Are Funnels Dead? Bet on Superfans

Introduction: When Funnels Break and Buyer Journeys Turn Chaotic

Right from the start, the creator says it plainly: the traditional marketing funnel no longer works. That elegant straight line from “Awareness → Interest → Desire → Action” has collapsed in a world ruled by social media, zero-click search and AI chatbots — people simply don’t follow the script anymore.

She points out that Forbes has already declared “the marketing funnel is dead”, and that 60% of Google searches now end without a single click, let alone a polite visit to your landing page. Many people just open ChatGPT and ask, “Which vacuum cleaner should I buy?” — the AI slices out several middle layers of the funnel in one go.

That’s why the video proposes a crucial shift: stop dreaming about controlling every step and start investing in your “Superfans” — the people who keep coming back and become your steady engine in a chaotic market.

Everyday users: They don’t know funnels, but they know who they come back to

The “Kobayashi” type: wandering through algorithms, slowly turning loyal

Viewer Kobayashi comments that he can’t even remember how many times the same creator has popped up in his feed.

He has no idea what “AIDA” means, but he’s very clear about this:

• Some accounts he scrolls past without thinking.
• Some accounts he follows even when he has no immediate need — and later he’ll actively tap in to watch the latest episode.

That’s exactly what the video describes: the people who end up completing the whole journey are often those who “keep coming back” — your Superfans.

The “Jess” type: feeling genuinely “seen” leads to deeper loyalty

Jess shares that she sticks with a brand long-term because they:

• Send personalised emails to loyal fans.
• Regularly tag long-time customers in Stories and thank them publicly.
• Host small, invite-only online events just for their core community.

For her, a one-off discount code is less important than the feeling that “I’m treated like a person, not just an email on a list.”

The “Ken” type: overwhelmed by information, trusting friends and favourite brands

Engineer Ken is very blunt.

In a world of algorithms and AI recommendations, he has long given up on “fully researching” every brand. Instead he:

• Asks friends or people in his communities what they use.
• Double-checks reviews quickly in an AI chatbot.
• Prioritises brands he already feels good about.

That perfectly supports the video’s core point: when journeys are fragmented, word of mouth and brand relationships matter more than the prettiest funnel diagram.

Expert view: When buyers jump around, you double down on the crucial 20%

Marketing consultant Chen Bo-an strongly agrees with three ideas in particular.

1. The old “everyone is equally important” funnel logic is obsolete

Traditional funnels assume that if you design the content correctly, audiences will move smoothly down the path.

Today’s reality:

• Some people only ever consume your free social content.
• Some do all of their research inside an AI chatbot.
• Some disappear for months and only return because a friend drags them back.

Chen argues that spreading budget and attention evenly across everyone who’s ever seen you is deeply inefficient. The real priority is the people who consistently interact, share and recommend you.

2. “Superfan operations” will become its own KPI

The video suggests a three-step approach:

• Use data to identify people who repurchase often, engage heavily on social, or mention you frequently elsewhere.
• Give them tailored experiences: exclusive events, early access, beta invitations.
• Talk openly about how you treat them, so people who aren’t superfans yet want to join that inner circle.

For experts, this is no longer a “nice marketing trick” — it’s the foundation of a future-proof Superfan Operations System.

3. More experiments across accounts and platforms mean you must take enviroments and risk seriously

To find and nurture superfans, you usually have to:

• Test content and ads across multiple platforms.
• Maintain accounts for different regions and product lines.
• Experiment with messages and offers side by side.

Many cross-border teams already use anti-detect browsers like MasLogin to isolate markets, projects and test accounts into separate environments. That reduces platform-risk and false “linked account” flags, and gives cleaner tracking for how each audience segment interacts and converts.

AI’s perspective: how GPT-4 would redraw the marketing map

If you asked GPT-4 or Gemini to evaluate this video, it would likely sketch out a similar future.

From “funnel” to “relationship loop”

AI would see tomorrow’s model as a continuous relationship loop:

• New buyers might arrive via word-of-mouth, short-form video or an AI recommendation.
• Some people will interact briefly and drop off, but can be pulled back later via social or search.
• True superfans stay in the loop — they re-engage, create content, and bring in new customers.

Combining AI and Superfan Operations

A large model would probably predict that:

• Brands will plug in CRMs and automation platforms like HubSpot, powered by prompt libraries, to create finer segments and more personalised messaging.
• At the same time, they’ll use tools such as MasLogin to manage multi-account, multi-environment testing, so they can get cleaner data on which interactions actually create superfans.

In other words, AI isn’t there to “sell for you”, it’s there to help you find, understand and serve the crucial 20% more precisely.

Conclusion: The funnel is old — but the real essentials haven’t changed

While the video announces that “the marketing funnel is dead”, it also reminds us:

• People’s decision paths are more free-form and fragmented than ever.
• The toolset has expanded from search engines to social feeds and AI chats.
• But word-of-mouth, trust and long-term relationships have never gone out of style.

If you’re running a brand, an agency or multi-account marketing projects, the key question may no longer be “Is my funnel designed beautifully?” but rather:

Among everyone who has ever seen my content, how many true superfans do I recognise and actively talk to?