What a funnel actually is
A marketing funnel is the path a stranger takes to become a customer. That's it. Funnel is just a shape: wide at the top (lots of people who might care about what you do), narrow at the bottom (the few who buy).
Every business has a funnel whether they've mapped it or not. The question isn't whether you have one — it's whether yours is leaking, and where.
The three stages (and what they really mean)
The classic three-stage model is still the most useful mental map:
Top of funnel (TOFU) — Awareness
These are people who have a problem but don't know you exist yet. They're searching "how do I grow on LinkedIn," not "Anthony Ligyat marketing consultant." Your job at this stage is to show up when they're looking, answer the question they actually have, and leave them with a useful impression.
TOFU content: blog posts, social posts, YouTube videos, podcast appearances, SEO-optimised guides. Nothing that asks them to do anything except read or watch.
Middle of funnel (MOFU) — Consideration
These are people who know you exist and are deciding whether you're credible. They might have read your blog, seen you on LinkedIn, or been referred by someone. They're comparing options, doing research, asking questions.
MOFU content: case studies, free resources (ebooks, checklists, templates), comparison guides, email sequences, webinars. The job here is to demonstrate expertise in a way that's useful enough that they give you something in return — usually their email address.
Bottom of funnel (BOFU) — Decision
These are people who are actively deciding whether to hire you or buy from you. They've consumed enough of your content to be warm. They just need the last push — a clear offer, social proof, and a frictionless way to say yes.
BOFU content: testimonials, detailed case studies with results, transparent pricing, a direct contact mechanism, a free consultation. At this stage, the job is to remove objections and make it easy to act.
The mistake most B2B teams make
Here's the pattern I see constantly: a business invests in a beautiful website that goes straight from "here's what we do" to "contact us." There is no TOFU content pulling strangers in from search. There is no MOFU content building trust. The site just sits there waiting for warm referrals.
This works fine when referrals are flowing. It stops working the moment you want to grow beyond your existing network — which is the very thing most B2B businesses say they want.
The other version of the mistake is building TOFU content (blog, social) and then failing to build the bridge to MOFU. You attract strangers, give them useful information, and then… they leave. No email capture, no next step, no reason to come back. You've done the hard work of earning attention and then wasted it.
The funnel isn't built backwards by accident. It's built backwards because BOFU content feels urgent (it's close to revenue) and TOFU content feels like charity. It isn't. TOFU is where the leverage is.
What to publish at each stage
Here's a practical guide to what to create, based on what I've seen work in B2B services and consulting:
TOFU (1–2 per week)
- Blog posts targeting "what is X" and "how to X" questions your ideal client is searching
- Short-form LinkedIn posts sharing one insight from your work — no pitch, just value
- Short videos explaining a concept (90 seconds, no production needed)
MOFU (1–2 per month)
- A free downloadable resource (checklist, playbook, template) that your ideal client would print out and use
- An email sequence for anyone who downloads the resource — 3 to 5 emails over 2 weeks sharing related insights
- A detailed case study that shows the problem, approach, and measurable result
BOFU (once and maintain)
- A clear services page with pain-point framing, what you actually do, and what you don't
- At least one real testimonial from a real client with a real result
- A frictionless contact mechanism — ideally a Calendly link, not just an email address
- A FAQ page that answers the objections buyers have before they voice them
How to measure it
Each stage has a metric that matters. Don't track everything — track the one number that tells you where the leak is:
- TOFU: organic search impressions and clicks in Google Search Console. If this is flat or zero, you have an awareness problem.
- MOFU: email list growth rate and open rate. If people land on your site but don't give you their email, your lead magnet is wrong or your ask is too early.
- BOFU: conversion rate on your services or contact page. If people arrive and leave without contacting you, there's a trust or friction problem.
In GA4, set up conversion events for: (1) form submissions, (2) clicks on your email / Calendly link, (3) resource downloads. Without these you're flying blind.
The one thing to fix first
If you're starting from scratch or restarting a stalled funnel: fix MOFU first.
TOFU takes time (search takes 3–6 months to compound). BOFU is a dead end without traffic. But MOFU — a single free resource with an email capture — immediately gives you a list to nurture, a reason for people to come back, and a mechanism to qualify interest before you invest time in a call.
Build one genuinely useful thing. Give it away in exchange for an email address. Send one follow-up email per week. Do that for 90 days before you touch anything else. The funnel will follow.