In today’s competitive online environment, moving leads to sales is the ultimate goal for all internet companies. This is where customer journey software proves valuable, and ClickFunnels remains one of the most established names in this niche.
Created by Russell Brunson in 2014, ClickFunnels has revolutionized the way marketers and organizations execute online sales, promising to improve the user experience from first contact to buying decision.
But is ClickFunnels worth pursuing? Does it fulfill its potential? Whether you’re a established entrepreneur or just starting your entrepreneurial journey, this comprehensive review will provide you with the complete picture you need to make an educated judgment about ClickFunnels.
All About ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is an all-in-one marketing platform developed to help businesses design optimized sales funnels without calling for technical expertise or a team of developers. At its center, ClickFunnels allows users to create landing pages, make email sequences, execute payments, and administer customer relationships-all within a single platform.
The Theory of Sales Funnels
Preceding diving deeper into ClickFunnels, it’s critical to understand what a sales funnel is. A sales funnel illustrates the progression customers go through from first encountering your product or service to buying.
It typically includes steps like discovery, curiosity, decision, and action.
Typical web pages are often designed without a clear path for visitors to follow. This can produce high bounce rates and wasted potential customers. Sales funnels, alternatively, are deliberately structured to navigate visitors through a predetermined path, improving the likelihood of success at each step.
ClickFunnels’ System
ClickFunnels has streamlined the process of creating these funnels with its user-friendly editor and prepared templates. The platform’s concept centers around not just developing web pages but creating successful conversion paths that transition visitors into customers and customers into dedicated followers.
Essential Components of ClickFunnels
1. Funnel Construction Kit
The center 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 market and register users for webinars
- Membership funnels: For continuity products
The visual interface makes it straightforward to add elements like text, images, videos, forms, and buttons without typing a single line of code.
2. Prepared Templates
ClickFunnels delivers over many ready-made templates for diverse industries and purposes. These templates, developed by marketing experts, are created for results and can be modified to match your brand.
3. Split Testing
Understanding what connects with your audience is vital for increasing conversions. ClickFunnels’ A/B testing option allows you to design multiple versions of your pages and analyze different elements to see which delivers better results.
4. Email Automation
ClickFunnels includes email marketing capabilities, allowing you to develop automated email sequences triggered by specific actions. This feature helps cultivate leads and move them further down the sales funnel.
5. Payment Integration
The platform flawlessly integrates with payment processors like Stripe, PayPal, and others, empowering you to accept payments directly through your funnels without redirecting customers to external sites.
6. Subscription Areas
For marketers selling courses or subscription content, ClickFunnels includes the ability to create exclusive membership areas where members can access premium content.
7. Data Analysis
ClickFunnels delivers in-depth analytics on funnel metrics, including page views, conversions, and earnings. These statistics help users perfect their funnels for greater results.
8. Affiliate Tracking
If you have an affiliate program, ClickFunnels makes it easy to administer your affiliates, analyze their performance, and distribute commission payments.
ClickFunnels 2.0: The Advancement
In 2022, ClickFunnels released its most significant update: ClickFunnels 2.0. This new version signifies a complete rebuild of the platform with expanded features and capabilities.
What’s New in 2.0?
- Improved Website Builder: A more robust website builder that allows for complete website creation, not just funnels
- Enhanced E-commerce Capabilities: Better product management, inventory tracking, and order fulfillment
- Blog Creation: The ability to establish and manage a blog directly within ClickFunnels
- Sophisticated Customization: More adaptability in design and functionality
- Upgraded User Interface: A more intuitive dashboard and editor
- Efficiency Gains: Faster page loading times and better mobile responsiveness
- Improved CRM Features: More advanced customer relationship management tools
The upgrade to 2.0 addresses many of the constraints users experienced with the original version, making it a more complete marketing solution.
Cost Options
ClickFunnels offers different pricing tiers to support businesses of various sizes:
Standard 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
Advanced Plan
At $197 per month, the Pro plan provides:
- 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 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 paying financially.
The Strengths of Using ClickFunnels
1. All-In-One Solution
Perhaps the primary advantage of ClickFunnels is that it combines multiple tools into one platform. Instead of managing different services for landing pages, email marketing, payment processing, and membership sites, users can handle all these aspects in one place.
2. No Development Experience Required
The platform’s intuitive interface does away with the need for coding or design skills. This streamlines the funnel-building process, making it usable to entrepreneurs without technical backgrounds.
3. Fast Implementation
With existing templates and a optimized workflow, ClickFunnels significantly minimizes the time needed to launch a marketing campaign. What might take weeks with custom development can be completed in days or even hours.
4. Help Resources
ClickFunnels has developed a engaged community of users who offer strategies, successes, and advice. The official ClickFunnels Facebook group has over 250,000 members, creating a valuable resource for marketers at all levels. Additionally, the platform offers complete documentation, tutorials, and responsive customer support.
5. Validated Conversion Frameworks
The templates and funnel structures within ClickFunnels are created 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 insightful marketing insights, while the ClickFunnels training programs offer methodical learning opportunities.
Downsides and Drawbacks
Despite its many positives, ClickFunnels isn’t without limitations:
1. Cost
Starting at $147 per month, ClickFunnels represents a considerable investment, especially for individual entrepreneurs or startups with limited budgets. Many competitors offer more affordable entry-level options.
2. Training Requirement
While designed to be straightforward, mastering all of ClickFunnels’ features and understanding funnel strategy needs time and dedication. New users might feel overwhelmed by the platform’s capabilities.
3. Restricted Design Flexibility
Though the intuitive editor is powerful, designers accustomed to more advanced tools might find it restrictive. The balance between simplicity and flexibility sometimes prioritizes the former.
4. Page Performance
Prior to 2.0, some users reported issues with page loading speed, which can reduce SEO and user experience. While ClickFunnels 2.0 has improved performance, optimizing for speed needs attention.
5. Email Marketing Shortcomings
While ClickFunnels includes email marketing features, they’re not as comprehensive as dedicated email marketing platforms. Power users might still need additional tools for high-level email campaigns.
ClickFunnels Contenders: How They Compare
The sales funnel and landing page builder market has become increasingly contested. Here’s how ClickFunnels fares against its main competitors:
1. Kartra
Benefits relative to ClickFunnels:
- More comprehensive marketing automation
- Built-in video hosting and advanced video marketing features
- More capable email marketing capabilities
- Helpdesk and ticket system included
Disadvantages:
- Steeper learning curve
- Fewer templates specifically optimized for sales funnels
- Less active community
2. Leadpages
Strengths:
- More affordable entry point ($37/month)
- Strong focus on lead generation
- Excellent mobile-responsive designs
- Solid WordPress integration
Shortcomings:
- Less comprehensive than ClickFunnels (primarily focuses on landing pages)
- Limited checkout and payment processing options
- No built-in email marketing
3. Unbounce
Strengths:
- Advanced A/B testing capabilities
- Highly adjustable 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 easy for non-technical users
4. Systeme.io
Strong points:
- Significantly more cost-effective (starting at $27/month, with a free plan available)
- All-in-one solution similar to ClickFunnels
- Simple, intuitive interface
Weaknesses:
- Fewer templates and design options
- Less extensive 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
Limitations:
- 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)
Strengths:
- 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 Would Benefit From ClickFunnels?
ClickFunnels is particularly appropriate 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 effortless to deliver content to paying customers.
2. Digital Sales Businesses
With ClickFunnels 2.0’s improved e-commerce features, online retailers can create effective product funnels that grow average order value through upsells, downsells, and order bumps.
3. Client Service Businesses
Specialists, agencies, and service providers can use ClickFunnels to create leads, book appointments, and sell service packages without complex website development.
4. Referral Marketers
The platform’s optimization for conversions makes it perfect for affiliate marketers looking to increase their commissions from promotional campaigns.
5. Authors and Content Creators
ClickFunnels provides effective book funnel templates that help authors market books while securing reader information for long-term relationship building.
6. Design-Inexperienced Entrepreneurs
Those without coding or design skills will enjoy ClickFunnels’ simple interface and pre-built templates.
Who May Not Be Ideal Elsewhere?
ClickFunnels may not be the ideal choice for:
1. New Ventures with Limited Budgets
The monthly investment might be unaffordable 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 fitting, 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 customized solutions.
Beginning Your Journey with ClickFunnels: Tips for Success
If you decide to try ClickFunnels, here are some tips to optimize your experience:
1. Start with the Right Funnel Type
Pick a funnel template that aligns with 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 performing funnel before moving on to the next.
3. Utilize the Training Resources
Take advantage of the thorough training materials, including ClickFunnels’ onboarding sequence and the FunnelFlix training library.
4. Connect with the Community
The ClickFunnels Facebook group provides useful insights and support from fellow users who can help troubleshoot issues or suggest optimization strategies.
5. Analyze and Optimize
Use the A/B testing features to persistently refine your funnels based on actual user behavior and conversion data.
6. Start with Prepared Templates
Rather than building from scratch, adjust existing high-converting templates to match your brand and offering.
Wrapping Up: Is ClickFunnels Worth It?
ClickFunnels represents a major investment, but for many businesses, the payoff on that investment can be impressive. The platform’s strength lies in its ability to uncomplicate the complex process of creating effective sales funnels while providing the tools needed to nurture leads and convert customers.
The decision ultimately hinges on your specific business needs, technical comfort level, and budget. If you’re intent on optimizing your online sales process and prioritize an all-in-one solution that doesn’t require technical expertise, ClickFunnels offers a persuasive package-especially with the upgraded capabilities of ClickFunnels 2.0.
For businesses that can support the monthly subscription and are invested in implementing effective sales funnels, ClickFunnels provides both the tools and the strategic framework to excel in today’s competitive digital landscape. The platform regularly evolve, addressing previous limitations and expanding its capabilities to serve a broader range of marketing needs.
Whether you’re selling e-products, physical goods, or expertise, ClickFunnels offers a simplified path from stranger to customer-and that, for many businesses, is justified for the investment.