The Problem: Search Funnel Logic Doesn't Work on Social
Traditional funnel thinking works for search because every query shows intent:
But social ads have no intent signal. You're targeting demographics and psychographics, not purchase intent.
On social:
Being "bottom of funnel" on social just means someone knows you exist. It doesn't mean they're ready to buy.
What Actually Happens When Someone Sees Your Ad
Run a cold ad to 100,000 founders. Here's how they split:
High intent right now (1-2%): They have the problem, they're actively looking for solutions, your ad appears at the right moment. They click and convert immediately.
Moderate intent (10-20%): They're interested but want validation. They visit your site, read a case study, see a retargeting ad days later, then convert.
Low or future intent (80-90%): They see your ad but aren't ready. Maybe they'll need this in three months, maybe never. Aggressive retargeting wastes money. No retargeting means they'll forget you.
The key insight: You can't predict which category someone falls into.
Your only move:
Why "Just Get the Ad Out There" Often Wins
Most founders waste energy building elaborate nurture sequences before knowing if their offer resonates.
They spend weeks on:
But if your top-of-funnel ad can't convert the 1-2% with high intent right now, no amount of nurturing fixes it.
Nail the top-of-funnel ad first. If it's strong:
Get a really good ad out there. Let the market show you who has intent. Then retarget everyone else until their intent grows.
How to Actually Build Your Funnel
1. Test multiple top-of-funnel concepts, keep the funnel simple
Test 5-10 different ad concepts with different hooks and value props. Run them to broad audiences.
Goal: Find which messages resonate enough that high-intent people convert immediately.
If one or two ads convert 1-2% of cold traffic with positive unit economics, you have something. If nothing converts, keep testing angles. Funnel complexity won't fix bad messaging.
2. Install basic retargeting
Once you have traffic, set up simple retargeting for site visitors who didn't convert.
Show them your best-performing ads again, maybe with social proof or a different angle. You're reminding them you exist, not nurturing them through a sequence.
3. Let time do the work
Some convert in 24 hours. Others take three months. You can't control timing, only visibility.
Keep running cold ads to feed the funnel. Keep retargeting interested people. Let high-intent people convert when they're ready.
4. Add complexity only after you have signal
Once you know which messages drive conversions, then build:
Don't invest resources upfront. Wait for proof that people care about your messaging.