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What Is An SEO Funnel?

· 3 min read

If you're producing content that is not seeing results, the problem might not be your writing. It could be your funnel.

An SEO funnel is a framework that helps guide potential customers from the awareness stage to the conversion stage through organic search. It is similar to a traditional marketing funnel but specifically tailored for search engine optimization.

Understanding how to target content at each stage of an SEO funnel can be the difference between a blog that merely ranks and one that drives conversions.

Let's break down this funnel and see how you can make it work for your business.

What Is an SEO Funnel?​

The SEO funnel reflects the buyer's journey, segmenting searcher intent into three main stages: TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU.

Each stage has distinct objectives, content forms, and keyword focuses.

TOFU: Top of Funnel​

At the product awareness level, potential buyers are just beginning to understand a subject. They are not in a purchasing mindset, they're in simply trying to understand the product.

Content writers should focus on building trust and authority with this content.

But... TOFU content is frequently susceptible to Google's AI Overviews and generative search features. In other words, content at this stage is becomeing harder to drive traffic to.

A prime example would be a blog post titled "What is a drip email campaign?"

Another might be "How does cloud storage work?"

TOFU content still has a role, but that role is more akin to long term brand building or establishing SEO authority. It does not convert directly.

MOFU: Middle of Funnel​

The middle of the funnel is where prospects do their research. Potential buyers are in the final stages of the decision making process. Here, the potentialbuyer has narrowed their choices and just need a bit more information to push them over the line.

The best content for this stage is comparison pieces (e.g., "[Brand A] vs. [Brand B]"), listicles (e.g., "Best Data Pipeline Tools for 2025"), and guides (e.g., "How to Choose the Right Direct Mail Strategy").

MOFU keywords that drive high quality, purchase intent traffic to your site are often found in blog posts and collection pages.

Examples:

  • “Notion vs. Trello: Which Is Better for Remote Teams?”
  • “Best Project Management Tools for Freelancers”
  • “How to Choose the Right Email Marketing Platform”

These keywords tend to fall into a few predictable categories:

  • "alternative" searches (e.g., "Mailchimp alternative")
  • "vs." searches (e.g., "Dropbox vs. Google Drive")
  • "best" searches (e.g., "Best CRM software for startups")

Ranking for these terms can have a direct impact on your conversion rate.

BOFU: Bottom of Funnel​

If you are not focusing on bottom of funnel (BOFU) keywords, you are missing out on easy money.

At this stage, people are ready to buy—they just need to find the right provider. These are high-intent queries with the clearest path to conversion.

Examples include:

  • “Freelance project manager for hire NYC”
  • “Email automation software for ecommerce”
  • “Buy cloud storage with unlimited bandwidth”

BOFU content typically lives on product, service, or landing pages. These pages should be clear, conversion-optimized, and filled with proof points.

If you're not targeting BOFU terms, you're leaving revenue on the table.