For years, the playbook for content marketing was clear: cast a wide net. Businesses created content to attract as many people as possible, hoping to guide them down a path from awareness to purchase. This “top-of-funnel” approach made sense. But, for the rest of this year and beyond, the digital landscape is undergoing a massive shift, driven by artificial intelligence (AI).
The way people find information is changing, and your content strategy needs to change with it.
Today, I’m going to break down how AI search is rewriting the rules, explain why focusing on the bottom of the marketing funnel is no longer just an option—it’s essential for survival—and give you actionable steps to adapt your strategy to succeed in this new world. Let’s go!
Understanding the Traditional Marketing Funnel
To see where we’re going, we first need to understand where we’ve been.
The marketing funnel is a simple model that illustrates a customer’s journey with a business. It’s typically broken into three main stages:
- Top of the Funnel (ToFu): Awareness. At this stage, people have a problem or a question, but they aren’t necessarily looking for a product. They use broad search terms like “how to improve team productivity.” Content targeting this level includes blog posts, infographics, and social media updates designed to attract a large audience.
- Middle of the Funnel (MoFu): Consideration. Now potential customers are aware of their respective problems and are actively researching solutions. They might compare different products or methods. Content for this stage includes case studies, webinars, and detailed guides that help them evaluate their options.
- Bottom of the Funnel (BoFu): Decision. This is the final stage. The customer is ready to make a purchase. They are looking for specific information to help them choose one brand over another. Content here is highly targeted, such as pricing pages, free trials, demos, and customer testimonials.
For a long time, search engine optimization (SEO) was all about winning at the top of the funnel. The goal was to rank for high-volume keywords, draw in massive traffic, and then nurture that traffic over time. This strategy worked because it put your brand in front of the largest number of people.
The AI Revolution: AEO & GEO Are Changing the Game
The old SEO playbook is becoming outdated. The reason? The rise of AI in search engines.
Two new acronyms are becoming central to marketing: AEO and GEO.
What Is AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)?
Think about how you use Google now. When you ask a question, you often get a direct answer at the top of the page in an AI-powered snapshot or featured snippet. You don’t have to click on a single link to get your information. Google is transforming from a search engine into an answer engine.
This is answer engine optimization (AEO). It’s the practice of optimizing your content so that AI-powered search engines can easily find, understand, and present it as the definitive answer to a user’s query.
This change has a huge impact on top-of-funnel content. All those “what is” and “how to” articles that used to bring in traffic are now being answered directly by the search engine. If users get their answer without clicking, your website gets no traffic, no lead, and no new customer. The top of the funnel is effectively being absorbed by AI.
What Is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)?
Taking this a step further is generative engine optimization (GEO). This refers to optimizing for large language models (LLMs) like those powering ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s Generative Search Experience. These tools don’t just find answers; they synthesize information from multiple sources to create a brand new, comprehensive answer for the user.
Instead of a list of blue links, users get a detailed summary. This means your brand isn’t just competing with other websites anymore. You’re competing to be included as a trusted source within the AI’s generated response.
Why Your Focus Must Shift to the Bottom of the Funnel
With AI handling many top-of-funnel queries, your greatest opportunity for growth now lies at the bottom of the funnel. People who have moved past the initial information-gathering stage and are ready to make a decision are the ones who will still click through to a website.
These users have high-intent queries. They aren’t asking, “What is a CRM?” They are asking “which CRM is best for a small law firm?” or “Zapier vs. Make automation comparison.” They are looking for specifics, comparisons, pricing, and proof that your product is the right choice for them.
This is where your business can shine. AI can summarize features, but it can’t replicate your unique brand story, showcase your happy customers, or demonstrate your product’s value in a real-world scenario. Your bottom-of-funnel content is your most powerful tool for conversion in this new era.
How to Adapt Your Content Strategy for a BoFu World
Pivoting your strategy doesn’t mean abandoning everything you’ve already done. It means rebalancing your efforts and creating content that directly supports a buying decision. Here are four ways to do it:
1. Master Your Product and Service Pages
Your product and service pages are the most important BoFu content you have. They can’t just be a list of features. They need to be compelling sales pages that answer every possible question a potential buyer might have.
Here are some quick guidelines:
- Be Specific: Clearly state who the product is for and what problem it solves. Use clear, benefit-driven language.
- Use Rich Media: Include high-quality images, video demonstrations, and walkthroughs. Show your product in action.
- Build Trust: Add customer testimonials, detailed case studies, logos of companies you work with, and any awards or certifications you have.
2. Create in-Depth Comparison Content
Customers at the bottom of the funnel are weighing their options. Help them make that choice by creating honest, detailed comparison content:
- You vs. the Competition: Write pages that directly compare your product to your main competitors. Don’t just trash-talk them. Offer a fair analysis that highlights your unique strengths.
- Alternative Pages: Create content for people searching for “alternatives to [competitor name].” Position your product as the superior choice.
- Use Case Pages: Develop content that shows how your product solves a very specific problem for a specific type of customer (e.g., “Project Management Software for Construction Companies”).
3. Leverage the Power of Social Proof
Nothing sells a product like a happy customer. Social proof is your most valuable BoFu asset:
- Detailed Case Studies: Go beyond a simple quote. Write in-depth stories that detail the problem a customer had, how your product solved it, and the measurable results they achieved.
- Video Testimonials: A video of a real customer sharing their success story is incredibly powerful and difficult for competitors to replicate.
- Reviews and Ratings: Encourage customers to leave reviews on your site and on third-party platforms. Prominently display your average rating.
4. Optimize for “Money” Keywords
Bottom-of-funnel keywords are often called “money” keywords because they are used by people who are ready to spend. These keywords often include terms like:
- Buy
- Pricing
- Review
- Comparison
- For sale
- Versus
- Best
Use these keywords naturally in your product pages, comparison articles, and case studies to attract high-intent searchers. Additionally, make sure to optimize your meta titles and descriptions with these keywords to improve click-through rates from search engine result pages.
In addition to optimizing for “money” keywords, it’s important to also focus on long-tail keywords. These are longer, more specific phrases that people may use when they are closer to making a purchase decision. For example, instead of searching for “running shoes,” someone may search for “best women’s running shoes for flat feet.”
By including long-tail keywords in your content, you can attract highly targeted traffic and increase your chances of converting it into customers.
To find the right long-tail keywords for your business, try using keyword research tools such as Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush. These tools can help you identify popular search terms related to your business and provide data on their search volume, competition, and potential traffic. Additionally, you can also look at the keywords your competitors are using and see if there are any opportunities to target similar but less competitive phrases.
Embrace the Change to Win
The rise of AI search is not a threat; it’s an opportunity. It’s clearing away the noise at the top of the funnel, allowing businesses to focus on what truly matters: connecting with customers who are ready to buy.
But the key here is that you have to change your content strategy, and you have to stop focusing so much on rankings, because the real gold is in the new AI Overviews.
By shifting your content marketing strategy to prioritize the bottom of the funnel, you’re not just adapting to AEO and GEO—you’re future-proofing your business. You are building a library of high-converting assets that demonstrate your value, build trust, and turn active searchers into loyal customers.
Start by reviewing your existing content. Identify your best BoFu assets and find ways to make them even better. Then, begin creating new, targeted content that speaks directly to the needs of your ideal buyer. The businesses that make this shift today will be reaping the rewards now and in the future.
Looking for help with your AEO and GEO content strategy and narrowing in on your BoFu audience? Get in touch with the Numero Uno Web Solutions team today.
