Best Video Types for Your Marketing Funnel (TOFU, MOFU, BOFU)

Different types of marketing videos

Table of Contents

Your paid ads look fine. Your website traffic is up. The demo requests still feel random.

Then someone in a meeting asks the question that ruins the mood: “Which video is moving people to the next step?”

That is the real job of funnel video work. Not “make something cool.” Not “get views.” Make the next click, the next signup, the next call feel like the obvious move.

If you are a marketing manager, a Software as a Service founder, or an agency lead, this guide is built for you. You will get clear video types for each stage, what they do, and how to use them without bloating your budget or your timeline.

Video marketing funnel

A funnel is just a sequence of small “yes” moments.

People start with a problem. They want proof you understand it. Then they want a path to fix it. Then they want confidence that buying from you is safe.

Video fits because it removes friction. It shows tone, clarity, and proof faster than text.

One tip before you plan anything: decide your one action per stage. A video can do many things, but it should push one next step. That focus keeps your video marketing strategy clean and measurable.

If you are working with Prolific Studio, you are working with a partner level studio that operates at the caliber of Disney, DreamWorks, and Warner Bros. Tight storytelling, clean production, and a message that lands in seconds.

TOFU MOFU BOFU video strategy

Think of these stages as three questions your buyer is asking.

Top of funnel: “Do you get me?”

Middle of funnel: “Can this work for my situation?”

Bottom of funnel: “Is this the right choice right now?”

You do not need 40 videos to answer these questions. You need the right few, built to do one job each.

Marketing funnel video content

TOFU videos that earn attention

Top of funnel videos should be easy to start and easy to finish. If the viewer is doing mental work, you lose them.

Use short hooks, clear payoffs, and a single idea. Keep the goal simple: move from cold to curious.

Here are practical top of funnel video examples that work for Software as a Service and service brands:

  • A problem story reel
  • A “what we believe” brand clip
  • A founder point of view
  • A product teaser
  • A social proof montage

If you sell to other businesses, TOFU is also where you set your tone. Calm wins. Clear wins. Loud hype gets skipped.

TOFU placement checklist

You can make a great video and still get a weak result if it sits in the wrong place.

Put TOFU videos where first contact happens:

  • Paid social ads and short YouTube placements
  • Your homepage hero section
  • The top of your best performing blog posts
  • A pinned post on LinkedIn if you sell to other businesses
  • The first slide of a webinar or event replay

One extra tip: match the promise to the page. If the video opens with “cut onboarding time,” the next page should talk about onboarding first. Keep the path clean.

TOFU formats that work with animation

Animation earns attention without trying to “out act” a real person. It is also easier to control. You can show concepts that are hard to film.

When teams ask about the cost of animation videos, the honest answer is: it depends on complexity, style, and length. The useful answer is: start small, prove the metric, then scale the style.

A simple animated opener can run across ads, your homepage, and your pitch deck. You get more mileage from one asset.

If you need help with this, work with an expert animation studio in the USA that has processes for speed and consistency. The difference shows up in the final cut and in the calendar.

Customer journey video strategy

MOFU videos that turn interest into intent

Middle stage viewers are not strangers anymore. They are curious and cautious at the same time.

They want clarity. They want to see how it fits. They want to feel smart for considering you.

This is where middle of funnel explainer videos do heavy lifting. A good explainer removes confusion and shows the path from problem to outcome.

For Software as a Service, the best explainers do three things:

  • Show the pain in the first 10 seconds
  • Explain the “new way” in plain language
  • Prove it with one real example

Now layer in video content for lead nurturing. This is the series that keeps the conversation alive after a signup, a webinar, or a sales call.

Good lead nurture videos are short and specific:

  • A “setup in 5 minutes” clip
  • A single workflow video
  • A “common mistakes” list
  • A “what to expect next” message from a real person

Do not make these feel like homework. Make them feel like relief.

MOFU trust builders you can ship fast

If your buyers loop in a second decision maker, you need trust assets. The fastest ones to ship:

Customer story shorts
One problem. One fix. One result. Keep it tight.

Use case spotlights
One industry. One workflow. One win.

Objection videos
Answer a hard question in 60 seconds. Pricing. Security. Migration. Timing.

This is also where hybrid animation can help. Combine light motion with real screens and real quotes. It keeps the viewer engaged while still feeling grounded.

Where MOFU videos actually live

These videos do not belong in one place. They should show up where people hesitate.

  • On key landing pages, right above the form
  • Inside your email sequence, right after the first click
  • In retargeting, aimed at visitors who hit pricing but did not book
  • In sales follow ups, as one link per email, not a long list
  • In app, triggered after a user hits a common sticking point

Build once, then place smart. That is how you get real impact without adding more production.

Sales funnel video types

Different sales funnel videos

BOFU videos that turn “maybe” into “yes”

Bottom of funnel is not the time for vague brand feelings. It is the time for confidence.

The viewer already knows the category. They already know the problem. They are deciding between you, a competitor, or doing nothing for another quarter.

Your job here is to reduce risk, speed up the decision, and make the next step feel safe.

Here are the bottom of funnel sales videos that work best for Software as a Service, agencies, and B2B service brands:

  • Product demo videos built around outcomes, not features
  • Sales page videos that explain the offer in plain language
  • Customer testimonial videos with real specifics
  • Implementation and onboarding walk through videos
  • Pricing and packaging videos that explain fit
  • Comparison videos that handle “you vs alternatives” cleanly
  • Proof videos like security, reliability, or process breakdowns

If your sales team keeps repeating the same explanations on calls, you have a BOFU video opportunity.

The BOFU demo that closes

A demo video should not be a screen recording that runs forever.

A demo that converts has a tight structure:

  1. The promise
    Open with the outcome. “Here is how you cut reporting time from two hours to ten minutes.”
  2. The path
    Show the steps. Keep the interface clean. Zoom only when needed.
  3. The proof
    One real metric, one real example, one short quote.
  4. The next step
    Tell them exactly what to do. Book a call. Start a trial. Request a plan.

Keep it short. Most teams do well with 2 to 4 minutes.

If you need longer, split it into chapters and label them clearly.

Offer videos for your landing pages

An offer video is the “coach” on the page. It explains what the thing is, who it is for, and what happens next.

This is especially useful for agencies. Buyers want to know process, timeline, and what they get.

Make it simple:

  • Who this is for
  • What you deliver
  • What the process looks like
  • How fast you can start
  • What success looks like

One more rule: do not hide the real details. If your buyer needs approvals, legal checks, or internal alignment, say it. Clarity builds trust.

Testimonial videos that do more than “they were great”

Most testimonials are polite. Polite does not sell.

You want specifics. Ask questions that force detail:

  • What was broken before?
  • What did you try already?
  • What changed after?
  • What result showed up first?
  • Who else in the company noticed?

Short is fine. One strong minute beats five minutes of kindness.

If you can only get one customer on camera, get them. If not, use audio with motion and captions. Use what you can get, then improve later.

BOFU pages that need video

Put BOFU videos where final hesitation happens:

  • Pricing page
  • Case study page
  • Proposal page
  • Post demo follow-up page
  • “Book a call” page

If your proposal is long, a short video can become the guide that pulls people through it.

Marketing funnel video content

How to plan your funnel-based videos without overproducing

Most teams lose momentum because they try to build the full library at once.

A smarter play is a small stack that covers the whole path.

Start with five videos:

  1. TOFU hook video
    Short, clear, built for ads and homepage.
  2. TOFU or early MOFU educational clip
    One common problem, one clean idea.
  3. MOFU explainer
    Your main “what it is and how it works” piece.
  4. MOFU proof asset
    A customer story short or use case spotlight.
  5. BOFU closer
    A demo or offer video that drives a call or trial.

This is funnel-based video marketing that respects time and budget.

Then you expand based on what the numbers tell you.

A simple mapping method for teams

Match video types to team needs:

If paid ads are expensive, improve TOFU creative.

If traffic does not convert, improve MOFU page videos.

If calls do not close, improve BOFU proof and objection videos.

Also, check your handoffs. If marketing hands a lead to sales with zero context, sales will restart the story on the call. That slows everything down.

A good funnel stack makes the call shorter, sharper, and easier to close.

Customer journey video strategy

How agencies can package this for clients

If you are an agency, sell the system, not a single video.

Clients do not want “a video.” They want a pipeline.

Package it like this:

  • Stage 1: Awareness set
    Short video ads, social clips, homepage hook.
  • Stage 2: Consideration set
    Explainer, use case spotlight, nurture clips.
  • Stage 3: Decision set
    Demo, testimonial, objection videos.

Then tie each set to a metric. Cost per click, conversion rate, booked calls, or revenue influenced.

This makes your work harder to replace and easier to defend.

Use animation when it solves a real problem

Animation is not only for looks. It is for clarity.

Use a 2D animation agency when you need speed, simple visuals, and clean explanation.

Use a 3D animation company when you need product depth, cinematic shots, or a premium feel.

Use 3D video production services when you need high polish, brand consistency, and assets that can live across campaigns.

Pick the format that fits the job.

If you are showing a workflow, keep it simple. 

If you are selling a big contract, polish pays.

Marketing funnel video content

Common mistakes that break the funnel

  1. Same video, every stage
    A TOFU hook is not a BOFU closer. It will underperform in one place.
  2. Too much story, too little point
    Story is great. A clear next step is better.
  3. No distribution plan
    A great video with zero placement is a nice file on a drive.
  4. Videos that avoid the hard questions
    If pricing, timeline, or migration are common blockers, address them.
  5. Paragraph long scripts
    Video is spoken language. Keep lines short. Keep it natural.

If you want clean performance, keep your paragraph length short on the page too. Long blocks make people bounce.

Video marketing funnel

A quick checklist before you hit publish

  • One goal per video
  • One stage per video
  • Strong first 3 seconds
  • Clear next step
  • Captions for silent viewing
  • Multiple cut downs for ads and retargeting
  • Trackable links for measurement

If your team cannot explain what the video is supposed to do in one sentence, the viewer will not get it either.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can start with five strong pieces, then expand. Most funnels follow the awareness consideration decision stages and you add videos as your campaigns mature.

Create one core video, then adjust the first 20 seconds and the examples. That is a practical content personalization strategy that avoids rebuilding the whole asset.

It answers the real question fast, shows proof, and gives a clear next step. A conversion-driven video funnel is built around action, not applause.

Short wins for most placements. Use a long version for sales calls or a deeper page. For campaigns, build a system that supports full-funnel video marketing across ads, emails, and pages.

Final Words

Your funnel does not need more content. It needs the right videos in the right spots.

TOFU earns attention. MOFU builds trust. BOFU closes.

Build a small stack, measure it, then scale what works.

If you want this done with enterprise-grade storytelling and production, Prolific Studio can build the full funnel plan and the videos that match it, from the first hook to the final proof.

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David Lucas

David Lucas leads SEO content strategy at Prolific Studio, combining data insights with creative storytelling to boost visibility and engagement. By identifying search trends and tailoring content to resonate with audiences, he helps the studio achieve measurable growth while staying at the forefront of animation and digital innovation.

Picture of David Lucas

David Lucas

David Lucas leads SEO content strategy at Prolific Studio, combining data insights with creative storytelling to boost visibility and engagement. By identifying search trends and tailoring content to resonate with audiences, he helps the studio achieve measurable growth while staying at the forefront of animation and digital innovation.

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Patrick Mitchell

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