Creating a human-first content funnel
A strategic exercise grounded in human behaviour.
If you are not a subscriber of The Fanbase Builder, join 1.000+ artists, creators, and music industry executives who receive it for free.
Let’s dive into today’s topic:
Creating a human-first content funnel
Optimise content around real actions people take, as a thinking exercise to practice behavioural strategies.
Why it matters
I like to present myself as a strategist who prioritises human connection over algorithm tricks. Music spreads when people feel something and choose to share it. Audiences behave long before algorithms react. When artists understand that perspective, they regain control over their efforts to build their fanbase.
Take social media content, for example. Much advice focuses on platforms and posting tactics: Post at a particular hour. Use specific hashtags. Add a budget to increase reach.
It becomes more actionable when we approach this from a behavioural perspective rather than from platform features. When content is built around real actions people take, it travels further on its own. To show this, we will create a funnel from scratch as a strategic thinking exercise.
How it works
We will build this funnel from scratch, step by step, as a strategic exercise grounded in human behaviour. It starts with the first moment of contact, then follows each behaviour until the loop closes.
To make this concrete, imagine an artist posting a short, high-energy live clip where a crowd sings the chorus louder than the band. The clip is strong. The funnel explains how that clip travels through an audience.
Step one: Get on their screens
Fans cannot respond to the content if they never see it. Early viewers move it into more timelines by sharing, sending or reposting. The goal at this stage is visibility.
Behaviour: We want them to discover the content.
Action: Appear in feeds, DMs and group chats.
Metric: Reach.
Tactics: Ask fans to share the moment, cut a performance into shorter highlights..
The paradox is that this step’s success mostly depends on algorithms. But keep reading: This funnel is a closed loop, and we complete the puzzle in step five.
Step two: Stop the scroll
People decide quickly whether something deserves attention. A clear hook increases the likelihood that someone will stop scrolling for a few seconds. This short pause opens the door to deeper attention.
Behaviour: We want them to stop scrolling.
Action: Give a strong first impression.
Metric: 3-second views.
Tactics: Start with the shot with the best crowd reaction, start with the loudest part of the chorus, show a surprising camera angle, add a sharp caption.
Step three: Entertain them
The content needs to keep them watching after they’ve stopped scrolling. Storytelling tactics, memorable moments, and emotional signals encourage viewers to stay longer.
Behaviour: We want them to immerse themselves in the content.
Action: Deliver entertainment or infotainment.
Metric: Watch time or completion rate.
Tactics: Storytelling tactics (suspense, curiosity, surprise), subtitles, a short setup explaining the moment, a visible reaction from the band.
Step four: Create engagement intention
Enjoying a clip often leads to a silent moment of intention. A viewer feels something and considers responding. This can be curiosity, pride, nostalgia or excitement. That emotion sits between watching and reacting.
Behaviour: We want them to want to engage or share.
Action: Spark a reaction.
Metric: Saves, replays, profile taps.
Tactics: A caption with a small question, a fan comment pinned on top, a line such as “Which city sings it loudest?”.
Step five: Trigger engagement behaviour
A viewer with intent needs a simple way to act. Clear prompts increase the likelihood they comment, send, or repost. Every interaction moves the clip into new screens. This movement completes the loop back to discovery.
Behaviour: We want them to act on that intention.
Action: Lower the barrier to participate.
Metric: Shares and comments.
Tactics: Caption questions, duet-friendly formats, templates fans can copy, reposting fan reactions.
This sequence creates a human-first loop. Algorithmic platforms respond to behaviour. If people stop, watch, and interact, distribution increases.
Yes, but..
Algorithms still determine who sees content. They monitor watch time, reactions and sharing. When content performs well with people, platforms continue showing it to more people. However, this human-first content funnel influences the same metrics that algorithms rely on, thereby giving artists tools to optimise their content for better algorithmic discovery.
Take action now
Think of one recent social post. Analyse it through the five steps of the funnel.
Did it appear on enough screens?
Did people stop scrolling?
Did they stay long enough to feel something?
Did the content spark intention?
Did they act on it?
Pick the weakest stage and improve only that part. Then repost, reframe or recut the same content with the fix. Minor upgrades at one stage can shift the entire loop.
Your thoughts
Further reading
How algorithms work in 2025 (The Fanbase Builder)
Improve storytelling by evoking suspense, curiosity, or surprise (The Fanbase Builder)
Improve short-form videos with creative strategies (The Fanbase Builder)
A simple trick to create content that doesn’t feel cringe (The Fanbase Builder)
Turn a small show into a big content moment (The Fanbase Builder)