Almost 10 years ago, shopping was simple. I would go to a store, check a few things, think about it, and then buy. One visit would help me make one decision.
Today, it’s not like that. Today, I see something on Instagram, then check it on a website, maybe go to a store, come back and look at reviews, ask a friend, and maybe buy it later—sometimes from a completely different place. It’s a constant process of back and forth.
Recently, Google and BCG studied this shift and explained what many of us already feel—shopping journeys have changed.
Why the Traditional Funnel Doesn’t Work Anymore?
Most marketers were taught the traditional funnel—first comes awareness, then consideration, and finally purchase. That model worked in the pre-social media era, where consumers followed a simple, step-by-step path.
But today, people move across online and offline touchpoints constantly. They spend more than 6.5 hours online every day, discovering products through reels, influencer posts, reviews, ads, and conversations.
It’s no longer the same journey. It’s a process of constant back and forth. That’s why the old funnel is no longer relevant.
This blog breaks down what that means, why the funnel is outdated, and how brands can start using influence maps to plan smarter campaigns, spend budget better, and grow faster.
“The traditional marketing funnel is no longer enough. Today’s consumers move fluidly across channels, and influence—not just reach—is what drives real results.”
Table of Contents
1. Why Does the Linear Funnel Model No Longer Work?
For years, marketers used the linear funnel to plan campaigns. They would first build awareness, then drive consideration, and finally push for conversion. It looked clean, structured, and easy to follow.
But today, people don’t shop or decide in a straight line. The journey is no longer simple or predictable. A person might discover a brand while scrolling through Instagram, then forget about it completely.
Read more – Bridging Online and Offline: The Omnichannel Approach
A few days later, they may come across the same brand again while watching a YouTube video. Out of curiosity, they might Google the product to compare prices or read reviews—sometimes while standing inside a store.
They may buy the product right away, or they may wait for weeks, thinking it over or waiting for a discount. Some people even buy on impulse, while others take their time, going back and forth across different platforms and sources.
This is how most modern shopping journeys look—messy, multi-touch, and unique to each individual.
No two people behave the same way, and no one follows a neat, straight line from awareness to action.
Many marketers still try to fit consumer behavior into a straight-line funnel—awareness, consideration, conversion. But real decisions don’t follow that path. This leads to wasted budget, missed opportunities, and messages that don’t match the moment.
What’s needed is a flexible approach that reflects how people actually shop—nonlinear, personal, and influenced at many points across channels.
That’s where influence maps come into play!
2. How To Rethink the Funnel with the Influence Map?
Today, where buying decisions aren’t so predictable, the influence map offers a smarter approach as it doesn’t follow a fixed path.
Instead, it focuses on influence—how and where a brand can impact a customer’s journey, no matter what stage they’re in.
This model is more flexible and personalized where each customer journey is mapped differently based on behavior, mindset, and context. That means fewer missed opportunities and more chances to deliver the right message at the right time.
2.1 What Makes the Influence Map Different?
The influence map recognizes that every shopper’s journey is different—so the same marketing strategy won’t work for all. Instead of treating the path to purchase as a straight line, it adapts to jumps, loops, and shortcuts based on behavior, not assumptions. Here’s what sets it apart:
- Focus on influence, not steps: It’s about where you can make an impact, not just where the customer is in a funnel.
- Each journey is unique: No two shoppers are the same, so your strategy shouldn’t be either.
- Removes stage barriers: A customer might jump from discovery to purchase. The map allows for that.
- Custom touchpoints: Plan marketing based on behaviors, not assumptions.
- Real examples: One buyer might move from YouTube to store display to coupon. Another might buy straight from an influencer post.
Both the journeys highlight the benefits of accurately observing behaviors of consumers to plan for influence.
3. The 4S Behaviors: A fresh way to see how people decide what to buy
At its core, there are four key behaviors that drive how today’s consumers discover, evaluate, and buy products. Let’s break them down here:
3.1. Streaming
This is where the passive turns active. Streaming is no longer just entertainment—it’s a discovery engine.
- Where it happens: YouTube, OTT platforms, live shopping streams, IG TV videos
- What it looks like: A user watches a product review on YouTube or catches a non-skippable ad during a binge session on a streaming app.
- Why it matters: Video has high attention value. It helps brands make a visual and emotional impression early in the journey—often without the viewer even searching for it.
Example: A skincare brand runs a 15-second YouTube ad showing product results. The viewer isn’t actively looking, but the message sticks in his mind.
3.2. Scrolling
The endless scroll is where culture, trends, and commerce collide.
- Where it happens: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, influencer stories, Reels
- What it looks like: A user sees an influencer’s post, clicks “Shop Now,” or saves a product for later.
- Why it matters: Social media turns product discovery into an everyday habit. The line between content and commerce is blurred.
Example: A fashion influencer tags your handbag in an outfit reel. A viewer taps through, adds to cart—purchase influenced in under 30 seconds.
3.3. Searching
Search is the behavior that signals intent. It’s where curiosity meets action.
- Where it happens: Google, Amazon, Bing, voice assistants, comparison sites
- What it looks like: A user looks up reviews, compares specs, or searches “best running shoes under ₹5000.”
- Why it matters: This is when customers take control. They’re not waiting for ads—they’re looking for answers. Brands need to show up with the right info, at the right time.
Example: A user searches “Is Brand X waterproof?” after seeing a social ad. If you don’t show up in results or reviews—you’re out of the race.
3.4. Shopping
This is the final moment—but also the most fragile.
- Where it happens: D2C websites, e-commerce platforms, mobile apps, physical stores
- What it looks like: A user either completes the purchase or abandons the cart based on product details, delivery time, or available offers.
- Why it matters: It’s not just about price. Experience, trust, and ease matter more than ever.
Example: A customer browses your website on mobile, finds a clunky checkout, and exits. Another sees a clear offer and smooth experience—purchase complete.
The rise of the 4S behaviors makes consumer journeys less predictable—but also full of new chances to engage and convert. To keep up, marketers need to move beyond the old linear funnel and adopt a more flexible, AI-powered approach that fits how people really shop today.
4. Why Does Reach Alone Not Guarantee Influence?
Today, just reaching people is not the same as influencing them. While getting your message in front of as many people as possible still matters, but what really counts is whether those people noticed, cared, and trusted what they saw. That’s the difference between reach and influence.
Influence depends on three key things:
- Attention – Did the consumer actually pay attention?
- Relevance – Was the message useful or meaningful to them at that moment?
- Trust – Did it come from a platform or source they believe in?
All three matter as much as reach. A video ad might reach 1 million people—but if most of them skip it or ignore it, how much influence did it really have?
On the other hand, a smaller number of people who deeply engage with your content (watch the full video, read your blog, or save your post) can have a much bigger impact. That’s because real influence drives decisions—and that’s what leads to growth.
Marketers today need to think beyond just impressions and look closely at which touchpoints truly drive influence.
4.1 Why Do You Need Both Reach and Relevance?
Getting your message in front of a large audience is important—but it’s not enough. When messaging matches the consumer’s context, it creates trust, drives engagement, and ultimately nudges them toward action. What matters just as much is what you say and when you say it.
5. How Can You Plan for Influence and Execute with AI?
Today’s consumers move in unique, non-linear ways across ads, social media, websites, and stores—so marketers must shift from one-size-fits-all to personalized strategies, and AI makes this possible at scale.
- The first step is to find the most influential touchpoints—like a YouTube video, Google search, or a friend’s review—by researching where reach, attention, and trust intersect.
- Next, marketers must look at all touchpoints together, not just ads, and treat them equally—from store visits to influencer posts.
- Finally, plans must be tailored to different journeys, aligning the right content to the right moments.
Doing this manually is tough—but AI and GenAI can speed up the process, analyze patterns, and suggest what works best, making personalized marketing far more efficient.
A BCG study involving more than 2,000 marketers found that 80% of companies are still in the early stages of AI adoption—exploring off-the-shelf solutions, adopting use cases, and generally still experimenting.
6. Conclusion
The future of marketing will depend on how well brands balance reach with real influence. The old funnel model is no longer enough. Today’s consumer journey is complex and non-linear, and marketers need a new approach to match it.
Also read – The Growth Flywheel: How Leading Brands Create Self-Sustaining Success?
The influence map offers that path—helping brands go beyond just being seen to actually making an impact. By using AI and understanding where and how influence happens, marketers can drive smarter strategies and unlock stronger growth.
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