What does the term "funnel" represent in marketing?

The term "funnel" in marketing primarily represents the customer journey from awareness to conversion. It describes how potential customers interact with a brand or product through various stages: starting from becoming aware of a product, to considering it, making a decision, and ultimately converting into a paying customer. This concept allows marketers to visualize and strategize how to effectively guide prospects through each stage in order to optimize engagement and increase conversion rates.

This customer journey is often depicted as a funnel because, at the top, there are many potential customers (broad awareness), but as they move down through the stages (interest, desire, action), the numbers typically decrease, resulting in the funnel shape. Understanding this funnel is essential for marketers as it helps in tailoring messaging and tactics appropriate for each stage to effectively nurture leads toward conversion.