The Heart of the Funnel: Why the Mid-Funnel is Where Modern Growth is Won

Have you ever started researching a purchase with genuine enthusiasm, only to find yourself, three hours and forty browser tabs later, more confused than when you began – and ready to give up altogether? That creeping sense of overwhelm is consideration burnout. And it's one of the most expensive problems in marketing that almost no one is talking about.

With 71% of consumers saying purchase decisions are taking the same amount of time or longer than before and 74% abandoning their baskets in the last three months, the mid-funnel has become a place where journeys go to stall, creating a quiet but significant loss of opportunity for brands [1].

That's why, in partnership with research firm Ipsos, we commissioned a study into what's really happening in the mid-funnel and how brands can rebuild momentum where it matters most. The findings reveal a more powerful way to think about the mid-funnel: as a high-energy, high-impact environment where decisions are actually made.

Read on to find out why the mid-funnel is where the real work – and the real reward – happens.

The power of Joyful Utility in the mid-funnel

The assumption has long been that consideration slows the funnel down. But our research shows the opposite: when thought about correctly, consideration builds confidence – and confidence drives conversion. We call this critical mid-funnel space the Heart of the Funnel, because this is where the real emotional and rational work of deciding happens.

The mid-funnel on TikTok compresses weeks of research into moments that are engaging, entertaining, and confidence-building. Every scroll can spark interest; every video can seal the deal. Users here aren't passively scrolling – they're exploring with intention: saving ideas, diving into comment sections, pressure-testing their choices against the wisdom of the community. It's consideration that feels like discovery rather than homework. And crucially, it's the space where brands can turn "I've seen this" into "I want this".

The impact is measurable:

• TikTok is ranked the #1 most influential platform during consideration [2]

• Users show 29% higher emotional engagement [3]

• And 40% stronger brand recall [3]

Importantly, 93% of daily TikTok users would use TikTok as a research platform prior to purchase [4].

But the numbers only tell part of the story. What makes TikTok different is how it makes people feel while they're in research mode. On TikTok, consideration is powered by Joyful Utility: the rare combination of entertainment and functionality that transforms the slog of decision-making into an energising, momentum-building experience.

Why the mid-funnel is your next growth engine

The cumulative effect of Joyful Utility on brand performance is significant. Brands that show up on TikTok are perceived as more authentic (+30%), more innovative (+30%), more in touch (+18%), and more trustworthy (+11%) compared to those that don't [4].

More directly: exposure to sponsored content on TikTok makes users 22% more likely to move a brand into their top choice or serious consideration [4]. And 68% of daily users who see a sponsored ad say it made them want to buy right now [4].

For brand-focused advertisers

Upper-funnel investment builds awareness, but awareness alone doesn't build brands. The mid-funnel is where awareness evolves into brand love, where passive recognition becomes active preference, and where your brand earns a place in the consumer's consideration set.

TikTok's mid-funnel environment offers the space to deepen emotional connection, strengthen brand affinity, and build the mental availability that keeps you front of mind when it matters most. This is where brand salience is forged: not through frequency, but through meaningful, relevant presence.

For performance-focused advertisers

Lower-funnel campaigns deliver strongest returns when they're not doing all the heavy lifting alone. Users who've already explored, compared, and built confidence in the mid-funnel convert faster, more often, and at lower cost. Investing in the Heart of the Funnel means your performance ads reach warmer, higher-intent audiences: people primed to act. It's the difference between demand capture and demand creation. The mid-funnel does the pre-selling so your conversion campaigns can close.

The bottom line: The mid-funnel is the multiplier that makes both brand building and performance marketing more efficient. Brands that show up here accelerate the path to purchase, reduce acquisition costs, and build the kind of lasting brand equity that drives loyalty and lifetime value.

Ready to own the Heart of the Funnel?

With the right presence on TikTok, the Heart of the Funnel becomes a launchpad – the place where attention becomes desire, where community builds confidence, and where your brand moves from vaguely familiar to chosen.

From trusted discovery to peer-powered proof, the research identified four specific ways TikTok activates Joyful Utility and re-energises the mid-funnel. Dive into the full Ipsos report to learn what they are and what they mean for your brand.

And if you're looking for tactical guidance on exactly how to make the most of opportunity, with campaign strategies that simplify decision-making, map directly to business goals and are immediately usable in planning conversations, our mid-funnel playbook will be dropping soon. Sign up to our newsletter so you don't miss it.

To see what that looks like in practice, we'll be hosting a webinar on 3rd June walking you through exactly how to capture demand in the mid-funnel, complete with the products you need to do it. Reserve your spot here.

Sources:

1. Accenture, Life Trends, 2024

2. Kantar, Cross Media Journey Research (US & SEA), 2024

3. TikTok Marketing Science UK, Brand Building Research, 2021

4. Ipsos x TikTok, Re-energising the Mid-Funnel, 2026