When it comes to the type of content you’re creating in your marketing strategy, bottom-of-the-funnel pieces can be attractive. They’re those brand-specific posts, designed for prospects who are ready to sign contracts and swipe credit cards. But we’re here to tell you that if you’re underestimating the power of top-of-the-funnel content, you might be making a big mistake. While this content might seem more rudimentary or generic, it’s actually a goldmine of opportunity to reach high-volume searchers, educate prospects, and convert them into actual buyers.
Data shows that, even in the age of AI and video marketing, content marketing is still a primary focus for businesses, with 54% of businesses saying they’ll increase their content marketing budget this year. That’s because content marketing is a tried-and-true strategy which continues to stand the test of time: folks have a pain point, and they hit the internet to search for answers. They stumble across your posts, learn about your solutions, and end up a customer.
So the story goes. But of course, we know that we need to be creating content for every stage of the buyer’s journey, and for different levels of the funnel, in order to truly convert searchers to buyers.
And if you’re only focusing on the power of bottom-of-the-funnel content, you could be missing out on valuable opportunities.
Here’s everything you need to know about the impact of top-of-the-funnel content, and how to best leverage it.
Quick Recap: The Content Funnel
Before we dive deep into the power of top-of-the-funnel content, let’s do a quick recap of what a content funnel looks like.
A content funnel leads to content which is designed for prospects at varying stages of awareness about solutions to their pain point.
Think: someone who is Googling “What is a photo editing software?” versus “Free demo for Photoshop.” These searchers clearly have different levels of knowledge about photo editing software, and are at different stages of readiness to buy.
Top-of-the-Funnel
Content at the top-of-the-funnel (TOFU) is meant for prospects who are in the very initial stages of searching for solutions. They are aware they have a problem or a need, and are searching for simple explanations and educational material.
Research shows that TOFU content gets the most hits from organic search, and when we dissect the anatomy of this content, it makes sense why. As this content answers burning questions and basic queries, it typically looks like how-to guides, landing pages, ebooks, and whitepapers.
Middle-of-the-Funnel
Middle-of-the-funnel (MOFU) content typically addresses more advanced topics surrounding a pain point. As prospects likely have at least some knowledge about different solutions, content here can subtly introduce your brand. Using our example above, they likely already know about different brand options for photo editing software, and might be watching a webinar titled “How to Expertly Color-Correct a Photo,” using your software as the example.
MOFU content can include more advanced educational content, tutorials, product overviews, case studies, webinars, and success stories.
Bottom-of-the-Funnel
Ah, bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) content. This is the content that’s designed for hard and fast conversion, and speaks to customers who are ready to buy, in order to convince them to choose you. This content is sales-oriented and includes demos, free trials, and comparison guides highlighting your unique value proposition. Continuing with our example, content at this stage might include a free trial of photo editing software, or a product comparison guide of the leading options, with yours positioned as the best choice.
Typically, BOFU content helps buyers cross the finish line, and it’s important: it’s persuasive, helpful to potential buyers, and the CTA’s involved help them convert to actual customers. But in order for BOFU content to be successful, the prospect already needs to have base knowledge about your solution. That’s because by the time prospects reach BOFU content, they’re pretty well-educated on their options. For example, data shows that buyers are more than halfway through the decision process when they finally get in touch with a potential vendor. Further research shows that B2B buyers visit between 3-5 pieces of content before they engage with a salesperson, while many engage with 5+ pieces of content.
The Importance of TOFU Content
BOFU content can have high ROI and comes with appealing potential, and because of this, many B2B SEO agencies and clients are eager to focus on it. But this can lead to some missteps when it comes to a holistic approach to your content funnel, like ignoring key TOFU topics.
Why can TOFU content pack a punch when it comes to reaching your prospects?
This content is valuable because:
1. It’s where you have a big opportunity for education
Top-of-the-funnel content is the best opportunity to help prospects understand their problem. It’s the place you get to actually answer their questions, introduce them to solutions, and help them best understand their own problem. This content is essential, because it lays the foundation for why a prospect would actually view your product as an adequate solution to their problem.
2. TOFU content tends to have high search volume
TOFU content is excellent for reach, because it tends to have a high search volume. And it makes sense why: TOFU content is broad, and keywords include popular search terms like “how to.”
3. It avoids being “too salesy”
Your prospective customers today are very smart, and if they read something that appears to be “too salesy” off the bat, they’re likely to click away. That’s one of the biggest benefits of content marketing: it educates your audience and brings in organic leads, while avoiding the typical pitfalls of hard sales techniques. When TOFU content is well done, your prospects might not even realize they’re reading marketing materials.
The Realities of TOFU Content
TOFU content can be powerful, but it’s not a silver bullet.
Here are some of the realities that come with TOFU content that you should be aware of:
1. It likely won’t have high levels of conversion (at first glance)
While it can happen, it’s rare that a piece of TOFU content will lead to an immediate sale. We’ve already discussed how prospects tend to engage with several pieces of content before talking to a sales rep. This means that as a standalone piece of content, TOFU pieces won’t lead to an immediate spike in customers. However, many of the impacts of TOFU content (such as increased brand awareness) can lead to a sale further down the line.
2. It can be tough to measure ROI
TOFU content is valuable, but the true ROI might be tough to measure: how do you quantify customer education? If someone reads a few pieces of your TOFU content, it can have a big impact on their decision to buy, but it can be almost impossible to quantify it.
What metrics might best reflect the ROI of TOFU content? You can monitor the reach of content, retention, and engagement, for example. These numbers can give you some idea of the impact of your TOFU content.
3. TOFU content can be challenging to rank for
Many of the keywords involved with TOFU content will be “low hanging fruit,” or keywords that are often searched. While this can be a good thing, it also means that they’ll have increased competition, and will be more challenging to rank for.
How do we overcome these challenges? Firstly, we use a “hub and spoke” approach to content, meaning that we still target the core terms (despite their competitiveness) and use them as a starting point to approach more niche, complex topics, which we do by building a comprehensive link structure.
Second, as we build links and fill out your content, we’ll also ideally raise your site’s domain authority, positioning it to rank better for more competitive terms. We’ll also focus on more longtail, specific TOFU keywords, instead of just the most general ones. These ones will have less competition, making it more likely your content will rank.
How to Best Approach TOFU Content
In order to masterfully approach TOFU content, here are some best practices to keep in mind:
1. Use TOFU content as an opportunity to educate (and understand) buyers
One of the most valuable parts of TOFU content is that it can be an opportunity to educate buyers about their pain point, different solutions, and the differentiators in your solution. Use it to understand what questions your prospects are answering and what problems they are trying to solve.
Our advice? Start with a content audit, to see where the gaps are in your current TOFU content strategy, and to make sure you’re hitting all of your core subjects and keywords.
2. Tackle it from all angles
We touched on this before, but it’s important. TOFU content might touch entry-level topics, but that’s not where it ends. Using that hub and spoke approach, create content around your core, baseline topics, before expanding out. TOFU content can also involve specific, longtail keywords, which have high search volume, and which meet more in-depth search needs.
3. Focus on value
The value in TOFU content is the value it provides to customers. Provide accurate, valuable information that’s relevant and engaging, and be sure to directly answer the question at hand without overly pushing your product or service. Use TOFU content to build trust and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.
Trust us, we’re masters of TOFU content
When it comes to leveraging your content funnel to get more high-quality inbound leads, let us show you the ropes. We’re RevenueZen, and we help ambitious B2B brands break their previous record of organic-sourced revenue growth in 16 months. And we know that, while every part of the content funnel matters, you need to expertly approach your TOFU content to generate brand awareness, position your brand as a leading solution, and start the process of educating your customers.
If you’re ready to take your approach to content marketing to the next level, book a call with us today.
