How to Build a Full-Funnel Marketing Strategy for Ecommerce
Most DTC brands focus 90% of their budget on bottom-of-funnel (BOFU) tactics — retargeting ads, branded search, email to existing customers. They're optimizing the last click while ignoring the entire customer journey that led there.
The result? Stagnant growth. You're squeezing every drop from your existing audience, but not building new demand.
A true full-funnel strategy captures customers at every stage: awareness (they don't know you exist), consideration (they're evaluating options), and conversion (they're ready to buy). Each stage requires different channels, messaging, and metrics.
This guide shows you how to build a complete full-funnel marketing strategy for ecommerce — from first touch to repeat purchase.
Table of Contents
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What is Full-Funnel Marketing?
Full-funnel marketing means running campaigns at every stage of the customer journey, not just the final conversion moment. The traditional (broken) approach:- 90% of budget on retargeting and branded search (bottom-of-funnel) - 10% or less on awareness (top-of-funnel) - Result: You're fishing in a shrinking pond
The full-funnel approach:- 40-50% of budget on awareness (introducing your brand to new audiences) - 20-30% on consideration (nurturing interest, education) - 30-40% on conversion (capturing high-intent buyers) - Result: You're constantly refilling the pond while also catching fish
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Why Full-Funnel Matters
1. Sustainable growthBottom-funnel tactics (retargeting, branded search) have a ceiling. Eventually, you exhaust your warm audience. Full-funnel marketing continuously generates new demand.
2. Better attributionWhen you only run bottom-funnel campaigns, you give conversion credit to the last click — ignoring the awareness campaigns that introduced the customer to your brand in the first place.
3. Stronger brand equityAwareness campaigns build brand recognition. Over time, this reduces CAC (people seek you out) and increases LTV (brand loyalty drives repeat purchases).
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The Three Funnel Stages (Awareness, Consideration, Conversion)
Top-of-Funnel (TOFU): Awareness
Goal: Introduce your brand to people who've never heard of you. Audience: Cold traffic (no prior interaction with your brand) Mindset: "I have a problem/need, but I don't know you exist." Metrics:- Impressions, reach - Video views, engagement rate - CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions) - Brand lift (measured via surveys or search volume)
Channels:- TikTok/Meta prospecting ads (broad targeting) - YouTube (awareness campaigns, video views) - CTV (Connected TV advertising) - Influencer partnerships (organic reach) - Content marketing/SEO (organic discovery)
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Middle-of-Funnel (MOFU): Consideration
Goal: Educate and nurture interest among people who know you exist but haven't bought yet. Audience: Warm traffic (visited your site, engaged with content, but didn't convert) Mindset: "I know you exist, but I'm evaluating options. Why should I choose you?" Metrics:- Click-through rate (CTR) - Site visits, engagement time - Add-to-cart rate - Email open/click rates
Channels:- Retargeting ads (Meta, TikTok, Google Display) - Email nurture sequences - YouTube (product demos, testimonials) - Google Search (comparison keywords, "best [product]") - Content (blog posts, guides, case studies)
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Bottom-of-Funnel (BOFU): Conversion
Goal: Convert high-intent users who are ready to buy. Audience: Hot traffic (added to cart, initiated checkout, or actively searching for your product) Mindset: "I'm ready to buy. Convince me to buy NOW (or from YOU vs. competitors)." Metrics:- Conversion rate (CVR) - Cost per acquisition (CPA) - Return on ad spend (ROAS) - Revenue, profit
Channels:- Retargeting (cart abandoners, checkout abandoners) - Google Search (branded keywords, transactional queries) - Email (cart abandonment, limited-time offers) - SMS (urgent reminders, flash sales)
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Mapping Channels to Funnel Stages
| Channel | TOFU (Awareness) | MOFU (Consideration) | BOFU (Conversion) | |---------|-----------------|---------------------|-------------------| | Meta Ads | ✅ Prospecting (broad/LAL) | ✅ Retargeting (site visitors) | ✅ Retargeting (cart/checkout) | | TikTok Ads | ✅ Prospecting (viral reach) | ✅ Retargeting | ✅ Retargeting | | Google Search | ❌ (intent-based, not awareness) | ✅ Comparison keywords | ✅ Branded + transactional keywords | | Google Shopping | ❌ | ✅ Product discovery | ✅ High-intent shoppers | | YouTube Ads | ✅ Awareness (video views) | ✅ Product demos | ✅ Retargeting | | CTV | ✅ Brand awareness | ⚠️ (limited targeting) | ❌ | | Email | ❌ (need email first) | ✅ Nurture sequences | ✅ Promotions, urgency | | SMS | ❌ | ⚠️ (rarely used for MOFU) | ✅ Cart abandonment, flash sales | | SEO/Content | ✅ Organic discovery | ✅ Education, comparison | ⚠️ (informational, not transactional) | | Influencers | ✅ Brand introduction | ✅ Reviews, testimonials | ⚠️ (affiliate links can drive direct sales) |
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Top-of-Funnel (TOFU): Building Awareness
The goal: Get your brand in front of as many relevant people as possible.TOFU Strategy by Channel
#### Meta/TikTok Prospecting Ads
Objective: Reach (impressions/video views) or Traffic (drive site visits) Targeting:- Broad targeting (18-55+, minimal interest restrictions) - Lookalike audiences (1-5%, based on purchasers) - Interest-based (one broad category, e.g., "Fitness & Wellness")
Creative:- Entertaining, scroll-stopping content - Focus on the problem you solve, not hard-selling - UGC (user-generated content) or influencer-style videos - Keep it native to the platform (TikTok: raw, authentic; Meta: polished but relatable)
Example: Coffee brand- Creative: "POV: You're a coffee addict who just discovered flavored coffee that doesn't taste fake. 50+ flavors, freshly roasted. You're welcome." - Goal: Brand awareness + curiosity (not immediate sale)
Budget: 40-50% of total paid budget Metrics:- CPM: $10-20 (Meta/TikTok) - Video view rate: 30-50% - Site visit rate: 1-3% CTR
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#### YouTube Awareness Campaigns
Objective: Video views (CPV - cost per view) Ad format:- Skippable in-stream ads (6-30 seconds) - Bumper ads (6 seconds, non-skippable)
Targeting:- Interest-based (YouTube's affinity audiences) - Demographic (age, gender, household income) - Contextual (show ads on relevant videos/channels)
Creative:- Hook in first 5 seconds (before skip button) - Tell a story (not a sales pitch) - Brand recall > immediate conversion
Example: Skincare brand- Creative: 15-second video showing before/after transformation, testimonials, lifestyle shots - Goal: "I've heard of this brand" (not "I need to buy now")
Budget: 10-15% of total paid budget (if using video) Metrics:- CPV: $0.03-0.10 - View rate: 30-50% (% of people who watched)
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#### Connected TV (CTV) Advertising
Objective: Brand awareness (impressions) Platforms: Roku, Hulu, YouTube CTV, streaming apps Targeting:- Demographics (age, household income, location) - Behavioral (viewing habits, interests)
Creative:- 15-30 second video spots - TV-quality production (higher bar than Meta/TikTok) - Brand-focused (not direct response)
Best for: Brands with larger budgets ($10K+/month on CTV alone), premium positioning Budget: 10-20% of total paid budget (if using CTV) Metrics:- CPM: $20-40 - Brand lift (measure via surveys or search volume increases)
For more on CTV, see our Connected TV Advertising guide.
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#### Influencer Partnerships (Organic + Paid Amplification)
Strategy:- Influencer content = social proof and authenticity - Paid amplification = scale beyond their organic reach - Cost-effective (one creator fee + ad spend vs. expensive brand production)
Budget: 10-20% of total budget (creator fees + ad amplification)For more, see our guide to finding TikTok influencers.
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Middle-of-Funnel (MOFU): Driving Consideration
The goal: Nurture warm audiences who know you exist but haven't bought yet.MOFU Strategy by Channel
#### Retargeting Ads (Meta/TikTok)
Audiences:- Website visitors (last 30 days) - Video viewers (watched 50%+ of your awareness ads) - Engaged with your content (liked, commented, shared)
Creative:- Shift from "Here's who we are" (TOFU) to "Here's why you should buy" (MOFU) - Social proof (reviews, testimonials, UGC) - Product benefits and use cases - Offer incentive (10-15% off for first-time buyers)
Example: Coffee brand- TOFU creative: "Meet the coffee brand TikTok is obsessed with" - MOFU creative: "Still thinking about trying us? 12,000+ 5-star reviews. Freshly roasted, shipped free. Use code FIRST15 for 15% off."
Budget: 20-30% of total paid budget Metrics:- CTR: 3-6% - Add-to-cart rate: 5-15% - CPA: $30-60 (lower than cold prospecting, higher than BOFU)
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#### Email Nurture Sequences
Trigger: User subscribes (pop-up, lead magnet) or visits site without purchasing Sequence:- Open rate: 30-50% - Click rate: 3-8% - Conversion rate: 1-5%
For more, see our Email Marketing for Ecommerce guide.
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#### Google Search (Comparison Keywords)
Keywords:- "Best [product category]" - "[Your brand] vs [competitor]" - "[Product] reviews"
Ad copy:- Highlight differentiators (why you're better than competitors) - Include reviews/ratings (4.9⭐ Rated) - Offer guarantee (60-day returns, money-back guarantee)
Example: Mattress brand- Keyword: "best mattress for side sleepers" - Ad: "Award-Winning Mattresses | 4.9⭐ Rated | 365-Night Trial | Free Shipping & Returns"
Budget: 10-15% of total paid budget---
#### Content Marketing (Blog, Guides, Comparisons)
Content types:- "Best [product] for [use case]" (SEO-driven) - "How to choose [product]" (educational) - "[Your brand] vs [competitor]" (comparison)
Goal: Capture organic search traffic, educate prospects, build trust Distribution:- Organic search (SEO) - Email newsletter (to subscribers) - Social media (drive traffic to content)
Metrics:- Organic traffic - Time on page (3-5 minutes = engaged readers) - Conversion rate (content → purchase)
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Bottom-of-Funnel (BOFU): Converting Sales
The goal: Convert high-intent users immediately.BOFU Strategy by Channel
#### Cart & Checkout Abandonment Retargeting
Audiences:- Added to cart but didn't purchase (last 7-14 days) - Initiated checkout but didn't complete (last 7-14 days)
Channels:- Meta/TikTok retargeting ads - Email (automated sequences) - SMS (urgent reminders)
Creative/messaging:- Urgency ("Your cart expires in 24 hours") - Incentive (10% off, free shipping) - Trust signals (money-back guarantee, secure checkout)
Example:- Meta ad: "You left something behind! Complete your order in the next 24 hours and get FREE SHIPPING. Use code FREESHIP at checkout." - Email subject: "Did you forget something? Your cart is waiting + 10% off inside" - SMS: "Hey! Your cart is about to expire. Grab it now with code SAVE10 → [link]"
Budget: 20-30% of total paid budget Metrics:- CTR: 5-10% - Conversion rate: 10-25% - ROAS: 6-12x (highest of any channel)
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#### Branded Search (Google)
Keywords:- [Your brand name] - [Your brand] + product - [Your brand] promo code - [Your brand] reviews
Why it matters: People searching your brand are ready to buy. This is the highest-intent traffic you'll ever get. Budget: 10-15% of total paid budget (small spend, huge ROI) Metrics:- CTR: 10-20% - Conversion rate: 10-25% - ROAS: 8-15x
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#### Google Shopping (High-Intent Product Searches)
Keywords (automatically matched by Google):- "Buy [product]" - "[Product] for sale" - "[Brand] [product]"
Why it works: Product Listing Ads (PLAs) show image, price, reviews → high conversion rate Budget: 15-25% of total paid budget Metrics:- CTR: 1-3% - Conversion rate: 3-8% - ROAS: 4-7x
For optimization, see our Google Shopping feed optimization guide.
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#### SMS Flash Sales & Urgency
Use case: Cart abandoners, VIP customers, time-sensitive promotions Messaging:- "Flash sale: 20% off for the next 4 hours only" - "Your cart expires at midnight — complete your order now"
Frequency: 1-2x per week max (SMS is intrusive; overdo it and users unsubscribe) Metrics:- Open rate: 90-98% (SMS has near-perfect open rates) - Click rate: 10-20% - Conversion rate: 5-15%
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Retention: The Often-Forgotten Fourth Stage
Most brands treat the funnel as linear: awareness → consideration → conversion → done.
Wrong. The real funnel is circular: acquisition → conversion → retention → advocacy → (feeds back into awareness).Retention Strategy
Goal: Turn one-time buyers into repeat customers (higher LTV, lower CAC over time) Channels:- Email: Post-purchase sequences, restock reminders, new product launches, loyalty programs - SMS: Exclusive offers for existing customers - Retargeting ads: Cross-sell and upsell (show complementary products) - Loyalty programs: Points, VIP tiers, referral incentives
Example: Coffee brand retention loop- Repeat purchase rate: 20-40% (within 90 days) - Customer LTV: 2-5x first purchase value - CAC payback period: <90 days (profitable acquisition)
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Budget Allocation Across the Funnel
Recommended budget split (by stage):| Stage | Budget % | Channels | Expected ROAS | |-------|----------|----------|---------------| | TOFU (Awareness) | 40-50% | Meta/TikTok prospecting, YouTube, CTV, influencers | 1.5-2.5x (low immediate ROAS, high long-term value) | | MOFU (Consideration) | 20-30% | Retargeting, email nurture, Google Search (comparison) | 2.5-4.0x | | BOFU (Conversion) | 30-40% | Cart/checkout retargeting, branded search, Shopping ads | 5.0-12x |
Total blended ROAS target: 3.5-5.0x---
Budget Allocation Example: $10K/Day Total Spend
| Stage | Daily Budget | Channels | Monthly Spend | |-------|--------------|----------|---------------| | TOFU | $4,500 | Meta prospecting ($2K), TikTok prospecting ($1.5K), YouTube ($500), Influencers ($500) | $135K | | MOFU | $2,500 | Meta retargeting ($1.5K), TikTok retargeting ($500), Google Search - comparison ($500) | $75K | | BOFU | $3,000 | Cart retargeting ($1K), Branded search ($500), Google Shopping ($1K), Email/SMS ($500) | $90K | | Total | $10,000/day | | $300K/month |
Expected blended ROAS: 4.0-5.0x---
Measuring Full-Funnel Performance
Don't Rely on Last-Click Attribution
The problem: Platform-reported ROAS only credits the last click. Example:---
Multi-Touch Attribution Tools
Recommended platforms:- Triple Whale: Best for Shopify brands, affordable ($129-999/mo) - Northbeam: Advanced MTA for brands spending $50K+/mo on ads - Google Analytics 4: Free, basic multi-touch attribution
What they do: Track the full customer journey (first touch → multiple touches → conversion) and distribute credit proportionally.For more, see our Multi-Touch Attribution guide.
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Key Metrics by Funnel Stage
TOFU metrics:- Impressions, reach - CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions) - Video view rate - Site visit rate (CTR) - New visitors
MOFU metrics:- Add-to-cart rate - Email engagement (open rate, click rate) - Time on site - Pages per session
BOFU metrics:- Conversion rate (CVR) - Cost per acquisition (CPA) - Return on ad spend (ROAS) - Revenue
Retention metrics:- Repeat purchase rate - Customer lifetime value (LTV) - LTV:CAC ratio (target: 3:1 or higher)
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Common Full-Funnel Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Mistake 1: Over-Investing in BOFU
Problem: 90% of budget on retargeting and branded search. You're squeezing the same audience, not growing it. Fix: Shift 40-50% of budget to TOFU (awareness). Yes, ROAS will look lower initially, but you're building future demand.---
❌ Mistake 2: Judging TOFU by BOFU Metrics
Problem: Expecting 5x ROAS from awareness campaigns. Reality: TOFU campaigns deliver 1.5-2.5x ROAS (or less) because you're reaching cold audiences. Their value is long-term (brand building, future conversions). Fix: Measure TOFU by reach, CPM, and brand lift — not immediate ROAS.---
❌ Mistake 3: Ignoring Retention
Problem: Spending 100% of budget acquiring new customers, 0% retaining them. Reality: Repeat customers are 3-5x cheaper to convert than new customers. Fix: Allocate 15-25% of budget/effort to retention (email, SMS, loyalty programs).---
❌ Mistake 4: Using Only Platform-Reported ROAS
Problem: Facebook says 3.5x ROAS, Google says 5.0x, TikTok says 2.8x. They all claim credit for the same conversions. Fix: Use blended ROAS (total revenue / total ad spend across all platforms) and multi-touch attribution.---
❌ Mistake 5: Not Connecting the Dots
Problem: Running awareness campaigns on TikTok, conversion campaigns on Google, email campaigns in Klaviyo — but treating them as independent silos. Fix: Understand that TOFU feeds MOFU feeds BOFU. They work together. A weak TOFU strategy means a shrinking BOFU audience over time.---
Build a Funnel That Compounds
A full-funnel strategy isn't about spending more — it's about spending smarter. Every dollar in awareness creates future demand for consideration and conversion campaigns.
Recap:Done right, full-funnel marketing creates a compounding growth engine. Awareness feeds consideration feeds conversion feeds retention feeds advocacy — and advocacy feeds awareness (word-of-mouth, referrals, social proof).
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Let Us Build Your Full-Funnel Strategy
At ATTN Agency, we manage full-funnel marketing for DTC brands across Meta, TikTok, Google, YouTube, CTV, and email/SMS.
What we do:- Channel strategy and budget allocation - Creative production (awareness, consideration, conversion assets) - Campaign management across all platforms - Multi-touch attribution and incrementality testing - Retention marketing (email/SMS, loyalty programs)
We build marketing engines that drive sustainable, profitable growth — not just short-term ROAS spikes.
Contact us to discuss your full-funnel strategy.---
Related Resources:- Multi-Touch Attribution for DTC Brands: The Complete Guide - Facebook Ads for Ecommerce: Complete Strategy Guide - TikTok Ads for Ecommerce: The Ultimate Guide - Google Ads for Ecommerce: Complete Strategy Guide - Email Marketing for Ecommerce: Complete Guide