Mastering Paid Social: How to Navigate the Marketing Funnel for Optimal Conversions

In today's digital age, social media has become an essential tool for businesses, including local fitness and wellness establishments. With millions of people active on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, leveraging paid social media has the potential to dramatically increase your business's reach and engagement. In this article, we’ll show you how. 

But first, let’s talk marketing funnels. 

A marketing funnel represents the phases a potential customer goes through before making a purchase. It typically consists of these 4 stages: 

• Awareness
• Engagement
• Consideration
• Conversion

The key to paid social media success is understanding what stage of the funnel your customer is in and adjusting your marketing messaging accordingly. Let’s break it down. 

The awareness stage

Customers discover your brand for the first time. The goal is to create brand awareness and reach as many people as possible.

Do: 

• Utilize social media advertising tools to define your target audience based on demographics, interests, and location. This way, your ads will reach potential customers in your local area who are most likely to be interested in fitness and wellness services.
• Target specific geographic locations relevant to your business. This ensures your ads are shown to people in your local community who are more likely to visit your establishment.
• Capture attention with visually appealing images and videos that showcase your facility, services, and happy customers. Use high-quality visuals to make a memorable first impression.

Don’t: 

• Sell! Think of a marketing funnel like the process of dating. The awareness stage is where two people see each other for the first time. It’s just a glance, so don’t blow it and propose marriage! 

The engagement stage

Customers begin to engage with your content because they’re already aware of your brand. The goal is to continue to deliver valuable content that aligns with their needs or desires.

Do: 

• Share valuable content on your social media platforms that educates your audience about fitness and wellness topics. Offer tips, tutorials, and expert advice to position your business as a trusted resource.
• Maintain a consistent brand voice, tone, and visual identity across all your social media channels. This builds recognition and trust with your audience.

Don’t: 

• Sell! To use the dating analogy again—at this stage, you’re getting to know each other. This is not where you close the deal. There will be plenty of opportunities to do business after some additional engagement.

The consideration stage

Customers have shown interest in your brand. They might be comparing your offerings with other similar businesses or seeking more information. The goal is to stand out from your competitors.

Do: 

• Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and testimonials on your social media pages. Social proof helps potential customers build trust and confidence in your business.
• Share compelling and true stories about the successes of existing clients can also help potential customers build trust and confidence in trying your business that first time. 

Don’t: 

• Sell! To reference the dating analogy (again), this is where your friends are starting to tell the person how great you are. Sit back and let your customers’ praise do the influencing. 

The conversion stage

Customers make a purchase or take a desired action, such as signing up for a class or booking a service. The goal is to provide a great experience so new customers come back for more. 

Do:

• Incorporate clear and compelling calls to action (CTAs) in your paid social media posts. Direct potential customers to take the desired action, such as signing up for an intro offer or booking a service.
• Create dedicated landing pages on your website that align with the offer or promotion mentioned in your social media ads. Make the process seamless and user-friendly to encourage conversions.
• A/B text. Experiment with different ad formats, copy, visuals, and targeting options to identify the most effective combinations. A/B testing helps optimize your campaigns over time and maximize results and the return on your investment.
• Retarget: Implement retargeting campaigns to reach users who have previously shown interest in your business. Remind them of your offerings, special promotions, or events to encourage them to convert. 

Don’t: 

• Repeat what you’ve already done in the awareness, engagement, or consideration stages. It’s time to make the sale! 

Paid social media is a powerful tool that can significantly boost the growth of your local fitness and wellness business. By strategically implementing these best practices at each stage of the marketing funnel, you can effectively increase brand awareness, engage potential customers, and drive conversions. Stay consistent, monitor your results, and adapt your strategies to ensure your paid social media efforts deliver optimal outcomes for your business.