The Media Funnel

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There's a funnel to convert viewers into followers and followers into fans. I call it the media funnel. Don't confuse it with a marketing funnel. It's not that. It's how you work someone down a funnel where they go from consuming short-form, bite-sized content to long-form content. There's one brand that does a great job of this. Lemme show you.

PS. Want to learn a framework to find your content pillars? Easy. I’m gonna walk you through an exercise next week showing you exactly how to do it. There’s only 20 spots left. It’s free. Reserve your seat here.

And a big thank you to Ignite Digital and Spacebar Visuals for partnering with us and letting us create media for a livin’.

Get your brand in front of 200,000+ marketers & founders.

In partnership with Ignite Digital

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I’ve talked about intent over and over.

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People say every company should be a media company.

But really, brands need to create media funnels.

A media funnel is understanding what channels, platforms, and mediums create specific impact.

Then creating content to create that specific impact.

Here’s how I look at it:

• TOF Channels: Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, FB Reels, & LinkedIn

• MOF Channels: Youtube & Newsletters

• BOF: Podcast & Community

Then those channels drive these outcomes:

• TOF Channels: Awareness & Audience

• MOF Channels: Consideration, Conversions, and Confidence

• BOF: Affinity and Fandom

For example, if we measure:

• Reach: A 20s Instagram video will beat a 20m podcast.

• Impact: A 20m podcast will beat a 20s Instagram.

Because not every content consumption minute is the same.

Some are earned. Some are chosen.

So the media funnel serves as the tool to work someone down from awareness to follower to cult-like dedication.

Brand time…

Bare Performance Nutrition

BPN sparked the media funnel concept in my mind. Because they consistently create top of funnel content on short-form dominant platforms. But then they work you down to cult-like fandom.

So, let’s skin the entire funnel.

And it starts with the narrative: Go One More

Think of your narrative as the plant.

At some point, you have to plant the seed. You’re going to water it for a long time before it starts to sprout.

You watering = creating content.

Daily.

Until you’ve got an entire tree.

The Top Of The Funnel

A lot of people buy BPN because they were first introduced to the brand by Nick Bare.

But they create top of funnel content on both Nick's and BPN’s accounts.

Nick Bare’s Account

Nick Bare’s top-of-funnel content falls into three buckets:

1. Raw, unfiltered content around Nick’s training.

2. Motivating and inspiring content.

3. Podcast clips structures for social.

The goal is to get people into Nick’s ecosystem.

BPN Account

Here, the content is centered around other “BPN characters”: their athletes and influencers.

It falls into three buckets around their athletes:

1. Content series called: Stay Hybrid

2. Collab carousel Raw, unfiltered training

The Goal Of Middle Of The Funnel

So now, we’re looking at extensions of what exists at the top of the funnel.

I always say this is for people who wish they could get coffee with you.

The goal is to:

• Build another layer into the relationship.

• Create an extension of the bite-sized content from IG and TikTok.

• Increase the number of “content minutes” someone spends with you.

Nick Bare: MOF

So they treat Nick’s channel like a TV show.

Nick sets a goal like running a marathon in 2:45 minutes, and then they document every bit until he performs on race day.

It usually works like this:

1. Intro episode to the goal & series

2. 2-10 episodes documenting nutrition, coaching, training, and prep

3. Season finale, when Nick competes to hit his goal

In each episode, you’ll see Nick talk about the specific products he’s using.

And again - these are people who CHOOSE to consume Nick’s content to witness his transformation.

BPN: MOF

BPN’s channel is all about their athletes and their journeys.

So, think of it as a channel with multiple shows.

Currently, they’re producing:

1. Day in The Life Series

2. Stay Hybrid Series

3. Competition Series

Similar to Nick’s channel - each video is an avenue to their products.

Bottom Of The Funnel

This is the last piece - can you funnel all of this attention to a home where your audience can connect with you and one another?

There are two parts:

1. Longest duration

2. Exclusive access/ one-on-one interactions

Longest Duration

So, the first part is The Nick Bare Podcast.

It’s the most powerful medium for someone to connect with you.

Because for an hour plus, you’re in someone’s ear. It’s nearly impossible to beat that level of intimacy.

Exclusive Access

BPN does this by hosting in-person events and run clubs.

Putting The Funnel Together

• You spend micro-moments with the brand on Instagram and TikTok.

• You sit down to choose their content on YouTube and podcast.

• You connect with people with similar interests via events and run clubs.

So, what’s the result?

You go from one-time customers to forever customers.

And those forever customers become forever billboards.

Because the more content minutes you get with someone - the higher the chance you can get them to forever exist in your world.

In partnership with Spacebar Visuals

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