Keyword Funnel: A Complete Guide for Beginners
68% of online experiences start with a search engine, yet most businesses fail to guide users effectively through their journey. That’s where a keyword funnel comes in—a strategy that ensures you’re meeting your audience’s needs at every step.
What Is Keyword Funnel In SEO?
A keyword funnel is a method of sorting and targeting keywords based on a buyer’s journey. It helps you create content that addresses the needs and intent of your audience at different stages of their decision-making process.
Example:
Suppose you run an SEO agency. Some users may just want to learn about SEO (awareness), others may want to compare your agency vs other SEO agency (consideration), and a few may be looking to hire an SEO agency (decision). The keyword funnel ensures you’re creating content for all these types of users. In the guide below, we’ll explain each stage in detail with examples.
Stages Of Keyword Funnel:
Every keyword falls under one of three types of intent, and it’s essential to understand what your audience is searching for with specific search terms or queries. To identify what your customers are looking for, you need to learn about the keyword funnel and create content that matches user intent. Keyword funnel is also knows as SEO funnel
There are three types of stages in a keyword funnel:
- Awareness
- Consideration
- Conversion
Top of the Funnel (TOFU) – Awareness Stage
In the awareness stage, your audience is discovering a problem or opportunity for the first time. At this point, they’re unaware of specific solutions. These audience are also called as “cold audience“
At this stage, focus on creating general, engaging content like blog posts, infographics, or social media updates to attract visitors. Don’t push or try to sell products or services here. The goal is to educate users and build trust by providing valuable, easy-to-understand content. Use tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Keywords Everywhere to target broad, high-volume keywords.
Example: If your topic is SEO, you could create content like:
- “What is keyword research?”
- “How does SEO work?”
- “Why is SEO important for small businesses?”
Intent Of Keywords To Target:
- What is…
- Benefits of…
- Types of…
- How to…
Middle of the Funnel (MOFU) – Consideration Stage
In the consideration stage, the audience knows they have a specific problem and is actively looking for a solution. They’re comparing options and evaluating which one might work best for them. This stage is where you write detailed and actionable advice, case studies, or comparison guides. These audience are called as “warm audience“
Example: You can create content like:
- “Best SEO tools for small businesses”
- “Best SEO agency for e-commerce businesses”
- “Ahrefs Vs Semrush”
Intent Of Keywords To Target:
- Best…
- How to choose…
- Comparison of…
- Which is better…
- Top 10…
Bottom of the Funnel (BOFU) – Conversion Stage
In the conversion stage, the audience is ready to choose a specific solution and needs that final push. Your content should focus on showcasing your expertise and providing proof of your value. As the audience has already gone through the TOFU and MOFU, now they are ready to purchase a product or service. These audience are knows as “hot audience“
Example: Types of content for the bottom of the funnel could include service pages, pricing guides, testimonials, and landing pages. Publish a landing page titled:
- “Ahrefs Pricing”
Intent Of Keywords To Target:
- Buy [product]
- Price of…
- Deals on…
- Where to buy…
- Order [product] online
- Affordable…
Benefits of Using Keyword Funnel
- Targeted Traffic: A keyword funnel helps you attract the right audience at the right stage of their journey. By targeting specific keyword intent, you ensure that your content speaks directly to users’ needs, improving traffic quality.
- Improved Search Rankings: Search engines reward content that matches user intent because users will spend more time reading the content. This increases average engagement time, which is a ranking factor for Google. It will eventually boost your website’s rankings.
- Higher Conversion Rates: Guiding users through the funnel with targeted content naturally increases the chances of conversions by addressing their needs at every stage.
Summary
A keyword funnel is a powerful strategy for creating content that matches with user intent and drives results. By understanding and targeting keywords at the awareness, consideration, and decision stages, you can guide users through their journey and improve your site’s performance. Its is also called “SEO funnel” or “Content Funnel“
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a keyword funnel in simple terms?
A keyword funnel organizes search terms based on the stages of a user’s journey—awareness, consideration, and conversion. It helps you create content that matches the user’s needs at each step. This way, you guide them from discovering your brand to becoming a customer.
2. Why is the keyword funnel important for SEO?
The keyword funnel ensures your content matches user intent, which improves engagement and rankings. Search engines reward content that helps users find what they’re looking for. This strategy also increases conversions by targeting the right audience at the right time.
3. What tools can I use to find keywords for each stage?
Popular tools include Ahrefs, Semrush, Keywords Everywhere, and Google Keyword Planner. These tools help identify keywords for awareness, consideration, and conversion stages. Use filters like search volume, intent, and competition to find the best-fit terms.
4. What should I do if my content targets the wrong stage?
If your content is mismatched with user intent, adjust it by analyzing the target keywords and rewriting sections. For example, if users are looking for “best SEO tools,” focus on comparisons instead of general information about SEO. Match content purpose to user queries.
5. Can one keyword belong to multiple stages of the funnel?
Yes, some keywords can overlap depending on user context. For example, “How to choose an SEO tool” can work for both consideration and early conversion stages. Analyze the search intent behind the keyword to determine its primary purpose.
6. How do I avoid sending users to the wrong funnel stage?
Use internal links strategically to connect content within the same funnel stage. For example, link from an awareness post to another educational resource, not directly to a product page. This ensures a smoother user journey and reduces bounce rates.
7. What’s the best way to target keywords for retention?
Focus on creating loyalty-building content like newsletters, exclusive deals, and product tips. While retention keywords are less about search engines, phrases like “exclusive deals for members” or “product care tips” can still attract existing customers. The goal is to keep users engaged post-purchase.
8. How do I know which stage of the funnel my content belongs to?
Evaluate the keyword intent—are users asking questions, comparing options, or ready to buy? Informational queries (e.g., “What is SEO?”) fit TOFU, while comparison queries (e.g., “Best SEO tools”) belong to MOFU. Purchase-related terms like “Buy SEO services” align with BOFU.
9. What if I have limited time to create content for all stages?
Prioritize the stage where you see the most audience engagement or revenue potential. For example, if most users land on your site looking for comparisons, focus on MOFU content first. Expand to other stages once you’ve built a solid foundation.
10. How do I measure the success of my keyword funnel strategy?
Track metrics like traffic, bounce rate, time on page, and conversions for each stage. Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to monitor how well users move through the funnel. Adjust your strategy based on the data for continuous improvement.
