Privy: The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing and Growth for Your WordPress Site
Privy is a powerful suite of marketing tools designed to help businesses grow their email list, reduce cart abandonment, and increase sales. Primarily targeted at e-commerce businesses and bloggers using platforms like WordPress, Shopify, and others, Privy offers a user-friendly interface and a wide range of features to optimize your online marketing efforts. This comprehensive guide will walk you through setting up and using Privy on your WordPress site, detailing each step to maximize its potential.
## What is Privy and Why Use It?
Privy primarily focuses on three key areas:
* **Email List Growth:** Privy offers a variety of customizable pop-ups, bars, flyouts, and landing pages to capture website visitors’ email addresses. These forms can be triggered based on various behaviors, such as time on site, scroll depth, exit intent, and more.
* **On-site Conversion:** Privy helps convert website visitors into paying customers by displaying targeted offers, coupon codes, and other incentives. It also includes tools to reduce cart abandonment and recover lost sales.
* **Email Marketing & Automation:** Privy provides built-in email marketing features, allowing you to send newsletters, automated welcome emails, and targeted campaigns based on user behavior and segmentation.
Here are some of the reasons why you might consider using Privy for your WordPress site:
* **Easy to Use:** Privy is designed to be user-friendly, even for those with limited technical skills. Its drag-and-drop interface makes creating and customizing forms and emails simple.
* **Integration with WordPress:** Privy seamlessly integrates with WordPress through a dedicated plugin, making installation and setup quick and easy.
* **Affordable Pricing:** Privy offers a range of pricing plans to suit different budgets, including a free plan for basic use. This makes it accessible to small businesses and startups.
* **Comprehensive Features:** Privy provides a wide range of features beyond just email capture, including on-site conversion tools, email marketing automation, and detailed analytics.
* **Improved Website Conversion Rates:** By using Privy’s targeted pop-ups, offers, and email marketing campaigns, you can significantly improve your website’s conversion rates and generate more sales.
## Getting Started with Privy on WordPress
Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up and using Privy on your WordPress site:
### Step 1: Create a Privy Account
1. **Visit the Privy Website:** Go to [www.privy.com](www.privy.com) and click on the “Sign Up” or “Get Started” button.
2. **Choose a Plan:** Select the pricing plan that best suits your needs. You can start with the free plan and upgrade later as your business grows.
3. **Enter Your Information:** Provide your email address, password, and business information.
4. **Verify Your Email:** Check your email inbox for a verification email from Privy and click on the confirmation link.
### Step 2: Install the Privy WordPress Plugin
1. **Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard:** Access your WordPress admin panel by going to yourwebsite.com/wp-admin.
2. **Navigate to Plugins:** In the left-hand menu, click on “Plugins” and then “Add New.”
3. **Search for Privy:** In the search bar, type “Privy.”
4. **Install the Plugin:** Find the “Privy – Free Email Pop ups & Marketing Automation” plugin and click “Install Now.”
5. **Activate the Plugin:** Once the plugin is installed, click “Activate” to enable it.
### Step 3: Connect Your Privy Account to WordPress
1. **Find the Privy Settings:** After activating the plugin, you should see a “Privy” option in your WordPress dashboard menu.
2. **Connect Your Account:** Click on the “Privy” menu item. You will be prompted to connect your existing Privy account or create a new one. If you already created an account, click “Connect existing account.”
3. **Authorize the Connection:** Follow the prompts to authorize the connection between your WordPress site and your Privy account. You might need to log into your Privy account again during this process.
### Step 4: Configure Your First Privy Campaign
Now that Privy is connected to your WordPress site, you can start creating your first campaign. Privy uses the term “Campaign” to describe the pop-ups, flyouts, bars and other ways you interact with visitors.
1. **Navigate to the Privy Dashboard:** Go back to your WordPress dashboard, find the “Privy” menu and click on it. This will typically open the Privy dashboard within your WordPress admin area.
2. **Create a New Campaign:** In the Privy dashboard, look for a button that says “Create a new campaign”, “New Campaign”, or something similar. Click this button.
3. **Choose a Campaign Type:** Privy offers several types of campaigns:
* **Pop-up:** A modal window that appears on top of the website content.
* **Flyout:** A small window that slides in from the side or bottom of the screen.
* **Bar:** A banner that appears at the top or bottom of the screen.
* **Landing Page:** A standalone page designed for a specific offer or promotion.
* **Wheelio (Spin to Win):** A gamified pop-up where users spin a wheel for a chance to win a prize (like a discount code).
Choose the campaign type that best suits your goals. For example, if you want to capture email addresses, a pop-up or flyout is a good choice. If you want to announce a promotion, a bar might be more effective.
4. **Select a Template or Start from Scratch:** Privy offers a variety of pre-designed templates that you can customize. You can also start from scratch if you prefer.
5. **Customize Your Campaign:** Use the drag-and-drop editor to customize your campaign. You can change the text, images, colors, and other elements to match your branding.
### Step 5: Configure Triggering and Targeting
This is a crucial step. The right triggering and targeting settings determine *when* and *to whom* your campaign is displayed. Poorly configured campaigns can be intrusive and annoy visitors.
1. **Triggering Options:** Configure when your campaign should be displayed. Some common triggering options include:
* **Time on Site:** Show the campaign after a visitor has been on your site for a certain amount of time (e.g., 5 seconds, 30 seconds).
* **Scroll Depth:** Show the campaign when a visitor has scrolled a certain percentage of the page (e.g., 50%, 75%).
* **Exit Intent:** Show the campaign when a visitor is about to leave your site (e.g., when their mouse cursor moves towards the browser’s close button).
* **On Click:** Show the campaign when a visitor clicks on a specific button or link.
Consider your goals when choosing a trigger. Exit-intent pop-ups are great for recovering abandoning visitors. Time-on-site triggers can be effective for engaging new visitors.
2. **Targeting Options:** Configure who should see your campaign. Some common targeting options include:
* **URL Targeting:** Show the campaign only on specific pages or sections of your website (e.g., the homepage, product pages, blog posts).
* **Device Targeting:** Show the campaign only on desktop or mobile devices.
* **New vs. Returning Visitors:** Show the campaign only to new visitors or only to returning visitors.
* **Location Targeting:** Show the campaign to visitors from specific countries or regions (available on some Privy plans).
* **Referral Source Targeting:** Show the campaign to visitors coming from a specific website or source (e.g., Google, Facebook).
Targeting is essential for showing relevant offers to the right people. For example, you might show a discount code only to visitors on product pages.
### Step 6: Design and Customize Your Campaign
Privy’s drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to design and customize your campaigns to match your brand. Here are some key elements you can customize:
1. **Headline:** Write a compelling headline that grabs visitors’ attention and clearly communicates the value proposition.
2. **Body Text:** Explain the offer in more detail and highlight the benefits of signing up or making a purchase.
3. **Image or Video:** Include an image or video to make your campaign more visually appealing.
4. **Call to Action (CTA) Button:** Create a clear and concise CTA button that encourages visitors to take action (e.g., “Sign Up Now,” “Get Discount,” “Shop Now”). Make sure the button is visually prominent.
5. **Form Fields:** Customize the form fields to collect the information you need (e.g., email address, name, phone number).
6. **Colors and Fonts:** Choose colors and fonts that match your brand and make your campaign visually appealing.
7. **Privacy Policy Link:** Include a link to your privacy policy to comply with data privacy regulations.
**Best Practices for Design:**
* **Keep it Simple:** Avoid overwhelming visitors with too much information. Focus on a clear and concise message.
* **Use High-Quality Images:** Use high-resolution images that are relevant to your offer.
* **Mobile-Friendly Design:** Ensure that your campaign looks good on all devices, including smartphones and tablets.
* **A/B Testing:** Test different versions of your campaign to see what works best. Try different headlines, images, and CTA buttons.
### Step 7: Connect Your Email Marketing Service (Optional)
Privy has its own built-in email marketing features. However, you can also connect it to your existing email marketing service (e.g., Mailchimp, Klaviyo, ConvertKit) to sync your contacts and send emails through your preferred platform.
1. **Navigate to Integrations:** In the Privy dashboard, find the “Integrations” section.
2. **Choose Your Email Service:** Select your email marketing service from the list of available integrations.
3. **Connect Your Account:** Follow the prompts to connect your Privy account to your email marketing service. You may need to enter your API key or other credentials.
4. **Configure List Synchronization:** Configure how you want to sync your contacts between Privy and your email marketing service. You can choose which lists to sync and how to map your form fields.
**Benefits of Connecting Your Email Marketing Service:**
* **Centralized Contact Management:** Keep all of your contacts in one place.
* **Automated Email Campaigns:** Trigger automated email campaigns based on user behavior and segmentation.
* **Improved Email Deliverability:** Benefit from your email marketing service’s expertise in email deliverability.
### Step 8: Publish and Test Your Campaign
1. **Review Your Campaign:** Before publishing your campaign, review all of the settings and design elements to make sure everything is correct.
2. **Publish Your Campaign:** Click the “Publish” or “Save” button to activate your campaign.
3. **Test Your Campaign:** Visit your website and trigger your campaign to make sure it is working as expected. Test different scenarios to ensure that it is displaying correctly and capturing leads.
**Troubleshooting Tips:**
* **Campaign Not Showing:** Clear your browser cache and cookies. Make sure the campaign is published and the triggering and targeting settings are correct.
* **Form Submissions Not Syncing:** Check your integration settings and make sure your form fields are mapped correctly.
* **Design Issues:** Use the Privy editor to adjust the design elements and make sure your campaign looks good on all devices.
### Step 9: Analyze Your Results
Privy provides detailed analytics to track the performance of your campaigns. You can use these analytics to identify what’s working and what’s not, and make adjustments to improve your results.
1. **Access Your Analytics:** In the Privy dashboard, find the “Analytics” or “Reports” section.
2. **Track Key Metrics:** Monitor the following key metrics:
* **Impressions:** The number of times your campaign has been displayed.
* **Conversions:** The number of times visitors have completed the desired action (e.g., signing up for your email list, making a purchase).
* **Conversion Rate:** The percentage of impressions that result in a conversion (Conversions / Impressions).
* **Pageviews:** The number of pageviews where your campaign was displayed
* **Revenue (if applicable):** The amount of revenue generated by your campaign.
3. **Analyze Your Data:** Use the analytics to identify trends and patterns. For example, you might find that certain campaigns perform better than others, or that certain triggers are more effective.
4. **A/B Test:** Use A/B testing to test different versions of your campaign and see what performs best. Try different headlines, images, CTA buttons, and triggering settings.
## Advanced Privy Techniques
Once you’ve mastered the basics of Privy, you can start exploring some of its more advanced features to take your marketing efforts to the next level.
### Cart Abandonment Recovery
Privy can help you recover abandoned carts by sending automated emails to customers who have added items to their cart but haven’t completed the purchase.
1. **Enable Cart Abandonment Recovery:** In the Privy settings, find the “Cart Abandonment Recovery” option and enable it.
2. **Customize Your Emails:** Customize the emails that are sent to customers who have abandoned their carts. Include a compelling subject line, a friendly reminder of the items in their cart, and a discount code or other incentive to complete the purchase.
3. **Set Up Triggers:** Set up triggers to determine when the cart abandonment emails are sent. For example, you might send the first email 30 minutes after the customer abandons their cart, and a second email 24 hours later.
### Using Coupons and Discounts
Privy makes it easy to offer coupons and discounts to your website visitors. You can use coupons to incentivize sign-ups, promote sales, and reward loyal customers.
1. **Create Coupon Codes:** Generate unique coupon codes in your e-commerce platform (e.g., WooCommerce, Shopify).
2. **Display Coupon Codes in Your Campaigns:** Include the coupon codes in your Privy campaigns. You can display the coupon codes in pop-ups, flyouts, bars, and emails.
3. **Set Expiration Dates:** Set expiration dates for your coupon codes to create a sense of urgency.
### Segmentation and Targeting
Privy’s segmentation and targeting features allow you to show targeted campaigns to specific groups of visitors based on their behavior, demographics, and other factors.
1. **Create Segments:** Create segments based on your target audience. For example, you might create a segment for new visitors, returning visitors, customers who have made a purchase in the past, or customers who have visited specific pages on your website.
2. **Target Your Campaigns:** Target your campaigns to specific segments. This will ensure that your campaigns are only shown to the people who are most likely to be interested in them.
### A/B Testing for Optimization
Always be testing! A/B testing is crucial for continuously improving the performance of your Privy campaigns. By testing different variations of your campaigns, you can identify what works best and optimize your results.
1. **Create Multiple Versions of Your Campaign:** Create multiple versions of your campaign with different headlines, images, CTA buttons, and triggering settings.
2. **Run A/B Tests:** Run A/B tests to compare the performance of the different versions of your campaign.
3. **Analyze Your Results:** Analyze the results of your A/B tests to identify which version of your campaign performs best.
4. **Implement the Winning Version:** Implement the winning version of your campaign to maximize your results.
## Best Practices for Using Privy
* **Be Relevant:** Make sure your campaigns are relevant to the content on the page and the interests of your visitors.
* **Be Valuable:** Offer something of value to your visitors, such as a discount code, a free ebook, or access to exclusive content.
* **Be Timely:** Show your campaigns at the right time. For example, show an exit-intent pop-up when a visitor is about to leave your site.
* **Be Mobile-Friendly:** Make sure your campaigns look good on all devices, including smartphones and tablets.
* **Test, Test, Test:** Continuously test different versions of your campaigns to see what works best.
## Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even with a user-friendly platform like Privy, you might encounter some issues. Here’s a quick troubleshooting guide:
* **Campaign Not Displaying:**
* **Check Publication Status:** Ensure the campaign is published and not in draft mode.
* **Verify Triggering Rules:** Double-check that the triggering rules (time on site, scroll depth, exit intent, etc.) are correctly configured.
* **Clear Cache:** Clear your browser cache and cookies. Sometimes, cached data can prevent the campaign from displaying properly.
* **Conflicting Plugins:** In rare cases, other WordPress plugins might interfere with Privy. Try temporarily deactivating other plugins to see if that resolves the issue.
* **Targeting Rules:** Make sure that the targeting rules (URL, device, new vs. returning visitors) are correctly configured and aren’t excluding you from seeing the campaign.
* **Form Not Submitting:**
* **Check Required Fields:** Ensure that all required form fields are filled out correctly.
* **Integration Issues:** If you’re using an email marketing service integration, verify that the connection is still active and that the API key is valid.
* **JavaScript Errors:** Check your browser’s developer console for any JavaScript errors, which could be preventing the form from submitting.
* **Design Issues:**
* **Mobile Responsiveness:** Test your campaign on different devices to ensure it’s responsive and looks good on all screen sizes.
* **Conflicting CSS:** In rare cases, your website’s CSS might conflict with Privy’s CSS. Try using custom CSS in Privy to override any conflicting styles.
* **Image Optimization:** Optimize your images for the web to ensure they load quickly and don’t slow down your website.
* **Data Not Syncing with Email Marketing Service:**
* **API Key:** Verify that the API key for your email marketing service is still valid.
* **List Mapping:** Double-check that you’ve correctly mapped the form fields in Privy to the corresponding fields in your email marketing service.
* **Synchronization Settings:** Review your synchronization settings to ensure that data is being synced in the correct direction.
## Privy Pricing
Privy offers a tiered pricing structure, including a free plan, designed to accommodate businesses of all sizes. The free plan allows you to try out Privy’s core features, while the paid plans offer more advanced functionalities and higher usage limits. It’s essential to visit Privy’s website for the most up-to-date pricing information and plan details.
## Conclusion
Privy is a powerful and versatile marketing tool that can help you grow your email list, increase conversions, and boost sales. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can set up and use Privy on your WordPress site to achieve your marketing goals. Remember to focus on providing value to your visitors, testing different campaigns, and analyzing your results to continuously improve your performance.