Looking to dominate those generic, big-fish industry queries? Or maybe you want to slide into your audience’s DMs with the confidence of a trusted brand? Well, TOFU\u2019s got your back.<\/p>\n
This comprehensive guide covers best practices for top-of-funnel content creation<\/a>, steps to build an effective TOFU content strategy, and actionable insights to measure success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Top-of-funnel content<\/span> meets the consumer at the first stage of their journey. It\u2019s the initial step and often the most critical in <\/span>demand generation<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s a breakdown of the <\/span>content marketing funnel<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for the buyer’s journey:<\/span><\/p>\n At the top-of-the-funnel, consumers are aware of a problem or something they need to fix. But they often don’t necessarily know the solution they need. They might not even be aware of the potential solutions out there. That’s where TOFU content shines. It doesn\u2019t push a product or service aggressively. Instead, it offers insight and education into the problem the consumer is having. That education provides utility and value to the reader and nudges them toward a possible solution. You.<\/span><\/p>\n 95% of marketers create Top-of-Funnel content<\/span><\/a>. That should tell you how essential it is.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And while leads and\u00a0<\/span>conversions<\/span><\/a>\u00a0are the ultimate goals of any marketing strategy, the journey there is just as vital. Ultimately, any piece of TOFU content should somehow connect to your product or service. Think of top-of-funnel content as casting a wide net into the sea of potential customers. That net is designed to provide relevance, education, and value. It hooks and attracts consumers, starting them down the\u00a0<\/span>consumer decision journey<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By leveraging the power of TOFU content, you can engage your target audience and set the tone for the rest of the <\/span>buyer’s journey<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Crafting a resonant TOFU content strategy requires deep diving into demand metrics and competition. Let\u2019s unpack the essential components that drive a successful top-of-the-funnel content game plan.<\/p>\n If you want your brand to stand out in the digital landscape, you have to understand the myriad of pathways that guide your audience to you. And that means getting clarity. From an <\/span>SEO standpoint<\/span><\/a>, it\u2019s not just about spotting high-volume keywords. It\u2019s about organizing those keywords into themes and going deeper by identifying every possible keyword variation that might stem from them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Organizing your data by theme, importance, and volume creates a blueprint for your target audience\u2019s journey. It unveils what your audience is searching for and provides insights into their pain points and curiosities. With that understanding, you can tie this data to your UVP and OKRs and begin to develop a top-of-funnel strategy for success.<\/span><\/p>\n But before you do, you also need to understand your competitive landscape.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Success in content marketing often means knowing and adapting to the competition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Analyze what <\/span>Google’s rewarding with good rankings<\/span><\/a> and see what everyone ranking on page one is doing with their content. Then, ensure you\u2019re doing everything with your content to match that. Are all the top-ranking pages using 1,200-word articles? You need to have 1,200 words. Do they incorporate lists, data visualizations, or interactive FAQs? You have to do that too. Adopt and adapt. And it\u2019s not about imitation. It\u2019s about taking cues from what\u2019s rewarded and then infusing it with your brand\u2019s unique tone of voice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Architects of skyscrapers never settle for the middle. They want their building to be bigger than any other skyscraper out there. In the realm of top-of-funnel content creation, that mindset means matching your competition, then exceeding them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First, identify the digital \u201cskyscrapers\u201d for your TOFU keyword or niche. <\/span>What site is Google ranking number one<\/span><\/a> for your target keyword? That\u2019s the pinnacle. Then, look at their characteristics and build them into your site or page. But here\u2019s the key – brainstorming what you can add to top it. Think of elements you can incorporate to make your content even more valuable than theirs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you want to go the extra mile, once you\u2019ve built your own \u201cskyscraper\u201d that\u2019s exceeded the competition, reach out to sites that link to the skyscraper you just surpassed.\u00a0 Introduce them to your superior resource and pitch it as an enhanced tool that offers more value to their users. It can be a massive boost for your site if they choose to stop linking to the competition and link to you instead. That sets you up for success to overtake them in the rankings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Knowing your entire universe and organizing it into a hierarchy is also essential. First, lock down your macro themes that encompass everything. Once you have those, you can break them into sub-themes catering to your target audience segments. And it doesn\u2019t stop there. Each sub-theme can break down into even more specific niches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a broad theme like \u201cDigital Marketing.\u201d Within that, there are natural sub-themes like \u201cSEO,\u201d \u201cPaid Advertising,\u201d and \u201cContent Marketing.\u201d If you dive deeper into \u201cSEO,\u201d you\u2019ll find even more specific themes like \u201cOn-page SEO,\u201d \u201c<\/span>Link-building<\/span><\/a>,\u201d and \u201cTechnical SEO.\u201d And so on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This hierarchical approach serves two purposes:<\/span><\/p>\n Linking all your content together <\/span><\/a>creates a web of resources that keeps your audience engaged and guides them through their journey. All of which deepen their relationship with your brand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To demonstrate how your top-of-funnel content should relate to each other, let\u2019s use the example of Target. Target has a massive range of categories at its store. For our purposes, we\u2019ll focus on \u201ckitchen appliances.\u201d Through research, we might find there\u2019s a high search volume for \u201cBest Countertop Kitchen Appliances.” So you create a TOFU <\/span>long-form piece<\/span><\/a> about that topic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But that piece also introduces blenders, air fryers, and coffee machines as some of the appliances. Each of these serves as an entry point into a deeper sub-topic. That means they should have links to pieces of content about their specific sub-topic. And those sub-topics of each appliance can link to another top-of-funnel piece of content that’s even more specific.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Example:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cBest Countertop Kitchen Appliances \u201c-> \u201cWhat are Air Fryers\u201d -> \u201cTop Ten Air Fryers\u201d -> \u201cTop Air Fryer Recipes.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n All these niche topics must loop back, linking to your primary article about \u201cBest Countertop Kitchen Appliances.\u201d So, you have all this internal linking that\u2019s enhancing user navigation as you guide them where to go and find more things they\u2019re interested in. It also signals to Google that you\u2019ve built this repository of\u00a0<\/span>great content that all interrelates<\/span><\/a>. And that builds trust and authority in Google, which then ranks you higher because of the quality of your database.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So you\u2019ve created this hierarchy of the primary, most competitive, and highest searched topic, \u201ccountertop kitchen appliances,\u201d which garners massive search volume. And the sup-topics like \u201cair fryers\u201d hold their own with a lower but still significant number and so on down the line. Now, you\u2019re converting topics at multiple levels of searches and catering to various audience segments. If the user found your top-of-funnel content useful and engaging, they\u2019re more likely to return and purchase from you.<\/p>\n Think of a bicycle wheel. Picture \u201cBest Countertop Kitchen Appliances\u201d as the hub. Extending from it are the spokes that stem off from the hub. These would be your sub-topics like \u201ccoffee makers,\u201d \u201cair fryers,\u201d and \u201cblenders.\u201dAnd you can always keep adding and creating new wheels. Each spoke in itself could become a hub with its own spokes, leading to a dynamic, ever-growing connected ecosystem of content.<\/span><\/p>\n The initial hub topics for your site should be central to your more competitive keywords. Their competitiveness speaks to their ability to draw substantial search traffic. And despite being a challenge, a <\/span>comprehensive long-form content strategy<\/span><\/a> will increase your chances of ranking and make the effort worthwhile.<\/span><\/p>\n Internal linking\u00a0<\/span><\/a>plays a pivotal role in SEO. The \u201cauthority\u201d that your hub garners propagate through its spokes. When Google assigns a page authority to URLs, that authority distributes to pages it links to. Moreover, the hub gets its authority from internal and external site links.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The more authority your primary hub amasses, the more it can bestow on its connected spokes. So, as you build authority into your pivotal pages, that authority starts to \u201clift\u201d all the pages around it. That fosters an environment where all of your content rises in rank and relevance together. This strategy is especially effective if you have that page authority within a well-architected, navigable structure linking Google to a long thread of relevant pages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s say you\u2019re a small, budding business. You\u2019ve identified a top-of-funnel content topic that gets searched 150,000 times a month. It can be really tempting to focus on and go after that topic because it represents a ton of traffic you could acquire. But your website doesn\u2019t have the authority to rank for those keywords because you\u2019re competing with established \u201cmonster\u201d websites.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Example:<\/b> You\u2019re a small personal finance website growing its authority and following. But when it comes to the most popular search topics in that industry, you\u2019re going up against sites like NerdWallet and Credit Karma.<\/span><\/p>\n Instead of facing them head-on, take a <\/span>nuanced approach<\/span><\/a>. Find peripheral, long-tail topics and keywords that relate more specifically to your service and have less volume. Less volume <\/span>usually<\/span><\/i> means less competition. And that means a better chance at quickly ranking higher on page one SERPs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Choosing your battles serves two primary purposes. First, you\u2019ll see a more immediate return on your content investment. And second, you\u2019ll start steadily building authority for your website with a bottom-up approach. Over time, as your site gains traction, you can then go after those more competitive topics. In essence, start with the spokes and build up to the hubs.<\/span><\/p>\n It can be tempting to approach a popular topic from multiple angles. But doing so might inadvertently lead to overlapping content. You need to be isolated in your topics and themes. If you write one post that\u2019s about \u201cbest countertop kitchen appliances,\u201d you don\u2019t want to write another piece that\u2019s \u201cbest countertop kitchen appliance reviews.\u201d And you definitely don\u2019t want to write multiple pieces that address the same topic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you do, it dilutes the impact of your core content and sends mixed signals to search engines. Google may get confused and not know which page to rank. This internal competition, often called keyword cannibalization<\/a> or blurring, reduces the chances of either piece ranking highly. So, be very judicious and exclusive with your topics. Each article or piece you craft should have a distinct purpose and target a specific set of keywords. That approach prevents your content from competing against itself and ensures a clearer path to high search engine rankings and <\/span>user engagement<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s take our previous example of the countertop kitchen appliance article. In it, it talks about air fryers and coffee makers. But every time it mentions them, it doesn\u2019t link to the applicable articles about each appliance. That\u2019s a missed opportunity. You\u2019ve discussed all these appliances on this authoritative hub page, but Google doesn\u2019t know which page to prioritize for which keyword. Remember when we talked about keyword blurring? There you go.<\/p>\n But, when you <\/span>internally link<\/span><\/a> to the appropriate sub-topic content when their primary or secondary keywords are mentioned elsewhere, you\u2019re doing two essential things.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Enhancing User Experience:<\/b> You\u2019re providing readers with a seamless journey that allows them to delve deeper into topics they\u2019re interested in. That gives them an enriching experience on your website that forges a connection with them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Directs Search Engines:<\/b> You\u2019re sending clear signals to Google about how you want your pages to rank. By linking the term \u201cair fryers\u201d directly to your in-depth article on air fryers, you\u2019re telling Google, \u201cHey, this is where readers can get comprehensive information on air fryers. Rank this first.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In essence, internal linking keeps both users and search engines informed, engaged, and directed. But don\u2019t overdo it. Linking the first mention and maybe one more (if applicable) is plenty to tell search engines what content is most relevant.<\/span><\/p>\n In the digital race for relevance and visibility, understanding your competitors is as crucial as knowing your content. You must constantly calibrate your strategy in light of who and what you\u2019re up against to unlock your <\/span>competitive advantage<\/span><\/a>. Do your due diligence to see who\u2019s ranking in the top 3-4 positions on page one of Google for the keywords you want to rank for. Then, investigate the characteristics of those pages. Analyze their:<\/span><\/p>\n Then, you need to craft content that\u2019s as good, if not better, than those pages to participate on page one. Think of the skyscraper example from earlier. Identify if there are any gaps in the competition\u2019s content or structure. What\u2019s something unique you can add to fill that gap and boost yourself above them?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Example:<\/b> A company wants to create a 1,000-word blog on a critical topic for their business. They know people search for it a lot. You\u2019re preparing to write it. Then, you go on Google and see that all the websites on page one have in-depth 3,000-word articles. Writing an article that\u2019s not 3,000 words puts you at an immediate disadvantage.<\/span><\/p>\n We often see marketers creating content without looking at Google SERPs and essentially underfunding their content based on market value \u2013 they likely never rank on page one.<\/span><\/p>\n When <\/span>creating long-form content<\/span><\/a> for top-of-funnel, you\u2019re not just looking to rank for one keyword. You want to rank for dozens, if not hundreds, of keywords. When you pull data for your URL, a good piece of long-form content should rank for 200-1,000 keywords. Hopefully, it\u2019s a combination of the long-tail keywords (specific queries) you\u2019ve addressed in your article and all the different permutations of those keywords.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Think about it like this. Let\u2019s say you have 1,000 keywords. Conventional logic might compel you to focus on the major ones. But consider this: if 95% of these keywords get one click a month, that\u2019s 950 clicks. Conversely, the other 5%, your \u201ctop\u201d keywords, bring in 50 clicks each. That\u2019s just 250 clicks in total. The verdict? Your long-tail keywords got you almost 4x the number of clicks than your big keywords.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve identified the volume and variety of your ranking keywords, the next step is to meticulously track them. How are they evolving? Are they <\/span>steadily climbing the ranks<\/span><\/a> and funneling more traffic? Have they plateaued? Monitoring all of these metrics allows you to fine-tune your strategy and ensure your top-of-funnel content remains effective.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Top-of-the-funnel content demands a unique blend of strategy, creativity, and a profound understanding of your target audience. If that at all sounds challenging to you, we\u2019re here to help.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Our <\/span>managed content creation team<\/span><\/a> at ClearVoice can be your catalyst. <\/span>Talk to a content specialist<\/span><\/a> today to elevate your content game and stand out in the digital landscape. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the breakneck race of the online world, if you don’t grab attention from the get-go, you might as well be invisible. And if you’re a marketer aiming to be the Usain Bolt of the digital track, your starting line is right at the top of the sales funnel. Top-of-Funnel (TOFU) content isn’t just another […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":161,"featured_media":48934,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[177],"tags":[140,141,139,138,149],"ppma_author":[281],"class_list":["post-48930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-b2b-content","tag-b2c-content","tag-content-creation","tag-content-marketing-strategy","tag-seo"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"content](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/ToFu-Guide_Marketing-Funnel.jpg\")
<\/p>\nUnderstanding Top-of-Funnel Content<\/h2>\n
The Awareness Stage<\/h3>\n
\n
![\"Stat:](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/ToFu-Guide_Stat.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhy TOFU Content is Crucial to Your Content Marketing<\/h3>\n
Building an Effective Top-of-Funnel Content Strategy<\/h2>\n
Getting an Understanding of Your Keyword & Content Consumption Universe<\/h3>\n
Looking at the Competitive Landscape<\/h3>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/ToFu-Guide_Skyscraper-Approach.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Skyscraper Approach<\/h4>\n
Starting Broad and then Organizing Your Universe Accordingly<\/h3>\n
\n
![\"Content](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/ToFu-Guide_Content-Relate.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMaking Sure Your Content Systematically Relates to Each Other<\/h3>\n
The Hub and Spoke Strategy<\/h4>\n
A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats<\/h4>\n
Pick your Battles Strategically<\/h3>\n
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Top-of-Funnel Content Strategy<\/h2>\n
Writing too much TOFU content about the same thing<\/h3>\n
![\"Not](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/ToFu-Guide_Internal-Link.jpg\")
<\/p>\nNot Internal Linking<\/h3>\n
Not Paying Attention to the Competitive Landscape<\/h3>\n
\n
Measuring the Success of Your TOFU Content Strategy<\/h2>\n
Number of Ranking Keywords<\/h3>\n
![\"Understanding](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/ToFu-Guide_Keyword-Traffic.jpg\")
<\/p>\nUnderstanding Keyword Traffic<\/h3>\n
Tracking Keyword Performance<\/h3>\n
Are you ready to elevate your TOFU content?<\/h2>\n