Content marketing funnel - it sounded like just another marketing buzzword when I first heard it!

When I started working in digital marketing, I spent hours publishing blog posts, sharing them on social media, and watching my traffic gradually increase. Unfortunately, this didn’t work for me because while my traffic was growing, my conversions were nowhere to be seen.

No sign-ups, no sales, no tangible results to show from my hard work. I felt like I was shouting into the void with no response!

Things began to change when I learned about the content marketing funnel. 

I realized I’d been creating content without a strategy and was just hoping something would stick. Here’s what surprised me…

Once I implemented a content marketing funnel, things began to shift, and my content was producing customers rather than only attracting visitors.

In this help guide, I’ll talk you through what a content marketing funnel is, why it’s so important, and how it can be used to turn casual readers into paying clients. I’ll explain the key stages of the funnel, the types of content that work best at each step, and how to build a system that produces real results.

When I first started researching marketing funnels, I pictured something overly technical.

In reality, a content marketing funnel is a way of guiding people from discovering your brand to ultimately buying from you. You want to guide users through this process gradually so that they’re nurtured, informed, and will, in time, feel comfortable enough to convert.

Something that helped me visualize my content marketing funnel was thinking of it like a conversation. 

When someone lands on my website for the first time, it’s like they’ve just walked into a room. They’re not ready to be pitched to, but they may be open to receiving helpful advice or insights to encourage them to stick around.

As they spend more time in the room, they’ll become more receptive to what I have to say. The aim is to build trust and speak directly to this person, resulting in them taking action.

Over time, I’ve simplified my content funnel into three clear stages: Awareness, Consideration, and Conversion. 

Each stage has a purpose, and together they form a smooth journey that transforms readers into customers in a non-pushy way. 

That’s one of my favorite things about a successful content funnel - you’re informing and answering a need, which means customers feel comfortable and not like they’re being pushed or sold to.

Here are the three stages in a bit more detail.

The main goal at the top of the funnel is to raise awareness for your brand.

This involves getting in front of people who may not have heard of your website, but are looking for the sort of help you can offer.

SEO-focused content is an excellent tool at this stage of the funnel. A great example of this is when I was producing blog content for a popular coconut-milk brand, and to raise awareness of their product, I identified long-tail keywords that would relate to problems their clients were trying to solve. 

I’d create blogs targeting search terms such as “what is the best vegan alternative to cow’s milk” or “what’s the best milk for cooking and baking”. These blogs were informative, genuinely helpful, and structured so that the searcher’s query was answered quickly and succinctly.

A logical next step was always included at the end of the article, such as a link to a related article or an offer of a free download. This ensured the user kept moving through my client’s website, rather than leaving after getting what they needed.

These blogs generated organic traffic, but predominantly introduced the brand to someone who was interested in my client’s product: coconut milk. There was no hard sale or pitch, just value that would aim to start a positive relationship.

Once a website visitor had read a few blog posts or downloaded a free recipe PDF, I shifted my focus to nurturing, also known as the Consideration Stage.

This involves building trust and showing that my client could offer real solutions that people were seeking. 

Email was an important marketing channel in this stage. For example, I’d send a welcome sequence sharing helpful content, telling the story of the brand, and explaining the advantages of the products, without being overly salesy.

When I’m running a campaign, I use detailed help guides and comparison content to show how the products compare to others (and are ultimately better).

This helps our audience connect the dots between a problem they were facing and how we could help solve that issue. 

I can’t emphasize enough that this second stage isn’t about pushing for a sale. You should be gently encouraging users to explore your services or reach out, being consistent, clear, and offering real value.

The final stage in the content funnel is where curiosity turns into commitment. Your reader is nearly ready to convert, and it's your job to make the decision easy.

One of the most effective tools I’ve found in the conversion stage is case studies. I explain how my products have benefited previous customers, giving real-world examples to show how potential clients can benefit from what I’m offering.

Targeted landing pages are also helpful in this stage. It’s important to note that these aren’t generic service pages - they’re pages written specifically for people who have been through the previous stages of the content funnel, and directly answer any final pain points or reasons they haven’t converted yet.

The goal here isn’t to pressure people - it’s to remove doubt. 

When users reach the conversion stage, they don’t need convincing - they need reassurance that saying “yes” is the right move.

At the end of the page or case study, there should be a clear CTA (Call To Action) that directs users to take action. Here are some of my favorite CTAs that produce tangible results:

Clear and confident CTAs make all the difference, and when a user has been through the whole content marketing funnel, the CTA will feel less like a pitch and more like an invitation.

Not all content serves the same purpose - each stage of a customer’s journey calls for different formats and messages.

I’ve tested a range of content types and have landed on six core content types across my marketing funnel. Here’s how they work to move readers along the process and encourage them to become customers.

Stage: Awareness

Blog posts are my go-to content type for the awareness stage of my content funnel.

They’re designed to attract readers who are searching for a solution to a problem, but likely aren’t aware yet of my brand/services. I focus on long-tail keywords and pain-point topics to answer users’ questions, aiming to educate users and keep people engaged.

The goal with blog posts isn’t to sell, but to earn trust and welcome them to the brand I’m promoting.

I love how successful college sports business newsletter Extra Points by Matt Brown used valuable content to build stronger relationships with his audience - check out our full case study here!

Stage: Awareness → Consideration

Lead magnets are a useful content type when moving casual readers into the consideration stage.

This involves offering practical resources such as checklists, short guides, or templates, in return for an email address, for example. 

With this strategy, readers get a resource they need, and I get a new subscriber for my email list. This also means they’re ready for the consideration stage, where I can send them content directly that they’re likely to be interested in.

Stage: Consideration 

When readers are weighing up their options, comparison content can give some clarity.

I love creating comparison guides that compare the tool I’m promoting with others on the market, allowing readers to make informed decisions while subtly positioning my offer as the best fit.

This type of content is perfect for building authority and showing users that I want them to consider their options before making a decision.

Stage: Consideration → Conversion

Once a user has downloaded a lead magnet or subscribed to my blog/email list, I set up an automated welcome sequence.

This type of content shares helpful resources, tells the story of the brand, and shows how they can help. I then follow this with a more targeted email strategy based on what the user has engaged with, promoting case studies, testimonials, and product tips.

Email is one of my favorite types of content because it’s personal, direct, and ideal for nurturing readers from the consideration stage to conversion.

Stage: Conversion 

Landing pages are where users take action. 

These are focused, stand-alone pages that are built for one purpose only - whether it be to start an online quote, book a call, or sign up for a free trial.

The messaging for these pages should be tailored based on what the user already knows. For example, if they’ve come via a lead magnet sequence, you should mention their pain points and re-explain why your brand can help.

Make sure your landing pages include a clean design, strong testimonials, and a focused CTA for best results. 

Stage: All Stages (Adjusted Accordingly)

Call To Actions can appear at every stage - they may just be phrased differently to suit where the user is in their journey.

For example, softer CTAs like ‘Read More’ or ‘Download This Guide’ may be used at the awareness stage, while more direct CTAs like ‘Book Now’ or ‘Get A Quote’ would be used at the conversion stage.

Each CTA should be designed to feel like the next logical step, giving users a way of proceeding after consuming information.

One of my most effective content marketing funnels was for a craft gin subscription company.

They were looking to increase leads, and their biggest challenge was that while many people love craft gin, they didn’t necessarily know that craft gin subscription boxes were even an option.

Awareness Stage

I started by creating educational blog content to address this gap. I didn’t promote the product directly - instead, I created articles such as “Why a Craft Gin Subscription Box is the Smartest Way to Grow Your Gin Collection”. 

Posts like this explained why buying craft gin from retailers was expensive and often wasteful, while a gin subscription would offer them access to the best craft gins at a fraction of the price.

I also embedded a lead magnet offering a “Free Gin Tasting At Home” guide in exchange for an email address, helping to grow subscribers without adding any pressure.

Consideration Stage

Once I had some email addresses for my list, I sent a series of emails packed with helpful content.

The highlight was a comparison article that stacked my client’s gin box with the offerings from key competitors. I broke down pricing, bottle quality, exclusive perks, and shipping flexibility, showing how my client stood out from the competition.

A key point here is that I tailored each email to respond to the reader’s original search intent from the awareness stage, ensuring that the content always felt relevant.

Conversion Stage

Finally, after a week of sending value-first emails, we sent a final email linking to a dedicated landing page, offering users an exclusive 10% discount code.

This page was simple but targeted with benefit-driven copy, glowing reviews, and a clean sign-up form.

That email generated a measurable spike in new subscriptions for my client, which I firmly believe is because I nurtured leads, answered objections, and gave them a strong reason to convert.

Why Listen to Me? I have been working in the digital marketing space for nearly 10 years, predominantly helping brands with their email marketing and online presence. I now specialize in creating great content for beehiiv to help people nail their email strategies!

Creating content is only half the job.

Measuring what works is what can make your marketing funnel more strategic, looking at different metrics to understand if content is doing its job or if it needs to be adapted.

Here’s what I focused on to measure success at each stage of the funnel:

Traffic is your main metric in the awareness stage.

You want to know whether people are finding you and from what marketing channels. I always track my organic sessions using Google Analytics, using tools such as Ahrefs or Google Search Console to monitor my keyword rankings.

I like to keep an eye on my top landing pages for traffic and make sure that any blog posts that aren’t bringing in new visitors are revised regularly.

Engagement rates are super important in the consideration stage.

They can tell you so much about your campaigns, from whether the subject lines of your email are working, to how much time users are spending on your landing pages.

The goal here is to understand whether people are consuming and considering information, or whether you need to make your content more targeted.

Email metrics are vital to this stage - keep an extra eye on open rates, CTRs (Click-Through Rates), and replies/forwards to see whether your content is resonating.

In the conversion stage, I focus on just that - purchases, booked calls, and trial sign-ups.

You can use UTM links in emails and landing pages to attribute revenue/leads back to specific campaigns, and make sure you’re tracking conversion rates for specific landing pages too.

This is the stage where things become more black and white - if sales aren’t happening, something needs to change.

Measurement is so important in the conversion stage - by monitoring the goals and metrics from each piece of content, you can make smart decisions quickly about whether you should improve a piece of content or keep it exactly as it is.

Building and managing a content marketing funnel can feel overwhelming without the right tools in your arsenal. 

Throughout my experience in digital marketing, I’ve found a killer combination of platforms that make everything much easier, from planning and creation to tracking results.

Notion is my favorite tool for planning and organizing content. I like using this because I can map out funnel stages, brainstorm blog ideas, and track progress on each piece. It also gives me the ability to build content calendars, checklists, and link keyword research so that everything is in one place.

For keyword research and SEO tracking, Ahrefs is my best friend. It helps me find the best long-tail keywords to target at the awareness stage of the marketing funnel, and keep an eye on how my posts rank over time. It also tells me content gaps that I should focus on and a sneak peek at competitor strategies that are performing well.

When it comes to email marketing, for me, the only platform to use is beehiiv. What I found with this platform is that its powerful automation capabilities let me build highly personalized email sequences that adapt based on how subscribers engage with my content. 

Whether it's sending a welcome series after a lead magnet download, or delivering targeted comparison articles based on user interest, beehiiv makes it easy for me to tailor the experience and keep readers moving through the funnel. 

I also love how beehiiv’s 3D analytics platform is both detailed and user-friendly, offering clear insights into how my emails perform and helps me quickly spot what’s working and what needs tweaking.

Mapping your content marketing funnel and matching content to your audience’s intent is the key to turning readers into paying customers.

This strategy has transformed how I look at client campaigns by creating clear pathways from discovery to conversion, making every interaction an important one.

If you’re ready to nurture your audience, I highly recommend trying beehiiv.

With powerful features such as automation, smart segmentation, and in-depth analytics, beehiiv helps creators deliver the right message at the right time in the marketing funnel, leading to better traffic, engagement, and conversions.

Sign up today for a 30-day free trial and start building a content marketing funnel that really works.

The content marketing funnel is a strategic framework that guides potential customers through various stages, from discovering content to making a purchase.

The four stages of the marketing funnel are Awareness, Consideration, Conversion, and Retention.

Awareness attracts potential customers, Consideration nurtures and educates, Conversion drives purchase decisions, and Retention aims to keep existing customers engaged and loyal.

The SEO funnel in marketing uses Search Engine Optimization to drive organic traffic, primarily for the first stage of the marketing funnel: Awareness.

It targets keywords aligned with user intent to guide visitors through the Awareness stage, introducing your brand to people who may not yet be aware of it.

The funnel method in marketing is a step-by-step approach to lead generation and sales. It aims to narrow down a broader audience into qualified leads, delivering tailored content and CTAs to move them from initial interest to conversion.