The “funnel” goes by many names: conversion, consumer, keyword, and sales. In the end, however, it all comes down to the idea that you want to customize your marketing strategy to match each stage of the process. SEO funnel keywords are an important strategy when considering the audience you want to reach.
Each section of the funnel corresponds to a different level of interest and intent on the part of the consumer.
The Sales Funnel
Sales funnel
The term “sales funnel” could be likened to an inverted pyramid, a form of marketing used to capture and convert leads into customers. There are four stages of the sales funnel:
Awareness
A problem is identified, and consumers consider the possibility of a solution.
Interest
The consumer shows interest by engaging in active research, which assesses and evaluates the various options.
Decision
A decision is made and the consumer begins to consider the price.
Action
A purchase is made, and the product is analyzed based on actual usage and effectiveness. Sometimes, the consumer demonstrates satisfaction and brand loyalty by purchasing again.
The key is identifying where each customer is in the funnel to implement a unique marketing strategy that will maximize effectiveness.
When choosing your keywords, it is important to always keep in mind the stage of the funnel you are targeting to produce the most effective keyword associations. The best way to do that is to categorize users by their search intent. You can then use that information to mold your content.
Obviously, many of the words will vary from industry to industry. However, there are also plenty of somewhat generic SEO funnel keywords that can be used across a variety of sectors.
Awareness Keywords
Sales funnels offer a great way to understand and optimize the process of converting leads into customers. But what is the first step? Awareness. In marketing terms, awareness means introducing your company’s product or service to potential customers – getting them to recognize and consider you as an option when needing a solution.
Creating awareness requires strategically targeting symbols, messages, and images that will engage and educate your target customer base. The most common keywords for the Awareness stage are:
- How
- What are
- Why should
- Guide
That’s where Awareness Keywords come in. Key search words and phrases used on digital advertising platforms help you reach users based on their interests, behavior, and demographics.
By selecting the right keywords related to your brand or product offering, you can form the foundation of an effective marketing strategy that places your company exactly in front of those who matter most – potential customers!
With the right combination of content, messaging, and keywords, creating awareness at the start of any solid sales funnel will kick off a successful lead-to-customer journey!
This is where people are just starting to address a problem. They are looking for information and advice in hopes of determining a solution. SEO funnel keywords help someone searching for information find the right content.
Or possibly they already know the problem and are trying to identify potential solutions. Because searches can be very general at this stage, it is usually a good idea to use long-tail keywords.
This narrows the target audience to people that more closely match your product. Let’s use the example that you own a website design company.
Here are some top-of-the-funnel keywords you may want to use:
- Website design basics
- Outsourcing website design
- Using website design
- Hiring website design
- Benefits of professional website design
Interest Keywords
Finally, at the bottom of the funnel, buyers enter a trial period or purchase phase. In short, sales funnels start wide and then narrow with each step – from widespread awareness to select purchases – all resulting in increased interest in your product or service.
With persistence and dedication, this strategy makes for bigger sales numbers than ever thought possible! So get ready to expand your reach and climb up that inverted pyramid – who knows how successful you’ll be!
At this point, our fictional consumer has decided that – yes, they want to hire someone to handle their website design.
Now they start evaluating the possible choices and comparing them against each other. Typical searches will include the following:
- Website design reviews
- Website design companies
- Popular website design
- Best website design
- Good value website design
- Website design awards (year)
- Design checklist
- Website design comparison
Decision
The decision stage of a sales funnel is the make-or-break moment. It’s the point where shoppers decide whether or not to make an actual purchase, and it can be a nail-biting experience for any business.
To reach this stage, customers need to pay attention to sales reps and materials, research, and weigh their options before committing.
We’re almost there. You’ve managed to get all your great information in front of the consumer and they like what they see.
They are seriously considering hiring your company to design their website, they just need to work out the details. At this point, they are interested in pricing, packages, options, and included services.
Since they have theoretically narrowed their search down to just your business, all of the following common keywords could include your company’s name.
- How much
- Cost
- How long
- Package
- Pricing
- What is included
- Promotion
- Offer
- Discount
As the climax of the customer journey, the decision stage is vital in determining outcomes at every level – success or failure doesn’t come down to luck but rather how well businesses have served their prospects up till here! With its crucial mix of persuasion and customer service, it’s no wonder that getting through the decision stage is considered one of the toughest tasks in a sales funnel!
Action
It’s all happening now. You’ve been chosen; now you just need to provide the consumer with the means to become a customer. That can be a direct purchase, online download, or even through an email negotiation or phone call.
Keywords for sales funnel
At first glance, the concept of a sales funnel may seem like a complicated one – and it can be! But understanding each stage of the process is essential for anyone looking to master their marketing efforts. After all, your success depends on how well you guide people through that funnel.
One of those stages is known as the Action Stage. In this stage, your prospects are ready to move forward and take action by making a purchase decision. This 10-foot tall inflatable tube slide is essentially an opportunity for you to capture the attention of potential customers before they run off into the grassy meadows of other marketing opportunities.
Then, it’s up to your skills as a marketer or salesperson to make sure they pick your service or product over others – and sign on the dotted line! It’s also important that you remain personal at this stage, addressing any lingering questions in order to effectively close any deals and ensure customer satisfaction throughout their journey. So keep calm and hit that Action Stage with confidence! You got this.
You need to offer up the details so they can finally put that credit card to use. At this stage, the common keywords will be very similar regardless of the industry.
- Buy
- Purchase
- Order
- Contact
- Request
- Download
- Free Trial
So, there you have a starting point for working out your keyword distribution. The most important thing is to recognize which section of the funnel you are targeting with each piece of content. Then you can customize your keywords to match the mind-frame of the potential customer.
Turn SEO Funnel Keywords into a Winning Strategy
At AWC, we provide more than just titles. From ‘A’ to ‘Z’, we’ve got it all covered. We’re here to help create blogs that can turn browsing into buying. Our team of copywriters has expertise in all stages of the sales funnel, so you can be sure whatever compelling title you select won’t fall flat further down the purchase journey.
So why not write your own success story? Investing in a well-crafted title could be the little push your brand needs to convert browsers into buyers, and everyday readers into loyal fans.
With AWC’s expertise on hand, you can rest assured that clever headlines are never far away – wherever you are in the sales funnel. Get ready to see results – and see them fast!
David is the Founder and Director of article-writing.co, the fastest-growing content creation agency in North America. He has transformed companies by offering high-quality content that has impacted their SEO ranking, revitalized websites with engaging and industry-relevant blogs and website copy, and championed successful email campaign copy.
