"Can I use WhatsApp for top of funnel marketing?" We hear this from marketers of all kinds, but particularly from direct-to-consumer brands working on awareness and bringing new people into their brand. In a nutshell: yes. And we'd go as far as saying WhatsApp is actually uniquely positioned to help brands at the top of the funnel vs. other channels.

Defining the Marketing Funnel

The marketing funnel describes the ways a customer is obtained, nurtured, and converted.

• Top of Funnel (TOFU) — The awareness stage. Customers discover your brand for the first time.
• Middle of Funnel (MOFU) — The education and consideration stage. Customers learn more and begin weighing their need to make a purchase.
• Bottom of Funnel (BOFU) — The conversion and re-engagement stage. Customers complete a transaction.

Top of Funnel Marketing

The top of funnel is the beginning of the cycle. It is the stage where a brand focuses on two main strategies:

1. To acquire opt-in and gain interest from new or returning customers.
2. To build awareness, nurturing the relationship between brand and customer as they get to know each other better.

Why WhatsApp is Primed for the Top of Funnel

For the top of the funnel, WhatsApp can't be beat. The conversational nature and interactive experience is engaging by design, and perfect for both nurturing new customer relationships and reinvigorating old ones.

WhatsApp Offers Unique, Real-Time Entry Points

Customers are not simply opting in to receive pushed marketing messages. They are being invited into conversations. And even more, they can also initiate conversations with you.

Some of the main tools you can use to acquire new customers include:

• WhatsApp conversation links placed on website pages, in email campaigns, or any marketing
• QR Codes on product packaging, receipts, in-store, at POS, and any advertising
• Instagram and Facebook ads with the 'Send Message' on WhatsApp call-to-action
• Links from social media stories