36: What's an optimized funnel? Hint- ads won't work without one!

Summary

In this episode of MetaAds Quick Tips, Stacy Covitz discusses the importance of having an optimized funnel for small business ads. She explains what a funnel is, how it works, and the key elements that make it effective. The conversation emphasizes the need for clarity, consistency, follow-up, and conversion checks to ensure that the funnel is functioning properly before investing in ads.


Takeaways

• A funnel is the path from discovery to purchase.
• Clarity in your funnel is crucial for understanding.
• Consistency between ads and landing pages is key.
• Follow-up communication is essential after sign-up.
• Always check for broken links before running ads.
• Ads won't fix a broken funnel; they amplify issues.
• Confusion leads to lost sales opportunities.
• Conduct a thorough audit of your funnel regularly.
• Mobile optimization is critical for modern funnels.
• Utilize tools like the ad readiness DNA quiz for assessment.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Optimized Funnels
01:02 Understanding the Funnel Concept
02:03 Key Elements of an Optimized Funnel
04:17 The Importance of Funnel Optimization
05:11 Final Thoughts and Homework

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Transcript

Stacy Covitz (00:08.258)

Hey friends, welcome back to MetaAds Quick Tips. This is the podcast for small business owners who want ads to feel less overwhelming and a lot more effective. And I am Stacy Covitz, your certified MetaAds strategist and host. Today, I want to break down something that I talk about all the time and it's been pointed out to me that maybe you might not know

what I mean. And that is, do you have an optimized funnel?

What does that mean? All right, let's get into it. A funnel is not a fancy piece of software. It's basically just a path. It's the path that someone takes from the moment they find you to the moment they buy from you. It could start with a social media post. It could start with an ad.

and then it goes to a landing page or maybe a thank you page with an email follow up. That's your funnel.

So think of it like this. Let's say you have a coffee shop and your ad is the...

Stacy Covitz (01:48.398)

So your ad at the coffee shop is a sign outside. Your landing page is the front door. And then your follow-up emails are the friendly barista who remembers your order. Now, if any one of those things feels not congruent or off, the door's stuck or if the barista is rude,

or it's too crowded.

people might leave before they actually buy your coffee. So that's what happens with ads and funnels also.

Stacy Covitz (02:34.144)

So what do I mean when I say optimized? Number one, clarity.Stacy Covitz 

Does your funnel make sense from start to finish? When someone clicks on your ad, do they instantly understand what's being offered and what happens next? Number two, consistency. Does your landing page line up with your ad? Does your ad promise one thing and then they click on your landing page and it talks about something completely different?

People get confused and confused people won't buy anything. Number three is follow up. This is so important. They've come this far, they've clicked on your ad, they've read your landing page, and now they sign up. They sign up for whatever you're offering, whether it's a free.

PDF

or even if they pay for some.

Stacy Covitz (04:03.758)

Do they get a thank you email? Or does it just end? And if it just ends, oops, that's a broken funnel. And then number four is your conversion check. Before you spend any money on ads, go through it yourself, go through your funnel, see what happens.

Does it get caught up anywhere? Are there any broken links? Did any of the emails not get sent out? You want to make sure that everything is lined up before you spend any money. And here's why it's so important. Ads aren't going to fix a broken funnel. They're just going to get more people through it faster, but still

If it's broken, it's not going to sell anything.

If your landing page is confusing or your follow-up goes nowhere, then you're basically paying for people to walk right out the door.

And that is a leaky funnel, my friends. So before we talk about targeting or budgets, I'm always gonna ask you, do you have an optimized funnel? Because if the answer is no, your ads really can't do their job.

And so many times I hear ads don't work. I did ads, they didn't work for my business. And if I go and I do a quick audit and I can look and say, well, silly, this link is broken or this isn't optimized for mobile. And most people are on their cell phones these days. So here's your quick homework for today. Go through your own funnel like you've never seen it.

Click on your opt-in page, open the emails, go through every step. See if it feels smooth and makes sense. If not, that's what you need to do before you decide to run ads. And you can always take my ad readiness DNA quiz. It is linked in the notes before you spend any money on ads. And once again,

I thank you for listening and I will see you next time.