đź•’ 2 minute read
There is a part of the marketing funnel almost no one talks about.
Not because it is unimportant.
But because it is invisible.
If you run a local business, maybe a dental practice, a hotel or a multi-location brand, you’ve probably spent years optimizing awareness, consideration and conversion.
But what if the real problem starts even earlier than that?
Before awareness. Before interest. Before a single click.
The Invisible Funnel Most Local Businesses Miss đź§
There’s a part of the marketing funnel almost no one talks about.
Not because it doesn’t matter.
But because you can’t see it.
If you run a local business, maybe a dental practice, a hotel or a multi-location brand, you’ve probably spent years optimizing awareness, consideration and conversion.
That all makes sense.
But what if the real issue starts even earlier than that?
Before awareness. Before interest. Before a single click.
That’s where the invisible funnel lives.
What Happens Before Awareness đź‘€
Think about how people actually choose local businesses today:
- They don’t browse endlessly.
- They don’t compare every option.
- And they definitely don’t start on your website.
Instead, platforms decide what shows up.
- Search engines curate results.
- Maps decide who gets priority.
- Directories filter options.
- AI tools summarize and recommend for people 🤖
By the time someone is “aware” of your business, a decision has already been made about whether you were even worth showing.
That moment is the invisible funnel.
Why This Explains So Much 🤔
Once you see the invisible funnel, a lot of confusing things suddenly make sense.
It explains why:
• Two similar practices on the same street perform very differently
• A hotel sees demand soften without a clear reason
• Marketing starts feeling harder, even when nothing obvious has changed
Everything downstream looks fine.
But something upstream shifted.
When your Online Share of Attention drops, everything else gets tougher.
Online Share of Attention Comes First 🔍
Online Share of Attention is about whether your business shows up during those first discovery moments.
Not when someone’s ready to book.
Not after they click.
But right when platforms decide who gets considered at all.
This matters across every local industry. Dental. Hotels. Auto. Med spas. Vets. Optometry.
If you’re not present early, awareness never happens. And conversion never even gets a chance.
No attention means no funnel.
Why This Matters More Right Now ⏱️
Local discovery is changing fast.
People see fewer options.
AI is making more choices for them.
And the process is getting less transparent by the day.
That makes the invisible funnel more powerful than ever.
The local businesses that win aren’t just better at converting demand. They’re better at earning attention before demand shows up.
That’s where the real leverage is.
What Happens Before Awareness đź‘€
Think about how people actually choose local businesses today.
They do not browse endlessly.
They do not compare every option.
They rarely start on your website.
Instead, platforms decide what shows up.
Search engines curate results.
Maps prioritize certain locations.
Directories filter options.
AI tools summarize and recommend on behalf of the user 🤖
By the time someone is “aware” of your business, a decision has already been made about whether you were even worth showing.
That moment is the invisible funnel.
Why This Funnel Explains So Much 🤔
The invisible funnel is why local businesses often feel confused by performance.
It explains why:
• Two similar practices on the same street perform very differently
• A hotel sees demand soften without an obvious reason
• Marketing suddenly feels less effective even though spend stays the same
Nothing looks broken downstream.
But something changed upstream.
If your Online Share of Attention drops, everything else feels harder.
Online Share of Attention Comes First 🔍
Online Share of Attention measures whether your business shows up during initial discovery.
Not when someone is ready to buy.
Not after they click.
But at the moment platforms decide who gets considered at all.
This applies across every local industry.
Dental practices. Hotels. Auto services. Med spas. Vets. Optometrists.
If you are not present in those early discovery moments, awareness never happens. And conversion never gets a chance.
No attention means no funnel.
Why This Matters More Now Than Ever ⏱️
Local discovery is becoming faster and more automated.
People see fewer options.
AI plays a bigger role.
And transparency keeps shrinking.
That makes the invisible funnel more powerful than ever.
The local businesses that win are not just better at converting demand. They are better at earning attention before demand shows up.
That is where leverage lives.
A Simple Q1 Reality Check đź‘‹
Here is a simple question worth asking this quarter.
When someone searches in your local market, how often are you actually seen?
Not clicked.
Not chosen.
Seen.
That is what Online Share of Attention reveals.
Start there.
Everything else in the funnel depends on it 🚀
