One Ad Isn’t a Strategy
Today’s buyers don’t make snap decisions, they gather, compare, evaluate, and revisit before they’re ready to act. That’s why successful marketing strategies are built around the entire buyer journey, not just the moment of conversion.
Multi-channel paid advertising helps your brand stay present at every stage, from first impression to final click. Let’s explore how Facebook Ads, Google Dynamic Search Ads, and Google Performance Max can work together to move users from curiosity to conversion.
What Is the Funnel?
A Simple Analogy for a Complex Journey
Buyers move from awareness to action, your ads should too
The funnel is one of the most widely used frameworks in marketing for a reason: it works. It visualizes how potential customers move through stages, from not knowing you exist to becoming loyal buyers.
Funnel stages explained:
- Top of Funnel (TOFU):
Awareness stage. Introduce your brand to cold audiences. - Middle of Funnel (MOFU):
Consideration stage. Educate and engage those exploring solutions. - Bottom of Funnel (BOFU):
Decision stage. Convert warm leads who are ready to act.
Why this matters:
Each stage requires a different message, format, and targeting approach. Running only one type of ad risks missing out on people who aren’t yet ready, or losing the ones who are.
Top of Funnel
Be Seen to Be Considered
Use Facebook Ads to build awareness and stay top of mind
At the top of the funnel, your audience doesn’t know you, yet. This is your moment to spark interest and plant the seed. Facebook and Instagram ads are perfect for broad reach and brand storytelling.
Why Facebook Ads work here:
- Visual, scroll-stopping formats for brand discovery
- Advanced targeting based on interests, life events, behaviors
- Cost-effective CPMs for mass awareness
Top-of-funnel ad ideas:
- Lifestyle video showcasing your product or service in action
- Carousel of testimonials or brand values
- Simple, memorable messages, no pressure to convert
What to track:
- Reach and impressions
- Video views or engagement
- Lift in branded search volume over time
Middle of Funnel
Help Me Decide
Use Google Dynamic Search Ads (DSA) to meet intent when users are exploring options
Once someone is aware of their problem, they start looking for solutions. This is where Dynamic Search Ads shine, targeting users based on the content of your site, even if you don’t have every keyword covered.
Why DSAs are ideal mid-funnel:
- Show up when users are actively searching for what you offer
- No need to build an exhaustive keyword list, Google scans your site
- Dynamically generate headlines tailored to the search term
Best practices for mid-funnel DSAs:
- Ensure landing pages are optimized and up to date
- Group similar product/service pages for tighter targeting
- Use negatives to avoid irrelevant traffic
What to track:
- Click-through rate (CTR)
- Pages per session
- Time on site
Bottom of Funnel
Convert With Confidence
Use Performance Max, Shopping Ads, and Advantage+ to close the deal
This is where it all comes together. By the time someone reaches the bottom of the funnel, they’ve seen your brand, explored their options, and are close to making a decision. Now it’s your job to make it easy, and irresistible, to say yes.
High-intent prospects need tailored, conversion-focused campaigns across multiple platforms. That’s where Google Performance Max, Google Shopping Ads, and Meta’s Advantage+ Shopping campaigns really shine.
Why these formats are powerful closers:
- Google Performance Max finds the most likely converters across Search, YouTube, Gmail, and more using your assets and signals
- Google Shopping Ads showcase your product visually with price, reviews, and availability, ideal for ready-to-buy users
- Meta Advantage+ Shopping Ads use automation to deliver your product catalog to the most relevant shoppers across Facebook and Instagram
Bottom-of-funnel tactics that work:
- Highlight promotions, free shipping, or time-limited offers
- Use product reviews or testimonials as social proof
- Send users to a high-converting product or landing page
- Remarket to abandoned carts, pricing page visitors, or engaged social followers
What to track:
- Cost per acquisition (CPA)
- Return on ad spend (ROAS)
- Purchases, lead form completions, or booked calls
These campaign types work best when they’re supported by smart tracking, optimized product feeds, and consistent messaging. When done right, they don’t just close sales, they build trust for the next one, too.
Full-Funnel Strategy
Singular Ads Miss the Nuance
Campaigns that span the buyer journey build trust, not just traffic
People rarely convert after one ad. A well-integrated strategy ensures your message evolves with your audience.
Benefits of full-funnel paid media:
- Builds familiarity and brand recall before asking for action
- Captures intent when it’s strongest
- Nurtures cold leads into warm opportunities over time
How to connect the dots:
- Maintain consistent messaging across platforms
- Customize creative to match funnel stage
- Use remarketing to bridge gaps and re-engage
How to Make It Work
Practical Tips to Integrate Your Campaigns
Smart planning and tracking unlock the real power of multi-channel campaigns
It’s easy to run a few ads on different platforms. What’s harder, and far more effective, is getting them to work together with purpose. That means aligning your goals, tailoring your creative for each stage of the funnel, and using data to make informed decisions along the way.
Multi-channel advertising isn’t about being everywhere just for the sake of it. It’s about being in the right place at the right time, with messaging that feels natural, not repetitive. A user who saw your Facebook ad last week might Google you today. If your campaigns are connected, that second interaction becomes far more meaningful.
To pull it all together, you need strong foundations: clear tracking, consistent branding, and a willingness to test and refine. Here’s how to start:
Key steps to sync your ad channels:
- Map out your funnel. Identify where Facebook, Search, and Performance Max fit into your customer journey.
- Align your creative strategy. Maintain a consistent look and tone across platforms, but tailor content to each format and funnel stage.
- Set up tracking properly. Use GA4, UTM parameters, and platform-specific conversion events to monitor performance clearly.
- Use audience signals. Build remarketing lists and custom segments to guide users from one channel to another.
- Regularly review performance. Look at campaign metrics by funnel stage, not just overall results.
With a well-orchestrated strategy, your campaigns can build on each other, creating momentum, nurturing trust, and driving results far beyond what a single channel can achieve.
Final Thought
Meet People Where They Are
Ads work best when they’re timely, relevant, and working in harmony
No single platform can carry your whole marketing strategy. But when Facebook Ads introduce your brand, DSAs meet people mid-search, and Performance Max guides warm leads across the finish line, that’s when things really click.
Want help mapping out your full-funnel ad strategy? Let’s connect and make sure every part of your campaign is pulling in the same direction.