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In the rush to create attention-grabbing top-funnel content and conversion-focused bottom-funnel materials, many companies overlook what might be their most valuable opportunity: middle-of-the-funnel content. This neglected area represents a critical junction where interested prospects become qualified leads ready for purchase conversations.
“People in the consideration phase of the buyer’s journey consume 47% more content than any other phase in the journey,” said growth strategist Sheri Otto on Episode 720 of “The Business Storytelling Podcast.”
This statistic reveals an important truth: potential customers actively seek information when evaluating options. They crave these examples of middle of the funnel content:
- educational materials
- comparisons (Example: Restream vs. StreamYard)
- case studies
- testimonials
All of that content helps them make informed decisions.
Despite this clear demand, many marketing teams allocate minimal resources to middle of the funnel content creation. Instead, they focus heavily on awareness-building social media posts and direct-response conversion materials, leaving a content gap precisely where prospects are most engaged.
Types of effective middle of the funnel content
Middle funnel content takes many forms, but the best examples share common characteristics: they’re educational, specific, and showcase real-world applications of products or services.
Case studies consistently rank among the most effective pieces. These narrative-driven documents demonstrate actual problem-solving scenarios that prospects can relate to. They bridge the gap between theoretical benefits and practical applications.
Industry reports provide another valuable middle funnel asset. By presenting market research, trends analysis, and expert perspectives, these reports position brands as industry authorities while providing genuine value to information-seeking prospects.
Comparison content addresses prospects’ natural tendency to evaluate alternatives. Whether comparing features, value propositions, or implementation processes, this content helps answer the critical “why us” question.
Testimonials capture authentic user experiences in digestible formats. When strategically deployed across middle funnel touchpoints, they build credibility through social proof – especially important as millennials increasingly dominate B2B purchasing decisions.
Owning the narrative through middle-funnel content
One of the compelling arguments for investing in middle-funnel content comes down to narrative control.
“Why not be the one to own that narrative, versus them going out to ChatGPT or all these other areas where they’re trying to dig for information?” said Sheri.
When companies fail to provide comprehensive middle funnel content, prospects don’t stop researching – they simply look elsewhere. This creates significant risk, as competitors, third-party review sites, or AI-generated content may shape perceptions beyond a brand’s control.
By creating robust middle funnel content, companies maintain influence over how their solutions are positioned and understood throughout the consideration phase. This narrative ownership pays dividends when prospects reach decision points with accurate information aligned with brand messaging.
Measuring the impact of middle funnel content presents challenges different from top or bottom funnel metrics. Traditional attribution models often struggle to capture the incremental influence these materials exert on purchase decisions.
Combining quantitative and qualitative approaches provides the clearest picture.
“Brand mentions is a really good way to measure how you’re doing with brand awareness,” said Sheri, who also emphasizes asking converted customers about their journey.
Understanding which content pieces influenced their decision process offers valuable insights into middle funnel effectiveness.
Pipeline velocity – how quickly leads move through your funnel – serves as another key indicator.
By establishing baseline metrics before implementing new middle funnel content strategies, companies can accurately measure improvements in qualification rates and sales readiness. Remember that middle funnel content typically shows results over longer timeframes than top or bottom funnel materials, requiring patience and consistent measurement across at least two quarters for meaningful evaluation.
When evaluating middle funnel content performance, patience proves essential.
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Creating a middle funnel content strategy
Developing an effective strategy requires understanding prospect information needs during the consideration phase. This understanding emerges from sales conversations, customer journey mapping, and competitor content analysis.
Begin by identifying key questions prospects ask when evaluating solutions. These questions typically focus on implementation processes, compatibility concerns, ROI calculations, and specific use cases. Each question represents a content opportunity.
Next, audit existing materials to identify gaps in the current content library. Many organizations discover they’ve created abundant awareness content while neglecting consideration-phase materials.
Finally, prioritize content creation based on sales input, competitor coverage, and resource requirements. Case studies often represent high-value starting points, as they combine narrative storytelling with concrete results that resonate with considering prospects.
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Middle-funnel content represents a strategic opportunity for businesses seeking to convert initial interest into sales conversations. By creating educational, specific materials that address consideration-phase questions, companies maintain narrative control while providing genuine value to prospects.
As competition for attention intensifies and buyers conduct increasing research before engaging with sales teams, middle funnel content becomes not merely important but essential for driving meaningful conversions. Organizations that recognize and address this opportunity gain significant advantages in prospect education, competitive positioning, and conversion efficiency.
The evidence remains clear: prospects consume significantly more content during consideration than any other journey phase. Companies that meet this demand with high-quality middle funnel materials create paths of least resistance toward purchase decisions.