{"id":29993,"date":"2026-03-05T09:44:06","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T08:44:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acumbamail.com\/blog\/?p=29993"},"modified":"2026-03-05T09:44:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T08:44:07","slug":"end-linear-funnels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acumbamail.com\/blog\/en\/end-linear-funnels\/","title":{"rendered":"The End of Linear Funnels: Circular Relationships, Loyalty Loops, and Marketing as a Community"},"content":{"rendered":"

Discover why linear funnels have become obsolete and how to create loyalty loops and community-based marketing with email and automation.<\/p>\n\n

Something broke in the funnel \ud83d\udc41\ufe0f\u200b<\/h2>\n\n

For years we were taught that marketing was a funnel<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Attraction \u2192 Consideration \u2192 Conversion \u2192 End.<\/p>\n\n

A linear, almost mathematical journey. As if the customer entered from the top, obediently moved through each phase, and exited converted… and satisfied.<\/p>\n\n

But something changed<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n

People no longer consume content linearly. They don’t buy linearly. Nor do they interact with brands linearly. Did you notice?<\/em><\/p>\n\n

And if user behavior stopped being linear, why are our strategies still linear?<\/em><\/p>\n\n

In 2026, talking about traditional funnels without questioning them is falling short. It no longer applies. Today we need to talk about slightly more novel\/differential concepts: circular relationships<\/strong>, loyalty loops<\/strong>, and marketing understood as a community<\/strong>, not as a one-time conversion.<\/p>\n\n

\n
\"The
Fuente: Canva IA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n

Where does this come from?<\/em> Let me give you some context:<\/p>\n\n

The classic funnel: useful, but insufficient<\/h2>\n\n

The AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)<\/a>, formulated at the end of the 19th century, was one of the first representations of the conversion funnel. For decades it has been a solid foundation for understanding the purchase process<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

\n
\"The
Fuente: UNIR<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n

But, the digital environment has profoundly altered that journey.<\/p>\n\n

According to the Digital 2025 Global Overview Report by DataReportal<\/a>, users combine multiple channels, compare, research, and return before making a decision. The process is not sequential; it is dynamic.<\/p>\n\n

Furthermore, Google has been talking for years about the concept of messy middle<\/a><\/em>: that chaotic space between the initial stimulus and the final purchase where users constantly explore and evaluate.<\/p>\n\n

\n
\"The
Fuente: El placer del SEO<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n

Practical translation: the customer enters, exits, returns, compares, gets distracted, returns.<\/p>\n\n

The classic funnel does not account for that.<\/p>\n\n

So, now what?<\/em><\/p>\n\n

From funnel to flywheel: the customer as the center<\/h2>\n\n

In recent years, the concept of flywheel<\/em> began to replace the funnel in many strategic environments<\/strong>. Popularized by HubSpot, this model<\/a> places the customer at the center and understands growth as a circular process driven by satisfaction and recommendation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

But beyond the name, the idea is what’s relevant:<\/p>\n\n