What Content to Use in Each Stage of the B2B Marketing Funnel
There’s no shortage of content in B2B. The problem is that it’s rarely created with a clear buyer in mind at a specific stage. So you end up with a full content library that doesn’t help anyone make a decision.
The marketing funnel is a useful way to think about this. Buyers move through three moments before they ever say yes. First, they’re trying to understand the problem. Then they start exploring solutions. Finally, they decide who they trust enough to move forward with. Each stage calls for different content.
Getting this right is what sets firms with steady pipelines apart from those relying on referrals. Research from Semrush, shows that the average B2B buyer reviews 13 pieces of content before making a purchase, so your strategy should cover the entire journey from first impression to contract.
1. The Top of the Funnel: Building Awareness
At this stage, buyers realize that something needs to change, but haven’t clearly defined the problem or begun searching for solutions. They’re learning and trying to understand their situation. Your content should show that you get their world well enough to be worth following. Good formats here include blog posts, LinkedIn articles, short videos, and opinion pieces that tackle real challenges your buyers face, without any sales pitch.
For B2B services, LinkedIn content does a lot of the heavy lifting. A post that calls out a specific problem your ideal client is dealing with, breaks down why it happens, and adds a useful perspective will bring the right people in and keep you on their radar before they start comparing vendors.
2. The Middle of the Funnel: Building Consideration
By the time a buyer reaches the middle of the funnel, they already understand the problem and are actively looking for ways to solve it. They’re comparing approaches, talking to colleagues, and building an internal case for a decision. Vendor websites are the most-visited source throughout the entire journey, making showing up with useful, specific content at this stage far more impactful than any outreach later on.
Content that works here is built for evaluation. Case studies, detailed guides, webinars, email sequences, comparison pieces. Things that help a buyer make sense of their options. The focus moves from general education to showing you understand their specific situation and how to solve it. A well-built services page also does meaningful work here by giving buyers a clear idea of what working with you entails before they book a call.
3. The Bottom of the Funnel: Supporting the Decision
At the bottom of the funnel, the problem is clear, and the approach is set. Now it’s a short list of vendors. Content here isn’t about teaching anymore. It’s about confirmation. Buyers are looking for proof you’ve done this before, that others trusted you with similar work, and that choosing you feels like a safe decision.
According to recent B2B buying research, over 80% of buyers read at least five pieces of content before talking to sales, and 42% say case studies and customer success stories are the most influential content format at the point of decision, which means the content you put in front of them here needs to reduce doubt and make the next step obvious.
Content that works here includes client testimonials, detailed case studies with clear results, one-pagers that summarize your process, and a booking link that makes it easy to take the next step. The simpler you make it to say yes, the less effort your sales team needs to put in.
Why Most B2B Companies Get This Wrong
The biggest mistake is creating just one type of content and expecting it to work at every stage. Firms that only publish thought leadership don’t give buyers a reason to decide on anything concrete to act on. Those that lead with case studies and service pages for people who have just discovered their problem get ignored because the buyer isn’t ready yet.
A good first step is to sort your content from the last six months into these three stages and spot the gaps. Most firms have plenty of awareness content but little that bridges the gap from first impression to signed contract.
5. How the Funnel Works in Practice for a B2B Service Firm
For agencies, consultancies, and MSPs, buyers don’t move in a straight line. They jump between LinkedIn, your website, and case studies before deciding to book a call. The sequence matters less than the role each piece plays. LinkedIn builds awareness of the problem, your website explains your approach, case studies show real outcomes, and the booking link removes friction. When each touchpoint is clear, the process feels natural.
Where to Start This Week
Make a list of all the content you’ve published in the last six months and label each as TOFU, MOFU, or BOFU.
Identify which stage has the least content and commit to creating one piece for it this week.
Make sure your BOFU content includes at least one client result with a clear outcome.
Review your LinkedIn profile and website to ensure buyers can easily find the next step without searching.
Write one TOFU post this week that names a problem your buyer faces and explains why it happens, without any sales pitch.
Why Choose Howl
Most B2B service firms already have good content. The issue is that it wasn’t created with a clear buyer stage in mind, so it sits idle and does little for the pipeline.
At Howl, we help B2B service firms build content strategies that cover the full buyer journey, so every piece has a clear purpose and reaches the right people at the right time.
If you want to see how this works for your firm, book a discovery call, and we’ll review where your content stands today.
FAQ
Do I need all three funnel stages to generate leads?
You can generate leads with only top-of-funnel content, but converting them into clients requires middle and bottom-of-funnel material as well. A buyer who discovers you through a LinkedIn post still needs somewhere to go when they are ready to make a decision, and without MOFU and BOFU content, that moment tends to pass without a conversion.
How often should I produce content for each stage?
For most B2B service firms, a practical ratio is roughly three TOFU pieces for every one MOFU piece and one BOFU piece. Top-of-funnel content drives the most consistent visibility and keeps you on a buyer's radar, while the deeper pieces do the conversion work when a buyer is ready to act.
Can a single piece of content serve more than one funnel stage?
A well-built case study can work at both MOFU and BOFU, since it helps buyers compare options, understand your approach, and gives buyers the evidence they need to decide. The key is to build the piece with a primary stage in mind and ensure it links to other content that supports whatever the buyer needs next.
What is the most overlooked funnel stage for B2B service firms?
The middle of the funnel is where most firms underinvest. There is usually some awareness content and a services page, but very little in between that helps a buyer who is genuinely interested but not yet ready to book a call. Extensive guides, email sequences, and client stories with specific outcomes are what fill that gap.
How do I know if my content is actually moving buyers through the funnel?
The clearest signal is whether your content is generating real conversations. If people are commenting, replying to emails, or booking calls after reading a specific piece, that piece is doing its job. If content gets traffic but no follow-through, the problem is usually a missing next step and a mismatch between what the content covers and where the buyer actually is in their decision.
Does this funnel approach work specifically for LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is well-suited for TOFU and MOFU content. Regular posts that address buyer problems build familiarity over time, while more detailed content, such as articles, case study posts, and direct messages, can move a buyer further down the consideration path. The BOFU stage typically occurs off-platform, through your website, a proposal, or a direct call.