1. Understanding the Ecommerce Sales Funnel
Before you can align your keyword strategy with your ecommerce goals, its essential to understand how the sales funnel works. The ecommerce sales funnel represents the stages a customer goes through before making a purchase—from first discovering your brand to finally clicking “buy.” Each stage reflects a different level of user intent and requires a unique approach when it comes to keyword targeting.
Stages of the Ecommerce Sales Funnel
The typical ecommerce sales funnel is made up of four main stages: Awareness, Consideration, Decision, and Conversion. Let’s break each one down and look at how they influence what people are searching for online.
| Funnel Stage | User Intent | Common Behaviors | Keyword Types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awareness | Informational | Looking for general information or solutions to a problem | Broad keywords, questions (e.g., “how to decorate a living room”) |
| Consideration | Comparative/Research-based | Evaluating options, comparing products or brands | Product category keywords, comparisons (e.g., “best gaming laptops 2024”) |
| Decision | Transactional/Intent to Buy | Narrowing choices, reading reviews, checking prices | Brand + product keywords, review-focused terms (e.g., “Nike Air Max review”) |
| Conversion | Action-oriented | Ready to make a purchase or take action | Exact product names, discount terms (e.g., “Buy iPhone 14 Pro online,” “iPhone 14 Pro free shipping”) |
User Intent Changes Through the Funnel
User intent evolves as shoppers move through these stages. In the Awareness phase, they might not even know what they need yet—they’re just exploring. But by the time they reach the Conversion stage, they know exactly what they want and are ready to take action. Your keyword strategy should adapt accordingly to match this shift in behavior and mindset.
Why This Matters for SEO
If you’re using only transactional keywords like “buy now” or “free shipping,” you’re missing out on traffic from shoppers in earlier stages of the funnel. On the flip side, if you focus only on broad informational content without offering clear paths to purchase, you may struggle to convert visitors into customers. That’s why aligning your keyword strategy with each stage of the funnel is key to driving both traffic and sales.
Coming Up Next: Mapping Keywords to Funnel Stages
Now that we understand how the ecommerce sales funnel works and how user intent shifts across each stage, the next step is learning how to map specific keywords to these stages effectively. Stay tuned for Part 2 where we’ll show you how to do just that.
2. Identifying Keyword Intent for Each Funnel Stage
To align your ecommerce keyword strategy with your sales funnel, its essential to understand the intent behind different types of keywords. Not all keywords serve the same purpose. Some are meant to educate, while others are designed to drive immediate action. By categorizing keywords based on user intent—informational, navigational, commercial, and transactional—you can match them more effectively to each stage of the funnel.
Understanding Keyword Intent
Keyword intent refers to what a user is trying to accomplish when they type a query into a search engine. Heres a breakdown of the four main types of keyword intent:
| Intent Type | Description | Example Keywords | Funnel Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informational | The user is looking to learn something or get more information. | “What is eco-friendly packaging”, “how to choose running shoes” | Top of Funnel (Awareness) |
| Navigational | The user is trying to find a specific website or brand. | “Nike official site”, “Amazon home page” | Middle of Funnel (Consideration) |
| Commercial | The user is comparing products or brands before making a purchase decision. | “Best noise-canceling headphones 2024”, “Nike vs Adidas running shoes” | Middle of Funnel (Consideration) |
| Transactional | The user is ready to make a purchase or take an action. | “Buy wireless earbuds online”, “discount code for Peloton” | Bottom of Funnel (Decision) |
How to Use Intent in Your Keyword Strategy
Top of Funnel: Awareness Stage
This is where you attract potential customers who are just beginning their journey. Use informational keywords to create blog posts, educational videos, or guides that provide value and answer common questions related to your niche.
Middle of Funnel: Consideration Stage
At this stage, users are aware of their needs and are exploring options. Focus on navigational and commercial keywords. Create comparison content, product roundups, and review pages that help users evaluate choices and move closer to conversion.
Bottom of Funnel: Decision Stage
This is where users are ready to buy. Use transactional keywords in your product pages, promotional landing pages, and checkout funnels. Make sure your calls-to-action are strong and clear to encourage conversions.
Final Tips for Matching Keywords to Funnel Stages
- Create content specifically for each stage: Don’t use the same keywords across all content types.
- Use tools like Google Search Console and SEMrush: These can help you identify what keyword intents are driving traffic at each stage.
- A/B test landing pages: See which keyword-driven pages convert better depending on the funnel stage they target.
By mapping keyword intent correctly, you guide users through your ecommerce sales funnel more smoothly—from curiosity all the way to checkout.
3. Mapping Keywords to Funnel Stages
To make your ecommerce keyword strategy truly effective, its essential to align your keywords with the right stages of your sales funnel. This helps you deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time, increasing your chances of conversions and customer loyalty.
Understanding the Sales Funnel
The typical ecommerce sales funnel includes three main stages: Top of Funnel (TOFU), Middle of Funnel (MOFU), and Bottom of Funnel (BOFU). Each stage reflects a different level of buyer intent, so the keywords you target should match where your potential customers are in their journey.
How to Match Keywords to Each Funnel Stage
Let’s break down which types of keywords work best at each stage and what kind of content you should create around them:
| Funnel Stage | User Intent | Keyword Type | Example Keywords | Suggested Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top of Funnel (TOFU) | Awareness | Informational | “what is eco-friendly clothing”, “benefits of organic skincare” | Blog posts, how-to guides, infographics |
| Middle of Funnel (MOFU) | Consideration | Comparative / Commercial Investigation | “best eco-friendly clothing brands”, “organic vs non-organic skincare” | Product comparison pages, buying guides, email newsletters |
| Bottom of Funnel (BOFU) | Purchase Decision | Transactional | “buy organic cotton t-shirt”, “discount on vegan face cream” | Product pages, special offers, reviews, FAQs |
Create Content That Matches Keyword Intent
If someone searches for “how to choose running shoes,” they’re likely in the TOFU stage. A helpful blog post or a video guide would be a great fit. On the other hand, if someone types “buy men’s Nike running shoes size 10,” they’re ready to buy—so a product page optimized for that phrase is what they need.
Tips for Effective Mapping
- Use keyword research tools to identify search intent behind phrases.
- Create separate content strategies for each funnel stage.
- Avoid pushing sales-heavy content at the awareness stage—it may turn users away.
By mapping your keywords correctly across the funnel, you ensure that each piece of content serves a purpose and speaks directly to where your customer is in their decision-making journey.
4. Creating Content That Converts
Once you’ve mapped out keywords for each stage of your ecommerce sales funnel, the next step is creating content that not only ranks but also drives action. To do this effectively, your content should be tailored to the users intent at every stage of the funnel—whether theyre just discovering your brand or ready to make a purchase.
Understand User Intent by Funnel Stage
Each stage of the funnel represents a different mindset. Heres how user intent typically breaks down:
| Funnel Stage | User Intent | Keyword Types | Content Types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top of Funnel (TOFU) | Research & Awareness | Informational (e.g., “how to”, “what is”) | Blog posts, guides, infographics, videos |
| Middle of Funnel (MOFU) | Consideration & Comparison | Commercial (e.g., “best”, “top”, “review”) | Product comparisons, case studies, buyer’s guides |
| Bottom of Funnel (BOFU) | Decision & Purchase | Transactional (e.g., “buy”, “discount”, “free shipping”) | Product pages, FAQs, testimonials, limited-time offers |
Create Content That Matches Search Intent
Your goal is to give users exactly what they’re looking for when they land on your site. For example, if someone searches “best running shoes for flat feet,” they’re likely in the MOFU stage and want to see a comparison article with pros and cons. On the other hand, if someone searches “buy Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 39,” they’re in BOFU and ready to convert—so send them straight to a well-optimized product page.
Tips for TOFU Content
- Focus on educating your audience without pushing a sale.
- Use broad keywords that address common questions or problems.
- Add internal links to relevant MOFU or BOFU pages.
Tips for MOFU Content
- Create content that helps users compare options and understand benefits.
- Add call-to-actions (CTAs) that guide readers toward products or trials.
- Incorporate long-tail keywords with commercial intent.
Tips for BOFU Content
- Highlight trust factors like reviews, guarantees, and fast shipping.
- Use clear CTAs such as “Add to Cart” or “Shop Now.”
- Ensure product pages are optimized with transactional keywords and load quickly.
Optimize for Both SEO and Conversions
Your content should not only bring traffic but also turn visitors into buyers. Use keyword-rich headlines, meta descriptions, and image alt texts. At the same time, make sure your site design supports easy navigation, mobile responsiveness, and quick checkout processes.
Pro Tip:
A/B test different headlines or CTA placements on key landing pages to find what resonates best with your audience.
The more aligned your content is with both keyword intent and funnel stage, the better chance you have of turning searchers into customers.
5. Measuring and Adjusting Your Strategy
Once your ecommerce keyword strategy is aligned with your sales funnel, the next step is to make sure it’s actually working. To do that, you need to track performance metrics that show how well your keywords are engaging users at each stage of the funnel—awareness, consideration, and decision.
Why Tracking Matters
If youre not measuring results, youre guessing. Tracking keyword performance helps you understand what’s resonating with potential customers and where there might be leaks in your funnel. By looking at specific metrics like bounce rate, click-through rate (CTR), and conversion rate, you can make informed decisions to improve your strategy.
Key Metrics to Monitor
Here’s a breakdown of the most important metrics and what they tell you about your keyword performance:
| Metric | What It Indicates | Where Its Most Useful |
|---|---|---|
| Bounce Rate | The percentage of visitors who leave after viewing one page | Top of Funnel (Awareness) |
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | The percentage of people who clicked on your link from search results | All Funnel Stages |
| Conversion Rate | The percentage of visitors who completed a desired action (purchase, sign-up) | Bottom of Funnel (Decision) |
Tracking Performance Across the Funnel
Top of Funnel: Awareness Stage
This is where users first discover your brand. Keywords here are often informational (e.g., “what is eco-friendly skincare”). Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor bounce rate and time on page. A high bounce rate might mean your content isnt matching user intent or that the page experience needs improvement.
Middle of Funnel: Consideration Stage
Your audience is now comparing options. Look for keywords with commercial intent (e.g., “best organic face wash for dry skin”). At this stage, CTR becomes crucial. If people aren’t clicking through from search results, consider optimizing your meta titles and descriptions.
Bottom of Funnel: Decision Stage
This is where conversions happen. Keywords are transactional (e.g., “buy natural face wash online”). Track conversion rates closely. If traffic is high but conversions are low, evaluate your product pages—are they optimized? Is checkout smooth?
Tweaking Your Strategy Based on Data
The goal isn’t just to collect data—it’s to act on it. Here’s how:
- If bounce rates are high: Revisit your content relevance and UX design.
- If CTR is low: Test different title tags and meta descriptions.
- If conversion rate is poor: Review pricing, CTAs, product imagery, or trust signals like reviews and guarantees.
This process isn’t one-and-done. Regularly review these metrics monthly or quarterly to refine your strategy as trends shift and customer behavior evolves.
