Optimizing Across the Funnel: SaaS Keywords and Strategies

Think about the last time you were interested in a new product or service? Did you call the company and ask for more information? Or did you just Google it?

Here's a mind-blowing stat for ya: Most shoppers use Google to research what they want to buy before they make a purchase.

And why wouldn’t they?

With unlimited information in the palms of their hands, they have the power to research anything within seconds of thinking about it.

For advertisers like us, this presents a huge opportunity to position our brand exactly where our potential customers can find it. That's why effective SEO is an absolute must for SaaS brands. We've gotta create content that not only answers our customers' questions but also speaks directly to their interests.

But before we can call ourselves masters of SEO strategy, we need to understand how far along our audience is in the Purchasing Journey, and how to target them with different types of keywords. That's where the Marketing Funnel comes in.

In this blog post, we're gonna break down exactly what the Marketing Funnel is, why it's crucial, and how you can optimize your keyword analysis based on where your audience is in the Purchasing Journey.

Understanding the Marketing Funnel

It’s time for Marketing Funnel 101: What IS the Marketing Funnel? All it is, is an easy way to visualize the journey a potential customer goes through before making a purchase.

The funnel consists of three stages: Awareness (Top), Consideration (Middle), and Action (Bottom). At each stage, the customer's level of interest and commitment increases, until they finally take action and make a purchase. 

Think of the marketing funnel like this: Imagine you’re single and ready to mingle. So you download Tinder.

In the Top stage, Awareness, you’re swiping through potential matches. Maybe you have an idea of the type of person you’re looking for, but you’re open to seeing who else is out there. This represents the Top of the Funnel (TOFU). Here, we’ll find many potential customers who have a general notion of what they want, but are looking at lots of options. At this stage, they're just becoming aware of your brand."

In the Middle stage, Consideration, you’ve matched with a couple people. You might go on a date or two to see if there’s a connection, but you’re keeping it casual. This represents the Middle of the Funnel (MOFU). Here, your potential customers know who you are, but they’re not quite sold on you yet. They’re weighing their options.

In the Bottom stage, Action, you’ve found a person you really like! They check all of the boxes. They’re attractive. They’re funny. And now it’s time to complete the Tinder dating process! (You can fill in the details for what that looks like.) 

This represents the Bottom of the Funnel (BOFU). Your potential customers have decided your products or services are the best solutions for them, and they pull the trigger. This means your potential consumers have finally completed the Purchasing Journey and have purchased your SaaS product.

Each stage of the marketing funnel requires different keyword strategies to move potential customers closer to making a purchase. Just like dating on the apps, people might change their mind and decide to go in a completely different direction if they find something they like better. That’s why it’s important to brainstorm how to be the most effective.

Identifying User Intent on the Purchasing Journey

If you're looking to come up with a killer keyword and content marketing strategy, it's important to understand how your customer's search intent relates to where they are in their Purchasing Journey.

Crafting SaaS Keywords for Top of the Funnel (TOFU)

Let’s break down "Top Of The Funnel" (TOFU) SEO Keyword Optimization. TOFU is all about attracting and engaging those who are just starting their customer journey. AKA, those who are still figuring things out and aren't quite ready to buy or convert.

TOFU Keywords are broader and more general than the other approaches. Think of phrases like "how to lose weight" or "best smartphone apps." These are TOFU Keywords, and their goal is to reach a wide audience by providing valuable content that answers their questions and helps them solve problems.

To become a pro at optimizing for TOFU Keywords, you need to create high-quality, informative content that adds value for your users. Your content needs to bring something to the table. This can come in the form of blog posts, articles, videos, or anything else you can think of. You also want to make sure that your content is optimized for the specific keywords you're targeting, with titles, descriptions, and on-page content that include those keywords. 

The whole idea of TOFU SEO Keyword Optimization is to build awareness and interest in your brand or product. You want to establish yourself as a trusted source of information and expertise in your industry. By creating content that resonates with users at this early stage of their journey, you'll build a strong foundation for long-term engagement and customer loyalty.

Crafting SaaS Keywords for Middle of the Funnel (MOFU)

If you're looking to attract and engage potential customers who are in the middle of their journey, then you gotta start thinking about “Middle Of The Funnel” MOFU SEO Keyword Optimization.

MOFU keywords are crazy specific and extremely targeted. They’re designed to help move potential customers closer to making a purchasing decision. When thinking of these keywords, think of product categories, features, and the pain points that your customers are dealing with. For example, you might want to use keywords like "how to choose the right CRM software." 

But it's not just about using the right keywords. You need to create content that really speaks to your customers' needs and interests. Content like product reviews, case studies, and comparison guides that show off all the amazing benefits of your product or service. When you provide your potential customers with high-quality, targeted content that speaks directly to their needs and worries, you become their go-to source.

Crafting SaaS Keywords for Bottom of the Funnel (BOFU)

Let's talk about the final piece of the puzzle: "Bottom of the funnel" (BOFU) SEO Keyword Optimization. This is where the rubber meets the road. We're talking about attracting and engaging users who are in the final stages of their journey. These users have already made a decision to purchase and are actively looking for information on how to complete their transaction.

BOFU keywords are the most specific and targeted of them all. They often focus on specific product names, brand names, pricing, shipping, and other transactional details. Think "buy iPhone 13" or "free shipping on Nike shoes."

When optimizing for BOFU keywords, make it as easy to understand as possible. This might mean creating product pages, checkout pages, or other types of transactional content that highlight the key features and benefits of your product or service. 

Bottom line — when it comes to BOFU, the goal is to make the whole conversion process super simple and straightforward. Focus on using transactional keywords, and you'll increase your chances of turning prospective customers into repeats customers who keep coming back for more.

Conclusion

Understanding the marketing funnel and how it relates to SaaS Keyword Research and content creation is crucial for effective SaaS SEO. This will quite literally “make-or-break” your SEO optimization. By identifying where potential customers are in their Purchasing Journey, businesses can target keywords that move them closer to making a purchase. Crafting keywords for the Top, Middle, and Bottom parts of the funnel requires different approaches. Some build awareness and interest. Some provide targeted content that speaks to customers' pain points. Some just make it easy to complete a transaction. By following these best practices, businesses can position their brand exactly where their potential customers are looking online.

For more tips on how to optimize the marketing funnel with SaaS Keywords, contact our team and let us know you're interested. We don't bite.