A New Marketing Funnel for SEO: The Lifecyle Funnel

For years, I've been working using the same funnels that most of us in the SEO and Digital Marketing field know and trust:

AIDA - Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action

ToFu/MoFu/BoFu - Top of Funnel, Middle of Funnel, Bottom of Funnel.

But coming from a traditional marketing background and after a few years of doing this SEO and Internet thing, I realized that these funnels are a bit incomplete. There is more to an internet search than just a step in a direction because people don't search like the funnels suggest.

So for a few years now, I've been working on something that I think represents searchers, and more importantly, their intent, a little more realistically than AIDA and TMB funnels.

*Note: There is absolutely nothing wrong with following these funnel models and I still recommend understanding and using them.

I've called it a very silly name, but it still fits - The SEO Lifecycle Funnel.

The basics -

Traditional funnels assume a straight path to conversion. The SEO Lifecycle Funnel reflects how people wander. They zigzag, double back, and follow nonlinear, beautifully human journeys.

I break it down like this:

Ignorance/Innocence
Awareness/Discovery
Interest/Desire
Consideration
Action/Purpose
Loyalty
Advocacy

I've found that people often jump around with their searches.

They don’t know what the word is for that thingamajigger under the whatsis, but like all of us, they go online to try to find it.

Even experienced search professionals will do this. I do this, and I’ve been typing words into the Google machine for a few years.

Think about it: someone frustrated with their laptop isn’t searching for “Wi-Fi adapter driver update” or “network configuration troubleshooting.” They’re typing, “Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting on my laptop.”

Or a homeowner hearing water trickling isn’t looking up “flapper valve replacement”; they’re searching, “Toilet keeps running after flushing.”

I created a blog post that goes into much more detail and is pretty exhaustive, and if you're interested, you can read more at https://miamiseo.pro/blog/the-seo-lifecycle-funnel/

I also created a GPT that can help you with possible keywords and content for each of the funnel levels. Just enter any keyword, and it will give you a full analysis. You can check out the GPT at https://chatgpt.com/g/g-6741951a55288191a8ff74d8ff5fdc9d-seo-lifecycle-funnel

The GPT will give you a breakdown of:

Funnel Stage Alignment:

ToFu/MoFu/BoFu Placement:

Google Micro-Moments Mapping:

Google Query Classes: (More info on this to come.

@Jonathan Boshoff

gave me a cool LinkedIn thread)

If you'd like to see a sample of the output, here is a chat that you can review.

https://chatgpt.com/share/675af162-ad9c-8006-ad84-2adf4cba2188

I know this was a long post, and my blog post is even longer, but I hope you find some value in the funnel and the GPT that gives you the rundown.

Please feel free to tell me what you think.

Thanks