TOFU, MOFU and BOFU marketing: the three funnel stages and the content for each
What each stage needs, a worked example, and five planning mistakes.
Published by AI Knows Us · Updated 13 October 2026
TOFU, MOFU and BOFU stand for top of funnel, middle of funnel and bottom of funnel. They are three stages of a buyer's path. At the top, a person has a problem and is learning about it. In the middle, they know what kind of solution they need and are comparing options. At the bottom, they have narrowed the choice and need a reason, and a way, to buy. TOFU, MOFU and BOFU marketing means giving each group the content that fits where they are, and nothing that belongs to a different stage.
The terms come from the funnel picture: many people enter at the top, fewer reach the middle, and the fewest reach the bottom and buy. The shape is a simplification, but it is a useful one, because it forces one question for every page you publish: who is this for, and what should they do next?
The three stages, side by side
| TOFU | MOFU | BOFU | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The buyer | Has a problem, may not know a solution exists | Knows the solution type, compares ways to get it | Has a shortlist, wants to be sure |
| The question | What is happening and why? | What are my options and how do they differ? | Is this the right one for me, and how do I start? |
| Typical content | Guides, explainers, checklists, how to articles | Comparisons, buyer guides, templates, webinars, case studies | Pricing, demos, trials, quotes, customer stories, FAQs on buying |
| Call to action | Read another page, subscribe | Download, compare, book a call | Start a trial, request a quote, buy |
| Measure | Reach and engaged visits | Return visits and sign ups | Qualified enquiries and sales |
TOFU: the person who has a problem
A top of funnel visitor does not know your name and may not know the product category. They type a symptom or a goal: "why is my website slow", "how to start a bakery", "back pain when sitting". The right content answers that question completely, in plain words, without asking for anything in return.
Three rules keep TOFU content honest.
- Answer first. Put the answer in the opening paragraph, so the reader and any assistant quoting you see it at once.
- Do not sell. A page that opens with a pitch loses the reader who came to learn.
- Offer a next step that matches the reader's stage. A related guide, not a demo request.
TOFU pages are the ones that earn search traffic, because the questions are broad. Judge them by whether people stay and read, and whether they come back, not by sales.
MOFU: the person comparing ways to solve it
A middle of funnel visitor has named the solution and is weighing the options. They search "best accounting software for freelancers", "agency or freelancer for SEO" or "how much does a kitchen remodel cost". This is where a business earns trust by being fair. A comparison that describes competitors accurately persuades more than a page that dismisses them.
MOFU content should contain the criteria a good buyer uses: what to look for, what each option costs, the common mistakes, and who each option suits. Tools help here too, such as calculators, checklists and templates. The step from MOFU to BOFU is usually an offer that lowers risk: a sample, an audit, a consultation or a trial.
BOFU: the person who needs to be sure
The bottom of the funnel is where a buyer checks the last details: price, terms, delivery time, proof that you have done this before, and how the first week will go. The content is direct. Pricing pages, comparison pages that name you against a rival, case studies, reviews, a clear refund or cancellation statement and a visible way to buy or book.
The most common failure at BOFU is hiding the answer. A buyer who cannot find a price or a next step does not email to ask. They go to a competitor whose page tells them.
A worked example: a dental clinic
| Stage | Search | Page |
|---|---|---|
| TOFU | "why do my gums bleed when I brush" | An explainer on causes and when to see a dentist |
| MOFU | "dental implants or bridge" | A comparison of both, with who each suits |
| BOFU | "dental implant cost near me" | The implant service page with price range, process and booking |
Each page serves one stage, links to the next one, and ends on an action that fits. The explainer links to the comparison, the comparison links to the service page, and the service page has the booking button.
Five mistakes in TOFU, MOFU and BOFU planning
- Publishing only BOFU. A site of service pages has nothing for the people who are not ready, so it never meets them early.
- Publishing only TOFU. Traffic without a path to a decision is a hobby. Every top page needs a link to a middle page.
- Gating too early. Asking for an email address in return for a basic explainer shuts out the reader who would have trusted you by the third page.
- Treating the stages as a straight line. Buyers move back and forth. Someone at BOFU may return to a comparison, so keep those pages linked.
- Measuring every page by sales. A TOFU page that nobody buys from can still be the first page of every customer you win. Measure each page against the job of its stage.
How to tag your existing pages
Make a list of your pages and label each one T, M or B. Then look at the gaps. A common result is a long list of B pages, a few T pages and almost no M pages. The fix is to add content in the thin stage and to add links between stages. The guide to sales funnel content extends this three stage view to five stages with the metric that proves each piece did its job, and the content mapping example walks through a worked map from stage to question to page. For the keywords behind each stage, follow the keyword research method.
Questions about TOFU, MOFU and BOFU marketing
Is TOFU, MOFU, BOFU the same as awareness, consideration and decision?
Yes, they are two sets of names for the same three stages. Awareness is TOFU, consideration is MOFU and decision is BOFU.
Which stage should I start with?
Start where the money is nearest. Make sure your BOFU pages are clear, then build MOFU comparisons, then widen into TOFU.
How many pieces of content do I need at each stage?
Enough to answer the real questions at that stage. A small business can do well with a handful of strong pages per stage.
Where do blog posts fit?
Mostly TOFU and MOFU. A blog post that answers a broad question is TOFU, and a post that compares options is MOFU.
Does the funnel apply to B2B and B2C?
Yes. B2B stages take longer and involve more people, so MOFU content usually has to serve several readers at once.
What an assistant does to the funnel
The three stages assume a buyer who moves between pages. An assistant compresses them into one reply: ask "what causes slow websites, and which agency should I hire in Pune?" and the answer explains the problem, compares options and names firms in a single paragraph. Your TOFU explainer, your MOFU comparison and your BOFU service page are all candidate sources for that paragraph. AI Knows Us checks what ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude say at each of the three stages for your category, so you can see which stage of your own funnel the assistants are skipping over.