HubSpot is a powerful tool for inbound marketing and sales, but even the most enthusiastic new users can run into a few roadblocks. Here, we'll tackle some of the most common challenges HubSpot users face and provide tips to help you get the most out of your HubSpot experience.
Challenge #1: Custom Property Confusion
Many new users jump right in and start creating custom properties without fully considering the long-term implications. This can lead to a cluttered system and make it difficult to segment your data effectively.
Tips for Taming Your Properties:
- Review Built-in Options: Make sure to take the time to review the properties that already exist in HubSpot and determine if there are any that you can use as they are or modify to suit your needs. For example, “Industry” is a default Contact property in HubSpot and is set as single-line text. If you need to track specific industries, you might want to change it to a drop-down menu with a list of possible industries to choose from (including an “other” option for contacts that don’t fit into your list).
- Pre-Import Property Adjustments: Remember to adjust default properties before importing your data. For example, you might change the default State/Region property from single-line text to a dropdown to sort and filter. If you don’t do this, you’ll face difficulties when filtering in the future. Remember that once a property is used in something like a form or contains data in any records, you won’t be able to change its type.
- Plan for Filtering and Segmentation: Consider how you'll use your properties in the future. Avoid single—or multi-line text options for properties you want to filter, as these make segmentation a nightmare.
Challenge #2: Not Utilizing Theme Settings to Match Branding
HubSpot offers extensive customization options, but new users often miss key areas to establish their brand identity.
Establish Your Brand Identity:
New users often struggle to locate all the branding settings within HubSpot. To streamline your branding implementation, here’s a list the places where you can adjust these settings to make your life easier as you start creating assets:
- Account Defaults: Set your brand colors, fonts and logo in "Account Setup > Account Defaults > Branding > Brand Kit."
- Consistent Forms: Maintain a consistent look and feel for your forms in "Tools > Marketing > Forms > Styles."
- Branded Emails: Create beautiful, on-brand emails in "Tools > Marketing > Email > Configuration > Branding."
- Themed Content: Apply your brand to your content through "Tools > Content > Themes." Choose from a variety of free and paid themes.
- Branded Pages: Ensure your landing pages reflect your brand in "Tools > Content > Pages > Branding."
Challenge #3: Incorrect Domain Settings
If you're not using HubSpot CMS for your entire website, connecting your main domain (root domain) will disable your existing site. To avoid your website going down, stick to connecting subdomains only!
Before you bgin configuring URLs:
- Ensure you have access to your Domain Name System (DNS) settings.
- Have your HubSpot login handy.
Challenge #4: Marketing Contact Management
Marketing contacts directly impact your bill. You're charged for a set number of contacts you actively market to, but your CRM can hold a larger pool. Here's how to avoid overpaying:
- Workflow Triggers: Set contacts as "marketing contacts" only when they enter a marketing workflow. This keeps your marketing contact count accurate.
- Integration Woes: Integrations might default to identifying everyone as a marketing contact. Review these settings and adjust accordingly.
By tackling these common challenges, you can streamline your HubSpot experience and unlock its full potential. Remember, HubSpot offers a wealth of resources and support to help you on your journey. Take advantage of their knowledge base, academy courses and community forums to become a HubSpot pro.