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HubSpot is beloved by many businesses around the world.
But some teams struggle to get on with the platform, finding it overwhelming, often a little difficult to navigate.
This is perfectly normal – HubSpot’s internal onboarding isn’t super in-depth, which is why HubSpot themselves often refer businesses like yours to HubSpot agencies, like us. We have the time and resources needed to dedicate to your ongoing HubSpot success, which HubSpot unfortunately doesn’t have.
In this blog, we’ll run through all of the most frequently asked questions about HubSpot onboarding, starting with…
What is HubSpot onboarding?
HubSpot onboarding is a programme tailored to your specific needs. It’s designed to help you (whether you’re a new HubSpot user, or someone looking to get more value from an existing subscription) to set up your HubSpot accounts and fully understand the platform’s features.
Covering everything from CRM setup to marketing tool integration, onboarding provides foundational support to ensure users are getting the most out of HubSpot.
At the start of the process, we’ll sit down with you and your team to identify your KPIs. This will allow us to map out an onboarding strategy that makes logical sense, aligning our plan with your goals.
This means that your people can hit the ground running, using your software for its intended purpose right from the outset (this is much better than spending the first few months fumbling through and making countless mistakes, trust us!).
I’ve just paid for HubSpot, why do I now need to pay extra for onboarding?
We get it – it’s frustrating needing to shell out for onboarding. Unfortunately, as with any complex software, great onboarding is the difference between seeing a seriously good ROI and not getting any value out of the platform.
That’s the simple truth: without onboarding, most businesses fail to get value from their HubSpot.
Rather than thinking of onboarding as an extra cost, instead consider it as an investment – it’s a key, unavoidable part of any software purchase; when compared to the ROI of HubSpot, onboarding is a drop in the bucket.
How much does HubSpot onboarding cost?
Generally speaking, HubSpot will recommend that you partner with a HubSpot support agency. This is done to ensure that you have the time dedicated to your account that you deserve. As mentioned, HubSpot simply cannot onboard every single user on their own!
Does HubSpot onboarding include blog migration?
Yes! Your HubSpot onboarding package can include anything you want, really. Blog migration is included as part of many onboarding packages, though it’s often included under specific onboarding tiers or services.
In our onboarding service, we’d transfer all existing content to HubSpot’s content management system (CMS), working to ensure that formatting, SEO settings and metadata are retained, so no rankings or search equity is lost.
What is HubSpot CRM onboarding?
Your customer relationship management (CRM) system sits at the core of your HubSpot. It’s what allows you to track leads, streamline your day-to-day, manage your content and much, much more.
HubSpot CRM onboarding will ensure that your CRM is fully set up, and your people are properly trained and ready to use it. This will include importing contact data, establishing custom properties, creating deal pipelines, and configuring reporting so your sales and support teams can operate efficiently.
If there’s anything more specific that you need, just let your onboarding partner know. They should be able to factor it into your programme and ensure you get what you need from your onboarding.
What is HubSpot CMS onboarding?
Your content management system (CMS) is another key part of many HubSpot onboardings. HubSpot’s CMS allows users to create, manage and optimise digital content for their website, blog and landing pages (pretty important, if you ask us!).
HubSpot CMS onboarding is designed to help configure your website’s architecture, transfer existing content and align your site’s design with HubSpot’s capabilities.
While CRM onboarding allows you to manage your pipeline and processes, CMS onboarding ensures you’re able to manage your website and content. You may require one or both of these; your HubSpot onboarding partner should be able to advise on what onboarding you require.
What does Marketing Hub onboarding include?
Marketing Hub is an essential piece of kit for any inbound marketing expert. Onboarding for Marketing Hub covers the setup and use of marketing tools, including email marketing, social media, SEO and content strategies.
This means that your marketing team can start driving leads quickly and efficiently, without software frustrations slowing them down. As part of Marketing Hub onboarding, you should expect to receive guidance on creating campaigns, tracking analytics, and managing customer journeys through marketing automation.
How long does HubSpot onboarding take?
The answer to this question, as with many others, varies depending on your unique onboarding programme.
Typically, the onboarding period ranges, which might be 30 days for a typical onboarding, up to 60 days for a more complex one. Many onboarding customers opt to have ongoing HubSpot support following their onboarding, as this means that you always have access to a HubSpot expert, should you need further assistance on your HubSpot journey.
Can I customise my onboarding experience?
You absolutely can! Customisation is a cornerstone of any good onboarding strategy (after all, what good would generic training do, if it’s not relevant to your business, people or goals?).
Whether your focus is on marketing automation, enhancing CRM functionalities or customising your CMS, your onboarding should be able to be customised exactly to your needs.
Our advice: stay away from any onboarding partners who have set schedules, or do not let you create a fully customised onboarding strategy!
And of course, what about the costs?
The cost of HubSpot onboarding varies significantly from client to client, but here at Catalyst we like to keep it simple with two different packages – as detailed in the table below:
HubSpot onboarding, done right
There are lots of HubSpot support agencies out there, many of whom do a fantastic job of onboarding their clients and ensuring they get some real value from HubSpot.
However, there are only a few HubSpot agencies that HubSpot themselves recommend.
We’re one of them.
At Catalyst, we’re HubSpot Diamond Partners. This means that we’ve been recognised by HubSpot as one of the best agencies to work with if you want tailored HubSpot onboarding. HubSpot send new customers to us because they trust in our work and we deliver time and time again.
Whether you’re a new HubSpot customer looking to learn the ropes, or you’re a long-term customer who wants to upskill their team and get more value from HubSpot, we’re here to talk when you need us. Click the link below to book a no-obligation chat with a member of our specialist HubSpot team.
