How to Build a Top-of-Funnel Content Strategy That Connects and Converts

No one wakes up thinking, “Today’s the day I buy that solution I’ve never heard of.”

Instead, it starts small:  A problem. A question. A moment of curiosity.

This is when your window opens. And where Top-of-Funnel (ToFu) content does its best work: meeting people early and offering clarity, insight, and a reason to stick around. 

So, when someone finally is ready to buy, they don’t need to “discover” you. They already know who you are. And they already trust you.

That’s not wishful thinking. It's a proven strategy supported by multiple surveys, studies, and research:

• 72% of buyers will fully engage with a brand only after consuming multiple pieces of content. (Forrester, 2022 B2B Buying Survey)
• 60% of consumers say they’ve purchased from a brand after reading helpful content about it. (Demand Gen Report, 2023 Content Preferences Study)
• 70% of consumers feel closer to a company as a result of content that educates them. (Demand Metric / TMG Custom Media)

What all of this data says is that if you want content that converts, you first need content that connects.

The Role of ToFu in the Marketing Funnel

Every piece of content should support your customer’s journey—and that journey flows through a funnel:

• Top-of-Funnel (ToFu): Awareness Stage
• Middle-of-Funnel (MoFu): Consideration Stage
• Bottom-of-Funnel (BoFu): Decision Stage

ToFu is where it all starts. It’s where buyers first encounter your brand—usually while self-educating through search engines, social media, forums, or even AI tools.

And if you're not showing up in those moments? You're not even going to be considered.

That's why your brand needs content that solves these problems and answers the questions people are asking. Your ToFu content should:

• Speak directly to real challenges and pain points
• Be easy to discover and easy to consume
• Deliver quick, actionable value—with no fluff and no filler

When your content shows up early, adds value fast, and builds trust naturally, you’re not just creating awareness. You’re creating a preference in the minds of potential customers.

How to Plan an Effective Top-of-Funnel Content Strategy

Creating the type of ToFu content that drives real results starts with strategy. One rooted in audience insight, aligned to the buyer journey, and built to deliver value from the very first touchpoint.

Here are five essential steps to help you build a top-of-funnel content strategy that actually works:

1. Get to Know Your Audience

Before you write a single headline, you need to understand your target audience and what they care about. That starts with building detailed buyer personas.

The goal here is to get specific. Ask yourself:

• What are their goals and motivations?
• What challenges do they face in their day-to-day work or life?
• What words and phrases do they use when searching for answers?
• Which content formats and platforms do they trust and engage with?

When you truly understand your audience, you can create content that speaks directly to their problems, using their language, to address the things they care about most.

Your content can be used as a tool to build trust from the very first touchpoint by making people feel like your brand gets them.

2. Do Strategic Keyword Research

Your keyword strategy should be rooted in the audience insights from step one. Get to know the questions they're typing into search when they’re trying to understand a challenge or explore their options.

To be truly valuable and help your target audience through the content funnel, top-of-funnel content should focus on informational-intent keywords. These are the early-stage searches people make when they’re learning, not buying.

It’s your chance to show up with helpful, relevant answers and build trust before competitors even enter the picture.

To get started in prioritizing search engine optimization to improve findability with the keywords that matter, use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or AnswerThePublic to uncover:

• Long-tail keywords that signal early-stage interest
• “People Also Ask” questions that reveal how your audience thinks and what they want to learn
• Low-competition, high-value topics your brand can own

The goal here is about relevance. Look for the gaps your competitors aren’t covering, and fill them with content that informs, builds trust, and starts real conversations.

3. Prioritize Format and Channel Fit

ToFu content is most effective when it meets your target audience where they already spend time and in the formats they naturally prefer to engage with. So get to know where your audience is looking to solve problems and find information.

Here are a few top-of-funnel content formats to consider:

• Short-form video (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts): Perfect for quick, engaging, and highly shareable insights
• Carousels (LinkedIn, Instagram): Ideal for bite-sized tips and visual storytelling
• Infographics (Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest): Great for simplifying complex topics into clear, skimmable visuals
• Podcasts & interviews: Build authority while offering deeper, conversational content
• Webinars or live Q&As: Encourage real-time interaction and establish trust

Let your buyer personas guide these decisions about where and what your content will be, and always focus on creating value in the format that feels most natural and accessible to them.

4. Lead With Value and Educational Content

Top-of-funnel content has one job: deliver value with no strings attached.

Before hitting publish, ask: “What will someone walk away with after reading or watching this?” If the answer isn’t clear and concrete, go back and refine.

Value-driven content might include:

• A new way to solve a common challenge
• A framework, checklist, or practical tool
• A fresh insight or perspective on a familiar problem

The goal is to leave your audience better off than they were before they found you, even if they’re not ready to buy.

5. Connect the Dots Across the Customer Journey

Even at the top of the funnel, your content should gently guide your audience to what’s next.

Think of your ToFu content like a gateway that always leads to something else. Use content recommendations and subtle CTAs to encourage continued engagement—whether it’s another video or article option they can go check out.

The best ToFu strategies create a path that keeps your audience (potential customers) moving forward through your content, on their terms.

Bringing ToFu Content to Life

Let’s bring this strategy into the real world:

Imagine a new homeowner looking to upgrade their shower. They’re curious about water filters — maybe to help with hard water buildup, or improve skin and hair health — but they’re overwhelmed. Too many options. Too many unknowns.

Then they remember a quick TikTok video: someone raving about a sleek, simple shower filter that made a big difference. It wasn’t a sales pitch — just a short, relatable moment that sparked interest.

Later, that curiosity leads them to Google: “Best shower filter for hair and skin.”

One of the top results? The same brand from TikTok.

That recognition creates trust. They click.

Next stop: Instagram. Right at the top, a video walks through the benefits of charcoal bead filters, the same kind mentioned earlier. It’s clear, concise, and educational. The brand keeps answering questions the viewer didn’t even know they had.

Scrolling further, they see a quick installation video. It looks easy. Anxiety? Gone. Interest? Now it’s turned to excitement.

They tap over to the website, read reviews, and sign up for the newsletter—partly for a discount, but mostly to stay connected.

This is ToFu content doing its job.

It sparked curiosity, built trust, and removed friction. It turned a casual view into a qualified lead, one step away from purchase.

Top-of-Funnel Content Is the Start of Real Growth

Top-of-funnel content isn’t about grabbing attention just for the sake of it. It’s about solving problems early and doing it so well that trust builds naturally.

When that happens, everything else moves faster.

You stop chasing leads. And you begin filling your pipeline with prospects more likely to convert. These are potential customers who already understand what you do, why it matters, and how it fits into their world.

Use this guide to build a ToFu strategy that generates these types of leads by delivering value from the very first touchpoint. And create a chain of events that lead to the sale: Answer questions. Reduce friction. Create momentum.

Because when your content connects, conversion becomes the natural next step.

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