Your goal is to rank number one for your target keywords, but that’s difficult for competitive keywords. Instead, start with ‘low-hanging fruit’ strategies:

• Look for positions you’ve recently lost and find ways to reclaim them.

• Identify pages that could benefit from a few strategic backlinks.

• Update and refresh outdated content.

Then, tackle the more challenging SERPs by optimizing your BOFU pages to maximize their potential.

2. Search for long-tail MOFU and TOFU keywords

After optimizing your BOFU pages, broaden your focus to include long-tail middle-of-the-funnel (MOFU) and top-of-the-funnel (TOFU) keywords. Keywords that are specific and less competitive, with a clearly defined intent, help you educate potential customers and boost brand awareness.

For example, this Moz article on using SEO for brand recognition is an excellent TOFU keyword. It doesn’t directly sell but educates, positioning Moz as an authority, crucial in starting relationships and building trust.

To discover these keywords using Moz, follow these steps:

Open Moz Pro and go to the Keyword Explorer.

Enter a broad topic related to your industry, like ‘phone systems’ for the telecommunications industry.