Stop Guessing What to Post: The 70/20/10 Rule and the Content Funnel
If I had a dollar for every client who told me they stare at a blank screen wondering what to post on social media, Maomeo would have hit its revenue targets years early. You do not need to be a creative genius to run a successful social media account. You just need a system.
The easiest system to follow is the 70/20/10 rule. It forces you to stop hard-selling in every post and start building an actual audience. Here is the breakdown:
- 70% Value: Educational, entertaining, or problem-solving content. You give your knowledge away for free.
- 20% Connection: Community building, engaging questions, behind-the-scenes content, or sharing relevant industry news.
- 10% Promotion: The hard sell. Asking for the booking, the email, or the sale.
This rule directly maps to how digital marketers structure the customer buying journey. We break this journey into three distinct funnel stages: TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU.
Most brands get trapped in "TOFU purgatory" because they chase broad vanity metrics like reach and impressions, completely forgetting to give people a reason to convert.
- TOFU (Top of Funnel - Awareness): This is your 70% value content. This is how we would explain to our client - "user has a problem, they don't know what the solution is. Your content advises them." You cast a wide net to get eyeballs. No hard selling allowed here.
- MOFU (Middle of Funnel - Consideration): This aligns with your 20% connection content. The user knows their problem and knows solutions exist. Here, you build trust and show why you are a good option. MOFU is where sales velocity lives — it filters out the casual scrollers from the actual buyers.
- BOFU (Bottom of Funnel - Decision): This is your 10% promotional content. The user is ready to buy. You remove friction and make it incredibly easy to act.
Let's look at how this plays out for two very different local businesses.
The Real Estate Agent Funnel
Most real estate agents treat their entire feed like it is BOFU. They just post "Just Listed!" and "Sold!" over and over. If you were our client, we would hold your hands and gently say "This is exactly why your engagement is terrible."
| Stage | Content Strategy | Example post |
|---|---|---|
| TOFU | Broad local interest and general real estate education. | A 60-second video rating the top 3 coffee shops in your target neighborhood. |
| MOFU | Building authority and showing market expertise. | A carousel post breaking down the exact ROI of a kitchen renovation versus a bathroom renovation in the current local market. |
| BOFU | Direct action. | A "Just Listed" property tour with a clear call-to-action to DM you "VIEWING" to secure a weekend slot. |
The Enrichment Center Funnel
Contrary to popular belief, parents do not enroll their kids in a new center just because they saw a banner in their neighbourhood. They need to trust the methodology and the teachers first. And our research shows parents search 3 different platforms before heading down to 1 preschool. For a viewing.
| Stage | Content Strategy | Example post |
|---|---|---|
| TOFU | Free value that helps parents with common pain points. | A quick Reel showing a 5-minute math game parents can play with their Primary 1 kids at the dinner table. |
| MOFU | Social proof and methodology breakdowns. | A parent testimonial video talking about how their child's focus improved after one term, combined with a breakdown of your teaching framework. |
| BOFU | The hard offer./td> | A graphic announcing that Term 3 enrollment is open, offering a free trial class for the first 10 people who click the link in your bio. |
Stop trying to reinvent the wheel every time you open Instagram or LinkedIn. Map your ideas to the funnel, stick to the ratios, and let the system do the work.