So– you’ve been looking at GoHighLevel, huh? Maybe you have actually seen the beautiful evaluations. Heard about the all-in-one magic. Read how it might change your CRM, your email marketing devices, your sales funnel builder, your left kidney– joking (sort of) GoHighLevel Google My Business (GMB).
I get it. The pledge is appealing: one effective dashboard to rule them all. And if you’re running a firm, the idea of improving every little thing under one roofing system seems like an efficiency desire. Yet let me stop you right there … since I fell for the hype. And I want a person had ordered me by the shoulders and said: “Do not do it.”
In this short article, I’m strolling you with my rollercoaster of a ride with GoHighLevel– from confident starts to a full 180. If you’re seriously taking into consideration making the button, read this initial. It’ll save you time, cash, and a truckload of frustrations.
Let’s Back Up: Why I Even Took A Look At GoHighLevel
You ever before get that itch for something brand-new? Like when your favored pair of footwear instantly really feels … boring? That’s what occurred to me. I ‘d been making use of Keap (you may remember it as Infusionsoft) for years– 5, to be exact. And honestly, it worked wonderful.
I mean, Keap handled everything: email marketing, CRM, automations, funnels, invoicing. It just clicked with the means I ran my business. Sure, it wasn’t ideal, but it was dependable. Like a great old Toyota– you’re not bragging about it, yet it gets you where you need to go without breaking down.
So why did I begin looking at the flashy new Tesla parked next door?
Due to shiny object syndrome. Yep. It’s actual. And if you’re a business owner like me, you understand specifically what I’m discussing. When all the Facebook teams, YouTubers, and SaaS bloggers are humming about a “game-changer,” you begin questioning if you’re missing out. And prior to I understood it, I was deep-diving right into GoHighLevel demonstrations and thinking, “Maybe it’s time.”
Big. Mistake.
The Rate of Switching: What It Actually Took
Let’s not sugarcoat this– migrating your agency’s whole tech pile is harsh. I want I could tell you I simply clicked a button and voilà, I was running on GoHighLevel by the weekend. Nope.
Below’s a glance of what I really experienced:
- Exported over 20,000 contacts from Keap (manually).
- Reconstruct a loads automations from square one– points like onboarding, email sequences, lead nurturing.
- Relocated every customer note, task standing, and funnel over.
- Establish landing pages. Again.
- Reconnected settlement integrations like Stripe.
- Spent near 40 hours fiddling with settings and screening workflows.
And let’s not neglect the psychological power it sucked out of me. You understand that exhausted, brain-fried feeling after staring at your screen for also lengthy? That was my life for 2 weeks directly.
I told myself, “This pain will certainly deserve it.” It wasn’t.
When All Of It Started Crumbling
In the beginning, it resembled points were functioning. Automations were shooting. E-mails were going out. Funnels were online. I breathed out a little.
After that– mayhem.
One early morning I awakened to a nightmare: 171 emails had actually been sent to the wrong team of contacts. Entirely unnecessary material. Three days in a row. And not the same individuals either– different sets each time. I was horrified.
I tore through the automation settings, deleted and reconstructed sequences, even connected to sustain. Their response? “Web server problem.” Uh … what?
No resolution. No urgency. No liability. And the e-mails just kept going out like a rogue robotic on auto-pilot.
Then, I was done trusting GoHighLevel with anything crucial. My audience mattered way too much to take the chance of an additional error.
Poor UX = Slow Fatality by Irritation
Let me repaint you a photo. You’re attempting to tweak a workflow. Easy job, right? Except now you’re 12 clicks deep in menus that don’t make good sense. Tags aren’t clear. Setups are hidden in position nobody would rationally look.
Their funnel builder? Don’t also obtain me started. You have to accessibility 3 different configuration panels– spread throughout the user interface– to upgrade a single funnel.
It felt like assembling IKEA furniture without guidelines. I wanted to like the versatility, however whatever concerning the individual experience made me feel like I required a designer resting beside me 24/7.
And this is originating from a person who had actually been running automations and building funnels for several years. If I was having a hard time, I can not picture what it resembles for somebody just getting started.
Shock Charges and Shady Pricing
Below’s something they do not market plainly: GoHighLevel charges per e-mail you send out with their platform.
Yep. On top of your $297/month agency plan, there are stealthy little charges that begin piling up. I saw arbitrary $10 fees turning up– after that $20 … after that $50. Turns out, I was racking up distribution costs through Mailgun, their email supplier.
So what looked like a budget friendly, flat-rate platform? Not so much. By the end of the month, I was investing more than I did on Keap– and obtaining means much less reliability in return.
That felt deceitful. And it’s a dealbreaker for me GoHighLevel Google My Business (GMB).
Email Efficiency Tanked– And That Was the Straw that broke the camel’s back
If you do any type of kind of e-mail marketing, you understand just how essential deliverability is. You invest years supporting your list, building trust fund, adjust subject lines. So when your open rates leave a cliff, it resembles seeing your effort get purged away.
That’s exactly what occurred when I switched to GoHighLevel.
My open prices dropped from around 35% to barely scratching 10%. I fine-tuned subject lines, validated domains, heated up IPs– you name it. Still nothing.
Email after e-mail landed in spam or promos folders. And since GoHighLevel relies on third-party deliverability devices (without much guidance), I was left playing e-mail roulette.
At that point, I couldn’t validate staying. I disengaged and went back to Keap.
So, Should You Use GoHighLevel?
Truthfully? I would not advise it. Not if you’re seeking something steady, intuitive, and trustworthy. There’s excessive at risk– your reputation, your client experience, your profits.
However if you’re still curious, a minimum of go in with your eyes wide open. Test whatever. Do not thoughtlessly trust the hype.
Lessons Learned (So You Don’t Repeat My Errors).
Right here’s the reality no one tells you when you’re chasing the following “all-in-one” device:
1. Stick with what jobs– unless there’s a very good factor to switch.
Keap wasn’t showy, however it was strong. That’s worth more than any type of brand-new feature.
2. Simpleness beats intricacy– whenever.
An instinctive device that does 80% well is much better than a Frankenstein system that does 100% terribly.
3. Do not fall for affordable price– check out the real cost.
Check out the small print. Inquire about deliverability costs. Know what “endless” actually implies.
4. Watch out for biased testimonials.
A lot of the beautiful reviews out there? They’re from affiliates attempting to score a commission. Locate people with nothing to obtain.
5. Listen to your digestive tract.
If something feels off throughout your free trial or onboarding stage– do not ignore it.
Much Better Alternatives to Consider
If you’re searching for a system that actually functions the means it guarantees, examine these out:.
Keap– My leading choice. Amazing automation, solid deliverability, and excellent assistance.
GreenRope— All-in-one CRM with terrific job management devices for little groups.
HubSpot— Enterprise-grade tools with a refined UX. Ideal if you’re scaling quickly.
Monday— Even more project-focused, however terrific for customer partnership and job tracking.
Bonsai— Constructed for consultants and creatives. Super tidy, very structured.
Final Word
Look, I get it. GoHighLevel sounds like the solution to every little thing. And if it functioned faultlessly, I ‘d probably be their greatest supporter. Yet it didn’t. And I can not pretend otherwise.
So before you study a full-blown migration– or even worse, persuade your clients to do the exact same– breathe. Ask the difficult questions. And consider whether the “all-in-one” dream deserves the real-world compromises.
You’ve functioned also difficult to build something excellent. Don’t risk it on a platform that still seems like a beta test.
If you desire my two cents? Stick to devices that just function.