In the current online business landscape, changing visitors to customers is the primary objective for every e-commerce venture. This is where customer journey software becomes essential, and ClickFunnels is recognized as one of the most well-known names in this field.
Started by Russell Brunson in 2014, ClickFunnels has changed the way companies and business owners execute online sales, promising to simplify the customer journey from first contact to final purchase.
But is ClickFunnels worth pursuing? Does it fulfill its claims? Whether you’re a experienced business owner or launching your first venture, this thorough review will provide you with all the insights you need to make an smart choice about ClickFunnels.
Introducing ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is an comprehensive marketing platform developed to help businesses create optimized sales funnels without demanding technical expertise or a team of developers. At its heart, ClickFunnels allows users to build landing pages, generate email sequences, process payments, and oversee customer relationships-all within a integrated platform.
The Theory of Sales Funnels
Before diving deeper into ClickFunnels, it’s necessary to understand what a sales funnel is. A sales funnel shows the journey customers go through from being introduced to your product or service to finalizing a sale.
It typically includes levels like discovery, interest, decision, and transaction.
Standard websites are often designed without a defined route for visitors to navigate. This can create high bounce rates and wasted potential customers. Sales funnels, conversely, are purposefully created to direct visitors through a structured path, boosting the likelihood of success at each step.
ClickFunnels’ Philosophy
ClickFunnels has uncomplicated the process of creating these funnels with its visual editor and ready-to-use templates. The platform’s methodology centers around not just creating web pages but creating successful conversion paths that convert visitors into customers and customers into dedicated followers.
Key Features of ClickFunnels
1. Funnel Designer
The core of ClickFunnels is its simple funnel builder. Users can choose from a variety of funnel types, including:
- Opt-in funnels: Built to collect email addresses
- Sales funnels: For selling products or services
- Webinar funnels: To boost and register users for webinars
- Membership funnels: For subscription-based products
The user-friendly interface makes it easy to add elements like text, images, videos, forms, and buttons without creating a single line of code.
2. Ready-made Templates
ClickFunnels features over a hundred prepared templates for diverse industries and purposes. These templates, developed by marketing specialists, are structured for conversions and can be adjusted to match your brand.
3. A/B Testing
Determining what appeals to your audience is key for maximizing conversions. ClickFunnels’ A/B testing tool allows you to create multiple versions of your pages and evaluate different elements to see which converts higher.
4. Email Marketing
ClickFunnels integrates email marketing capabilities, allowing you to develop automated email sequences activated by specific actions. This feature helps foster leads and guide them further down the sales funnel.
5. Transaction Handling
The platform easily integrates with payment processors like different payment solutions, enabling you to accept payments right through your funnels without sending customers to external sites.
6. Protected Content
For experts selling courses or subscription content, ClickFunnels features the ability to create restricted membership areas where customers can access premium content.
7. Performance Tracking
ClickFunnels furnishes thorough analytics on funnel results, including page views, conversions, and earnings. These information help users improve their funnels for stronger results.
8. Partner Program Tools
If you have an affiliate program, ClickFunnels makes it simple to run your affiliates, monitor their performance, and handle commission payments.
ClickFunnels 2.0: The Advancement
In 2022, ClickFunnels released its most substantial update: ClickFunnels 2.0. This new version constitutes a complete rebuild of the platform with expanded features and capabilities.
Upgrades in 2.0?
- Enhanced Website Builder: A more capable website builder that allows for entire website creation, not just funnels
- Advanced E-commerce Capabilities: Better product management, inventory tracking, and order fulfillment
- Blog Creation: The ability to develop and handle a blog directly within ClickFunnels
- Advanced Customization: More versatility in design and functionality
- Upgraded User Interface: A more intuitive dashboard and editor
- Loading Time Upgrades: Faster page loading times and better mobile responsiveness
- Improved CRM Features: More comprehensive customer relationship management tools
The upgrade to 2.0 resolves many of the constraints users experienced with the original version, making it a more comprehensive marketing solution.
Subscription Plans
ClickFunnels features different pricing tiers to support businesses of various sizes:
Starter Plan
The Basic plan (now called the “Standard” plan in ClickFunnels 2.0) costs $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
Funnel Hacker 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 provide a 14-day free trial, allowing users to try the platform before investing financially.
The Advantages of Using ClickFunnels
1. Unified Solution
Perhaps the primary advantage of ClickFunnels is that it unifies multiple tools into one platform. Instead of switching between different services for landing pages, email marketing, payment processing, and membership sites, users can manage all these aspects in one place.
2. No Development Experience Required
The platform’s intuitive interface negates the need for coding or design skills. This democratizes the funnel-building process, making it usable to entrepreneurs without technical backgrounds.
3. Time Efficiency
With pre-built 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 achieved in days or even hours.
4. Network and Assistance
ClickFunnels has developed a active community of users who contribute strategies, successes, and advice. The official ClickFunnels Facebook group has over 250,000 members, creating a helpful resource for marketers at all levels. Additionally, the platform offers complete documentation, tutorials, and responsive customer support.
5. Tested Conversion Frameworks
The templates and funnel structures within ClickFunnels are created from proven marketing principles and tested conversion strategies. This means users utilize established best practices rather than working from nothing.
6. Learning Materials
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 organized learning opportunities.
Disadvantages and Drawbacks
Despite its many advantages, ClickFunnels isn’t without limitations:
1. Cost
Starting at $147 per month, ClickFunnels represents a major investment, especially for solopreneurs or startups with limited budgets. Many competitors offer more cost-effective entry-level options.
2. Learning Curve
While designed to be accessible, mastering all of ClickFunnels’ features and understanding funnel strategy demands time and dedication. New users might feel intimidated by the platform’s capabilities.
3. Modest Design Flexibility
Though the builder editor is capable, designers accustomed to more advanced tools might find it limiting. The balance between simplicity and flexibility sometimes tilts toward the former.
4. Page Performance
Prior to 2.0, some users reported concerns with page loading speed, which can hurt SEO and user experience. While ClickFunnels 2.0 has improved performance, optimizing for speed requires attention.
5. Email Marketing Restrictions
While ClickFunnels features email marketing features, they’re not as powerful as dedicated email marketing platforms. Power users might still need additional tools for advanced email campaigns.
ClickFunnels Contenders: 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
Strengths relative to ClickFunnels:
- More all-encompassing marketing automation
- Built-in video hosting and advanced video marketing features
- More powerful 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
Drawbacks:
- Less complete than ClickFunnels (primarily focuses on landing pages)
- Limited checkout and payment processing options
- No built-in email marketing
3. Unbounce
Advantages:
- Advanced A/B testing capabilities
- Highly adjustable design options
- Strong analytics and conversion intelligence
- More affordable starting point
Drawbacks:
- Primarily focused on landing pages rather than complete funnels
- No built-in payment processing
- Less straightforward for non-technical users
4. Systeme.io
Positives:
- Significantly more budget-friendly (starting at $27/month, with a free plan available)
- All-in-one solution similar to ClickFunnels
- Simple, intuitive interface
Limitations:
- Fewer templates and design options
- Less advanced feature set
- Smaller community and fewer educational resources
5. Instapage
Advantages:
- Superior design flexibility and customization
- Advanced collaboration features
- Excellent analytics and heatmaps
- Strong AdWords and Facebook Ads integration
Weaknesses:
- 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 inexpensive option if you already have WordPress
- Ultimate flexibility and customization
- Complete ownership and control
- One-time purchases versus subscription model
Limitations:
- 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 Would Benefit From ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is particularly perfect for:
1. Online Course Creators and Coaches
The platform works great for 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. Web Store Businesses
With ClickFunnels 2.0’s expanded e-commerce features, online retailers can create effective product funnels that raise average order value through upsells, downsells, and order bumps.
3. Client Service Businesses
Professionals, 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 excellent for affiliate marketers looking to maximize their commissions from promotional campaigns.
5. Book Publishers and Content Creators
ClickFunnels provides effective book funnel templates that help authors promote books while securing reader information for long-term relationship building.
6. Design-Inexperienced Entrepreneurs
Those without coding or design skills will value ClickFunnels’ accessible interface and pre-built templates.
Who Should Explore Other Options Elsewhere?
ClickFunnels may not be the optimal solution for:
1. Solo Entrepreneurs with Limited Budgets
The monthly investment might be prohibitive for businesses just starting out or with tight marketing budgets.
2. Editorial 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 Specialists Seeking Complete Creative Control
Those who require precise designs and extensive customization might prefer platforms with more design flexibility.
4. Corporate Businesses with Complex Requirements
Very large organizations with complex integration needs and custom requirements might need more dedicated solutions.
Starting Out with ClickFunnels: Tips for Success
If you decide to try ClickFunnels, here are some tips to enhance your experience:
1. Start with the Right Funnel Type
Select a funnel template that fits your specific goal, whether it’s lead generation, product sales, or webinar registration.
2. Focus on 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. Use the Training Resources
Take advantage of the abundant training materials, including ClickFunnels’ onboarding sequence and the FunnelFlix training library.
4. Join the Community
The ClickFunnels Facebook group provides useful insights and support from fellow users who can help solve issues or suggest optimization strategies.
5. Try and Optimize
Use the A/B testing features to constantly refine your funnels based on actual user behavior and conversion data.
6. Start with Ready-made Templates
Rather than building from scratch, adapt existing high-converting templates to match your brand and offering.
Final Thoughts: Is ClickFunnels Worth It?
ClickFunnels represents a major investment, but for many businesses, the reward on that investment can be remarkable. The platform’s strength lies in its ability to facilitate the complex process of creating effective sales funnels while providing the tools needed to grow leads and convert customers.
The decision ultimately hinges on your specific business needs, technical comfort level, and budget. If you’re serious about optimizing your online sales process and desire an all-in-one solution that doesn’t require technical expertise, ClickFunnels offers a appealing package-especially with the expanded capabilities of ClickFunnels 2.0.
For businesses that can budget for the monthly subscription and are serious about implementing effective sales funnels, ClickFunnels provides both the tools and the strategic framework to flourish in today’s competitive digital landscape. The platform consistently evolve, solving previous limitations and expanding its capabilities to serve a broader range of marketing needs.
Whether you’re selling downloadable items, tangible products, or coaching, ClickFunnels offers a streamlined path from stranger to customer-and that, for many businesses, is deserving of the investment.