Building a Website with HubSpot? You Need These 9 Tips and Tools

Does getting started with HubSpot feel like drinking from a firehose?

Building a website with HubSpot can be a game-changer for your business, but only if you know how to harness its full potential. Many companies dive in headfirst and without a plan….only to find themselves overwhelmed by options and, worse, underwhelmed by results.

But that doesn’t have to be your story!

This post walks you through the basics of building a website with HubSpot. We’ll talk through features and benefits and give you step-by-step instructions on how to kick off your website project.

Building a Website with HubSpot: Is HubSpot Right For You?

Before we dive into our list of the tips and tools you need when building a website with HubSpot, let’s cover some baseline information. First things first: What exactly is HubSpot?

HubSpot is a digital Swiss Army knife. It's not just a website builder; it's a CRM platform with robust features and tools that can help you with marketing, sales, and customer service. And, of course, it is also a website builder and platform, which is what we’re talking about today.

HubSpot is far from the only website-building platform on the market, but, spoiler alert, it’s our favorite one. What makes this tool stand out from the crowd?

Drag-and-drop simplicity: You don't need to be a coding wizard to create a slick, professional site.
SEO tools baked right in: Master the SERP with built-in cues and tools.
Personalization features: Treat your visitors like the individuals they are, not just another IP address.
Built-in analytics: HubSpot reporting lets you see what's working and what's not… without needing a degree in data science.
Seamless CRM integration: When you’re on HubSpot, your website, marketing, and sales data all play together nicely.

Sounds great, but no tech solution is the right fit for every business. How can you tell if HubSpot is the right fit for you?

HubSpot shines for businesses that are:

Serious about growth and ready to invest in their digital presence
Looking to align their marketing, sales, and service efforts
In need of robust analytics and data-driven decision-making
Looking to scale their content and inbound marketing efforts

HubSpot can help you with all these initiatives and more, but it’s no magic wand. It’s a powerful tool that requires strategy and effort to master. You’ll face a bit of a learning curve when implementing HubSpot, which is why you need the tips and tools in this post.

With this information in mind, let’s explore our top advice for building a website with HubSpot, giving you everything you need to set your implementation and launch up for success.

website grader

Is Your HubSpot Setup Costing You Deals?

Enter your URL for a customized Conversion Kit that identifies key setup improvements, highlights missed opportunities, and provides recommendations to maximize your HubSpot ROI.

Audit your HubSpot setup for conversion efficiency
Uncover missed opportunities to capture more leads
See tailored recommendations to improve site speed and usability

Tip #1: Familiarize Yourself with HubSpot's CMS Hub

Before you can take off running and building your site, you need to familiarize yourself with HubSpot’s CMS Hub. This powerful platform has dozens of features that can help you level up your brand’s online presence. Here’s how you can get started without getting overwhelmed:

Explore the CMS Hub dashboard: Take a deep dive into the main features. You'll find everything from content creation tools to performance analytics. You might be tempted to try to start everything at once, but trust me, just get the basics going first. You can always explore more advanced features later on.
Review HubSpot's documentation and tutorials: HubSpot offers extensive resources for users of all levels. Their Academy courses are especially helpful for newcomers. Set aside time to go through these materials — they'll save you hours of trial and error down the line.
Understand the difference between templates and modules: Templates are the overall structure of your pages, while modules are the building blocks within them. This distinction is key to efficient website design in HubSpot.
Learn about HubSpot's drag-and-drop page editor: You’ll want to learn all about the page editing features when it’s time to start building your site. This page editor is your playground for creating stunning pages without coding knowledge. If you need more robust drag-and-drop features, I’ll share a tool you can use for that later on in this post.
Familiarize yourself with the asset marketplace: HubSpot's marketplace is a treasure trove of themes and templates. Even if you don't use them directly, they're great for inspiration and understanding best practices.

Only once you have taken the time to get comfortable in these five areas should you move on to actually building your website.

Tip #2: Start with a Pre-Designed Template

The next tip for building a website with HubSpot is to use one of their pre-designed templates as a starting point. If you’re not using an external modular site builder (more on that later), HubSpot’s templates are one of the best ways to get a professional-looking site in record time.

Start by browsing the template marketplace to find the one that’s closest to your vision or wireframe. Be sure your chosen template fits with your brand aesthetics, content strategy, and user journey on your site.

Then, you’ll want to customize your template. Modify page elements and global elements like headers, footers, and navigation menus. Finally, learn how to use content modules within your templates. When you understand how the different modules work and when to use each type, you’ll have a much easier time building pages poised to win for your brand.

Tip #3: Optimize Your Site Structure for SEO and User Experience

Working from a template will help you get the bones of your site in order, but you still need to make sure you’re taking the time to structure your site for SEO and user experience.

When you think about your site structure, you may immediately think of aesthetics and visual flow. Those things are important, sure, but a great site structure is about more than just looks — it’s about performance.

Here's how to create a site that both search engines and users will love:

Plan your website structure and content hierarchy: Think of your site as a book. How would you organize the chapters for maximum clarity? Use this approach for your site structure.
Develop buyer personas to understand your audience: Do you know who you’re talking to? Understanding your audience, their needs, fears, and desires will inform everything from your site structure to your content creation.
Write concise copy for each page: Every word should serve a purpose. Be informative, but don't overwhelm your visitors with unnecessary text.
Implement consistent formatting and styling across pages: Again, this isn't just about aesthetics — it's about creating a cohesive user experience that builds trust and familiarity.
Create a logical and intuitive navigation menu: Your menu is your site's roadmap. Make it easy for visitors to find what they're looking for.
Use descriptive URLs and meta tags: These elements are easy to overlook when you’re setting up your pages, but they're crucial for SEO. Make sure they accurately describe your page content.
Implement internal linking: Strong internal linking sets up a clear site hierarchy and helps both users and search engines understand the relationships between your pages.

When you nail your site structure with these simple tips, you’ll be better able to create a site that ranks on search engines, draws in visitors, and keeps them from bouncing.

Tip #4: Implement Lead Capture Forms and CTAs

If you’re still planning to build a brochure website using your HubSpot account, you’re not setting yourself up for maximum ROI! Instead, you need to create a lead generation machine. HubSpot has incredible lead capture form and CTA options — you just need to make the most of them.

First, create CTAs that stand out without being obnoxious. Think about design and color, but also ensure you write action-oriented copy that compels your site visitors to click and learn more. You also want to make sure those CTAs and forms are front and center! Use HubSpot’s built-in reporting to find your high-traffic pages and leverage that traffic by putting your lead capture site elements where visitors are most likely to see them.

Here are a few more pro tips for getting the most from your lead capture efforts using HubSpot’s tools:

Offer valuable content in exchange for contact information: People are hesitant to hand over their email — if you want to earn their contact information, you need to make it worthwhile with high-quality content offers.
Use progressive profiling: Visitors will abandon a form if it has too many fields! Don't ask for everything at once. Gradually build your understanding of each lead through multiple interactions.
A/B test different form layouts and CTA placements: What works best can vary by audience. Use HubSpot's A/B testing tools to optimize your lead capture strategy over time.

If you use them right, HubSpot’s forms and CTAs will help you take your site from a digital brochure to your company’s best salesperson.

Tip #5: Test and Preview Your Pages Before Publishing

Our final tip is… don’t shoot from the hip! When you’re building a website with HubSpot, you’ll want to test and preview every page you build before you click “go live!” But how can you make sure your site is polished? Let’s take a look.

First things first, you need to make sure your site performs well on desktop and mobile. Use HubSpot's preview function to check out how your pages look on various screens. With mobile traffic often outpacing desktops these days, this step is especially crucial.

Next, you need to conduct some stress tests. Click on every single link, fill out all the forms, and read through every bit of content. It may sound tedious, but it's worth it to catch any sneaky errors. And here's a pro tip: get a colleague to take a look, too. After staring at the same pages for hours, fresh eyes can spot things you might miss.

Finally, try HubSpot's staging environment. You can see how changes will look in a live environment without risking your site. This step is convenient if you're making significant changes or doing a complete redesign.

Remember, building a great website is an ongoing process. Use HubSpot's analytics tools to continually monitor your site's performance and make data-driven improvements over time.

These five tips will help you get the most out of your website build on HubSpot, but to really crush it, you need the right tools. Let’s dive into our list of the tools you might consider using to really take things to the next level.

Tool #1: Sprocket Rocket

Sprocket Rocket is a game-changer for anyone looking to create stunning HubSpot websites without diving into code. This tool offers a no-code solution that's perfect for marketers, designers, and business owners alike.

Simply put, Sprocket Rocket is a modular, drag-and-drop site builder. But that doesn’t mean using it will result in a cookie-cutter website. With over 150 customizable modules at your fingertips, the design possibilities are virtually endless.

One of Sprocket Rocket's standout features is Ditto, an AI-powered page-building tool. It's like having a design assistant at your beck and call, helping you create polished pages with minimal effort. For teams, the custom user roles feature enables smooth collaboration, ensuring everyone has the right level of access and input.

Sprocket Rocket also makes maintaining brand consistency easier. The tool’s custom theme previews allow you to see how your design choices will look across your entire site.

For those who love efficiency, the ability to save and reuse custom layouts is a godsend. And if you need something truly unique, Sprocket Rocket supports the integration of custom modules.

FREE GUIDE

Get The HubSpot Onboarding Guide.

Set your team up for success on HubSpot with frictionless onboarding. You’ll learn about:

Initial HubSpot setup
Lead management
Process automation
Success planning

Tool #2: Hotjar

We talked about the importance of optimizing and iterating your site pages—if you want to make the most of these efforts, you need a tool like Hotjar.

Hotjar is a heat mapping and user session recording tool that gives you a peek into how visitors interact with your site. You can use your Hotjar data to make better decisions about changes to your site that will help improve user experience and conversion rates.

But Hotjar continues beyond passive observation. It also includes tools for gathering active user feedback. You can create surveys, polls, and feedback widgets to ask your visitors about their experience directly. This combination of observed behavior and direct feedback is incredibly powerful for identifying usability issues and areas for improvement.

One of the best things about Hotjar is its seamless integration with HubSpot. So, instead of using multiple tools, you can improve your user experience analysis within the familiar HubSpot environment, making it easier to act on the insights you gain.

Tool #3: Canva

Another tool you might want to consider implementing when building a website on HubSpot — or any marketing assets at all — is Canva.

Let’s be clear, Canva i: no replacement for a professional graphic designer. However, if you don’t have the budget for a designer yet or just need a few ad-hoc assets, Canva can help you create some professional-looking graphics on a budget.

One of Canva's biggest strengths is its library of templates for various web design elements. Each Canva template is professionally designed and easily customizable, giving you a head start on creating quick, attractive visuals for your HubSpot site.

But Canva isn't just about templates. It also allows you to create custom images and graphics from scratch. Its drag-and-drop interface lets you combine elements, adjust colors, add text, and more. This flexibility means you can create graphics that match your brand identity and the specific needs of your HubSpot site.

One of the best parts of Canva is that it takes the stress off you and your team when it comes to licensing fonts, images, and icons. When you have a premium Canva subscription, you can use the stock photos, illustrations, and fonts in the application without worrying about licensing headaches.

Tool #4: Figma

Last but not least, if you’re creating a website on any site builder, including HubSpot, you need a collaborative design tool that helps you build incredible wireframes and other components before you take the design into HubSpot itself.

One of Figma's standout features is its collaborative nature. Multiple team members can work on the same design in real-time, making it perfect for agencies or in-house teams working on HubSpot projects. You can see each other's cursors moving around the canvas, leave comments, and even hop on a quick video call right within the tool. Basically, it's like Google Docs but for website design.

Figma's library of UI components and design systems is a major time-saver. You can create, save, and reuse elements across your HubSpot designs, ensuring consistency and speeding up your workflow. And speaking of consistency, Figma's version control and design history features mean you can track changes, revert if needed, and always know who did what.

When it comes to responsive design — a must for modern HubSpot sites — Figma has you covered. Its constraints and auto-layout features make it easy to create designs that look great on any device. You can quickly see how your design will adapt to different screen sizes, saving you headaches down the line.

Building a Website with HubSpot? We Can Help!

You've just taken a whirlwind tour of HubSpot website building, complete with insider tips and powerful tools to supercharge your digital presence. Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Don't sweat it — you're in the right place.

Let's face it: implementing HubSpot is no small feat. It's like being handed the keys to a sports car when you've only ever driven a bicycle. Sure, it's exciting, but there's a learning curve involved. And if you want to really make that engine purr (or, in this case, make those features sing), you might need a co-pilot.

That's where a HubSpot onboarding partner comes in. With the right partner, you can get personalized assistance, step-by-step guidance, and insider tips and tricks, getting your HubSpot account up and running in no time.

If you’re ready to maximize your HubSpot website build's ROI, schedule a chat with our team! We’ll discuss your goals and features to determine whether we’re the right onboarding partner for you.

Mallory is a Growth Marketer at Lean Labs, working with brands to ignite their growth engine through conceptualizing, implementing, and optimizing growth marketing strategies.

12 Min Read

HubSpot

Sep 03, 2024