9 Popular Top of Funnel Marketing Tactics for 2024

Funnel marketing tactics attract and nurture potential customers throughout the entire sales cycle.

Top of funnel marketing, or TOFU marketing, is the first stage of your sales funnel. It’s the starting point in every buyer’s journey, and making a strong first impression is crucial at this stage. 

This marketing stage is mainly focused on boosting brand awareness and generating leads.

What funnel marketing tactics should you use in today’s competitive market? What tactics do savvy marketers leverage to supercharge their lead-generation efforts?

In this post, I’ll explore 9 popular top-of-funnel marketing tactics and their importance. I’ll also discuss the metrics you need to track for optimal performance.

Let’s dive right in.

9 Popular Top of Funnel Marketing Tactics

Here are the nine most popular top-of-funnel marketing tactics to leverage in 2024. They help improve marketing performance and the overall success of your business.

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

An SEO-optimized website or piece of content will reach its target audience. It’s one of the most reliable top-of-funnel marketing tactics overall.

Optimizing your website or content for “relevant” keywords boosts their online visibility and attracts more qualified traffic from search engines.

According to a study by Ahrefs, over 96% of pages and content get zero search traffic from Google. This highlights the importance of SEO, as a well-optimized backlink strategy is crucial for improving search engine visibility and driving organic traffic. The study reveals that poor search demand is the number 1 reason for the poor traffic.

The key to successful funnel marketing is to prioritize creating keyword-optimized content. Create high-quality content that resonates with your audience’s search intent. 

Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant terms with high search volume and low competition. Also, prioritize earning high-quality backlinks from authoritative sources. 

High-quality backlinks are essential in creating content that resonates with your audience. According to the aforementioned Ahrefs study, poor backlinking is the second reason pages get zero search traffic from Google.

2. Social Media Marketing

Social media is widely recognized as a crucial component of successful digital marketing strategies.

Social media marketing is one of the most effective funnel marketing tactics because of its relative ubiquity. More than 5 billion people use social media, and according to Statista, that figure will continue to increase in the coming years.

Utilize social media to optimize your funnel marketing tactic. Focus on the social media platforms your target audience frequents the most. For instance, you’re more likely to reach a B2B audience on LinkedIn than on TikTok.

Experiment with different ad formats to drive engagement and attract qualified traffic. For instance, experiment with ad formats such as video, carousel, and stories. However, it’s essential that you consistently optimize your marketing funnel based on performance data and insights.

3. Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing has become an essential top-of-funnel tactic for reaching and engaging your target audience.

This marketing strategy involves collaborating with influencers or thought leaders in your industry. The partnership capitalizes on the influencers’ established credibility and following to promote your brand.

Presently, influencer marketing is a very potent funnel marketing technique. This Influencer Marketing Hub survey shows that 85% of marketers attest to its effectiveness.

To execute a successful influencer marketing campaign, seek out influencers. Collaborate with micro and nano-influencers who share some of your brand values. More importantly, collaborate with influencers in your niche. This ensures that your messaging is relevant to their audience.

4. Paid Search Advertising

Like social media, search engines are a great channel for reaching potential leads. In fact, paid search advertising, also known as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, is one of the best and most popular top-of-funnel marketing tactics.

This marketing funnel tactic targets internet users who are actively searching for your products or services on search engines. It allows you to display ads prominently in search engine results pages (SERPs) for targeted keywords, helping open your sales funnel to hyper-qualified traffic.

Here’s how you can succeed with PPC:

• Craft compelling ad copy and landing pages optimized for conversions
• Continuously monitor and optimize your PPC campaigns
• Leverage advanced targeting options like location, device, and audience to ensure your ads reach the right people
• Conduct thorough keyword research to identify high-intent keywords that align with your target audience’s search queries

5. Email Marketing

New marketing channels are emerging. However, email marketing remains a highly effective strategy for nurturing leads, earning it a spot as one of the most popular funnel marketing tactics across most industries.

For context, you can expect to make $36 on every $1 invested in email marketing.

Leverage the power of email marketing to boost your funnel entries by:

• Building a high-quality email list through opt-in forms and landing pages
• Crafting compelling subject lines and personalized email content
• Segmenting your email list based on demographics, behavior, or preferences
• Incorporating clear calls-to-action (CTAs)
• Tracking key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates (CTR), and conversions

6. Lead Generation and Lead Magnets

Lead generation and lead magnets are also top-of-funnel marketing tactics. These tactics are essential for businesses looking to attract and convert potential customers into qualified leads.

Lead magnets come in various forms, such as ebooks, whitepapers, webinars, or free trials. The purpose of lead generation/magnets is to provide valuable information or resources in exchange for contact information.

You can use pop-ups, exit-intent overlays, and content upgrades to increase lead-capture opportunities. Similarly, use hard-hitting calls-to-action across your website to grab attention.

Scanova Blog provides an excellent example of a lead magnet in this example. Its free contactless marketing ebook prominently displays when you try to leave the site.

7. Public Relations

Getting your brand mentioned in the media is an effective way to attract leads to your funnel. Public relations (PR) is one of the most popular funnel marketing tactics in 2024.

Amp up your PR strategies to showcase your brand’s expertise and unique value proposition. Craft creative press releases, media pitches, and thought leadership articles. Implementing this strategy can capture the attention of journalists or influencers and result in a wider reach among their respective audiences.

8. Referral Marketing

Referral marketing is one of the most popular funnel marketing tactics. It capitalizes on the power of social proof through word-of-mouth recommendations. It’s simple: people trust people.

According to a TINT study, 93% of consumers trust content created by other consumers more than that created by brands.

You have most likely purchased a product because someone referred it to you. You may have also referred the same product or other products to your peers free of charge. 

This ambassador marketing model explains why referral marketing is one of the top-of-funnel marketing tactics.

Transform your customers into willing ambassadors. Do the following to improve your top-of-funnel marketing:

• Use referral links
• Build a loyalty program
• Send “thank you” emails
• Create customer loyalty tiers
• Time your referral requests strategically
• Cultivate a community around your brand
• Never fail to reward customers for referring others

Here, Bombas has a nails referral marketing that offers a discount for referrals. It also includes a charity program, giving this referral campaign an altruistic feel.

9. Webinars and Virtual Events

Webinars and virtual events are powerful top-of-funnel marketing tactics. Interested participants in your virtual events are expected to provide their contact information so they can access the webinar.

The information can then drive the audience down your sales funnel.

In 2024, utilize webinars and virtual events as funnel marketing tactics. To begin, identify topics that resonate with your target audience. Then, promote your events through social media and strategic partnerships to maximize reach and attendance.

Also, leverage interactive elements such as Q&A sessions, polls, and breakout rooms. These interactive elements enhance audience engagement and nurture them further down the funnel.

Benefits of Top-of-Funnel Marketing

Implementing top-of-funnel marketing tactics has many benefits. These tactics can catalyze your lead generation efforts and drive business growth.

Here are ten compelling benefits of investing in a robust top-of-funnel strategy:

1. Increased brand awareness. Implementing funnel marketing strategies allows your brand to reach a wider audience. It amplifies your brand’s visibility and makes it easier for prospects to discover your products or services.
2. Steady stream of leads. Webinars and lead magnets can fuel your sales pipeline. These funnel marketing tactics can generate steady contact information for qualified prospects.
3. Higher-quality leads. Implementing top-of-funnel marketing tactics enables you to reach your desired audience effectively. It lets you attract potential customers, resulting in higher-quality leads and a better ROI.
4. Improved search engine rankings. Funnel marketing tactics like SEO and PPC can boost your website’s search engine visibility. They drive more organic traffic from potential customers actively searching for your products and services.
5. Robust credibility and thought leadership status. Top-of-funnel marketing positions your brand as an industry authority. Creating valuable content, virtual events, and PR efforts helps your brand establish trust and credibility.
6. Increased competitive edge. A robust top-of-funnel strategy can help you stay ahead of the competition. It helps you capture the attention of prospects before they consider alternative solutions.
7. Better understanding of target audience. Top-of-funnel marketing provides insights into your audience’s interests, pain points, and behaviors. It allows you to refine your messaging and tactics for maximum yield.
8. Increased customer lifetime value. Nurturing leads from the funnel lets you build stronger relationships. It enables you to improve customer retention, leading to higher lifetime values.
9. Cost-effective lead generation. Funnel marketing tactics, such as lead magnets and webinars, can be cost-effective compared to other lead-generation methods.
10. Sustained long-term growth. Top-of-funnel marketing lays the foundation for sustainable growth. It attracts new prospects and ensures a consistent influx of potential customers. It helps nurture prospects and convert them into loyal customers.

Important Top-of-Funnel Marketing Metrics to Track

Tracking the right metrics is crucial when measuring the success of your top of funnel marketing efforts. It enables you to make data-driven optimizations. As explored in the Attrock guide, some sales funnel metrics are crucial touchpoints. Here are some important funnel marketing metrics to monitor closely:

• Website traffic: Monitor the number of visitors to your website. This metric highlights the effectiveness of your tactics in driving awareness and interest.
• Traffic sources: Analyze where your website traffic is coming from. Discover whether it is from organic search, social media, referrals, or paid campaigns. Understanding this helps identify your most effective acquisition channels.
• Bounce rate: A high bounce rate may signal that your content or landing pages aren’t resonating with your target audience. This metric helps you pinpoint issues and iterate.
• Time on page: The time visitors spend on your pages can indicate the quality and relevance of your content to their needs and interests.
• Social media engagement: Track metrics such as likes, shares, comments, and mentions. This will help you assess your audience’s level of interest and interaction with your brand on social platforms.
• Email open and click-through rates: These metrics reveal the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns in capturing attention and driving desired actions.
• Lead generation: Track the number of leads generated from various top-of-funnel marketing tactics. For instance, you can track lead magnets, webinars, or content downloads.
• Cost per lead: Calculate the cost of acquiring each lead to evaluate the efficiency and ROI of your funnel marketing investments.

Consistently monitoring these key metrics can offer valuable insights into what’s working and where improvements are needed in your top of funnel marketing campaigns.

Wrap Up

In today’s competitive business landscape, a comprehensive top-of-funnel marketing strategy is essential for sustainable growth. 

You can leverage the top 9 tactics we’ve explored in this post. Use SEO, PPC, and webinars to capture the attention of your ideal audience effectively.

You can nurture them through the early stages of their journey. This lets you consistently fuel your sales pipeline with high-quality leads.

The road to success begins at the top of the funnel. Channel more focus into this crucial marketing stage and watch your business performance soar. Good luck!