In the current online business landscape, converting visitors into customers is the primary objective for all internet companies. This is where customer journey software comes into play, and ClickFunnels positions itself as one of the most well-known names in this field.
Started by Russell Brunson in 2014, ClickFunnels has revolutionized the way entrepreneurs and online sellers execute online sales, promising to enhance the user experience from discovery to buying decision.
But is ClickFunnels cost-effective? Does it deliver on its promises? Whether you’re a digital marketing veteran or building your business from scratch, this complete review will provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision about ClickFunnels.
Introducing ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is an comprehensive marketing platform created to help businesses create optimized sales funnels without demanding technical expertise or a team of developers. At its foundation, ClickFunnels allows users to construct landing pages, generate email sequences, process payments, and manage customer relationships-all within a one platform.
The Concept of Sales Funnels
In advance of diving deeper into ClickFunnels, it’s critical to understand what a sales funnel is. A sales funnel represents the process customers go through from being introduced to your product or service to finalizing a sale.
It typically includes steps like visibility, attention, consideration, and conversion.
Typical web pages are often created without a logical progression for visitors to trace. This can lead to high bounce rates and wasted potential customers. Sales funnels, in comparison, are methodically developed to direct visitors through a established path, improving the likelihood of results at each step.
ClickFunnels’ Methodology
ClickFunnels has simplified the process of creating these funnels with its drag-and-drop editor and pre-built templates. The platform’s approach centers around not just constructing web pages but creating effective conversion paths that turn visitors into customers and customers into advocates.
Primary Elements of ClickFunnels
1. Funnel Designer
The essence of ClickFunnels is its user-friendly funnel builder. Users can pick a variety of funnel types, including:
- Opt-in funnels: Developed to collect email addresses
- Sales funnels: For marketing products or services
- Webinar funnels: To boost and register users for webinars
- Membership funnels: For subscription-based products
The visual interface makes it uncomplicated to add components like text, images, videos, forms, and buttons without creating a single line of code.
2. Prepared Templates
ClickFunnels features over many prepared templates for various industries and purposes. These templates, designed by professional marketers, are structured for conversions and can be adjusted to match your brand.
3. Variant Testing
Identifying what works for your audience is essential for optimizing conversions. ClickFunnels’ A/B testing tool allows you to design multiple versions of your pages and analyze different elements to see which is more effective.
4. Email Automation
ClickFunnels combines email marketing capabilities, allowing you to build automated email sequences initiated by specific actions. This feature helps nurture leads and push them further down the sales funnel.
5. Transaction Handling
The platform seamlessly integrates with payment processors like various payment gateways, facilitating you to accept payments immediately through your funnels without moving customers to external sites.
6. Membership Areas
For experts selling courses or subscription content, ClickFunnels provides the ability to create restricted membership areas where subscribers can access special content.
7. Data Analysis
ClickFunnels offers in-depth analytics on funnel metrics, including page views, conversions, and earnings. These metrics help users improve their funnels for greater results.
8. Affiliate Management
If you have an affiliate program, ClickFunnels makes it uncomplicated to run your affiliates, measure their performance, and manage commission payments.
ClickFunnels 2.0: The Advancement
In 2022, ClickFunnels released its most important update: ClickFunnels 2.0. This new version marks a complete rebuild of the platform with upgraded features and capabilities.
What’s New in 2.0?
- Upgraded Website Builder: A more powerful website builder that allows for comprehensive website creation, not just funnels
- Improved E-commerce Capabilities: Better product management, inventory tracking, and order fulfillment
- Blog Creation: The ability to build and administer a blog directly within ClickFunnels
- Superior Customization: More freedom in design and functionality
- Refined User Interface: A more intuitive dashboard and editor
- Performance Improvements: Faster page loading times and better mobile responsiveness
- Expanded CRM Features: More advanced customer relationship management tools
The upgrade to 2.0 solves many of the limitations users experienced with the original version, making it a more thorough marketing solution.
Pricing Structure
ClickFunnels offers different pricing tiers to match businesses of various sizes:
Basic Plan
The Basic plan (now called the “Standard” plan in ClickFunnels 2.0) is priced at $147 per month and includes:
- Up to 20 funnels
- Up to 100 pages
- 3 payment gateways
- 3 domains
- 1 admin user
- Email automation
- Basic analytics
Plus Plan
At $197 per month, the Pro plan includes:
- Unlimited funnels
- Unlimited pages
- 9 payment gateways
- 9 domains
- 3 admin users
- Advanced automation
- Enhanced analytics
Enterprise Plan
For $997 per month, the Funnel Hacker plan includes:
- All Pro features
- Unlimited funnels and pages
- 27 payment gateways
- 27 domains
- 15 admin users
- Priority support
- Advanced API access
- Advanced training
All plans typically offer a 14-day free trial, allowing users to experience the platform before paying financially.
The Positives of Using ClickFunnels
1. Complete Solution
Perhaps the largest advantage of ClickFunnels is that it merges multiple tools into one platform. Instead of juggling different services for landing pages, email marketing, payment processing, and membership sites, users can manage all these aspects in one place.
2. No Technical Background Required
The platform’s drag-and-drop interface removes the need for coding or design skills. This simplifies the funnel-building process, making it attainable to entrepreneurs without technical backgrounds.
3. Fast Implementation
With ready-made templates and a simplified workflow, ClickFunnels significantly lowers the time needed to launch a marketing campaign. What might take weeks with custom development can be achieved in days or even hours.
4. User Community
ClickFunnels has created a vibrant community of users who provide strategies, successes, and advice. The official ClickFunnels Facebook group has over 250,000 members, creating a useful resource for marketers at all levels. Additionally, the platform offers thorough documentation, tutorials, and responsive customer support.
5. Established Conversion Frameworks
The templates and funnel structures within ClickFunnels are derived from proven marketing principles and tested conversion strategies. This means users employ established best practices rather than beginning anew.
6. Training Content
Beyond the software itself, ClickFunnels offers a wealth of educational resources. Russell Brunson’s books, such as “DotCom Secrets” and “Expert Secrets,” provide beneficial marketing insights, while the ClickFunnels training programs offer organized learning opportunities.
Weaknesses and Drawbacks
Despite its many benefits, ClickFunnels isn’t without limitations:
1. Investment
Starting at $147 per month, ClickFunnels represents a major investment, especially for freelancers or startups with limited budgets. Many competitors offer more cost-effective entry-level options.
2. Training Requirement
While designed to be user-friendly, mastering all of ClickFunnels’ features and understanding funnel strategy takes time and dedication. New users might feel daunted by the platform’s capabilities.
3. Finite Design Flexibility
Though the visual editor is strong, designers accustomed to more advanced tools might find it inflexible. The balance between simplicity and flexibility sometimes favors the former.
4. Page Speed Performance
Prior to 2.0, some users reported concerns with page loading speed, which can reduce SEO and user experience. While ClickFunnels 2.0 has improved performance, optimizing for speed takes attention.
5. Email Marketing Boundaries
While ClickFunnels includes email marketing features, they’re not as robust as dedicated email marketing platforms. Power users might still need additional tools for high-level email campaigns.
ClickFunnels Competition: How They Compare
The sales funnel and landing page builder market has become increasingly crowded. Here’s how ClickFunnels measures against its main competitors:
1. Kartra
Positives relative to ClickFunnels:
- More thorough marketing automation
- Built-in video hosting and advanced video marketing features
- More powerful email marketing capabilities
- Helpdesk and ticket system included
Weaknesses:
- Steeper learning curve
- Fewer templates specifically optimized for sales funnels
- Less active community
2. Leadpages
Strong points:
- More cost-effective entry point ($37/month)
- Strong focus on lead generation
- Excellent mobile-responsive designs
- Solid WordPress integration
Disadvantages:
- Less full-featured than ClickFunnels (primarily focuses on landing pages)
- Limited checkout and payment processing options
- No built-in email marketing
3. Unbounce
Positives:
- Advanced A/B testing capabilities
- Highly versatile design options
- Strong analytics and conversion intelligence
- More affordable starting point
Disadvantages:
- Primarily focused on landing pages rather than complete funnels
- No built-in payment processing
- Less simple for non-technical users
4. Systeme.io
Strengths:
- Significantly more inexpensive (starting at $27/month, with a free plan available)
- All-in-one solution similar to ClickFunnels
- Simple, intuitive interface
Drawbacks:
- Fewer templates and design options
- Less comprehensive feature set
- Smaller community and fewer educational resources
5. Instapage
Positives:
- Superior design flexibility and customization
- Advanced collaboration features
- Excellent analytics and heatmaps
- Strong AdWords and Facebook Ads integration
Drawbacks:
- Higher price point (starting at $149/month)
- Focus on landing pages rather than complete funnels
- No built-in payment processing
6. WordPress + Plugins (DIY Approach)
Positives:
- Most economical option if you already have WordPress
- Ultimate flexibility and customization
- Complete ownership and control
- One-time purchases versus subscription model
Disadvantages:
- Requires technical knowledge to set up and maintain
- Multiple plugins may cause compatibility issues
- No unified support system
- Time-intensive to implement and manage
Who Should Use ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is particularly ideal for:
1. Online Course Creators and Coaches
The platform specializes in creating sales funnels for digital products like courses, coaching programs, and membership sites. The built-in membership functionality makes it easy to deliver content to paying customers.
2. Digital Sales Businesses
With ClickFunnels 2.0’s upgraded e-commerce features, online retailers can create effective product funnels that boost average order value through upsells, downsells, and order bumps.
3. Consulting Businesses
Advisors, agencies, and service providers can use ClickFunnels to acquire leads, book appointments, and sell service packages without complex website development.
4. Digital Affiliates
The platform’s optimization for conversions makes it ideal for affiliate marketers looking to enhance their commissions from promotional campaigns.
5. Publishers and Content Creators
ClickFunnels provides effective book funnel templates that help authors sell books while capturing reader information for long-term relationship building.
6. Technology Novice Entrepreneurs
Those without coding or design skills will benefit from ClickFunnels’ accessible interface and pre-built templates.
Who May Want to Consider Other Solutions Elsewhere?
ClickFunnels may not be the perfect match for:
1. New Ventures with Limited Budgets
The monthly investment might be too high for businesses just starting out or with tight marketing budgets.
2. Media-Rich Websites
Businesses that rely heavily on blog content and SEO might find traditional CMS platforms like WordPress more suitable, though ClickFunnels 2.0 has made improvements in this area.
3. Design Experts Seeking Complete Creative Control
Those who require pixel-perfect designs and extensive customization might prefer platforms with more design flexibility.
4. Multinational Businesses with Complex Requirements
Very large organizations with complex integration needs and custom requirements might need more tailored solutions.
Launching with ClickFunnels: Tips for Success
If you decide to try ClickFunnels, here are some tips to maximize your experience:
1. Start with the Right Funnel Type
Pick a funnel template that suits your specific goal, whether it’s lead generation, product sales, or webinar registration.
2. Emphasize One Funnel at a Time
Rather than trying to build multiple funnels simultaneously, focus on creating and optimizing one converting funnel before moving on to the next.
3. Take advantage of the Training Resources
Take advantage of the detailed training materials, including ClickFunnels’ onboarding sequence and the FunnelFlix training library.
4. Participate in the Community
The ClickFunnels Facebook group provides valuable insights and support from fellow users who can help resolve issues or suggest optimization strategies.
5. Test and Optimize
Use the A/B testing features to continuously refine your funnels based on actual user behavior and conversion data.
6. Start with Ready-made Templates
Rather than building from scratch, adjust existing high-converting templates to match your brand and offering.
Summary: Is ClickFunnels Worth It?
ClickFunnels represents a major investment, but for many businesses, the benefit on that investment can be significant. The platform’s strength lies in its ability to simplify the complex process of creating effective sales funnels while providing the tools needed to grow leads and convert customers.
The decision ultimately depends on your specific business needs, technical comfort level, and budget. If you’re committed to optimizing your online sales process and appreciate an all-in-one solution that doesn’t require technical expertise, ClickFunnels offers a attractive package-especially with the enhanced capabilities of ClickFunnels 2.0.
For businesses that can budget for the monthly subscription and are invested in implementing effective sales funnels, ClickFunnels provides both the tools and the strategic framework to flourish in today’s competitive digital landscape. The platform continues to evolve, tackling previous limitations and enhancing its capabilities to serve a broader range of marketing needs.
Whether you’re selling downloadable items, physical goods, or professional assistance, ClickFunnels offers a efficient path from stranger to customer-and that, for many businesses, is worth the investment.