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Customers usually don't click "add to cart" the second they stumble across a new product or service. They take a longer, sometimes meandering, journey as they get acquainted with your brand. They might read a blog post, then circle back a few weeks later when they're finally ready to purchase. Or maybe they stumble across one of your social media posts and decide to follow your account with no intention of buying anything — at first.
Top-of-funnel (TOFU) content can help you strengthen these budding relationships. It's awareness-driven content that focuses on attracting and educating possible buyers, not making a hard sell. When done well, these materials can usher people into the next phase of the marketing funnel, or at least make sure they remember your brand for later.
As more customers rely on AI search, top-of-funnel content can appear in even more places outside your business's usual orbit. This guide walks you through the goals of TOFU, popular formats, and how to use it to engage more customers.
What Is Top-of-Funnel Content?
Top-of-the-funnel content is designed for early-stage audiences who are learning or researching a problem they're experiencing. They're typically not ready to commit to a solution yet.
This content captures the attention of people who use search engines or social media to find information online. It focuses on building trust and raising brand awareness instead of direct sales pitches. If someone happens to make a purchase after they see TOFU content, great. But it's typically only an entry point that you'll build on later in the sales funnel.
Here are a few TOFU content examples:
- Blog posts
- Infographics
- Social media content
- Videos
These materials should speak to a wide audience and pique their interest, drawing them deeper into your sales funnel. For example, Vivante Senior Living's blog has dozens of posts about what to look for in an assisted living community. Each post typically includes a gentle call-to-action (CTA) about the company's services, but that's not the main focus. It's about establishing Vivante as an educational resource that visitors can come back to any time they're researching senior living amenities.
The Goals of Top-of-Funnel Content
TOFU content aims to connect with as many potential customers as possible at the beginning of the digital marketing funnel. But it's not just about grabbing their attention for a few minutes. Here are a few ways it can support your business's long-term growth:
- Builds brand awareness: A TOFU strategy introduces customers to your brand in a low-stakes way. It establishes your credibility before you even mention your products or services. This develops trust and shows that you have plenty of value to offer, even for people who aren't your customers (yet).
- Answers questions for potential customers: People usually discover TOFU content when they search for big-picture questions or advice online. For the best results, research your target audience's intent and the specific search terms they're using. For instance, someone who looks up "master's degree" may find on City U's blog posts on the subject. From there, they can explore the rest of the blog or — if they're ready to move to the consideration phase — ask for more information.
- Provides educational content: Google's "helpful content update" ranks original, informative content higher. When you share truly useful content, your website may naturally appear closer to the top of the search engine results pages.
- Generates leads: Effective TOFU positions your brand as credible and knowledgeable. After this initial lead generation, you can keep connecting with potential customers through email marketing and other tactics.
- Raises visibility in AI searches: Tools like ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews often excerpt high-quality content from other websites. If your materials get featured, you'll get even more eyes on your brand.
Types of TOFU Content To Create
While paid marketing campaigns can get fast results, you should also focus on bringing in organic traffic at the top of the content marketing funnel. This slow-and-steady approach lets you keep connecting with new people for months or years without constantly spending.
Popular examples of top-of-funnel content include:
- Blog posts: This flexible format is perfect for sharing educational content and answering questions. Get started by creating listicles or in-depth write-ups about industry trends. Be sure to include an FAQs section at the end to increase your chances of appearing in AI searches.
- Explainers: When people face obstacles, they often look for tutorials and explanatory articles. Include plenty of actionable tips and best practices that your audience can use right away.
- How-to guides and tutorials: Walk readers through complex tasks, such as building a dollhouse from scratch or setting up new software.
- Industry data: Publish statistics you've gathered through original research, or create summaries of studies. This valuable content may get quoted by other creators, bringing more attention to your brand.
- Social media posts: Share short, visual-based content on platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn. Curious viewers can click through to your website to keep exploring.
- Webinars: Invite visitors to join you for a live session about industry issues and to learn about potential solutions. These interactive events let you flaunt your expertise and make more personal connections.
How To Find Top-of-Funnel Content Topics
When you truly understand your target audience's needs, coming up with ideas that encourage audience engagement becomes much easier.
Start With Audience Problems and Questions
Get a sense of what your existing customers care about by analyzing their needs. This could involve anything from sending out surveys to paying attention to which content they engage with most. Look through online forums, too. People often turn to platforms like Reddit for answers to their most pressing problems.
Look for patterns in this engagement. If your social media posts with infographics always get the most shares, that signals that your audience is hungry for data. Or, if people keep asking similar questions on Reddit, create blog posts that address these queries. It's all about anticipating your audience's needs, so they're more likely to arrive on your doorstep.
Use Keyword Research To Identify Educational-Level Intent
Before you rush into developing your content marketing strategy, take the time to research the key terms your audience uses when they look for information online. This can show you the most common ways people search and how popular or competitive these search terms are.
Tools like Ahrefs and Google Keyword Planner can help you identify potential keywords. You can also try searching for relevant terms in Google and paying attention to the People Also Ask section. If you search for "tips for picking wedding guest dress," Google will suggest questions like, "What colors are off limits for wedding guests?" That question could easily turn into a how-to guide that teaches readers how to avoid awkward wedding faux pas.
Prioritize keywords that people use when they're looking for information, not actively shopping. Some platforms will label keywords by intent, but you can also use your best judgment. For example, someone who searches for "wedding guest dresses on sale" probably wants to buy something, while a search for "best colors for wedding guest dress" is more informational.
Sprinkling these keywords throughout your content improves search engine optimization (SEO) for top-of-funnel marketing. It tells search engines that you've got relevant content, so they're more likely to suggest your web pages to people who use those search terms.
Not sure where to start? Our Keyword Research and Analysis report can help you make smart decisions about which terms to use.
Analyze Industry Conversations and Trends
Pay close attention to the latest discussions in your industry. These conversations help you understand what people care about right now, so you can create the most timely buyer's journey content.
Start by following thought leaders on platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram. They often post about new trends and challenges, which is a goldmine for marketing ideas. Depending on your industry, you may also find hot topics on X and Reddit.
You don't necessarily need to hop on every trend or fleeting controversy, especially if you're building a library of evergreen content. However, addressing the occasional hot topic can help you attract searchers before slower-moving competitors do. It also shows that you're a credible authority who really gets what's happening in your niche.
Prioritize Topics That Support Long-Term Authority
Unlike paid ads, top-of-funnel marketing is a long game. A blog post you write today may keep bringing in traffic for several years, especially if you refresh it periodically.
Increase the lifespan of your content by focusing on evergreen topics. These are the questions and problems that your audience comes back to again and again. For example, specific car manufacturers may fall out of fashion, but people always need to know how to replace their windshield wipers at home.
These top-of-funnel content examples can help you build lasting expertise:
- Blog posts about common problems
- How-to guides
- Lists of best practices
- Tutorials and demos
Tips for TOFU Content
Once you've compiled a short list of topics, it's time to sit down and work on your TOFU content. These content creation tips will help you create truly valuable materials.
Always Have a Compelling Call-To-Action
TOFU marketing isn't meant to sell, per se, but it should still give readers a clear next step. Otherwise, they may stop engaging with your content after you answer their initial question.
Add a non-salesy call-to-action (CTA) near the end of each piece. This could be an invitation to subscribe to your newsletter or read a related article. For example, this CityU blog post concludes by encouraging visitors to read about the college's alumni or ask for more information.
Later in the funnel, you can pitch your products or services more directly.
Consider Writing Content in an AI-Search Landscape
Forget about sifting through endless SERPs and blog posts that take forever to get to the point. Customers expect clear answers, and they want them almost instantly. That's why half of consumers already rely on AI-powered search to find information, according to a 2025 McKinsey survey.
Answer engine optimization (AEO) focuses on creating content that's both AI- and human-friendly. It aims to provide concise explanations that AI can easily draw on to answer user questions. At the same time, it's also helpful for real people.
Reach both audiences by writing in accessible language and using headers to give your content a strong structure. If you're writing about eco-friendly clothing, for instance, you might include this header: "What Is Sustainable Fashion?" Follow it with a clear definition: "Sustainable fashion is..." This may seem a bit repetitive, but it helps AI software understand your topic. Plus, it's easier for people to scan, especially on smartphones.
Matching your audience's intent matters, too. Most TOFU readers are gathering information or looking for entertainment. To meet these expectations, your marketing funnel strategy should focus on educational content like how-to guides and infographics.
Distribute Your Content Into Different Channels
Resist the urge to treat TOFU content as one-off posts. With some savvy content distribution, you can re-purpose these pieces throughout the buyer's journey.
TOFU content often introduces solutions to common issues or explains surface-level issues. In the middle of the funnel, build on this foundation with more nuanced pieces that spark interest. Create clusters around your most popular content with expert commentary and in-depth analyses. For example, a pet supply company may create a "Puppy Care 101" article for TOFU readers, then branch out with an email campaign with training tips.
At the bottom of the funnel, use social media to help customers make purchase decisions. That Puppy 101 blog could inspire a series of Facebook posts that recommend your company's puppy leashes and toys. This long-term strategy generates top-of-funnel leads and keeps them moving throughout your sales funnel, instead of letting them drift away.
Measure Performance and Refresh Your Content
You probably already track conversions, like the number of sales and email subscriptions. TOFU success looks different. Instead of nudging people to do something, you're building awareness and engagement. Again, it's a long game.
Still, you don't have to guess if your strategy is working. Use these content performance metrics to measure your visibility:
- Assisted conversions
- Brand perception
- Search engine rankings
- Social media engagement, including comments and shares
- Time spent on the page
- Website traffic
A webinar or how-to guide may never directly translate to sales. However, if hundreds of people view this content, and it gets cited by AI engines, you can count it as a victory.
Build Credibility and Drive Traffic With TOFU Assets
Top-of-funnel content is the gateway to your brand. When customers know that they can count on you for accurate, well-researched answers, they're more likely to support you down the line. It's an excellent way to start building lasting relationships.
Of course, you don't have to do it all alone. Compose.ly's expert writers can help you create high-quality TOFU content that grows your reputation and climbs the rankings. Whether you need dozens of blog posts or someone to talk strategy, we've got the expertise you need.
