🫧 Bubble for websites, hitting $1M in ARR, exit intent magic & more

Unleashing Bubble's Power for Your Website

So, can you use Bubble for building websites? It's a question I frequently encounter from clients exploring website ideas. Traditionally, I'd steer them toward tools like Webflow or Framer, due to concerns regarding slow page loading speeds and SEO performance.

But this week, an excellent post by Will Erickson caught my eye, challenging my perspective. Here are his key reasons why Bubble might just be the right choice for your next website project:

• Programmatic SEO: Bubble's combo of page templates and databases makes creating hundreds of landing pages a breeze. And Bubble even automatically generates your sitemap.

• Conversion Funnel Optimization: The goal of any website is to get users to sign up or purchase a product. Want full control over your funnels? Bubble's got you covered. Think multi-step forms, flashy popups—the works.

• New Responsive Engine: With its flexbox-based engine, it is now easier than ever to make your designs work on any screen or device.

• Analytics Capabilities: Integrate tools like Google Analytics or Hotjar in seconds. More importantly, Bubble's workflows let you log any event in your database, capture URL parameters, or send out notifications.

• All-In-One Tool: Unlike others, Bubble covers these functionalities without juggling different tools or loading dozens of plugins.

Personally, I would even add two more arguments on top:

• Internationalisation: Bubble's App texts feature makes offering your app in multiple languages straightforward.

• Pricing: Let’s look at costs. A Webflow site with CMS functionalities and multiple languages? At least $32/month. Framer? Around $73/month. Bubble's Starter plan? Just $29/month for pretty much the same features.

Considering these arguments, I'm seriously thinking of diving into pure website projects with Bubble. What's your take? Is Bubble a solid website builder alternative, or are you still on the fence?

Let me know your thoughts!

Startup Built with Bubble Hits $1M in ARR

Exciting news on the startup front! BetterLegal, a SaaS solution that lets you incorporate a new company in a mere 10 minutes, just smashed through the $1M in ARR milestone—all thanks to Bubble.

Their founder credited Bubble for turbocharging their success. By ditching custom code, they significantly increased development speed, slashed costs, and freed up the capacity needed to fine-tune their forms, skyrocketing conversion rates.

Exit Intent Popups without Plugins

Ever wondered about those nifty exit intent popups that can turn a potential bounce into a conversion or snag a newsletter sign-up?

These popups work by tracking your user's mouse movements. Once the cursor ventures too close to the upper page boundary, voila—a popup window shows up.

Typically, you'd need a Javascript snippet or a plugin to make this magic happen. But guess what? We've cracked a simple method without custom code, using a sneaky hidden Floating Group.

Here's the breakdown:

1. Add a Floating Group to the top of your page, stretching across its full width, and 10 px high (any smaller, and fast mouse movements might slip through). Also, make sure that it floats above your header if you have one.

   

2. Prepare the Popup you want to unveil when users flirt with the idea of leaving your website.

   

3. Go to the Workflow tab and configure a new Do when condition is true event. This event should run when the Floating Group from step 1 is hovered. Depending on your needs, set it to run Just once or Every time.

   

4. Finally, add a Show action to display your Popup.

   

Now, whenever your users dance around the top of your page, the popup will appear. Just a heads-up - it's desktop-exclusive, as mobile devices don't do hover effects!

Acing the Bubble Developer Certification: Pro Tips!

About two months back, Bubble rolled out its Official Developer Certification - an ultimate stamp of approval for proficient builders. Lorene, in her blog, tapped into the minds of experts who passed the exam to gather invaluable advice. Here's the gist:

• Immerse Yourself in the Official Bubble Manual: Treat it like your bible! Since the exam is open book, mastering the official documentation is key. Know it inside out for seamless navigation.

• Build, Build, Build: Nothing beats hands-on experience. Creating functional apps with actual users is your best prep.

• Know the Basics and Beyond: Component and styling know-how is essential, but also delve into the technical side - Privacy Rules, Database Design, Backends Workflows, API Connector, and Workload Units.

• Understand Bubble's Inner Workings: Expect questions about how Bubble operates under the hood, from data loading to optimizing database queries.

• Prepare a Reference Application: Have a blank app ready to roll during the exam—your go-to playground.

• Set the Scene for Success: Find a quiet spot, stock up on drinks and snacks; the exam takes around 3 hours. Take your time - no need to rush.

I haven't tackled the exam yet, but count me in post-Christmas chaos! When the time comes, I'll be revisiting these golden nuggets of advice.