In today’s competitive online environment, changing visitors to customers is the main aim for every e-commerce venture. This is where customer journey software proves valuable, and ClickFunnels is recognized as one of the most recognized names in this industry.
Founded by Russell Brunson in 2014, ClickFunnels has transformed the way companies and business owners execute online sales, working to improve the conversion path from first contact to checkout.
But is ClickFunnels a good value? Does it match its claims? Whether you’re a established entrepreneur or building your business from scratch, this comprehensive review will provide you with all the details you need to make an informed decision about ClickFunnels.
Defining ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is an comprehensive marketing platform designed to help businesses construct optimized sales funnels without requiring technical expertise or a team of developers. At its foundation, ClickFunnels allows users to design landing pages, produce email sequences, manage payments, and handle customer relationships-all within a centralized platform.
The Idea of Sales Funnels
In advance of diving deeper into ClickFunnels, it’s crucial to understand what a sales funnel is. A sales funnel depicts the route customers go through from initially discovering your product or service to completing a transaction.
It typically includes levels like visibility, appeal, decision, and commitment.
Conventional sites are often developed without a logical progression for visitors to navigate. This can create high bounce rates and squandered potential customers. Sales funnels, in comparison, are methodically developed to lead visitors through a defined path, improving the likelihood of sales at each step.
ClickFunnels’ Philosophy
ClickFunnels has made easier the process of creating these funnels with its point-and-click editor and ready-to-use templates. The platform’s approach centers around not just creating web pages but creating successful conversion paths that transition visitors into customers and customers into dedicated followers.
Essential Components of ClickFunnels
1. Funnel Development Tool
The essence of ClickFunnels is its straightforward funnel builder. Users can select a variety of funnel types, including:
- Opt-in funnels: Developed to collect email addresses
- Sales funnels: For offering products or services
- Webinar funnels: To boost and register users for webinars
- Membership funnels: For ongoing products
The intuitive interface makes it uncomplicated to add parts like text, images, videos, forms, and buttons without producing a single line of code.
2. Ready-made Templates
ClickFunnels provides over a hundred professionally created templates for various industries and purposes. These templates, designed by industry professionals, are designed for performance and can be personalized to match your brand.
3. Variant Testing
Recognizing what works for your audience is essential for increasing conversions. ClickFunnels’ A/B testing option allows you to create multiple versions of your pages and evaluate different elements to see which converts higher.
4. Email Sequences
ClickFunnels incorporates email marketing capabilities, allowing you to develop automated email sequences triggered by specific actions. This feature helps cultivate leads and push them further down the sales funnel.
5. Payment Processing
The platform seamlessly integrates with payment processors like multiple payment options, allowing you to accept payments directly through your funnels without moving customers to external sites.
6. Protected Content
For experts selling courses or subscription content, ClickFunnels features the ability to create restricted membership areas where subscribers can access exclusive content.
7. Results Monitoring
ClickFunnels offers extensive analytics on funnel performance, including page views, conversions, and earnings. These insights help users optimize their funnels for stronger results.
8. Affiliate Tracking
If you have an affiliate program, ClickFunnels makes it uncomplicated to oversee your affiliates, measure their performance, and manage commission payments.
ClickFunnels 2.0: The Evolution
In 2022, ClickFunnels released its most major update: ClickFunnels 2.0. This new version represents a complete rebuild of the platform with expanded features and capabilities.
Improvements in 2.0?
- Advanced Website Builder: A more capable website builder that allows for entire website creation, not just funnels
- Expanded E-commerce Capabilities: Better product management, inventory tracking, and order fulfillment
- Blog Creation: The ability to establish and manage a blog directly within ClickFunnels
- Improved Customization: More flexibility in design and functionality
- Refined User Interface: A cleaner dashboard and editor
- Technical Improvements: Faster page loading times and better mobile responsiveness
- Advanced CRM Features: More powerful customer relationship management tools
The upgrade to 2.0 fixes many of the limitations users experienced with the original version, making it a more all-encompassing marketing solution.
Membership Levels
ClickFunnels presents different pricing tiers to accommodate businesses of various sizes:
Starter Plan
The Basic plan (now called the “Standard” plan in ClickFunnels 2.0) is available for $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
Professional 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
Elite Plan
For $997 per month, the Funnel Hacker plan delivers:
- 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 provide a 14-day free trial, allowing users to experience the platform before committing financially.
The Positives of Using ClickFunnels
1. Unified Solution
Perhaps the primary advantage of ClickFunnels is that it integrates 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 Skills Required
The platform’s user-friendly interface takes away the need for coding or design skills. This streamlines the funnel-building process, making it available to entrepreneurs without technical backgrounds.
3. Rapid Deployment
With ready-made templates and a smooth workflow, ClickFunnels significantly lowers the time needed to release a marketing campaign. What might take weeks with custom development can be accomplished in days or even hours.
4. Help Resources
ClickFunnels has fostered a thriving community of users who provide strategies, successes, and advice. The official ClickFunnels Facebook group has over 250,000 members, creating a beneficial resource for marketers at all levels. Additionally, the platform offers extensive documentation, tutorials, and responsive customer support.
5. Established Conversion Frameworks
The templates and funnel structures within ClickFunnels are founded on proven marketing principles and tested conversion strategies. This means users benefit from established best practices rather than building from zero.
6. Instructional Assets
Beyond the software itself, ClickFunnels offers a collection of educational resources. Russell Brunson’s books, such as “DotCom Secrets” and “Expert Secrets,” provide insightful marketing insights, while the ClickFunnels training programs offer structured learning opportunities.
Downsides and Drawbacks
Despite its many merits, ClickFunnels isn’t without limitations:
1. Cost
Starting at $147 per month, ClickFunnels represents a major investment, especially for freelancers or startups with limited budgets. Many competitors offer more budget-friendly entry-level options.
2. Learning Curve
While designed to be user-friendly, mastering all of ClickFunnels’ features and understanding funnel strategy takes time and dedication. New users might feel challenged by the platform’s capabilities.
3. Finite Design Flexibility
Though the builder editor is robust, designers accustomed to more advanced tools might find it inflexible. The balance between simplicity and flexibility sometimes emphasizes the former.
4. Page Load Time
Prior to 2.0, some users reported difficulties with page loading speed, which can hurt SEO and user experience. While ClickFunnels 2.0 has improved performance, optimizing for speed calls for attention.
5. Email Marketing Shortcomings
While ClickFunnels contains email marketing features, they’re not as advanced as dedicated email marketing platforms. Power users might still need additional tools for complex email campaigns.
ClickFunnels Alternatives: How They Compare
The sales funnel and landing page builder market has become increasingly contested. Here’s how ClickFunnels stacks up against its main competitors:
1. Kartra
Strengths relative to ClickFunnels:
- More complete marketing automation
- Built-in video hosting and advanced video marketing features
- More advanced email marketing capabilities
- Helpdesk and ticket system included
Shortcomings:
- Steeper learning curve
- Fewer templates specifically optimized for sales funnels
- Less active community
2. Leadpages
Advantages:
- More economical entry point ($37/month)
- Strong focus on lead generation
- Excellent mobile-responsive designs
- Solid WordPress integration
Weaknesses:
- Less complete than ClickFunnels (primarily focuses on landing pages)
- Limited checkout and payment processing options
- No built-in email marketing
3. Unbounce
Benefits:
- Advanced A/B testing capabilities
- Highly versatile design options
- Strong analytics and conversion intelligence
- More affordable starting point
Shortcomings:
- Primarily focused on landing pages rather than complete funnels
- No built-in payment processing
- Less simple for non-technical users
4. Systeme.io
Strong points:
- Significantly more affordable (starting at $27/month, with a free plan available)
- All-in-one solution similar to ClickFunnels
- Simple, intuitive interface
Disadvantages:
- Fewer templates and design options
- Less robust 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 cost-effective 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 Is Ideal For 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 convenient to deliver content to paying customers.
2. Internet Retail Businesses
With ClickFunnels 2.0’s enhanced e-commerce features, online retailers can create effective product funnels that grow average order value through upsells, downsells, and order bumps.
3. Professional Services Businesses
Experts, agencies, and service providers can use ClickFunnels to generate leads, book appointments, and sell service packages without complex website development.
4. Digital Affiliates
The platform’s optimization for conversions makes it perfect for affiliate marketers looking to optimize their commissions from promotional campaigns.
5. Writers and Content Creators
ClickFunnels provides effective book funnel templates that help authors offer books while collecting reader information for long-term relationship building.
6. Code-Averse Entrepreneurs
Those without coding or design skills will benefit from ClickFunnels’ user-friendly interface and pre-built templates.
Who May Not Be Ideal Elsewhere?
ClickFunnels may not be the perfect match for:
1. Micro Businesses with Limited Budgets
The monthly investment might be too high for businesses just starting out or with tight marketing budgets.
2. Blog-Focused Websites
Businesses that rely heavily on blog content and SEO might find traditional CMS platforms like WordPress more beneficial, though ClickFunnels 2.0 has made improvements in this area.
3. Advanced Designers 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 dedicated solutions.
Beginning Your Journey 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 corresponds to your specific goal, whether it’s lead generation, product sales, or webinar registration.
2. Prioritize One Funnel at a Time
Rather than trying to build multiple funnels simultaneously, focus on creating and optimizing one successful funnel before moving on to the next.
3. Employ the Training Resources
Take advantage of the detailed training materials, including ClickFunnels’ onboarding sequence and the FunnelFlix training library.
4. Engage with the Community
The ClickFunnels Facebook group provides important insights and support from fellow users who can help address issues or suggest optimization strategies.
5. Analyze and Optimize
Use the A/B testing features to continuously refine your funnels based on actual user behavior and conversion data.
6. Start with Pre-built Templates
Rather than building from scratch, modify existing high-converting templates to match your brand and offering.
Wrapping Up: Is ClickFunnels Worth It?
ClickFunnels represents a substantial investment, but for many businesses, the payoff on that investment can be remarkable. The platform’s strength lies in its ability to streamline the complex process of creating effective sales funnels while providing the tools needed to foster leads and convert customers.
The decision ultimately hinges on your specific business needs, technical comfort level, and budget. If you’re focused on optimizing your online sales process and desire an all-in-one solution that doesn’t require technical expertise, ClickFunnels offers a convincing package-especially with the improved capabilities of ClickFunnels 2.0.
For businesses that can afford the monthly subscription and are invested in implementing effective sales funnels, ClickFunnels provides both the tools and the strategic framework to prosper in today’s competitive digital landscape. The platform regularly evolve, resolving previous limitations and expanding its capabilities to serve a broader range of marketing needs.
Whether you’re selling information products, items, or consulting, ClickFunnels offers a streamlined path from stranger to customer-and that, for many businesses, is worth the investment.