Marketers are still clinging to a model from 1898.

AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) was built for door-to-door sales, not decentralized attention spans, 3-second videos, or algorithm-fed buyers who convert before you even know they exist.

The funnel isn’t just outdated. It’s leaking.

You don’t control the journey anymore. The customer does.
You’re not guiding them — you’re meeting them where they already are.

So what’s replacing the funnel?

A modern, non-linear growth model that mirrors how people actually buy in 2025:

Don’t chase cold clicks. Focus on intent signals — searches, saves, replies, lurks. Learn what buyers do before they act.

One ad won’t cut it. You need layered touchpoints — UGC, paid, organic, earned — across their favorite channels. Not more, but smart repetition.

Prioritize trust over lead gen. People buy from creators and companies they feel close to. Build parasocial relationships. Create resonance before conversion.

Great content without distribution is invisible. Build systems that get your content shared — DMs, newsletters, affiliates, influencers. Distribution is strategy.

The old funnel tells you to move people downward.

But the BOLD model helps you build something upward: momentum, affinity, and advocacy.

Because attention today is earned, not captured.

Want to stay ahead while everyone else runs outdated playbooks?
Reply and tell me how your funnel is (or isn’t) working — or share this with a marketer who needs to hear it.

You’ll thank yourself later.