Open it from Free Consumer Reports > Funnel Builder, or click + Create New on My Custom Funnels. The six steps show across the top: Basic Info, Upload PDF, Cover Image, Choose Template, Customize, Preview & Save. Use Next and Back at the bottom to move between them. Back to Funnels at the top takes you to My Custom Funnels.
Step 1, Basic Info:
- Funnel Title (required). The funnel's name, used on the pages and in the admin.
- URL Slug. Fills in from the title, or type your own. It shows the address, for example yoursite.com/reports/your-title/, and says Available or Already taken.
- Category. Pick one of the 8 report niches or one of your own categories. To add one without leaving the wizard, pick + Create New Category at the bottom of the list, type a Category Name, change the Emoji Icon if you like, and click Create Category. It is added to the list and chosen for you. Cancel closes the box.
When you save, the funnel gets the address in URL Slug. If that address is already in use, a number is added to the end, for example -2.
Step 2, Upload PDF:
- Upload PDF: click Choose PDF from Media Library, upload your file or pick one, then click Use this PDF. The file name shows with a Remove button.
- External URL: paste the link in PDF URL. You see Valid PDF URL, a warning that the link does not end in .pdf (it may still work), or Invalid URL.
When you save, the add-on copies the PDF into the funnel's own folder on your site. A link must be a direct, public link to the PDF file itself, not a share page.
Step 3, Cover Image (optional):
- Upload Image: click Choose Cover Image and pick an image. Remove Image clears it.
- External URL: paste a link in Cover Image URL. It must start with http:// or https://. A preview shows below.
The cover shows on the squeeze page and the download page, as the funnel's card picture on your Showcase page, and as the thumbnail on My Custom Funnels. A 3D report or ebook image works well. With no cover, the pages simply leave the picture out.
Step 4, Choose Template:
Click one of the 9 template cards: Gradient, Clean Card, Dark Professional, Bold Vibrant, Minimal, Modern Glass, Neon Cyber, Warm Sunset or Corporate Blue. The chosen one gets a purple border. Gradient is chosen to start with. Every template is mobile friendly and uses your accent colour.
Step 5, Customize:
- Headline (required). Filled in as "FREE: " plus your title. The big text at the top of the squeeze page. Once you change it, your own headline is kept, also when you go Back and return to this step.
- Subheadline. The line under the headline.
- CTA Button Text (required). Starts as "Get Free Access".
- Popup Headline. The text above the email box in the opt-in popup. Starts as "Get Your FREE [your title] (Enter Email)".
- Accent Color. The main colour of the page.
- Affiliate Link (optional). Used for the Check Out This Resource button on the download page. Leave it blank to use your Geo Smart Link, which follows the Geo Smart Links and Default Affiliate Link in the main plugin's Settings. If none of these are set, that box is left off the page.
- Gradient Start Color and Gradient End Color. These only show when you picked the Gradient template.
Step 6, Preview & Save:
- Click Generate Preview. Your squeeze page appears in the box.
- Use the Squeeze Page and Download Page buttons to switch between the two pages.
- Click Save Funnel.
You see "Funnel created successfully!" with the funnel's link, the exact address it was saved under, plus Create Another and View Funnels buttons. The preview shows the Check Out This Resource box only when you typed an Affiliate Link in Step 5. The live page also uses your Geo Smart Link.
Editing a funnel later:
Click Edit next to the funnel on My Custom Funnels. The wizard opens as Edit Funnel with everything filled in. Change what you like, then click Update Funnel on Step 6.
- The web address stays the same, so links you have already shared keep working.
- Step 2 and Step 3 keep the funnel's current PDF and cover image. Leave them as they are, or choose a new PDF or image to replace them.
- The Created date on My Custom Funnels stays the day you first built the funnel.