Blog Post

Let’s clear one thing up right away—when I say TOFU, I’m not talking about the stuff you toss in your stir-fry. I’m talking about the top of your marketing funnel. The same goes for MOFU and BOFU—middle and bottom. These aren’t just fancy acronyms marketers throw around at coffee shops to sound strategic. They’re the bones of a well-structured marketing system that actually moves people from curious strangers to loyal customers.

Over the past nine years, I’ve built and optimized funnels for brands that needed more than just traffic—they needed traction. That means understanding each stage of the funnel, and more importantly, knowing how to guide the right people through it.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this breakdown:

• What TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU really mean
  
• What type of content and strategy works best at each stage
  
• How to connect all the dots for a cohesive, conversion-driven funnel
  
• Common pitfalls to avoid along the way
  

If you’re struggling with leads that stall or prospects that ghost you after the first touchpoint, stick around. This might be the missing piece.

A funnel is just a way of thinking about how people move from first discovering your brand to becoming paying customers. It’s not revolutionary—but it’s incredibly effective when done right.

Think of it like a conversation. At the top, you’re introducing yourself. In the middle, you’re having a real discussion. And at the bottom, you’re shaking hands on the deal.

Without structure, it’s easy to throw out content randomly and hope something sticks. But that’s like tossing ingredients into a bowl and praying it turns into cake. Spoiler: it won’t.

Top of Funnel is where the relationship begins. At this stage, your audience likely has no idea who you are. They’re either casually browsing or starting to look into solving a problem.

That means no hard selling. This is where I focus on value-first content that educates, entertains, or simply helps people connect with the brand without pressure.

• Blog content that answers early-stage questions
  
• Social media posts that share insights, not sales pitches
  
• Short videos or infographics that explain ideas simply
  
• Light downloadable resources that solve small problems
  

It’s all about reach and relevance. If your TOFU game is weak, you’re not even in the consideration set. Want to sharpen your strategy? Here’s where I dive deeper into top-of-funnel tactics.

Remember, not everyone in TOFU is ready to buy—but they are watching. Give them a reason to stick around.

Middle of Funnel is where things get interesting. You’ve got their attention. Now you need to hold it.

At this stage, your audience knows what problem they’re trying to solve. They’re exploring options. They’re comparing. And they’re quietly evaluating you.

This is the time to offer more detailed, more targeted content. Think of it like turning a casual chat into a thoughtful conversation.

• Case studies that show real results
  
• Webinars or how-to videos that teach something practical
  
• Comparison guides that help them evaluate solutions
  
• Email sequences that feel personal and useful—not spammy
  

If your TOFU was casting the net, MOFU is where you start pulling it in. Get this wrong, and even warm leads will cool off fast. You can get more detail on how I build out middle-stage engagement in this guide.

At this point, I’m not selling a product. I’m selling clarity. The clearer you are, the closer they get to a decision.

BOFU is where we close the loop. If you’ve done your job well at the top and middle, the people left at the bottom are nearly ready to buy. But “nearly” doesn’t pay the bills.

This is where I switch gears from nurturing to nudging. I focus on content and experiences that remove doubt and increase urgency—without crossing into desperation.

• Live product demos or walkthrough videos
  
• Personalized email offers or incentives
  
• Customer testimonials or success stories
  
• FAQs that tackle last-minute objections
  

The key at this stage is reassurance. They want to feel like they’re making the right call. This is where I apply my most direct messaging—but always anchored in real value. For examples, check out how I approach bottom-funnel content.

A lot of businesses ignore this phase. That’s a mistake. You wouldn’t run a marathon and stop a mile from the finish line, right?

One stage alone doesn’t drive growth. You need the whole system working together.

If your TOFU content is great but you have no MOFU follow-up, you’ll lose warm leads. If your BOFU isn’t dialed in, all your top-stage traffic is just wasted effort.

Here’s how I make sure the stages connect:

• Align each stage to your buyer’s mindset, not just your product features
  
• Use data to understand where drop-offs happen and why
  
• Build content that transitions people forward—not just fills space
  

Need a real-world walkthrough? I’ve mapped out the entire flow from start to finish in this funnel journey post.

If you’ve tried funnel marketing before and felt like it didn’t work, you’re not alone. Most funnels fail because of simple missteps.

Here are a few I see far too often:

• Creating only TOFU content and expecting sales to follow
  
• Jumping straight to BOFU pitches with no warm-up
  
• Not knowing where your leads actually drop off
  

Want a closer look at mistakes I’ve seen (and fixed)? Here’s my full breakdown of funnel mistakes to avoid.

Funnel building isn’t about being everywhere—it’s about being useful in the right place at the right time.

Each funnel stage has different goals. Don’t judge TOFU on sales or MOFU on impressions. Measure the right thing, or you’ll end up optimizing the wrong process.

Here’s how I break it down:

• TOFU: Site traffic, engagement, time on page
  
• MOFU: Email opt-ins, downloads, webinar signups
  
• BOFU: Conversions, sales calls booked, final purchases
  

To fine-tune these metrics, I use data dashboards, lead scoring, and behavior tracking. You can explore my full approach in funnel metrics that matter.

A high-converting funnel doesn’t start with a tool. It starts with clarity. If your funnel feels like it’s just floating in space, it’s probably missing structure—or purpose.

Every brand I work with has a different offer. But every great funnel I’ve seen shares one thing in common: it respects the journey. It guides, it doesn’t push.

If you’re ready to create or overhaul your funnel, I’ve covered every phase from content types to metrics. You can build one that attracts, nurtures, and converts—with intention.

Want to go deeper into content strategy for each stage? You’ll find more in this guide on funnel content strategies and real examples of what works.

Or if you’re tired of DIYing and ready to make your funnel finally work the way it should, get in touch. I’ll help you create a strategy that guides real people to real decisions.

And yes, sometimes that decision includes cake.