Why Install the Bloom Email Opt-in Plugin: An In-Depth 2022 Review
If you run a WordPress website, chances are you‘ve heard the advice that "the money is in the list." Building an engaged email list of subscribers gives you a direct line of communication to your audience, allowing you to build trust, share valuable content, and ultimately drive more conversions and revenue for your business.
But getting visitors to voluntarily hand over their email address is easier said than done. With all the spam and low-value content out there, most people are hesitant to opt-in to yet another email list. That‘s where the Bloom plugin comes in.
What is Bloom?
Created by Elegant Themes, Bloom is a premium WordPress plugin that makes it easy to create high-converting email opt-in forms and strategically display them across your website. With 100+ professionally designed templates, 6 different display types, and advanced targeting and trigger options, Bloom gives you everything you need to grow your list without resorting to annoying or spammy tactics.
Bloom Features at a Glance
- 100+ customizable opt-in form templates
- 6 display types: Pop-up, fly-in, inline, below content, widget area, locked content
- 19+ direct email marketing integrations
- Advanced triggers: timed delay, scroll depth, exit-intent
- Built-in A/B testing and detailed conversion statistics
- Target specific posts & pages
- Responsive design that works on any device
- Import/export for backups and multi-site
Whether you‘re a blogger, marketer, or entrepreneur, Bloom aims to be the ultimate list-building toolkit for WordPress users. But with so many lead generation plugins out there, what makes Bloom stand out from the pack? Let‘s dive in and find out.
Why Bloom is the Best Email Opt-in Plugin for WordPress
Professional Design Templates
First impressions matter, especially when it comes to email opt-in forms. A visually appealing form that matches your site‘s branding goes a long way in building trust and encouraging sign-ups.
Bloom offers over 100 professionally designed templates right out of the box – more than any other opt-in plugin we‘ve tested. The designs are modern, clean, and fully customizable to fit your site‘s aesthetic. You can easily modify colors, fonts, borders, images, and even add custom CSS if desired.
With Bloom, you don‘t need to be a designer to create beautiful opt-in forms that convert. Simply choose a template you like, customize it to match your branding, and you‘re ready to start building your list.
Multiple Display Types for Maximum Flexibility
Not all opt-in forms are created equal. What works for one site might be totally ineffective (or even counterproductive) for another. That‘s why Bloom offers 6 different display types to choose from:
- Pop-up forms – Appear in the center of the screen and can be triggered by a variety of user actions or time on page.
- Fly-in forms – Slide in from the bottom corner of the screen, less obtrusive than pop-ups but still attention-grabbing.
- Inline forms – Embedded within your content at a specific location, ideal for contextual opt-ins.
- Below content forms – Displayed after a blog post or page, perfect for capturing engaged readers.
- Widget area forms – Can be added to your sidebar or footer and displayed on every page.
- Locked content opt-ins – Require visitors to subscribe to access exclusive content or downloads.
By mixing and matching these display types, you can create a lead generation strategy that fits your unique audience and goals. For example, you might use an exit-intent pop-up to capture visitors about to leave your site, while placing an inline form within a high-converting blog post. With Bloom, the possibilities are endless.
Advanced Triggers and Targeting Options
In addition to choosing where your forms appear, Bloom also lets you fine-tune when and to whom they‘re displayed. The plugin offers a variety of triggers and targeting options to help you maximize conversions without hurting the user experience:
- Timed delay – Display a pop-up or fly-in after a visitor has been on a page for a certain amount of time.
- Scroll depth – Trigger a form when a user has scrolled a certain percentage down the page (e.g. 50%).
- Exit-intent – Detect when a visitor is about to leave your site and display a last-chance opt-in form.
- After commenting – Show a thank-you message and opt-in form after a visitor leaves a comment.
- After purchasing – Invite customers to join your list after they complete a purchase.
- Inactivity – Re-engage idle visitors with a pop-up form after a period of inactivity.
In addition to these triggers, Bloom also allows you to target specific posts, pages, categories, and tags with your opt-in forms. So if you have a high-performing evergreen blog post, you can create a unique form with a relevant lead magnet to maximize conversions on that specific page.
By combining these targeting and trigger options, you can display the right offer to the right people at the right time – without resorting to annoying or spammy tactics.
Built-in A/B Testing and Analytics
One of the most powerful features of Bloom is its built-in A/B testing functionality. With a few clicks, you can create multiple variations of a form and test different headlines, copy, colors, and even display types against each other.
Bloom will automatically split your traffic between the variations and track which one performs best over time. You can then choose the winner and deactivate the losing variants, ensuring that your forms are always optimized for maximum conversions.
In addition to A/B testing, Bloom also provides detailed analytics and conversion statistics for each form and display type. You can see how many impressions, opt-ins, and conversion rates each form is getting over time, as well as which pages and posts are driving the most sign-ups.
Armed with this data, you can continually refine and improve your lead generation strategy to grow your list faster than ever before.
Seamless Email Marketing Integrations
Of course, capturing email addresses is only half the battle – you also need to be able to manage and communicate with your subscribers over time. Bloom makes this easy by integrating directly with over 19 of the most popular email marketing services, including:
- Mailchimp
- AWeber
- Constant Contact
- ConvertKit
- HubSpot
- ActiveCampaign
- GetResponse
- Campaign Monitor
- And more…
Once you‘ve connected Bloom to your email provider, new subscribers will be automatically added to your list in real-time. You can even specify which list, group, or segment they should be added to based on which form they signed up through.
Bloom‘s email integrations are a huge time-saver compared to manually exporting and importing CSV files every time you capture new leads. And with so many supported providers, chances are your preferred email platform is on the list.
Pricing and Value
Now for the big question – how much does Bloom cost? The plugin is available as part of an Elegant Themes membership, which gives you access to all of their WordPress themes and plugins (including the popular Divi theme) for a single price.
Elegant Themes offers two pricing options:
- Yearly Access – $89 per year
- Lifetime Access – $249 one-time
Both options include unlimited usage on your own websites, plus premium support and updates for as long as your membership remains active.
When you consider that many competing opt-in plugins charge $50+ per year for a single site license, Bloom is an excellent value – especially if you‘re already using Divi or other Elegant Themes products.
How to Install and Use Bloom
Ready to start growing your list with Bloom? Here‘s a quick overview of how to get up and running:
Step 1: Install and Activate the Plugin
After signing up for an Elegant Themes membership, log into your account dashboard and download the Bloom plugin files. Then, in your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New and click the "Upload Plugin" button at the top of the page.
Choose the Bloom zip file you downloaded and click "Install Now". After a few seconds, you‘ll see a success message and an "Activate Plugin" link. Click that and you‘re ready to go!
Step 2: Connect Your Email Provider
Before you start building your opt-in forms, you‘ll need to connect Bloom to your email marketing service. In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Bloom > Email Accounts and click the "Add New Account" button.
Choose your provider from the list, enter your API key or login credentials, and click "Save Account" to connect the plugin to your email list.
Step 3: Create Your First Opt-in Form
Now for the fun part – creating your first opt-in form! From the Bloom dashboard, click the "New Opt-In" button to get started.
First, choose a display type (e.g. pop-up, inline, widget, etc.) and select a template that matches your site‘s style. You can preview each template and see how it will look on desktop and mobile devices before making your selection.
Next, customize the design of your form by editing the text, colors, images, and fields to match your brand. You can also add a custom success message or redirect URL for after a visitor subscribes.
Under the "Display Settings" tab, choose which posts, pages, categories, or tags you want this form to appear on. You can also set a start and end date if you want the form to only run for a limited time.
Finally, set up your email integration by choosing which list or segment new subscribers should be added to in your connected email platform.
When you‘re finished customizing your form, click the "Publish" button to make it live on your site.
Step 4: Test and Optimize Your Forms
After your first form is up and running, it‘s time to start testing and optimizing for maximum conversions. Navigate to Bloom > Statistics to see how your forms are performing over time.
If you‘re not happy with the conversion rates you‘re seeing, try creating an A/B test by duplicating your form and making changes to the copy, design, or display settings. Bloom will automatically split your traffic between the variations and show you which one performs best.
You can also use the statistics page to see which forms and pages are driving the most opt-ins, and make changes accordingly. Maybe you find that your pop-up form converts better than your sidebar widget – in that case, you might consider adding the pop-up to more pages on your site.
The key is to keep testing and refining your forms over time until you find a winning combination that maximizes sign-ups without hurting the user experience.
Bloom vs. Other Email Opt-in Plugins
Of course, Bloom isn‘t the only email opt-in plugin on the market. So how does it stack up against some of the other popular options out there? Let‘s take a quick look:
Bloom vs. OptinMonster
OptinMonster is one of the most well-known lead generation plugins, and for good reason. It offers a wide range of form types, templates, and targeting options, as well as built-in A/B testing and analytics.
However, OptinMonster is a standalone plugin that starts at $108 per year for a single site license. If you‘re already using Elegant Themes products like Divi, Bloom offers similar functionality at a much lower price point.
Bloom vs. Thrive Leads
Thrive Leads is another popular opt-in plugin that offers a range of form types and templates, as well as advanced targeting and A/B testing features. One unique feature of Thrive Leads is its "SmartLinks" functionality, which lets you show different offers to visitors based on whether they‘re already subscribed to your list.
However, like OptinMonster, Thrive Leads is a standalone plugin with pricing starting at $67 per year for a single site license. It also has a bit of a steeper learning curve than Bloom, which may be a turnoff for beginners.
Bloom vs. Sumo
Sumo (formerly SumoMe) is a suite of website optimization tools that includes email capture forms, social sharing buttons, and more. While Sumo does offer some basic opt-in forms and templates, its main focus is on other areas like website traffic and social media engagement.
Sumo also uses a freemium pricing model, with limited features available on the free plan and more advanced options starting at $29 per month. If your main goal is to grow your email list, Bloom offers more powerful features and customization options at a lower price point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bloom work with my email service provider?
Bloom integrates with over 19 of the most popular email marketing platforms, including Mailchimp, AWeber, Constant Contact, ConvertKit, and more. You can see the full list of supported integrations in the plugin‘s documentation.
How many websites can I use Bloom on?
If you purchase an Elegant Themes membership, you can use Bloom (and all of their other plugins and themes) on an unlimited number of websites. There are no per-site license fees or restrictions.
Can I use my own form designs with Bloom?
Yes! While Bloom comes with 100+ pre-designed templates, you can also create your own custom designs using the plugin‘s drag-and-drop form builder. You can add your own images, colors, and even custom CSS to create opt-in forms that perfectly match your brand.
What is Elegant Themes‘ refund policy?
Elegant Themes offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all of their products, including Bloom. If you‘re not satisfied with the plugin for any reason, you can request a full refund within the first 30 days of your purchase.
Is Bloom Right for Your Website?
At the end of the day, whether Bloom is the right solution for your website depends on your specific needs and goals. However, if you‘re looking for an easy-to-use, customizable opt-in plugin that won‘t break the bank, Bloom is definitely worth considering.
With its wide range of form types, templates, and display options, Bloom makes it easy to create high-converting opt-in forms that capture more leads and subscribers for your business. And with built-in A/B testing and analytics, you can continually optimize and improve your forms over time to maximize your results.
Plus, with an Elegant Themes membership, you get access to all of their other plugins and themes (including Divi and Monarch) for a single price. So if you‘re already using or considering other Elegant Themes products, Bloom is a no-brainer.
Of course, no plugin is perfect, and there are a few potential downsides to keep in mind. Bloom doesn‘t offer quite as many advanced features and integrations as some of the more expensive standalone opt-in plugins like OptinMonster. And if you‘re not interested in using any of Elegant Themes‘ other products, you might get more value from a plugin that specializes solely in email capture.
But overall, Bloom is a solid choice for anyone looking to grow their email list faster without sacrificing user experience or breaking the bank. So if you‘re ready to start turning more of your website visitors into loyal subscribers and customers, give Bloom a try – you might just be surprised at how quickly your list starts to grow.
