Automate and Accelerate

Designing an Inbound Marketing Website with HubSpot

Designing a HubSpot website can dramatically simplify your overall marketing efforts. The HubSpot Content Management System (CMS) completely integrates your website, blog and social networks.

HubSpot's CMS further provides the tools necessary to convert targeted traffic into leads, and allows you to nurture leads until they are ready to become customers.

The main advantage of using the HubSpot CMS is that it allows you to quickly and easily create and update information on your website, without the need for consulting your webmaster.

This provides your business the ability and agility to engage with prospects and customers in real-time, a critical component to effective customer outreach and marketing efforts in today's economy.

Note: Developing a website on the HubSpot CMS does requires an active HubSpot Inbound Marketing software subscription.

Before developing your new website, there are a few considerations that should be made to get best results. Following are 7 key considerations for designing your HubSpot website:

1. Determine Website Navigation and Layout HubSpot provides 5 CMS Templates to choose from when designing your website. The main difference between these templates is the navigation elements and their functionality
2. Home Page Design After you have selected a HubSpot CMS template, you will need to develop a Home page design that works within the constraints of the template. The key to a successful home page is to design it to communicate directly to your buyer personas. (A buyer persona is an archetype or portrait of the person you aim to reach)
3. Create Secondary Page Designs You will need to design secondary pages to complement the message portrayed on your home page. Also consider any HubSpot CMS template constraints, navigation elements and functionality with your website secondary pages
4. Blog Design Create a blog design that complements the theme of your website design, but differentiate the design enough that your audience is aware they are viewing your blog. Your business blog is a great way to create and showcase entertaining and educational content for your targeted audience. Here are 5 steps to create an editorial calendar for your business blog.
5. Identify Calls-to-Action (CTAs) Turning targeted website traffic into actual leads starts by understanding the needs, interests, and pain points of your buyer personas. Then, develop compelling offers for them. Showcase these compelling offers by creating a clear call-to-action for each offer, that quickly relays the value of the offer. Use colors that contrast with your website, so your CTAs stand out and are easily viewable. CTAs are message-driven and can use both text and graphics to showcase the messages. CTA design is another important variable to consider when designing your HubSpot website.
6. Landing Page Designs Landing pages are used as a filter to collect personal information about your website visitors. This information is provided by prospects in exchange for access to additional, helpful content. For example, you could offer a free ebook download, trial or consultation. Pay close attention to your conversion form, and ensure the form is visible and inviting.
   
7. Email Templates Email is a critical part of nurturing leads. It is imperative to consider an email template design that features your brand elements as well. For more information about email marketing, sign up for the upcoming Science of Email Marketing Webinar presented by Dan Zarrella.

While the HubSpot CMS will allow you to build your website yourself, it's likely that you could still end up with less than satisfactory results. Working with a Certified HubSpot Partner Agency that offers unique experience developing custom HubSpot CMS websites can help you achieve optimal website design results.

It's critical to work with a Web development firm that understands the inbound marketing methodology when designing your new website. While any qualified web design company can likely figure out how to build a HubSpot CMS website, they likely will not understand the process and value of inbound marketing's various and comprehensive components. 

Are you thinking about developing a HubSpot CMS website? Tell us what you love about the HubSpot CMS, or what may be holding you back in the comments section below.