When someone searches for your business, it can feel like the customer has already made a decision. But the search usually starts much earlier than that. Before someone types a business name, product or service into Google, there is often a question, problem or need that prompted the search in the first place.
They may not know your business exists yet. They may not even know exactly what they are looking for.
Understanding what happens before the search can help businesses create better content, improve their visibility and make it easier for potential customers to find them.
Customers Don’t Always Search for What You Sell
Businesses naturally think about the words they use to describe their products or services.
A plumber might focus on “plumbing services”. A wedding photographer might target “wedding photographer”. A restaurant might want to appear for “restaurants near me”.
These searches are important, but they aren’t necessarily where the customer journey begins.
Someone with a leaking tap might search for:
- How to stop a tap from leaking
- Why is my tap dripping?
- How much does it cost to fix a leaking tap?
- When should I replace a tap?
- Plumber near me
The business providing the service only becomes part of the search later.
The same pattern happens across almost every industry. People often start by searching for information about a problem before they start searching for someone to solve it.
There Is Usually a Question Before the Search
Think about the last time you searched for something you wanted to buy or fix. You probably didn’t immediately search for a specific company.
You might have started with a question.
“How do I choose the right…”
“What does … cost?”
“What’s the difference between … and …?”
“Do I need …?”
“How long does … take?”
These searches reveal something important about how people make decisions. They aren’t just looking for businesses. They’re trying to understand their options before deciding what to do.
For businesses, this means there may be opportunities to be useful before a potential customer is ready to contact you.
The Search Journey Can Change as Customers Get Closer to a Decision
A customer’s search can evolve as they learn more.
For example, someone looking for a new boiler might begin with:
“How long should a boiler last?”
Once they understand that their boiler may need replacing, the search could become:
“Signs I need a new boiler”
Then:
“Best boiler for a 3 bedroom house”
And eventually:
“Boiler installation near me”
The searches have become increasingly specific because the customer’s understanding has changed. At the beginning, they’re trying to understand the problem. In the middle, they’re exploring their options. Closer to the decision, they’re looking for a business that can help.
Your website can support different stages of this process, rather than only targeting people who are already searching for your exact service.
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This Is Where Content Can Make a Difference
You don’t need to write hundreds of blog posts simply to attract more traffic.
The useful question is:
What does your customer need to know before they’re ready to buy?
If you can answer those questions clearly, you have an opportunity to appear earlier in their research.
For example, a kitchen company could create useful content around:
- How much does a new kitchen cost?
- How long does a kitchen renovation take?
- Should I replace my kitchen cabinets or renovate the whole kitchen?
- What should I consider before planning a new kitchen?
None of these searches directly asks for a kitchen company. But someone searching them could become a customer. The content helps them make a decision while introducing them to your business.
Don’t Forget the Search After the Search
There is another important stage that businesses sometimes overlook. Once someone has discovered your business, they may search for you again.
They could look for your business name, reviews, social media profiles, pricing, location or specific services. This means your online presence needs to work together.
Your website, Google Business Profile, reviews, social media and other relevant listings should give people a consistent picture of your business. Someone who discovers you through an informational search may do several more searches before deciding whether to contact you.
Your website needs to be ready for that next step.
What Should You Actually Be Creating?
Start with your customers rather than a list of keywords. Think about the questions people ask your team before they buy. Look at the questions that come up repeatedly in emails, phone calls, consultations or enquiries.
Consider the things customers are often confused about. Then look at the decisions they have to make before choosing your product or service. These can become useful topics for your website.
For example, instead of only writing:
“Our accounting services”
an accountant might also answer:
- When should a small business register for VAT?
- What records does a small business need to keep?
- What’s the difference between a sole trader and a limited company?
- When should a small business hire an accountant?
The aim isn’t to force a sales message into every piece of content. It’s to provide useful information at the point when people are looking for it.
Start With the Questions You Already Hear
You probably don’t need a complicated research process to find your first few topics. Your customers are already telling you what they want to know. Write down the questions you hear most often.
Then group them into three categories:
Before they understand the problem
What questions do people ask when they’re trying to work out what’s wrong or what they need?
While they’re considering their options
What do they compare, research or worry about before making a decision?
When they’re ready to buy
What information do they need before contacting you or making a purchase?
This gives you a much more useful starting point than simply trying to find popular keywords.
The Takeaway
Search doesn’t begin when someone opens Google. It begins with a thought, problem, question or need.
By the time someone searches for your business or your exact service, they may already have spent days or weeks researching what they need.
Your business has an opportunity to be useful during that earlier stage. You don’t need to answer every possible question. Start with the ones your customers are already asking.
Because the goal isn’t simply to be found when someone searches for your business.
It’s to be useful enough that they remember your business when they’re ready to choose one.
Action Step: Map the Search Before the Search
Take one of your main products or services and write down five questions a customer might ask before they are ready to buy.
Don’t think about keywords yet. Think about the customer’s journey.
What are they trying to understand? What might they be worried about? What options are they comparing?
Those questions could be the starting point for your next website page, blog post, guide or FAQ.
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