Welcome to Part I of Edition No. 74 of my weekly newsletter, providing practical analysis in the world of digital content strategy.
Why BOFU Content is So Important
At last, we arrive to the bottom of the content marketing funnel. That is the last step in a user’s (over-simplified) journey before they convert.
Part I: What is TOFU Content?
Part II: Trust is Built in the MOFU
Now that users/prospects are aware you exist (TOFU) and aware of a problem you can solve for them (MOFU), they’re ready to purchase. But will you be the one who gets their business, or a competitor?
Contents
What is the Purpose of Bottom-of-Funnel Content?
What Kinds of Content Can Be Used?
What is the Messaging Focus?
What are the Distribution Channels?
What are the KPIs?
What is the Purpose of Bottom-of-Funnel Content?
BOFU content is intended to get a potential client/customer across the finish line. They’re ready to purchase, and you want to facilitate that process as easily possible.
If done well, your bottom-of-funnel content may be the last thing they see before typing in their credit card information.
Many people argue for first building up this stage of your funnel before worrying about MOFU or TOFU content. Why? Because even if you get someone from the top of the funnel to the middle, or from the middle to the bottom, that content isn’t designed to get them to convert.
If you don’t give someone a good reason to give you their money, they’ll give it to someone else, no matter how well you made them aware of your business and the problems it solves.
What Kinds of Content Can Be Used?
(Real) Reviews
When deciding which product to buy, I’ll bet you look at reviews before purchasing. We do the same thing when deciding where to eat on vacation. Or which movie to stream from our living room.
One time during an Uber ride, the driver had a sign on the backseat that said if you give him 4 stars, you think he did a terrible job. It was his way of begging for 5 stars. In a sense, though, he had a point. Who wants to put their life in the hands of an Uber driver with a 4.0 rating?
There was a time when 5/5 stars meant above and beyond. Perfection. An experience worth repeating. Now, though, it often means that expectations were merely met.
We live in a world where 3.9/5 stars means you might as well recall the product or consider closing the business.
All this is to say, if someone has publicly shared a 5-star review of your company/product, you should leverage that on your website. A company like Trustpilot (no association) can make it easy for to show off trusted reviews from real people.
Testimonials
While they may sound similar to reviews, testimonials are different.
A review says: This is what I think of your product/service.
A testimonial says: This is how your product/service made my life better.
Request these from a trusted client who’s seen lasting results from working with you. Ask for a photo. Explain to them how it will be displayed on your website. Don’t be afraid to ask them to include a few keywords or phrases that are important to your business.
Once you have the testimonial, include their company and job title for further credibility.
Seeing someone to whom you can relate say that working with you was a great decision gives you much more confidence in your purchase decision.
Product Pages
These are your classic pages where users can add something to their cart or even purchase instantly (hello, Amazon). This should include high-quality photos/videos (where applicable), detailed descriptions and specifications make it as easy as possible to complete the transaction.
Free Trials
Allow someone to try your service, commitment-free, for a specified period.
Making the trial auto-renew is a great way for them to seamlessly transition into a paying customer once the trial ends. If you go this route, make it clear to them that auto-renew is enabled, as well as when payments will start and how they can cancel them if they’re not satisfied with the trial.
Free Previews
This is similar to a trial, but might not have a time limit. For example, you can take some lessons in my GA4 course for free just by signing up. There’s no deadline to watch the free lessons, nor a limit to how many times you can do so.
By taking this approach, someone can get a taste of your work/product in a way that hopefully inspires them to make the full purchase.
Demo or Webinar
While a demo and webinar aren’t exactly the same thing, they serve a similar purpose. It’s a free preview of your product that resolves doubts and might even offer a Q&A.
Potential clients and customers can see firsthand what you offer and decide whether to make the plunge. One incentive you can provide when someone completes a demo or webinar is…
Give a Discount
Some people (I’m one of them), will stop at nothing to pay less than full price.
By offering a discount that’s only accessible through a particular action (i.e. watching your demo, signing up for a free newsletter), you can make a prospective purchaser feel like they’re getting a deal that’s not available to the masses (because it isn’t).
What is the Messaging Focus?
Build Trust
Someone’s about to give you their money – do they believe they’ll get value for it in return? Your content should convey that.
The rest of the items in this section are closely related to earning that trust.
Emphasize Benefits
How will their life change once they try your product/service? Talk about the outcomes others have experienced as result of purchasing from you.
Maybe they get time back. Maybe they spend less money in the long run. Maybe they become smarter or more skilled. Whatever it is, talk about what’s in it for them.
Eliminate Objections
What if I don’t like it? Money-back guarantee.
How do I know it works? Testimonials and case studies from real people.
How do I know it’s worth it? Average ROI compared to the cost of purchasing the service/product.
You get the idea. Sales calls and emails (among other channels) where prospects express these concerns are a gold mine for objections.
You can preempt their biggest worries by creating content that counteracts specific barriers to conversion.
Sense of Urgency/Purchase Incentives
Do you have a limited-time sale? Low inventory? Anything you can do that signals to the buyer, “this might be your best/last shot” can be effective.
I don’t mean you should fabricate scarcity, or outright lie – I’m talking about legitimate opportunities to give prospects something they’ll no longer have access to if they don’t “act soon/now.”
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