Once upon a time, blogging was all about traffic.

You’d find a keyword with decent search volume, write a 1,000-word post, and hope to land on page one of Google. For some, that strategy worked—especially if the goal was ad revenue or affiliate commissions.

But for service providers, course creators, and digital product sellers, that model has become unsustainable.

The SEO landscape has shifted dramatically, and the old “blog for SEO traffic” playbook is broken for most of us. 

Here’s what changed:

Google results are now crowded with AI-generated summaries. When someone searches “how to create a content calendar,” they’re getting their answer right there in the search results—no need to click through to your carefully crafted blog post.

Zero-click results are everywhere. Those “People Also Ask” boxes, featured snippets, and knowledge panels are designed to keep people on Google, not send them to your site.

Competing on high-volume keywords takes more time and resources than ever.

Currently, our best-performing blog post in Google Search is a post that took me over a week to write (without any Ai assistance) and it included custom illustrations and about 8,000 words from my brain. I couldn’t possibly do that every week. 

The competition is fierce, the bar is higher, and frankly, most entrepreneurs don’t have the bandwidth to play that game.

But (hang in there with me!) because this isn’t all bad news.

Yes, it’s getting harder and harder to drive traffic to our content and that sucks. But I’ve been blogging since 2004 so this ain’t my first rodeo. There is only one constant in online marketing and that’s change.

Things are always evolving as new technologies replace the old way of doing things and there’s always a silver lining if you look for it.

As more and more bloggers populate their sites with Ai-generated noise or throw in the towel because they’re not seeing enough traction in search, you have an opportunity to use your blog as a way to connect with your audience on an even deeper level than ever before.

The good news is, your audience is still interested in authentic long-form content. This I can promise you.

If you’re blogging as a way to attract customers to your business and nurture your existing audience, you don’t need a million visitors anyway. You just need the right people landing on your site and taking action.

If you want your content to drive real business results—leads, subscribers, and customers— here’s your new paradigm: 

👉 Funnel-first blogging.

If this is a new concept for you, I’m going to break down what funnel-first (also called “conversion-first”) blogging is, how it’s different from traditional blogging, and how to use it to grow your email list, build trust with your audience, and sell more—without creating keyword-focused content and crossing your fingers that it works. 

What is”Funnel-First” Blogging?

Funnel-first blogging flips the script. Instead of starting with keywords and hoping it works to attract traffic and potential customers, you start with your offer and work backward.

Every blog post is created intentionally to:

• Speak to a specific stage of your buyer’s journey
• Address a known pain point, belief, or objection
• Guide readers toward an action (opt-in, webinar, sale)

It’s not about quantity. It’s about strategy.

With funnel-first blogging, you use content as a conversion tool, not just a visibility tool.

Funnel-First Blogging vs. Traditional Blogging

With traditional blogging, you choose topics based on search volume.

With funnel-first blogging, you choose topics that attract people into your marketing funnel and guide them toward a sale. 

The Funnel-First Content Strategy

A funnel-first approach is one that aligns with your customer’s journey. Instead of choosing topics based on search volume, you’re thinking about where they’re at and meeting them with your content.

Here’s how..

Phase 1: Attract

This is the top of your funnel. These blog posts bring new people into your world by:

• Introducing new concepts and answering questions they may have
• Speaking to the symptoms of the problem your product or service solves
• Driving lead generation by including relevant opt-ins in your posts

Examples:

• “How to Create a Weekly Content Plan (Even If You’re Super Busy)”
• “What Is a Sales Funnel and Do You Really Need One?”
• “10 Ways to Grow Your Email List Without Paid Ads”

📌 At this stage, you’re focused on building your foundation and establishing authority around key niche topics.  If you need help with your top-of-funnel game, The Blog Post Vault removes the guesswork with 52 proven blog post templates you can reuse across different topics.

Phase 2: Nurture, Position, and Overcome Objections

This is your middle of funnel content.

These blog posts build trust and help readers move from “just curious” to “seriously considering.”

They address:

• Objections and hesitations
• Behind-the-scenes of your method or process
• Deeper educational content beyond basic definitions and tips

Examples:

• “Why You Don’t Need a Huge Following to Sell Digital Products”
• “How I Created a Funnel That Works on Autopilot (Without Being Salesy)”
• “What to Do When You Feel Like You’ve Tried Everything to Grow Your Business”

Phase 3: Convert

This is your bottom of funnel content.

Not every blog needs to sell directly, but well-timed posts can absolutely nudge buyers over the finish line. These posts:

• Share testimonials, results, or case studies
• Provide comparisons or walkthroughs
• Address “last mile” objections

Examples:

• “What’s Really Inside [Product Name]? A Behind-the-Scenes Look”
• “7 Signs You’re Ready to Build a Digital Product”
• “Struggling With Consistency? Here’s the System That Finally Worked”

📌 Here’s where strategy gets really important—because middle and bottom funnel content works best when it’s paired with strategic email sequences. Our Funnel Content Bundle includes not just blog templates for these stages, but also the emails that guide readers to your content and help move them toward a purchase.

How to Choose Funnel-First Blog Topics

Here’s a simplified process to identify what posts to create:

Step 1: Start With Your Offer

What are you selling—or planning to sell? Identify one product, service, or opt-in to focus on.

Step 2: Map the Customer Journey

Ask yourself:

• What are their first questions?
• What beliefs or assumptions do they have that need to shift?
• What hesitations might hold them back?
• What do they need to see or understand before they’re ready to say yes?

Step 3: Brainstorm Blog Ideas That Answer Those Questions

Now create blog topics that answer, reframe, or guide your ideal customer forward.

For example:

How Your Blog Supports the Entire Funnel

When done right, your blog becomes the launch pad for everything else in your marketing funnel—helping you create aligned, high-leverage content across multiple touchpoints.

✔️ Email marketing: Turn blog readers into subscribers with content upgrades and lead magnets that match the topic of the post. You can also use blog content as nurture emails or inspiration for entire sequences.

✔️ Social media: Pull key points, tips, or stories from your posts and turn them into reels, carousels, quotes, or captions. Because the content is already aligned with your offers, it flows naturally into your funnel.

✔️ Webinars & launches: Use blog frameworks and messaging to outline your pre-launch content, promo emails, or even live training topics. A strong blog post can evolve into an entire launch theme.

✔️ Digital products: Blog content helps you refine your message and validate ideas before you turn them into paid offers. If a post gets traction, it’s often a sign it’s worth expanding into a lead magnet or product.

And here’s the bonus: Because your blog is aligned with your funnel, it’s not just valuable in the moment—it’s endlessly repurposable. A single post can fuel weeks of strategic content across platforms, all pointing back to your core message and offer.

Funnel-First Blogging Is Smart, Sustainable, and Scalable

If you’re tired of churning out blog content just to stay “visible,” funnel-first blogging is the shift you’ve been looking for.

With a funnel-first approach, you can:

✔️ Build trust faster
✔️ Fill your list with qualified leads
✔️ Sell more of your offers
✔️ Get off the content hamster wheel
✔️ Repurpose strategically instead of starting from scratch every time

So the next time you sit down to write a post, ask yourself: “Where does this fit in my funnel—and what do I want it to do for my business?”

📥 Ready to Get Started?

Phase 1: (Attract) Check out The Blog Post Vault to use as the foundation for your top of funnel blogging strategy – attract the right people and build your list.

Phase 2 & 3: (Nurture, Position, and Overcome Objections): Go deeper into the funnel with automated email sequences that link out to blog posts (or videos) specifically designed to guide your warm to your offers with the Funnel Content Bundle.

And by the way, we’re running a special promotion on the Funnel Content Bundle for a limited time – you can save 65% until July 11th! If you’ve had “I really need to start automating my marketing” on your to-do list, this is your chance to set up your first funnel in one focused work session.