2026 Full-Funnel Marketing Playbook

The bottom of the funnel (BOFU) may feel like familiar territory: high-intent shoppers, strong signals, and measurable conversions. But while top-funnel builds recognition and middle-funnel shapes consideration, bottom-funnel is where everything converges, and even small inefficiencies can quietly disrupt performance.

This is the point in the funnel when shoppers are closest to contacting a dealership or submitting a lead. Yet rising CPCs, shifting attribution models, and AI-driven search behavior have redefined what bottom-funnel “efficiency” actually looks like. Dealers who rely too heavily on BOFU tactics often end up paying more to re-engage shoppers already influenced earlier in the journey.

A bottom-funnel strategy performs best when it amplifies the momentum created upstream. The key drivers of closing the sale are validated audiences, personalized last-mile experiences, and strong data protection; not simply more budget at the very end.

What bottom-funnel shoppers are really deciding

At this stage, buyers have narrowed their options. But they’re still asking three key questions:

• Is this the right dealership?
• Is this the right vehicle, and is it available now?
• Can I trust this experience enough to take the next step?

At this stage, relevance and confidence matter as much as price. Shoppers expect a digital experience that recognizes their preferences, remembers what they viewed, and reinforces why your dealership is the right fit.

While the top-funnel builds awareness and mid-funnel shapes preferences, the bottom-funnel converts intent into a lead or sale. Efficiency is determined by the quality of the audience entering this stage, not the volume of budget applied.

Bottom-funnel marketing tactics are designed to:

• Convert high-quality traffic. Shoppers influenced earlier in the journey tend to convert at higher rates when re-engaged.
  
• Personalize the last-mile. Tailored homepage or landing page layouts reassure shoppers that they’re in the right place.
  
• Protect audience data. Some partners request site tagging that may be used beyond a dealer’s campaigns. Keeping data internal preserves competitive advantage.
  
• Reduce waste. Slow, recycled, or modeled audiences can lead to retargeting shoppers who may no longer be active.

Bottom-funnel success is ultimately a downstream reflection of what happened earlier in the journey.

Busting the myths about the bottom-funnel

Misconceptions around BOFU behavior often lead dealers to optimize for the wrong signals. These myths highlight where strategy breaks and where it’s regained.

Myth 1: “Clicks equal customers”

Reality: Rising CPCs and weakening attribution make bottom-only strategies inefficient.

Paid search costs have climbed 40–50% since 2019¹, while AI tools increasingly answer shopper questions without generating a click. Bottom-only spend inflates cost per sale and leaves you exposed as SEM effectiveness erodes.Quality matters more than quantity. Shoppers exposed to top-funnel plays like In-Market Video (IMV) convert at 2x higher rates² than other traffic because they arrive primed, not cold.

Myth 2: “Closing is mostly about price”

Reality: Relevance and confidence drive conversions in the final stretch.

At the last mile, shoppers want confirmation they’re in the right place, not just savings. Personalized website experiences, such as those powered by Dealer Inspire, use behaviors to tailor homepage experiences. This helps shoppers feel understood and reduces friction in the final decision.

Myth 3: “All  low-funnel audiences perform the same”

Reality: Recency and real signals matter.

In automotive retail, too many digital advertising partners rely on modeled intent, purchased segments, or recycled traffic built from indirect or outdated signals. These datasets often chase shoppers who may have already purchased, or were never truly in-market to begin with.

Cars.com first-party audiences are different. They’re refreshed daily, grounded in real marketplace behavior, and activated across Cars Commerce Media Network (CCMN) and Dealer Inspire Media Services (DIMS). That means bottom-funnel spend is focused on shoppers who are actively preparing for purchase right now, not hypothetical audiences.

How bottom-funnel marketing drives conversion

Bottom-funnel marketing doesn’t just close leads, it closes the right leads when:

• Upstream influence is connected. Awareness and consideration create familiarity that retargeting reinforces.
  
• Audiences are validated. First-party marketplace shoppers consistently outperform modeled segments.
  
• Paid search and social use first-party data. Premium+ with DIMS unlocks Cars.com audiences for SEM and social, focusing every dollar on recent, verified shoppers.
  
• Personalization is activated. Tailored landing experiences reduce friction in the decision-making moment.
  
• Data stays protected. Keeping first-party signals within CCMN + DIMS safeguards competitive advantage.

BOFU best practices for dealers

The bottom funnel works best when it is efficient, connected, and protected.

1. Retarget primed shoppers

Not all traffic warrants retargeting. Shoppers first influenced through top- or mid-funnel engagements often convert at higher rates.

2. Use first-party audiences to power SEM and social

Dealers who partner with Cars Commerce have exclusive access to Cars.com first-party audience data to target real in-market shoppers directly within Google and Meta. This reduces spend on outdated or probabilistic intent, targeting shoppers who have signaled real interest within the last 90 days.

3. Deliver personalized last-mile experiences

Use retargeting signals to create cohesive click-to-site journeys.

Examples include:

Engaging experiences tied to specific retargeting campaigns

Tailored messaging that reflects the models, trims, or offers the shopper previously viewed

Personalized experiences that mirror the ad path, seasonal demands, or local incentives

4. Protect your first-party data

Some low-funnel marketing vendors tag dealer websites to fuel their own algorithms. With Cars Commerce, your data remains yours, used only to optimize campaigns and convert shoppers.

Questions to ask vendors:

• “Do you need to tag my site, and who else sees that data?”
  
• “How do you distinguish incremental new shoppers from recycled ones?”
  
• “What safeguards ensure my first-party data isn’t resold or reused?”
  
• “Can you provide separate reporting to distinguish results from my return website visitors vs new visitors?”

Building efficiency at the bottom of the funnel

BOFU becomes a more effective investment when it completes a connected strategy. When awareness builds recognition and consideration builds momentum, the bottom funnel focuses on helping shoppers take the final step — not compensating for gaps upstream.

Cars Commerce helps dealers:

• Retarget shoppers influenced earlier in their journey
  
• Activate validated audiences across SEM and social
  
• Deliver personalized website experiences that inspire confidence
  
• Protect first-party data while improving conversion performance

Putting the full funnel into action

When you look at the funnel as a whole, the framework is clear: awareness builds recognition, mid-funnel strategies shape consideration, and the bottom of the funnel turns that momentum into results. But real efficiency happens when each stage works in sync.

Dealers who align audience targeting, creative, measurement, and data protection across all three stages don’t just reduce cost per sale — they create a more predictable, scalable path to conversion.

The final step isn’t about spending more on paid search and retargeting. It’s about making those ads resonate with shoppers already familiar with your brand and delivering relevant experiences that help them take the next step.