How to Rank for Bottom-Funnel Conversion Keywords

Prioritizing bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) keywords in your SEO strategy can make a significant difference in driving conversions and generating better ROI.

Bottom funnel keywords are where searchers already know that a solution like yours exists, they simply need to know that you exist and understand better that you get their core pain, that you can solve that pain, and provide them with their desired outcome.

In this newsletter edition, we'll explore the concept of BoFU keywords and provide insights into different types, ways of finding them, and techniques to rank for them.

What Are Bottom-of-the-Funnel Keywords?

Bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) keywords are search queries that indicate a high intent to purchase a product or service.

These keywords typically indicate a strong intent to sign up for or subscribe to a particular SaaS solution.

Examples of BOFU keywords include:

• "[software type] software"
• "[product name] free trial"
• "[product name] pricing"
• "[product 1] vs. [product 2]"

BOFU keywords are typically used by potential customers who have already researched their problems or needs, identified potential solutions, and are now actively looking for more information about a specific SaaS product, its features, pricing, and how to get started.

They are likely often ready to make a purchase decision or are in the final stages of evaluating their options.

The Main Types of Bottom of Funnel Keywords

Bottom-of-the-funnel keywords are essential for driving purchase intent and conversions.

These keywords are classified into three main categories:

• Category Keywords
• Comparison and Alternative Keywords
• Jobs to Be Done Keywords

Let's take a deeper dive into each category:

1. Descriptive Category Keywords

Descriptive category keywords represent search terms that specifically relate to the products or services you offer.

These keywords are crucial for businesses as they help users search for products or services in their industry.

For example, "best CRM software" and "invoice management software" are category keywords that directly describe what you offer.

It's essential to discover all possible variations within your category keywords to cover various features, industry verticals, or product types.

This ensures that your content aligns closely with the search intent of users and improves your chances of ranking higher.

2. Comparison and Alternative Keywords

Competitor comparison and alternative keywords focus on search queries that compare different solutions, helping users determine the best product or service for their needs.

Examples of these keywords include:

• "Hubspot alternative" - The searcher is likely using another CRM currently, and is looking to discover other alternatives that could be a good fit for their situation.
• "Pipedrive vs. Hubspot" - The searcher is comparing two different solutions to likely better understand which solution would be the best fit in their situation.

Further Reading: How to Create Competitor Comparison Pages

Targeting competitor comparison and alternative terms makes sense to get in front of searchers that are either looking to make a switch from their current platform, or are deep in the consideration face, and trying to best understand who is going to solve their core problem and provide the desired outcome they're looking for.

3. Jobs to Be Done Keywords

The last category consists of keywords that describe tasks or challenges that can be resolved with your product or service.

These keywords can be considered to be leaning slightly more toward the middle of the funnel because they don't mention specific products or competitors.

Instead, they focus on "how to" queries, such as "how to automate construction invoices" or "how to get video testimonials from customers."

Although these users may not be familiar with your brand or competitors, they still have the potential to become customers.

Further Reading: How to Implement a Jobs To Be Done SEO Strategy

By creating content tailored to address their specific problems, you can offer valuable solutions within the context of your product or service, increasing the chances of conversion.

How to Find Bottom of the Funnel Keywords

1. Brainstorm Keywords Related to Category, Comparison, and Jobs to Be Done

First and foremost, consider writing down all possible search terms within these three frameworks related to the bottom of the funnel:

• Category-related keywords: Note all the different ways people describe your product or service.
• Comparison keywords: Write down the list of top competitor names and use formats like "[Competitor brand vs. Your brand]" and "[Competitor brand + alternatives]."
• Jobs to be done keywords: List phrases that signify a problem your product solves.

This brainstorming process lays the foundation for your keyword research, helping you discover high-intent target keywords.

2. Google Your BOFU Keyword Ideas

After listing the BOFU keyword ideas, start analyzing the search engine results page (SERP) for every keyword.

This will provide insight into the phrasing people use when searching for a topic, and bring up related searches and other valuable keyword suggestions.

While analyzing the SERP, pay attention to:

• SEO Titles: The wording used in these titles (the blue links), indicates the specific target keywords and phrasing people use when searching for a term.
• People Also Ask: Use this SERP feature to find subheadings, additional keywords to target, and related topics to cover in your content.
• Google Suggested Search: As you type, Google will suggest potential keywords to target, like "accounting software for small business" or "accounting software with payroll."

3. Utilize Keyword Research Tools

Once you've completed the initial brainstorming, use keyword research tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Search Console to discover similar ideas and long-tail keyword variations

Here are some ways to use keyword research tools to uncover more BOFU keyword opportunities:

• Keywords Explorer: Type in the BOFU keywords from your brainstorming session and find similar variations. The advantage of using keyword research tools is that you get data on search volume and difficulty, helping you prioritize keywords more strategically.
• Content Gap: Features like Ahrefs' "Content Gap" help you identify gaps in your keyword strategy compared to your competitors. However, look for specific keyword modifiers, such as "software" or "service," to find relevant BOFU keywords.
• Organic Keywords: Periodically check your published content's ranking by plugging the URL into your keyword research tool to see all organic keywords it's ranking for. Often, you'll find high-intent keyword variations you can target with dedicated content.

How to Rank for Bottom of the Funnel Keywords

To successfully rank for bottom-of-the-funnel (BoFU) keywords and boost conversion rates, you need to create well-crafted content that targets audience searching with high purchase intent.

1. Perform SERP & Intent Analysis

You can assume a keyword’s search intent - which is where many writers and marketers go wrong.

Before ever building a page that's meant to rank in Google, you always first want to analyze the SERPs to ensure that you're building the right type of content to meet the search intent.

How to do it?

Simply Google your target keyword, and take note of the top 10 ranking pages:

• What is the searcher looking for? Information? Solutions?
• What kind of content is showing up in the SERP? How-to articles? Landing pages? Listicles?

When you try to optimize an article or landing page for SEO, including keywords won’t be enough, you need to ask yourself these fundamental marketing questions and make sure that content resonates, but also is built to be able to rank in Google.

If you try to rank a how-to article when all of the competing articles are listings for that given keyword, you're likely going to fail while.

2. Page Structure Design

Designing the structure of a webpage plays a crucial role in ranking for bottom-of-the-funnel keywords, which are integral to driving conversions.

Effective page design incorporates various elements that align with content strategy and emphasize user experience:

Navigation:?Clear and intuitive navigation ensures that users can easily find what they are looking for, which is particularly important for service pages and landing pages offering webinars and demos.

Content Layout:?It should be organized logically with headings, subheadings, and bullet points to improve readability. This organization guides users through the content, from highlighting the features of a service to directing them toward a call to action.

Use of Multimedia:?Integration of relevant images, videos, and infographics can help explain the service or product in more detail, making blog posts and content more engaging and persuasive.

Call to Action (CTA):?Strong CTAs are prominent and well-placed, encouraging users to take the next step, whether that's signing up for a webinar or requesting a demo.

Further Reading: SaaS Landing Page Design 101

Throughout the design process, focus on creating a user-centric page that facilitates a smooth path to conversion.

3. Craft Compelling Copy and Content Around The Core Problem

The Problem

To properly structure your page, it all starts with your potential customer’s problem.

What is the number one thing that’s keeping them up at night?

What’s causing them pain and agony during their workday that they’d pay any amount to solve?

B2B SaaS customers purchase a product because it?solves?a problem.

If you can clearly state the problem that your product solves:

1. You’re giving them an actual reason to sign up for a trial or a demo of your product
2. You’re reminding them of the specific problem they have and reminding them how badly they want to fix it ASAP

You need to truly understand the primary problem they have, which is the one they’re willing to pay for to fix with your solution.

Further Reading: Copywriting Best Practice for SaaS

The Desired Outcome

The next is focusing on the desired?result?or?outcome?they’ll?feel?after using your product.

They have a primary problem they’re looking to solve, right?

By solving this problem, what’s the desired outcome and result?

Here are a few examples:

• Save over $X during the next 6 months
• Increasing revenue by X% in the next 4 weeks
• Reducing canceled subscriptions by X% over the next 12 months

What is it they want to achieve by solving this specific problem?

The more you can quantify the cost of not fixing the problem itself, along with the more you can help your potential customers understand the desired outcome they want to achieve and?visualize?how you’ll help them achieve that – the more you’re going to connect and be able to convert.

4. Optimize On-Page SEO

Optimizing on-page SEO is a critical step for ranking bottom-of-the-funnel keywords, which are instrumental for any content marketing strategy aiming at conversion:

• Keyword Placement:?Strategic placement of organic keywords is essential. The central areas include the title tag, headings (H1, H2, etc.), introductory paragraph, concluding paragraph, and within the body text where it reads naturally. Bold or?italicize?keywords occasionally for emphasis, but do not overdo this as it can appear manipulative to search engines.
• Meta Descriptions and Tags:?A compelling meta description with the targeted keyword encourages click-throughs from the search engine results page (SERP). Meanwhile, meta tags should clearly define the content's subject matter, employing relevant bottom funnel keywords without stuffing.
• URL Structure:?URLs should be concise, readable, and include keywords. Complex URLs are not only challenging for users to comprehend but can also diminish the SEO value.
• Image Optimization:?Any included images should have descriptive, keyword-rich file names and alt text, improving accessibility and reinforcing the page's thematic relevance.
• Internal Linking:?Internal links to content further down the funnel can keep users engaged, reduce bounce rates, and help search engines understand the site's structure.
• Content Quality:?The content must be detailed, accurate, and valuable to the user, reflecting best practices in the content marketing strategy and bolstering the keyword's relevance.

Further Reading: On-Page SEO Guide

5. Build Links!

The final ingredient in the recipe is building links.

Without links, you're going to struggle to be able to rank in many cases due to competition in the SERPs.

Links include both:

• External backlinks: links from third-party websites that link directly to your BOFU pages.
• Internal links: internal links that connect your BOFU pages and other relevant content.

Getting "natural" backlinks to your bottom-funnel pages is easier said than done.

There are different ways to approach landing links to these pages, but generally, getting backlinks to other pages and properly internally linking can also help to satisfy the links required to rank in the top positions of the SERPs.

Further Reading: Internal Linking Guide

Final Thoughts on Ranking BOFU Keywords

Ranking for bottom-of-the-funnel keywords is crucial for businesses aiming to optimize their conversion rates.

Such keywords are essential in guiding potential customers through the final stages of the customer journey, as well as finding your solution when they are already problem-aware.

In re-capping:

• Identify the?high-intent keywords?related to your product or service.
• Craft content that?addresses the needs?of the consumer at the decision-making point.
• Optimize for conversions by including?clear calls to action.

Originally published at https://www.rocktherankings.com/saas-bottom-funnel-conversion-keywords/