What is a Marketing Funnel (And Why Should You Care)?

If you have ever watched or listened to anything related to marketing, the marketing funnel was probably mentioned. So, what is a marketing funnel? A marketing funnel is the journey a customer takes from first noticing a brand to becoming a loyal customer. The marketing funnel is shaped just like one would think (a funnel) and the different steps of the customer journey shrink in size as they progress to imitate the amount of customers within each step. The first step of a marketing funnel and customer journey is awareness. This is the largest section at the top of the funnel because anyone and everyone can become aware of a brand, however, not everyone becomes a customer. This is where the funnel comes into play to assist marketers in understanding the customer journey in order to convert people into loyal customers. Let’s talk through each of the layers of the marketing funnel!

Graphic: https://www.kennect.io/post/marketing-funnel-vs-sales-funnel 

Step 1: Awareness

The awareness stage is the top and broadest layer of the marketing funnel. This is where potential customers first come into contact with a brand or company. It’s the moment when people begin to recognize a brand’s existence, which can happen in a variety of ways—through word of mouth, search engine results, social media, advertisements, or even by simply passing by a physical location.

This stage is critical because it forms the first impression of the brand. A strong initial impression can spark curiosity and interest, prompting individuals to explore (or consider) further. On the other hand, a weak or confusing introduction might lead them to move on without a second thought. Since every customer journey starts with awareness, it’s essential for brands to make this first touchpoint memorable and aligned with their identity.

Step 2: Consideration

The second step of the customer journey and layer of the marketing funnel is known as consideration. Consideration is likely to occur when a customer has a positive first impression of a brand and is debating whether or not they should invest in what is being sold. In this process, people are typically inquiring further about you and your product or service to learn more. In addition, people within this stage are comparing your brand with others that sell similar products or services so it is crucial that yours stands out above the competitors!

Step 3: Conversion

After potential customers consider your brand and ultimately choose it over the others, they convert into a customer. The conversion layer of the marketing funnel is where someone turns into a customer, meaning they have made a purchase or taken some sort of action. While some might believe that the customer making the purchase or taking action is the most important or final step of the journey, it is not. When a customer interacts with your brand or takes action, you want to ensure that they have a great experience. Having a positive experience will not only encourage customers to come back to you, it also makes them want to tell other people!

Step 4: Loyalty

The final (and smallest) layer of the marketing funnel is loyalty. Loyalty is when the customer is already invested with your brand and keeps coming back. Not only do they themselves make purchases, they tell their friends and family who are then likely to come check it out! Like we have discussed previously, word of mouth is one of the strongest forms of marketing so we want to make sure we are giving our customers something to talk about. 

The loyalty layer is the full circle moment of the marketing funnel where loyal customers are bringing in new potential customers. Our loyal customers simply talking about our brand is restarting the marketing funnel at the top by bringing awareness of the brand to new people!

Now that we’ve explored each layer of the marketing funnel—from awareness to consideration, conversion, and loyalty—it’s clear how crucial each stage is to guiding potential customers through their journey. Every step plays a unique role in building trust, nurturing interest, and ultimately driving action and loyalty. The funnel is like a never ending circle. If we strategically understand and optimize each stage, we keep this pattern going by building awareness and gaining new customers!