Hubspot.com Review

Written by: sherisaid • Edited by: Ronda Roberts
Updated Jun 23, 2010 • Related Guides: Search Engine | Marketing | Search Engine Optimization

Hubspot.com represents the latest shift in thinking, a marketing approach that lays claim to attracting potential buyers to the product page, rather than the other way around. Using social media and search engine optimization to drive web traffic is the hottest marketing technique on the market.

A new approach to marketing

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As the web has evolved, marketing on the web has been forced to evolve as well. What began with in-your-face aggression, ruthless email spam, page upon page of flashing banners begging for clicks and outright deception has turned into something more targeted, less scattershot and more subtle. Web surfers are looking for more than advertising; they want information, entertainment and trust. Companies that deliver the information customers want get their business, but no matter how well information is presented, potential clients need to know it's there. That's where SEO comes in.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) have become watchwords for the massive online marketing industry. Hubspot.com offers the expertise behind the concept without the big price tags that typify SEO services. The only point of SEO is to get your web site to the top of the search pages. What Hubspot.com offers is the tools and analysis to do just that, at a relative bargain basement price, $500 setup and $250 per month.

Image Credit: Hubspot.com Logo from Website

What Hubspot offers.
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A Hubspot web site is a full-featured Content Management System (CMS) designed as a turnkey solution for easy use by small to medium businesses, giving them a way to manage their own web sites for a small amount of money with a less-than-technical staff. Features include tools to upload documents that hold search engine romance and draw traffic, like white papers, surveys and press releases. In addition, easy to understand reports tell the business owner what's working so they can track traffic and manage marketing campaigns. The clear advantage to using a Hubspot web solution is a far better return on money spent to gain new business and communicate with existing customers.

The bad news.
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Hubspot.com offers extensive documentation, plenty of interaction, and even human contact, but they do not hold your hand. You have to build and maintain your own web site, and you are expected to market using the tools. It's not automatic, and will only return on the level of work put in. There's a learning curve and marketing will still require constant attention in order to produce.

Conclusion.

Hubspot.com fares well in a cost comparison to SEO services for hire, and head and shoulders over the cost of a traditional marketing campaign, but is labor intensive and there's a lot to learn. The virtue is really in the combination of integrated services. It makes perfect sense to attract traffic using social marketing and SEO, as opposed to sending your advertising out to the customer. Social networking is not difficult, but it can be time consuming. It takes dedication to find and hold an audience. If your content isn't fresh and interesting, your audience will lose interest. Developing those social marketing skills is in the best interest of a small web business owner, because advertising never ends.

Nic Windley | Business Development Consultant Dec 20, 2010 4:57 PM

conflicting views

Sherisaid,

I'm confused by your review and the comment you posted later. On the one hand you seem to grade Huspot from a marketing perspective and its bargain basement price and then on the other you say that you are learning more about marketing and want to avoid services that cost more than they are worth ?

Not sure what you are really saying, can you clarify please ?

greg Sep 10, 2010 2:53 PM

hubspot

We may sign up with Hubspot, appreciate the column and the comments.

Adam, you work for or own Rhinoseo it looks like, I think you should mention that. Not saying your not sincere but......

sherisaid Nov 7, 2009 6:24 AM

Hubspot

Thanks to both for you input. I try to avoid any service that costs more than its worth, and I'd be very interested in learning more about the marketing business. The only thing that impressed me about Hubspot was the integration, and rhinoseo.com sounds worth a look. thanks again!

Brad Percival Nov 6, 2009 10:19 PM

Hubspot Review

Hubspot is well not too hot. It is a tool set and not a solution to your marketing problems. All their tools have free counterparts that are better. Their CMS is not good at all.. They are merely a tool - there will be no effect on your bottom line unless you invest tons of hours. Stay away, stay away.

Adam Coburn Aug 19, 2009 11:44 PM

Hubspot Competitor

Hubspot is undoubtedly a great system. The problem I had was the fact that as a marketing person who needs the tools to use for several clients, the monthly price and demand of a year upfront pay put too much overhead into providing the service for my clients.

If you like Hubspot you should give rhinoseo.com a try. The tools are very similar to hubspot, but not as expensive and a marketing person has the ability to add multiple domains and ‘white label’ brand it

Hubspot.com Review

A new approach to marketing

What Hubspot offers.Rating

The bad news.Rating

Conclusion.

Comments

What Hubspot offers.
Rating

The bad news.
Rating