Table of Contents
- What is an SEO Funnel?
- Why Do You Need an SEO Funnel?
- The Purpose of a Search Funnel
- Stages of a Sales Funnel
- Search Funnel Example
- How Search Volume and Competition Change
- Keyword Variations at Different Levels of the Funnel
- How to Create an SEO Funnel for Your Business
- Tips for Optimizing Your SEO Funnel
SEO for sales funnel is a crucial strategy for businesses looking to optimize their online presence and increase conversions. In this article, we will explore what an SEO funnel is, why it is important, and how to create one for your business. We will also provide tips for optimizing your SEO funnel to maximize its effectiveness.
What is an SEO Funnel?
An SEO funnel is a conversion funnel built with website content created around different keywords and topics that a customer searches for as they move through the different stages of the funnel. The stages of the funnel are Awareness, Interest and Decision, and Action.
The purpose of an SEO funnel is to capture organic traffic, which leads to more sales and higher profit margins from your SEO efforts. Leads coming from organic search often have higher conversion rates and better ROI than any other marketing channel. By creating a search funnel, you can capture a steady stream of pre-qualified customers who are already interested in your products or services.
Why Do You Need an SEO Funnel?
There are several benefits to creating an SEO funnel for your business:
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Increased Organic Traffic: By optimizing your website content around different keywords and topics, you can attract more organic traffic from search engines.
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Higher Conversion Rates: Leads coming from organic search are more likely to convert into paying customers because they have already expressed interest in your products or services.
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Better ROI: SEO is a cost-effective marketing channel that can provide long-term results. By investing in SEO and creating an effective funnel, you can achieve a higher ROI compared to other marketing channels.
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Reduced Reliance on Google Ads: By capturing more organic traffic, you can reduce your reliance on paid advertising, such as Google Ads. This can save you money in the long run.
The Purpose of a Search Funnel
A search funnel guides prospects through the purchase journey, from awareness to decision. By understanding the various stages of the funnel, businesses can create targeted content and offers that speak to the unique needs of each step.
In addition, SEO funnels help businesses track their progress and identify where prospects are dropping off. This allows them to make adjustments and optimize their funnel for better results. Ultimately, funnels provide a framework for consistent, repeatable sales and can turn one-time buyers into lifelong fans.
Stages of a Sales Funnel
The stages of a sales funnel can vary depending on the model used. A commonly used model is AIDA, which stands for Awareness, Interest, Decision, and Action. However, in the world of Funnel SEO, a more effective way to categorize search terms along the customer journey is as follows:
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Informational: Customers are searching for information and answers to their questions. They may be researching a problem or looking for solutions.
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Navigational: Customers are looking for a specific page or website. They may already be familiar with a brand or product and are searching for a direct path to it.
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Commercial: Customers are actively considering different brands and products. They are comparing options, reading reviews, and looking for the best deals.
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Transactional: Customers are ready to make a purchase. They are searching for specific products or services and are ready to take action.
By understanding the different stages of the funnel, businesses can create targeted content that meets the needs of customers at each stage and guides them towards a conversion.
Search Funnel Example
To illustrate how the search words and intent change as a customer moves through the funnel, let’s consider the example of a med spa that offers tattoo removal services.
At the top of the funnel, a potential customer named Tattoo Tom is searching for informational queries such as “how to remove tattoos” or “benefits of tattoo removal.” He is collecting information and trying to understand his options.
As Tattoo Tom moves through the funnel, his searches shift to commercial intent. He searches for terms like “tattoo removal services near me” and “best tattoo removal in San Diego.” He is comparing different med spas, checking prices, and reading reviews.
Finally, at the bottom of the funnel, Tattoo Tom searches using transactional keywords such as “San Diego Laser Tattoo Removal Institute” and books an initial consultation. He is ready to take action and make a purchase.
By creating content that targets customers at each stage of the funnel, businesses can capture more search traffic and nurture prospects towards a conversion. They become the trusted guide on the customer’s journey.
How Search Volume and Competition Change
As you move from the top to the bottom of the funnel, the search volume decreases, and the competition increases. This is because the intent of the searches has more economic value at the bottom of the funnel, and the keywords are more competitive and harder to rank for.
It’s important to prioritize your content in the marketing funnel based on economic value, search volume, and competition. While it’s ideal to target keywords with high value, high search volume, and low competition, this may not always be feasible. In mature industries, it may be more effective to focus on informational queries at the top of the funnel that are less competitive.
Keyword Variations at Different Levels of the Funnel
At each level of the funnel, customers use different search queries based on their intent. Here are some examples of search queries at different levels of the funnel for different industries:
Top of the Funnel – Informational Search Examples
- Night guard/dental guard company:
- Causes of bruxism
- Causes of jaw pain
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What is bruxism?
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Med spa offering tattoo removal services:
- How to get a tattoo removed?
- Is it dangerous to remove a tattoo?
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How does tattoo removal work?
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Personal injury law firm:
- How to choose the right personal injury lawyer?
- When to hire a personal injury lawyer?
- How much to ask for in a personal injury settlement?
Navigational Search Examples
- Night guard/dental guard company:
- Night guard CVS
- Night guard Walmart
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Walgreens night guard
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Med spa offering tattoo removal services:
- Groupon Tattoo Removal
- Atlantic laser tattoo removal
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Removery tattoo removal and fading
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Personal injury law firm:
- San Francisco personal injury attorney Dolan law
- Cellino law personal injury attorneys
- Florida personal injury law team
Commercial Intent Search Examples
- Night guard/dental guard company:
- Night guard for TMJ
- Best night guard for teeth grinding
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Night guards for clenching
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Med spa offering tattoo removal services:
- Tattoo removal service
- Tattoo laser removal
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Best tattoo removal laser
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Personal injury law firm:
- Law firm personal injury
- San Diego personal injury law firms
- Top personal injury law firms
Bottom-of-the-Funnel: Transactional Search Phrases
- Night guard/dental guard company:
- Custom night guard
- Soft night guard
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Lower teeth night guard
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Med spa offering tattoo removal services:
- Tattoo removal near me
- Tattoo removal near me cost
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Groupon tattoo removal
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Personal injury law firm:
- Cellino law personal injury lawyers
- Personal injury lawyer near me
- Personal injury law firm near me
There are hundreds of different types of searches that fall into each level of the sales funnel. By creating content that targets these keywords and questions, businesses can capture more traffic and become the go-to source for information in their industry.
How to Create an SEO Funnel for Your Business
Creating an SEO funnel for your business involves several steps:
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Identify Your Customer Segments: Understand who your customers are and how they search for your products or services. Different customer segments may have different search behaviors and preferences.
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Develop Your Content Roadmap: Brainstorm keywords and topics that customers search for at each stage of the funnel. Create a Google Sheet with tabs for Informational, Navigational, Commercial, and Transactional queries. Use SEO tools like SEM Rush or free tools like Google Ads Keyword Planner and Google Trends to identify relevant keywords and search volumes.
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Write Your Content: Create SEO-optimized content that targets keywords and topics at each stage of the funnel. Use the top-ranking pages as a guide for word count, subtopics, and keyword usage. Leverage internal linking between related articles to guide visitors through the funnel.
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Promote Your Content: Amplify and promote your content through email newsletters, retargeting campaigns, and social media. Drip out content to potential customers to nurture them through the funnel and increase brand awareness.
Tips for Optimizing Your SEO Funnel
To optimize your SEO funnel and maximize its effectiveness, consider the following tips:
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Prioritize Your Content: Focus on keywords and topics that have high economic value, search volume, and low competition. If your industry is highly competitive, consider targeting informational queries at the top of the funnel that are less expensive.
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Leverage Internal Linking: Use internal linking to connect related articles and guide visitors through the funnel. This improves SEO authority, boosts rankings, and captures more traffic from top to bottom of the funnel.
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Amplify and Promote Your Content: Use email newsletters, retargeting campaigns, and social media to promote your content and reach a wider audience. This increases brand visibility and drives more traffic to your website.
In conclusion, implementing an SEO funnel for your business can significantly improve your online presence, drive more organic traffic, and increase conversions. By understanding the different stages of the funnel and creating targeted content, you can guide prospects through the purchase journey and turn them into lifelong customers.