The Importance of In-Audience and Out-of-Audience TOFU Content for B2B SEO

There is a common misconception in search engine optimization (SEO) that every piece of content on your website needs to be laser-focused on your ideal customer. But here’s a hot take: Not all the content on your website needs to speak directly to your target audience.

SEO is More Than Just Rankings

SEO isn’t just about chasing keywords and climbing the rankings. More often, SEOs need to realize that keyword rankings are a vanity metric. SEO is about positioning your brand as a trusted authority, so Google recognizes your website as a reliable source of information in your niche. The better Google understands your expertise, the more likely it is to reward you with higher visibility, but more importantly, the more likely users are to trust your website as an authority – this leads to a cycle where you are seen as an authority, rank higher, and ultimately gain more conversions–the one metric that matters.

One powerful way to establish this authority is through top-of-funnel (TOFU) content—resources, guides, and blog posts aimed at users just beginning their buying journey. TOFU content is meant to educate, build awareness, and attract traffic. These users might not be ready to buy yet, but they’re actively researching their pain points and seeking solutions.

Here’s the twist: Not all TOFU content needs to be tailored exclusively to your ideal customer.

What is In-audience vs. Out-of-audience Tofu Content?

When we think about content strategy, it’s helpful to differentiate between in-audience and out-of-audience TOFU content. Both types play a critical role in building your brand’s authority but serve slightly different purposes.

In-audience Tofu Content

In-audience TOFU content is designed to directly address the needs, pain points, and questions of your ideal customer profile (ICP). These are the users who are most likely to convert into leads or sales.

For example, if you’re a B2B SaaS company offering project management software, your in-audience TOFU content might look like:

“How to Choose the Right Project Management Software for Your Team” or “5 Signs It’s Time to Upgrade Your Current Collaboration Tools”. This type of content speaks directly to decision-makers—your potential customers—who are researching solutions.

Out-of-audience Tofu Content

Out-of-audience TOFU content, on the other hand, is broader. It targets topics that may not directly appeal to your ICP but are still topically relevant to your industry or niche. 

For the same SaaS company, an out-of-audience blog could look like:

“10 Time Management Tips for Remote Teams” or “The Future of Hybrid Work: Trends to Watch in 2026”.

This type of content might not generate immediate leads, but it serves an equally important purpose:

• It builds topical authority by aligning your brand with broader themes in your industry.
• It expands your content depth, helping Google understand your expertise across a range of related topics.
• It attracts backlinks and social shares because it’s often more broadly useful, making it easier to promote.

Why Out-of-audience Content Matters for SEO

You might be wondering—why bother creating content for readers who may never become customers? The answer lies in how search engines evaluate websites. Recent insights from Google have confirmed that factors like:

• Content depth
• Expertise
• Brand authority

…are critical for ranking success. By producing both in-audience and out-of-audience TOFU content, you’re signalling to Google that your website is a comprehensive resource on your topic.

Additionally, out-of-audience content often earns more backlinks, which is a key ranking factor. For example, while an article about choosing project management software might only appeal to a small audience, a guide on time management tips could be shared widely, even by people outside your niche.

How to Balance In-audience and Out-of-audience Content in Your Strategy

Creating a balanced TOFU content strategy starts with identifying your goals and planning content that serves different purposes. Here’s how to do it:

Audit Your Current Content

Look at your existing blog or resource library. Are you overly focused on topics that appeal only to your ICP? If so, you may be missing opportunities to build broader authority.

Prioritize High-Value Keywords

Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to identify keywords that are relevant to your niche and have search volume. Prioritize a mix of buyer-intent keywords for in-audience content and broad, educational keywords for out-of-audience content.

Create a Content Calendar

Plan your content with a balance of:

• In-audience topics that directly target your ICP’s pain points.
• Out-of-audience topics that align with your broader industry.

Monitor Performance

Use analytics tools to track how each piece of content performs. While in-audience content should drive conversions, out-of-audience content should boost metrics like traffic, backlinks, and social engagement.

Setting Your Organization up for Future Success

Balancing in-audience and out-of-audience TOFU content isn’t just about driving more traffic to your site. It’s about creating a foundation of trust, visibility, and authority that pays off in the long term.

By showing search engines—and your audience—that your brand is an expert in its field, you’ll set yourself up for sustainable SEO success that is driven by expertise and not the achievement of vanity metrics

If you’re ready to build a content strategy that drives results, get a proposal today or explore more actionable tips on our blog.