/product they offered that they lost sight of what had truly brought them to where they were.

There are several concepts and tools that can help us on our business journey, no matter what stage our brand is in. One of them is to have a clear understanding of how our strategic funnel works, which helps us understand the process potential customers go through with our brand. It is divided into stages that vary depending on the person's level of commitment.

The digital marketing funnel is divided into 4 stages:

Awareness
Here begins the customer acquisition process. The goal is to get the target audience to discover the existence of the brand and the products/services we offer. We must keep in mind that this stage opens the way to the following ones, therefore, we must consider the next stages, establishing a good foundation for future interactions.

A brand that has known how to take advantage of this stage of the funnel is Nike, who, in addition to creating marketing campaigns that appeal more to emotions than to the qualities or aspects of their products, have also managed to position themselves in the top of mind with high-profile sponsorships. With this strategy, they have managed to reach position 54 in the Brand Finance Global 2023 Ranking, and they are the sports brand with the best position.

Consideration
When people already know our brand, they begin to actively evaluate the features of what we offer, from prices to the benefits of choosing us over the competition. At this stage, it's key to position ourselves effectively and have a clear message about the aspects that make our product/service unique from a consumer's point of view.

The case of Airbnb and how they knew how to exploit their consideration stage is a prime example. In the beginning, they competed against hotels and the trust people had in them. However, they used a combination of strategies to penetrate the market, including: the implementation of detailed photos and complete property descriptions, as well as a system of testimonials and reviews, and well-segmented advertising campaigns focused on the unique benefits of using the service. It was thanks to this that they managed to position themselves as an alternative to traditional lodging.

Buy
The client has already gone through the previous two stages. We have managed to make them aware of our brand and convince them that we are the best option to meet their needs. It's important to mention that there can also be phases within the purchase. We can have leads, qualified leads, or user registrations for a one-month trial.
It might seem like our work here is done and there's nothing left to do, but there's still one more stage remaining, and developing it effectively could mean a lot in terms of how our clients and prospective clients perceive us.

Customer loyalty
At this point, we are focusing on maintaining and strengthening the relationship with our existing clients, as we are not only looking to find new clients. In addition to that, we want to ensure that those who decided to try our product/service return and are satisfied, so that they become spokespeople and advocates for the brand.

Making the right decision at the right time can help us stay ahead of our competitors, but similarly, making the wrong decision at the wrong time can cause us to lose our position, and in the worst-case scenario, be out of the game.

At Gerundio, we can work hand-in-hand with you and help you establish these foundations in the stages of your project, Write to us And let's conjugate ideas.