There’s never a bad time to invest in marketing, but it’s especially important now. With so much competition and so much uncertainty in the economy, people are looking for ways to improve their businesses.
To be able to track your marketing efforts and see the results you’re achieving, you need to use a tool that can measure all of this. You also need to be able to analyze the data and see the connections between your different marketing activities.
Why should you use a tool to track online marketing efforts?
Because manually keeping track of all your efforts can be a lot of work, and it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks. When you use a tool for tracking, you ensure that all of your marketing activities are recorded, and it makes it easy to see what’s working and what needs to be changed.
What is HubSpot?
HubSpot is a marketing automation platform that’s been around for over a decade but only recently started to emerge as a preferred choice for marketers. Why? It’s user-friendly and makes it easy for non-marketing professionals to get a handle on marketing tasks. In other words, if you’re the secretary in a small business and she hears about a new marketing tool that can help her with her responsibilities, she might prefer that rather than having to learn how to use an old-school marketing tool.
How does HubSpot work?
In a nutshell, HubSpot is a cloud-based product that collects data from your various marketing channels (websites, social media, email, etc.) and then allows you to analyze that data, using tools built into the platform. For example, you could set up email campaigns in HubSpot and then analyze the open rates, clicks, and unsubscribe rates of all of your email campaigns.
There’s a lot more that you can do with HubSpot, including setting up automated emails, analyzing website traffic, and performing A/B testing on landing pages.
Is HubSpot right for me?
If you’re looking to create a central location for all of your marketing activities, HubSpot is the clear choice. It integrates with other popular web products (like Google Analytics and Hootsuite) and boasts of being the “the standard” for marketing automation.
If you’re looking to hire staff to help you with your marketing efforts, HubSpot is also a good choice. The platform is designed to be able to scale with you as you grow, so there’s no worry of it becoming “too much” for one person to handle. Plus, HubSpot has a decent selection of marketing professionals’ to choose from, so you’re sure to find someone who fits perfectly into your team.
How much does it cost?
HubSpot is offered as a free trial, so you’re not going to break the bank. There are also monthly subscription plans that start at under $5 per user per month.
Do I need to have a technical understanding to use HubSpot?
No, HubSpot is very user-friendly and easy to use even if you’re not technically inclined. For example, if you’re looking to create a marketing plan and aren’t sure where to start, HubSpot has you covered. It has a Getting Started guide that’ll walk you through the process step by step, and even if you’re not familiar with technology, you’ll likely be able to figure out how to use Blogger or Google Docs to create a marketing plan.
How long does it take to learn how to use HubSpot?
The documentation for HubSpot is very clear and concise, which makes it very easy to learn. There are also numerous training videos that you can utilize, as well as an in-house training program that can be accessed via a virtual coaching program.
Once you get started, it only takes a few hours to a few days to get familiar with everything. And if you’ve ever used a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system before, it’ll feel very familiar.
What integrations does HubSpot have?
HubSpot has numerous integrations with other platforms and applications, including but not limited to:
- Google Analytics
- Hootsuite
- Email marketing platforms (Mailchimp, HubSpot itself)
- Social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)
- Online marketplaces (Shopify, WooCommerce)
- CRM systems (Salesforce, CiviCRM)
What are the requirements to use HubSpot?
You don’t need a supercomputer to run HubSpot, although you will need ample RAM and storage. You also need a reasonably fast internet connection to ensure that everything operates smoothly. When it comes to storage, you will need enough to store your documents, emails, and other content that you create while using the platform. When you’re inserting new content (like videos or PDFs), it’ll need enough storage to smoothly work its way through. And last but not least, you need to have a steady internet connection to ensure that your data isn’t disrupted by occasional network glitches or surges that can happen from time to time.
Which marketing tools do I need to have in order to use HubSpot?
In order to get the most out of HubSpot, you’ll need to have an email marketing platform set up to receive campaign messages from HubSpot. You don’t need an entire marketing team to run a couple of email campaigns per week — it can be done alone by anyone with basic knowledge.
You’ll also need to have a digital marketing platform set up to monitor and analyze your online marketing efforts. If you don’t have one already, try HubSpot’s free tool HootSuite. It’ll connect to all of the platforms you need, and it’ll make analyzing trends and finding influencers much easier. Finally, you’ll need a CRM system, like Salesforce, to follow up with leads and track the progress of your marketing projects.
Which type of business should consider a web-based marketing platform?
If you’re looking for a way to reach more customers and gain more traction for your business, a web-based marketing platform is a viable option. It’s always best to evolve with the times and stay ahead of the game. Today, more and more people are doing their browsing from mobile devices, which leaves the door open for businesses that want to create mobile-friendly websites.
If you’ve ever shopped at an online marketplace like Amazon or eBay, you’ll notice that the sites are fully functional on mobile devices. With a little bit of effort, you can make sure that your site is optimized for mobile users too.
What are the pros and cons of a web-based marketing platform?
There are several advantages to using a web-based marketing platform over other methods of marketing. First, it’s easy to set up and requires very little maintenance. Second, it allows you to connect with countless worldwide customers, no geographical restrictions. Third, as previously stated, it requires very little effort to run an email campaign on a web-based marketing platform. Finally, tracking the results of your campaigns is easy and can be done from the same place, rather than having to log in to separate systems to find the info.
On the other hand, setting up an in-house marketing department and paying for expensive software and websites can be a challenge. Third-party email marketing platforms charge you for each campaign you create, rather than offering you a free trial as with HubSpot. And finally, in-house marketing teams are tied to your company’s technological capabilities — if it stops functioning, you have to find someone who understands the system and has the skills to fix it. A web-based marketing platform is not a perfect solution for every business, but it can be a viable choice for those who want to change the way they do business.
How do I get started with a web-based marketing platform?
If you’re looking to dive into the world of online marketing, you can start by creating a free account on HubSpot.