Striking the right balance between transactional and non-transactional content for SEO

In today’s digital landscape, striking the balance between transactional and non-transactional content is essential for a successful content strategy. By integrating both within your content marketing efforts, you can ensure a well-rounded approach that builds trust and helps guide users through their journey. From the initial discovery stage, right through to making a purchase or taking action. 

Transactional vs non-transactional content 

Transactional content is carefully curated content that aims to persuade users to take action, targeting searches with a higher likelihood of converting. Aligning your transactional content with search intent plays a crucial role in your content strategy. Targeting queries with transactional intent will mean you are able to tap into a target audience who are ready to take action. Be it purchasing a product or enquiring about a service. 

Non-transactional content focuses on educating users, targeting informational searches. At this stage users are gathering information and seeking advice on specific topics. While these searches typically have lower conversion rates, they offer the opportunity to build brand awareness and establish trust within this space.

So how do you strike the balance between transactional and non-transactional content? 

The first stage in striking the balance between transactional and non-transactional content is understanding your target audience’s search behaviour. Use SEO tools like Semrush’s Keyword Magic tool or Ahrefs to identify relevant keywords and search queries. These tools help you uncover both transactional and informational keywords that align with user intent. Or, if you don’t have access to these platforms, you can review your website’s analytics data for insights into organic search queries driving traffic. There are lots of other useful free keyword tools for you to take advantage of! 

The role of keyword research in your content strategy 

Keyword research is the foundation of a successful SEO and content strategy, as keyword data provides marketers with valuable insights into the search landscape and user intent. These insights will help you in shaping a long-term content strategy that is closely aligned with your business objectives and target audience.

This will not only help you to identify new content opportunities but will also draw upon insights from your existing content strategy and any areas for improvement. Once you have your keyword research you can then start mapping your keywords to the different stages of the content marketing funnel.

What Is The Content Marketing Funnel? 

The content marketing funnel helps you to visualise each stage of the user journey, and the thought process of users at each of the different stages. This means you can ensure your content is strategically aligned with your target audience, helping to guide them through their journey. 

Top of the funnel content 

Top-of-the-funnel content is content that aims to educate users, targeting informational keywords. Your goal is to create a positive experience while building trust and increasing brand awareness. Users are less likely to convert at this point. Your main focus should be to offer help and advice to users who, at some point in the future, are likely to need a similar product or service. 

Content types could include things such as blogs, how-to guides, and whitepapers, with keywords often centred around ‘how’, ‘what’, and ‘why’ searches. 

For example, someone searching for how to remove a scratch from my car paintwork is likely to be at the awareness stage and require informative, step-by-step guidance. 

Middle of the funnel content 

Middle of the funnel content is content that aims to nurture users, they may already have a familiarity with your brand. Your goal here is to help educate the user on the options available, and how they meet their needs.  As they know they have a problem they need to solve, and are now looking for advice on the best solutions.

Content types could include things such as how to guides, case studies and customer reviews. A user searching for best products to remove scratches from a car is more likely at the middle of the funnel, looking for specific solutions or recommendations.

Bottom of the funnel content 

When the user reaches the bottom of the funnel they are now at the decision-making stage of their journey. They are beyond the awareness stage and may have already evaluated their options. 

By using transactional keywords coupled with persuasive content you can ensure your content speaks to the user at this stage of their journey. Encouraging them to take action, for example, making a purchase or completing a form.

Content types can include category pages, product descriptions, lead forms and subscription offers, with keywords focussing on transactional intent, such as terms like buy, order, or branded terms. For example, a user searching for buy car scratch repair kit is at the bottom of the funnel, ready to make a purchase and looking for the best place to purchase the solution they’ve chosen.

Tailoring Your Content Strategy to Enhance Audience Engagement and Brand Visibility

By mapping your content to the stages of the content funnel you can ensure your content strategy is tailored to meet the needs of your audience at each stage of their journey, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. This allows you to create a wide range of content that not only engages users, but will also resonate with your audience and enhance your brands visibility.

Providing context for users and search engines strengthens your authority, and trustworthiness, and boosts your site’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness).

Looking for support when it comes to your content strategy? Let’s chat

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