Is traditional blogging dead? Not entirely, but its role in SEO is rapidly evolving. Many e-commerce brands have discovered that the conventional approach of churning out blog after blog doesn't always translate to increased revenue or improved search rankings. This post will guide you through the paradigm shift in SEO strategy, empowering you to achieve better results.

Why Blogs Aren't Working Like They Used To

In the past, blog content was key to a good SEO plan. You could build authority on a topic and link to your product pages. This helped you rank higher in search results. However, things have changed. Many brands have found that their blogs don't generate significant revenue.

A New Approach: Cutting Top-of-Funnel Content

To solve this, one strategy is to drop top-of-funnel blog content from SEO plans. This means focusing on content that targets individuals who are closer to making a purchase. Instead of writing about "What is green tea?", focus on "Best teas to curb sugar cravings."

What are the Top, Middle, and Bottom of the Funnel?

• Top of Funnel: Informational content for people just learning about a topic.

• Middle of Funnel: Content for people who know what they want but are still comparing options.

• Bottom of Funnel: Content for people ready to buy, like product reviews and comparisons.

The Benefits of This New Strategy

This approach offers three significant advantages, promising a brighter future for your SEO efforts. This approach has three main benefits:

1. More Revenue: Middle-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel blogs bring in more money. They target visitors who are ready to make a purchase.

2. Less Impact from AI Overviews: AI overviews are short summaries that appear at the top of search results. They answer basic questions, so people don't need to click on articles to find the information they're looking for. These overviews are less common for middle-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel searches.

3. Better Visibility in LLMs: LLMs, or Large Language Models, are AI systems, such as ChatGPT. They are more likely to cite middle-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel articles than top-of-funnel content.

How AI Overviews are Changing the Game

AI overviews, also known as featured snippets, are changing the way people search for information. When a user searches for a query like 'What is green tea?', they can receive a quick answer from the AI overview without needing to read a lengthy article. This means that top-of-funnel blog posts, which typically provide this type of information, may see a decrease in traffic. If AI overviews account for 30-40% of your clicks, it's time to focus on content that isn't as heavily impacted.

Consider this: If AI overviews take away 30-40% of your clicks, it's time to focus on less affected content.

LLMs and Your Content Strategy

LLMs, or Large Language Models, are becoming more important in SEO. These AI systems, such as ChatGPT, are being utilized by individuals to research products and inform purchasing decisions. If you want to rank higher in LLMs, it's essential to focus on creating high-quality middle-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel content.

A recent study examined the types of content that LLMs cite most frequently. It found that product-related content, like:

• "Best of" articles

• Vendor comparisons

• Head-to-head comparisons

• Product pages

This type of content comprises a significant portion of all cited sources.

Examples of Content That Works

Here are some examples of middle-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel content:

• Solution Alternatives: Coffee versus tea

• Competitor Alternatives: Your brand versus a competitor

• Product A versus Product B: Herbal tea versus green tea

These articles target people who are ready to make a purchase.

Quality Over Quantity

This new strategy means writing fewer blog posts. However, these posts are of higher quality. They are more likely to rank high and bring in revenue.

Topical Authority Still Matters, But…

Topical authority still works. However, it takes a considerable amount of time to build. If you need fast results, focus on middle-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel content.

How to Get Faster Results

To get faster results, focus your resources. Instead of spreading your efforts across all stages of the funnel, focus them on the middle and bottom stages of the funnel. This means:

• More budget for link building

• More bandwidth for content writers

• More focus from your technical team

By focusing on the bottom of the funnel, you can achieve results more quickly.

A Winning Combination

This blog content strategy works best when paired with:

• Strong collection pages

• Smart internal linking

• Effective backlink building

This combination can help you reach the top of search results and increase your revenue.

Ready to Change Your Strategy?

If you're tired of writing blogs that don't work, it's time to rethink your SEO strategy. Focus on middle-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel content to drive more revenue and get better results.