Bottom of Funnel

CRM & Retention

Also: BOFU · Lower Funnel · Purchase Stage

StageDecision and purchase intent

MistakeRunning awareness ads to BOFU audiences

ContentCase studies, comparisons, demos, reviews

GoalRemove final objections and convert

Quick definition

Bottom of funnel (BOFU) refers to the stage in the customer journey where someone is ready to make a purchase decision. They've moved from awareness (knowing a problem exists) through consideration (evaluating solutions) and are now actively comparing options and looking for reasons to commit. Bottom-of-funnel marketing removes final objections and makes choosing you the obvious outcome.

How it varies across Australia

Bottom-of-funnel conversion rates vary widely by industry and product type. B2B professional services typically see 5-20% conversion rates from BOFU engagement (demo requests, proposal requests). B2C ecommerce sees 1-5% from checkout initiation. The key metric is not the rate itself but whether it's improving over time.

See conversion efficiency benchmarks →

Decision stage

The buyer is evaluating specific vendors or products. They know what solution they want. They're deciding who to buy it from. Content should help them see why you're the right choice.

Conversion barriers

The specific objections preventing purchase. Price, trust, complexity, competing priorities. Effective BOFU marketing identifies and addresses these barriers directly.

High-intent signals

Behavioural signals that indicate purchase readiness: pricing page visits, comparison searches, demo requests, contact form fills. These signals should trigger specific BOFU campaigns.

What it actually means

The funnel metaphor describes how potential customers move from broad awareness to narrow purchase intent. Bottom of funnel is the narrow end: a small proportion of your audience who are actively ready to buy.

At this stage, the buyer knows they have a problem, has identified that a solution like yours exists, has probably evaluated a few options and is now making a final decision. They're not looking for educational content. They're looking for specific answers: Is the price fair? Do other businesses like mine use this? What happens after I buy? Can I see it working?

Bottom-of-funnel content and campaigns answer these questions. Case studies demonstrate real outcomes for real customers. Comparison pages address the 'you vs competitor X' queries that buyers are Googling. Demos and free trials let them experience the product before committing. Strong guarantee language removes the risk of getting it wrong.

The biggest BOFU mistake is running awareness-stage campaigns to high-intent audiences. A retargeting audience of people who visited your pricing page doesn't need an inspirational brand ad. They need a case study from a business like theirs, a testimonial from someone with their objection or a time-limited offer that removes the reason to delay.

Bottom-of-funnel buyers don't need inspiration. They need reassurance that you're the right choice.

How it shows up

BOFU performance shows up in conversion rate from high-intent pages (pricing, demo, contact) and in close rates for sales-qualified leads. Track these separately from broad awareness metrics. A rising organic ranking for comparison keywords is a strong BOFU signal.

The Australian context

Australian B2B buyers conduct most of their BOFU research online before engaging with sales. Gartner research suggests buyers complete 60-70% of their decision process before contacting a vendor. This means BOFU content, particularly comparison pages and detailed case studies, does sales work that sales teams never see credit for.

Where people get this wrong

Sending brand awareness content to bottom-of-funnel audiences.People who have visited your pricing page are ready to buy. Retargeting them with a generic brand video wastes reach. Send them a case study from their industry or a direct offer that removes the barrier to commitment.

Having no case studies or social proof for B2B buyers.B2B buyers at the decision stage want to know that businesses like theirs have succeeded with your solution. No case studies means asking them to take a leap of faith. That's friction.

A complicated or unclear path to purchase.If a high-intent prospect has to search for how to contact you, request a demo or get a price, you're losing conversions. The path to purchase should be the most obvious thing on your site.

Common questions

What is bottom-of-funnel content?

Content designed for buyers who are actively comparing options and ready to purchase. Case studies, product comparisons, detailed testimonials, demos, free trials and pricing pages are all bottom-of-funnel content. The goal is to remove final objections and make the purchase decision easy.

What ads work best for bottom-of-funnel audiences?

Retargeting ads with social proof (case studies, specific outcomes, recognisable client names), comparison ads addressing specific objections and direct-response ads with clear next steps. Avoid awareness-format creative on BOFU audiences. They know who you are. They need a reason to commit.

How do I identify bottom-of-funnel buyers?

High-intent behaviour signals BOFU readiness: pricing page visits, demo requests, comparison keyword searches, repeated site visits in a short window, engagement with case study content. Build retargeting segments around these behaviours and treat them differently from general website visitors.

Keep exploring

About New Rebellion

New Rebellion is a marketing intelligence consultancy. We build tools, score Australian businesses on how their marketing actually performs, and publish Debrief every day. This dictionary is part of how we work in the open.

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