How to Execute a Full-Funnel Marketing Campaign for Media & Entertainment

Only 26% of marketers report having successfully implemented a full-funnel marketing strategy that encompasses the entire customer journey (Salesforce, 9th State of Marketing Report). That means most media and entertainment brands are still running disconnected campaigns that miss key conversion moments or leave long-term audience engagement on the table.

Suppose you want your marketing efforts to capture attention, generate demand, and build loyal customers in this competitive industry. In that case, you need a full-funnel strategy that meets your potential audience where they are and guides them along the way.

Here’s what a high-impact approach to marketing looks like in today’s M&E landscape:

• Your brand experience is omnichannel
  Whether your audience finds you through TikTok, a newsletter, or a smart TV ad, your message should feel connected and consistent. The typical customer journey no longer follows a straight line.
  
  

• The middle of the funnel is where interest turns into intent
  Too many teams still focus only on splashy awareness-stage content or conversion pushes. But most potential customers get stuck in the consideration stage. This is where blog posts, video explainers, and customer case studies shine.
  
  

• Marketing messages should evolve with your audience
  As fans go from curious to committed, your funnel stage strategy needs to follow. Email campaigns, remarketing ads, and tailored offers should guide each decision point.
  
  

• Performance is about more than impressions
  Whether you’re using social media marketing, display advertising, or event activations, it’s not just about reach. It’s about how effectively you move prospects into customers, and how well you retain them.

In this blog post, we’ll walk through how to build and execute a full-funnel marketing strategy that works across the entire customer journey, from first impression to lifetime loyalty.

What is Full-Funnel Marketing?

A full-funnel marketing approach involves aligning your messaging, content, and channels across every stage of the customer journey, from initial contact to final conversion and beyond.

Instead of running one-off campaigns or isolated lead-gen tactics, full-funnel marketing treats the entire customer journey as a connected experience. That means your potential customers get the right message, at the right time, with the right nudge to move forward.

The funnel typically breaks down into three stages:

Top of Funnel (TOFU): Initial Awareness

Your target audience is just learning about you. They might not even be aware that they have a problem yet.

Tactics:

• Search engine ads

• Educational blog content

• Paid social (LinkedIn, YouTube)

• Industry podcasts or reports

Middle of Funnel (MOFU): Consideration Stage

Now they’re evaluating options, comparing solutions, and doing research. You need to build credibility and trust.

Tactics:

• Webinars

• Case studies

• Email marketing

• Interactive tools (ROI calculators, assessments)

Bottom of Funnel (BOFU): Decision Stage

Your prospective clients are ready to make a purchase decision. This is where strong CTAs and sales alignment count.

Tactics:

• Product demos

• Free consultations

• Personalized outreach

• Customer testimonials

A full-funnel marketing strategy ensures your marketing efforts support the entire sales process, not just lead generation or last-click conversions.

Why Media & Entertainment Requires a Unique Full-Funnel Approach

Marketing in media and entertainment isn’t just about splashy premieres or viral trailers. It’s about sustaining attention, nurturing fandom, and guiding potential customers from passive viewers to loyal subscribers, all across a fragmented, fast-moving digital landscape.

You’re not just promoting a product. You’re building a brand experience across the entire customer journey, and every channel plays a role.

Here’s what makes a full-funnel approach different in this industry:

• You’re competing in a saturated attention economy
  Your target audience is overwhelmed with options, from streaming platforms to podcasts to games. Winning them over requires personalized marketing messages and creative that cuts through the noise.
  
  

• Audiences switch between platforms constantly
  The typical customer journey spans social media, search, apps, smart TVs, and live events. Your marketing channels must be integrated and your funnel stag strategy flexible enough to follow the consumer.
  
  

• Engagement rates matter more than impressions
  Getting seen isn’t enough. Whether it’s a blog post, trailer, or behind-the-scenes clip, your content should deepen interest and drive action, not just entertain.
  
  

• The consideration stage is where you stand out
  This is when your potential audience decides if your content is worth their time (or money). Use review content, influencer endorsements, and comparison tools to build confidence and convert prospects into customers.
  
  

• Retention is everything
  In a subscription-driven world, marketing strategies that focus only on acquisition are short-sighted. Email marketing, loyalty rewards, and personalized content keep your brand top of mind and reduce customer acquisition cost over time.

Step 1: Define Your Target Audience and Map the Journey

Start with who you're trying to reach, and where they’re headed

Before you can execute any full-funnel campaigns, you need clarity on your target audience. Not just demographics, but their behaviors, preferences, and what motivates them to engage, subscribe, or buy.

In media and entertainment, that could mean:

• Gen Z viewers following creators across platforms

• Sports fans who tune in via OTT but interact on social

• Podcast listeners looking for deeper connection with a brand

Once you understand who they are, build a map of their typical customer journey. Where do they first encounter your brand? What content or offer pushes them to the next stage? Which platforms do they engage with most during the consideration stage?

A strong full-funnel marketing strategy starts here, with empathy, insight, and a roadmap that lets you meet potential customers with the right message at the right time.

Pro-Tip: Use behavioral analytics tools like Amplitude or Mixpanel to identify funnel drop-offs. This helps you prioritize which funnel stag needs the most immediate attention.

Step 2: Align Your Content to the Funnel

Different stages call for different stories

What works in the awareness stage rarely works in the decision stage. That’s why successful full-funnel marketing depends on tailoring content to each point in the customer journey.

Here’s how to match content with intent:

• Top of Funnel (Awareness): Spark interest with trailers, behind-the-scenes videos, and engaging blog posts. Prioritize reach and storytelling across marketing channels like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
  
  

• Middle of Funnel (Consideration): Build trust with social proof, expert reviews, cast interviews, and feature breakdowns. This is where most of your potential customers pause, so provide them with reasons to continue exploring.
  
  

• Bottom of Funnel (Decision): Drive action with clear CTAs, promotional offers, and personalized email campaigns. Make the next step prominent and friction-free.

Each touchpoint should support your full-funnel strategy and reflect a consistent brand tone,  whether it’s a tweet, a series preview, or a landing page.

Step 3: Choose the Right Marketing Channels

Go where your audience already spends time

You don’t need to be everywhere, just in the right places. The most effective full-funnel campaigns focus on a select mix of marketing channels that align with how your target audience consumes media.

Ask yourself:

• Are your potential customers scrolling TikTok or watching YouTube shorts?

• Is your audience searching Google for “best new series” or reading critic reviews on Reddit?

• Do they prefer in-app engagement or long-form newsletters?

For example:

• Use social media marketing like Instagram Reels and Twitter threads to boost awareness.

• Rely on email marketing for re-engagement and nurturing loyalty.

• Lean into display advertising for high-visibility retargeting during the consideration stage.

The key is to map each marketing channel to the right funnel stag, ensuring that no stage is overloaded or ignored.

Pro-Tip: Use tools like Similarweb or SparkToro to understand where your audience hangs out online,  then optimize your channel mix accordingly.

Step 4: Keep Your Messaging Consistent Across the Funnel

Different messages, same brand voice

It’s tempting to reinvent your tone and visuals at each stage of the marketing funnel, but inconsistency confuses your audience and kills momentum. Instead, your creative should evolve with the funnel while staying true to your core brand identity.

Here’s how to keep your approach to marketing consistent without being repetitive:

• Start with a brand story
  Your top-of-funnel content should introduce your brand’s vibe, values, and promise. Think teaser trailers, mission-driven messaging, or viral challenges.
  
  

• Use tailored messaging per stage
  What works for new viewers won’t resonate with someone who’s almost ready to subscribe. Adjust copy, visuals, and calls to action depending on the user’s stage, without losing your voice.
  
  

• Repurpose, don’t recycle
  Turn a long-form interview into Instagram stories, quote cards, or email snippets. Every asset should feel like part of a larger campaign, not a random one-off.
  
  

• Maintain visual cohesion
  Whether someone finds you via a blog post or banner ad, your brand should be instantly recognizable. Fonts, color palettes, and design systems should carry through all marketing efforts.

Pro-Tip: Use Canva’s Brand Kit or a tool like Frontify to manage your creative assets and lock in brand consistency across teams and content types.

Step 5: Track the Metrics That Actually Matter

Don't let vanity numbers derail your funnel

It’s easy to get distracted by flashy numbers, likes, shares, and even impressions. But if those metrics don’t tie back to your funnel, they’re just noise. The goal of a full-funnel approach is to drive results that matter: acquisition, engagement, and retention.

So, which marketing metrics should you prioritize?

• Top of Funnel: Reach, click-through rate, cost per view

• Middle of Funnel: Time on site, email signups, content downloads

• Bottom of Funnel: Conversion rate, trial starts, purchases, customer acquisition cost

And don’t stop at conversion, post-sale engagement tells you how well you're turning one-time users into loyal customers with high customer lifetime value.

Tools like Google Analytics 4 or Heap can help you track the entire customer journey and spot where drop-offs occur.

Step 6: Personalize Every Stage of the Journey

Relevance builds trust, and trust drives conversion

Your audience isn’t one-size-fits-all, so your campaigns shouldn’t be either. To turn potential customers into real ones, you need a personalized experience that evolves with their interests and behavior.

Start by segmenting based on:

• Platform: Streaming-only vs. in-theater vs. multiplatform fans

• Behavior: Active subscribers vs. one-time purchasers vs. lapsed users

• Preferences: Genre lovers, superfans, podcast listeners, first-time viewers

Then tailor your email campaigns, landing pages, and retargeting ads to speak directly to each group. A personalized recommendation or exclusive early-access offer will consistently outperform a generic blast.

In the consideration stage, this matters even more. That's where thoughtful touches,  like dynamic content, creator shoutouts, or timely nudges, can shift someone from interested to all-in.

Use CRM tools like Klaviyo or ActiveCampaign to automate segmentation and trigger personalized flows.

Step 7: Build a Retention and Loyalty Engine

The funnel doesn’t stop at conversion; it just gets started

Too many teams treat conversion as the finish line. However, in media and entertainment, the real value lies in converting new fans into loyal customers who remain engaged, share your content, and increase their spending over time.

Retention-focused marketing strategies are your secret weapon for boosting customer lifetime value and reducing churn.

Here’s how to keep the momentum going after the first click or view:

• Automate re-engagement
  Send follow-up email marketing flows that recommend new content, announce upcoming events, or drop exclusive merch codes.
  
  

• Create loyalty experiences
  Use access-based rewards, like bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes content, or early previews, to keep your potential customers coming back.
  
  

• Stay visible
  Reinforce your brand through smart display advertising, personalized push notifications, or in-feed content to stay top of mind across the entire customer journey.

Retention isn’t just about product quality; it’s about emotional connection. Give people a reason to care and a reason to stay.

Pro-Tip: Try loyalty platforms like Yotpo or Talon.One to build customizable engagement and reward systems that go beyond simple discounts.

Step 8: Use AI to Scale Smarter and Faster

Let tech handle the heavy lifting so your team can focus on strategy

Executing a strong full-funnel marketing campaign takes time,  especially when you’re managing multiple marketing channels, audience segments, and content formats. That’s where AI comes in.

The right tools don’t just speed things up. They improve marketing performance, uncover insights, and help you scale without growing your headcount.

Here are the four top options:

1. Averi - Your Full-Funnel Powerhouse

Averi combines AI tools with human support to help B2B teams in media and entertainment turn strategy into output, fast. From building email campaigns and creative content to analyzing results across the entire customer journey, Averi keeps your funnel moving.
Use it to launch faster, personalize smarter, and avoid the back-and-forth that slows teams down.

2. Persado - For AI-Powered Language Optimization

Persado utilizes machine learning to craft emotion-driven messaging that enhances conversions across ads, emails, and SMS. Great for increasing engagement rates at any funnel stage.

3. Pathmatics by Sensor Tower - For Competitive Intelligence

See how other media brands structure their full-funnel campaigns, what creative is working, and where your competitors are investing. Use it to sharpen your own full-funnel strategy.

4. Mutiny - For Website Personalization

Mutiny makes it easy to create tailored landing pages for different audience segments, helping you turn more prospective customers into paying ones,  without relying on devs.

Pro-Tip: Don’t adopt AI for the sake of it. Look for tools that plug into your existing funnel, fill execution gaps, and align with your specific goals, such as reducing customer acquisition costs or scaling personalization.

Common Full-Funnel Marketing Mistakes in Media & Entertainment

Even with a great strategy, it’s easy to fall into habits that stall your funnel, inflate your budget, or confuse your audience. Here are five common missteps and how to avoid them.

Focusing only on awareness
Building buzz is essential, but not enough. If your marketing efforts stop at teaser trailers and social buzz, you’ll lose momentum. A full-funnel approach should guide your potential customers all the way to subscription, purchase, or repeat engagement.

Using the same creative at every stage
What grabs attention in the awareness stage won’t drive conversion. Don’t recycle the same ad or message across every platform. Tailor your marketing messages to match where someone is in the customer journey,  especially in the consideration stage.

Overlooking retention strategy
Acquisition without retention is a leaky bucket. Your strategy should include loyalty programs, bonus content, and re-engagement tactics that reduce customer acquisition cost and grow customer lifetime value.

Relying too heavily on automation
While AI and automation tools are powerful, sending generic email campaigns or retargeting ads can tank engagement rates. Personalization, based on audience behavior and funnel stage, is the fix.

Tracking the wrong metrics
Impressions and likes are easy to chase, but don’t tell the full story. Focus on marketing metrics that tie to growth: signups, watch time, churn rate, and campaign ROI.

How Averi Helps You Execute Full-Funnel Marketing

A strong strategy means nothing without execution. That’s where Averi comes in.

We combine AI-powered tools with expert guidance to help media & entertainment companies turn complex plans into real results, fast. Whether you're building multi-channel campaigns, generating content for every stage of the funnel, or optimizing performance across touchpoints, Averi makes it easier to execute with precision.

You don’t need a massive marketing team to run a full-funnel strategy. You need the right support system:

• Smart automation where it counts

• Content tailored to your target audience

• Insights that improve conversion at every stage

It’s like adding a full-scale marketing team, without adding overhead or operational drag.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is full-funnel marketing in media and entertainment?

It’s a full-funnel marketing strategy that guides your potential audience from awareness to engagement to loyalty. Instead of focusing only on top-of-funnel hype, you build campaigns that support the entire customer journey.

Why is the consideration stage so important?

This is where potential customers evaluate whether your content is worth their time or money. Strong middle-funnel content, like behind-the-scenes videos, reviews, and blog posts, helps tip the scale in your favor.

How do I improve engagement rates across the funnel?

Tailor your creative to each funnel stage and audience segment. Use personalization, retargeting, and relevant offers to keep people moving forward.

Which marketing channels work best for entertainment brands?

It depends on your target audience, but most brands benefit from a mix of social platforms, YouTube, display advertising, and email campaigns. The key is matching the channel to the funnel stage and intent.

What kind of content should I use at each stage?

Top-of-funnel: trailers, teasers, social clips
Mid-funnel: interviews, explainer videos, case studies
Bottom-funnel: CTAs, free trials, limited-time offers

How can I lower my customer acquisition cost?

Focus on retention, not just acquisition. Use segmentation, upsells, and loyalty strategies to improve customer lifetime value while keeping costs down.

Is email marketing still effective in entertainment?

Yes, when it’s personalized. Generic blasts fall flat. Use behavior-based email marketing to re-engage lapsed users and drive repeat engagement.

How can AI help me execute full-funnel campaigns?

AI tools like Averi can help with content creation, segmentation, automation, and campaign optimization, letting you scale smarter without adding headcount.

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