3 Big HubSpot Mistakes Even the Pros Need to Stop Making

Learning HubSpot can be overwhelming.

I know, I’ve been there -- but believe it or not, even experienced HubSpotters sometimes realize that they aren’t using parts of the platform correctly.

If you’re brand new to HubSpot, you might want to check out an article I recently wrote on beginning your HubSpotting journey. 

It’s a brief overview of the major components of the platform that will get you acquainted with some of its most important uses and features.

If you’re already using the platform however, whether for it’s been for a day or for years, it’s time to take your HubSpotting to the next level.

When I started working in the HubSpot platform, I would often complete a task and get feedback that went something like:

“Hey Carina, make sure when you’re doing [this thing in HubSpot]. Don’t do [this thing that will ruin everything].”

And that’s usually how it goes for everyone.

There are so many awesome tools and features in HubSpot that it takes a while to figure out how to do it all right, but since I like you, I want to share with you three of the biggest mistakes that new (and even some experienced!) HubSpotters can make.

1. Not Utilizing <Source Code>

If you just rolled your eyes reading that heading, then I’m talking to YOU. The one who says “I don’t code” or “I’m not a developer.”

Well, I have news for you: You can code!

When I first started working at IMPACT, I was just like you. I was so intimidated by code, I was afraid to click the “<>” button in the blog editor thinking I would break something and have to redo everything.

I think there’s a general myth that HTML and CSS are for the devs, and us marketers just don’t go there, but don’t believe it!

The Fix

Basic code is one of the most valuable skills anyone in digital marketing can have.

Thanks to encouragement from my mentor, Derrick D-money Weiss, I took free basic HTML and CSS course from Codecademy and it was one of the best things I could’ve done.

It’s an incredibly simple and straightforward course that is structured so that every average Joe and Jane can digest it quickly and easily.

Knowing the very basics of HTML will give you the ability to troubleshoot and fix basic issues on your webpages without bothering your developer.

Can’t figure out why your bulleted list isn’t aligned the way you want it? You’ll be able to go in and fix it in a matter of seconds. Want to change the color of certain words or change the formatting on a table? I’m telling you, seconds!

The few hours I’ve spent doing the basic HTML and CSS course have saved me countless hours editing and troubleshooting blogs, webpages, and more -- and guaranteed, it will be one of the most utilized tools in your HubSpotting toolbox .

2. Not Publishing Changes You Make

This seems simple (and it is), but it’s so important that I just had to include it.

If you’ve done a lot of blogging or page editing in HubSpot you probably know what I’m talking about. You spend hours making changes, but somehow they never go live.

Changes not getting published is typically the result of one of two things: You only “Save” the changes and never actually “Publish” them, or the changes are never published because of a miscommunication in the approval process.

This first is a common mistake because of how you initially create pages. Before page is published, you click the “Save” button to make sure everything you’ve done gets saved, and then you hit Publish when it’s ready to go live.

It’s tempting when you then go to make changes to that page to just hit the “Save” button instead of the “Update” button, but your changes won’t publish to the live page unless you click “Update.”

You already know the fix for this now - just click “Update” instead of “Save, ” but now for the other reason changes don’t get published.

Often times edits made to any page of your website have to go through an approval process beyond just you.

If this is the case, you probably make your edits in HubSpot, leave them unpublished, and then share the preview link with those that need to approve it.

This process works great in theory, but often times communication breaks down somewhere in the process, and the changes never get published.

The Fix

The solution for this common mistake is also simple - make sure there are steps in place in the approval process that will eliminate the oversight.

Designating one person on the team as the owner of the updates is a great way to make sure that whenever the updated page is approved it gets published immediately.

Which teammate you designate as responsible is not important - just as long as someone has ownership.

3. Not Utilizing HubSpot’s Resources

This one’s a biggie.

Utilizing HubSpot’s resources is single biggest thing you can do to become a HubSpot ninja and eliminate mistakes.

Many people, for example, take the HubSpot Marketing Software certification and stop there. This certification is great (and if you haven’t taken the course - do it now!), but just taking the course isn’t enough to really own the platform.

Here’s why: you’ll learn a ton when you get the Marketing Software certification, but how much of it will you actually retain?

Many people (myself included) miss or forget valuable information because the course is like drinking out of a fire hydrant. There’s also more to HubSpot than what is covered in the certification, and they are always coming out with updates and new features.

If you’ve gotten the Marketing Software certification but have never gone back to the course or used other HubSpot resources, you’re more than likely not using the platform as efficiently or effectively as you could be.

The Fix

The first fix is to start utilizing and referencing the immense amount of resources that are available to you.

Are you creating a landing page? Instead of thinking, I’ve done this before, I don’t need help, go back and reference the HubSpot tutorials on creating an effective landing page.

Another way to utilize the resources that are available to you are to take HubSpot’s other certification courses. The more you are able to understand and master the inbound methodology, the better you will be at whatever aspect of marketing you are responsible for.

It’s easy and tempting to get comfortable in the role you are in. Whether you are designing, developing, or implementing marketing strategies, it is always important to find areas to improve, and HubSpot has an incredible amount of resources that make that easy.

Some of the resources that I’ve found most useful are:

• HubSpot’s Inbound Certification - a great resource to go back to again and again to keep your inbound foundation strong
• The HubSpot Academy Blog - some of the most helpful HubSpotting articles I’ve found are on the HubSpot Academy Blog. Their Support Series in particular answers commonly asked questions and helps users solve common problems.
• Because INBOUND is less than a month away (YAY!) - You can view the slide decks from ALL of the speakers on the INBOUND Slideshare to get valuable insights from a ton of great marketers and influencers.
• The IMPACT Blog -- As a HubSpot Elite partner, we’re neck deep in this software every day and our articles are chock full of valuable tutorials, tips, and tricks to show you how to use it the right way.

Just for fun, I asked some IMPACTers what mistakes they’ve made in HubSpot that they don’t want others to make. Here’s what they said:

Derrick Weiss (Inbound Marketing Consultant) - “ Not having blog email notifications on !”

Vin Gaeta (Creative Director) - “ Not removing No-index No-follow when launching website pages. ”

Kyle Bento (Growth Strategist) - “ Not tracking full lifecycles. ”

Kaitlyn Petro (Inbound Marketing Consultant) - “ Not using the source code to input content, resulting in spans x100.” (Great minds think alike!)

Tim Ostheimer (Sr. Front-End Developer) - “Forgetting to add the HubSpot tracking code (if HubSpot isn't hosting your site).”

What mistakes have you made using HubSpot that you wish someone had told you about when you started? Share them in the comments section below!