The Interest Stage of the marketing funnel is where potential customers move beyond simple brand awareness and begin actively engaging with a business. At this stage, they are curious about what the brand offers and are seeking more information. This is a critical phase because it nurtures initial attention into genuine consideration, helping prospects build a connection with the brand. If Interest isn’t properly cultivated, potential customers may lose focus and move on to competitors. Businesses must establish credibility, provide value, and demonstrate how their products or services can address the audience’s pain points. The key is to engage prospects without being overly sales-driven, allowing them to explore and learn at their own pace.

Tactics in the Interest stage focus on educational and engaging content that deepens audience involvement. Email marketing with personalized messages, downloadable resources like eBooks and whitepapers, and in-depth blog posts can help maintain engagement. Social media interactions, webinars, and live Q&A sessions also allow businesses to build trust and answer potential customer questions. Retargeting ads can reinforce messaging by keeping the brand top of mind for those who have previously engaged with content. At this stage, businesses should also optimize their website with compelling landing pages, informative case studies, and clear calls to action that encourage further exploration. By effectively managing the Interest stage, businesses create a strong foundation for the Consideration phase, where potential customers start seriously evaluating their options.

In the image above, you have four different prospects enter the Awareness stage through different strategies -- they passed through to the Interest stage (two of them through the same strategy). Good job, they're on the way!