HubSpot vs Marketo: Which Is Best for Your B2B Marketing?

Marketo has long been a staple for many businesses’ marketing needs, however, the continued advancements of HubSpot has prompted companies to reevaluate their preferences when it comes to choosing marketing technology solutions.

This comprehensive guide delves into the reasons why HubSpot is positioned as the superior choice over Marketo, offering crucial insights and strategies for a seamless migration process.

What Is the Difference between HubSpot and Marketo?

The History of the Marketo-HubSpot Rivalry

The rivalry between HubSpot and Marketo has been a significant chapter in the history of marketing technology. These two platforms have competed for dominance, with each offering unique strengths tailored to different marketing needs.

Marketo, which emerged in 2006, quickly became known for its powerful automation features, making it a favorite among enterprises requiring sophisticated campaign management. Meanwhile, HubSpot, founded in the same year, revolutionized the industry with its inbound marketing philosophy, drawing businesses looking for an all-in-one solution to attract, engage, and delight customers.

The competition has pushed both platforms to innovate continuously, but recent trends suggest that HubSpot is gaining the upper hand, especially among digital marketers who prioritize ease of use, comprehensive tools, and an integrated ecosystem for their marketing strategies.

Understanding the Need for a Comprehensive Comparison Between Platforms

Choosing the right marketing technology is not just about selecting a tool; it’s about picking a partner that aligns with your digital marketing strategy and goals. The decision between HubSpot and Marketo affects not only the efficiency of marketing operations but also the potential to drive revenue and growth.

A comprehensive comparison is essential because it helps to uncover how each platform can meet the specific challenges faced by businesses in a digital landscape that is constantly changing. Factors like user experience, integration with other tools, scalability, support, and overall return on investment are critical components in this evaluation. Marketers need to understand the variations between the two platforms to make an informed decision that will empower their teams and provide a solid foundation for their marketing initiatives now and in the future.

HubSpot vs Marketo: Crucial Platform Features

While both Marketo and HubSpot are comparable in terms of SEO tools, overall campaign performance reporting, revenue attribution reporting, A/B email testing, and basic content analytics, the two platforms also differ significantly. Learn how HubSpot vs Marketo compare in terms of important features and characteristics, including live chat, analytical tools, content creation tools, and more.

Website & Content Creation

A marketing automation tool can be extremely helpful in creating a website without needing to hire a development team. HubSpot offers tools that allow you to easily create a variety of customized pages for your website, including:

• Web pages, including the home page
• Landing pages
• Blog listing page
• Individual blog posts

Marketo, on the other hand, only allows you to create landing pages, limiting what you can do with your website without hiring someone with extensive website development experience.

Analytics

When it comes to analytic reports, both Marketo and HubSpot offer helpful insights. Marketo offers a variety of reporting metrics, including revenue reporting, high-level engagement analytics, and contact analytics. However, Marketo’s reporting needs to be set up manually, costing your business a large amount of time.

HubSpot keeps all of your analytics in one place with no manual integration required. This makes it easy for anyone in your company to access important data and interpret it. Additionally, since the data is all in one place, every customer interaction can be connected to revenue, allowing you to make strategic business decisions effectively.

Live Chat

HubSpot offers a live chat feature that can be used to create a better customer experience for prospects that visit your website. A live chat feature is possible using Marketo too, however, additional software is required to implement this feature. Today, live chat is the preferred method of customer support for those visiting your website, making it a crucial feature to have in order to create a seamless experience for website visitors and leave a more positive impression on your brand.

Mobile Optimization

With HubSpot, it’s easy to create a website that is optimized for mobile as well as desktop. This feature is built into HubSpot and can be easily set up using a module without needing extensive website development knowledge. Marketo, on the other hand, requires a custom code to make your website mobile-friendly. This means you may need to hire an expert to do this, resulting in additional costs for your business.

Email Automation

Marketo has certain email automation features, including sending emails. However, Marketo needs to be integrated with your CMS, CRM, and other similar tools in order to optimize your efforts. What’s more, these integrations need codes in order to set them up, which can take dedicated time and effort from your business.

With HubSpot, you are provided with an all-in-one marketing automation tool that does not require coding capabilities, which includes email, CRM, content creation and more. This means that you can create a holistic campaign that includes automated emails in order to effectively nurture and generate leads.

Sales and Marketing Collaborative Ability

When it comes to collaboration abilities, Marketo falls short. While Marketo gives your company the ability to integrate your CRM system and sales tools, both your sales and marketing teams are using different systems and interfaces, meaning they aren’t seeing the same information in real-time.

HubSpot offers seamless collaboration across different departments in your company. This is because AMB tools are accessible by both the Sales and Marketing teams. All teams can view account progress and can share account details through integrations with Slack or other communication tools. A cohesive sales and marketing team is important because it creates a sound, aligned business strategy that is designed to result in optimal growth and lead generation.

Social Media Monitoring and Publishing

HubSpot offers social media monitoring and publishing that allows you to not only post social media posts to your social platforms but also schedule posts ahead of time and monitor the engagement, clicks, and impressions for each post. These analytics help your business decide what types of content your audience is most receptive to, as well as the times your audience is most active with your account. Marketo does not offer this feature.

Form Creation

Both HubSpot and Marketo offer form creation on their platforms, including forms that can be integrated into landing pages. However, unlike Marketo, HubSpot also has popup forms available. Popup forms are beneficial to converting prospects into leads. This is because popup forms demand attention – a customer on the fence may be more likely to pass up on a regular form.

Competitor Tracking

HubSpot’s competitor tracking allows you to continuously monitor competitor’s top social posts, showing you reports on engagement for each post. If the post is suspected of having been boosted, it will state so under the post. With this information, your company can create similar posts to attract similar audiences. Marketo, on the other hand, does not have competitor tracking and requires additional software.

Paid Social Ads

With HubSpot, businesses can create paid social ads and analyze how they perform directly via the platform. By offering paid ad creation capabilities, HubSpot continues to simplify marketing efforts for businesses by keeping these marketing tools and analytics in one place. Marketo does not have this ability.

Native Video Hosting

Today, many people prefer watching videos to reading blogs since it requires less effort and tends to be more engaging. Unlike Marketo, HubSpot offers native video hosting within the app. Video can be added to landing pages, website pages, emails, and more. By using HubSpot video tool, your business has the opportunity to add a personalized touch when communicating with leads and prospects. What’s more, it also allows you to create measurable, actionable video campaigns directly through the HubSpot platform.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

HubSpot provides its own CRM that is built into the platform. HubSpot also has integrations with popular systems, including Salesforce, SugarCRM, Zoho, Microsoft Dynamics, and others.

Marketo also offers integrations with Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and other systems. However, Marketo does not have a built-in CRM like HubSpot does. This built-in CRM can make a large difference because it creates a simpler, more streamlined experience for everyone on your marketing or sales team.

Why We Recommend Hubspot over Marketo

Better User Experience

HubSpot’s interface is straightforward and user-friendly, making it easy for marketers of all skill levels to navigate. Tasks are simple to accomplish with just a few clicks, and the platform integrates seamlessly across its content management, customer relationship management, and analytics features. This ease of use saves time on training, allowing teams to focus on effective digital marketing strategies.

In comparison, Marketo’s interface can be overwhelming, especially for newcomers. Its numerous features and customization options require significant time to learn and may slow down campaign execution. While Marketo is suited for complex enterprise needs, it may not be the best choice for businesses seeking a more accessible marketing solution.

Superior Integration Ecosystem in HubSpot

HubSpot boasts an extensive integration ecosystem, allowing users to seamlessly connect various tools and services for a streamlined marketing workflow. It integrates with leading software across CRM, social media, email, and analytics, providing marketers with the flexibility to leverage top-notch solutions while centralizing their activities. Setting up integrations is user-friendly, requiring minimal IT support, and the App Marketplace offers hundreds of certified integrations, reflecting HubSpot’s commitment to connectivity. This ease of integration makes HubSpot a preferred choice for digital marketers seeking a comprehensive solution adaptable to diverse technology needs.

In contrast, Marketo’s integration ecosystem, though robust, presents challenges. Users may encounter a more complex integration process, potentially requiring additional technical resources. While Marketo supports various integrations, they can be more limited, leaving gaps in a marketer’s tech stack. Some integrations may not be deeply embedded, leading to sync issues or delays in data transfer. These challenges can hinder marketing teams, necessitating workarounds and compromising the user experience. For businesses relying on a wide range of tools, these limitations make Marketo less appealing

Pricing and Value

HubSpot’s value proposition lies in its comprehensive suite of tools covering digital marketing, sales, and customer service, all within a scalable pricing structure suitable for businesses of all sizes. Customers can start with basic features and expand as needed without unexpected costs, thanks to transparent pricing. Additionally, HubSpot provides educational resources through its Academy, knowledge base, and user forums, empowering users to maximize the platform’s effectiveness and stay updated on marketing best practices.

Marketo’s pricing structure can be less transparent, with costs escalating as additional features are required. While Marketo offers powerful automation and customization, these come at a premium, potentially limiting access for smaller businesses with budget constraints. The tiered pricing model may also be complex, making long-term investment predictions challenging. Moreover, some essential features may only be available on higher-tier plans, prompting businesses to upgrade to access necessary tools. While Marketo suits large enterprises with complex needs, its pricing complexity may deter those seeking straightforward costs and inclusive packages.

Migrating from Marketo to HubSpot: A Smooth Transition

Potential Obstacles During Marketo to HubSpot Migration

Migrating from Marketo to HubSpot can present several challenges. Data transfer is a primary concern, as businesses need to ensure that no critical information is lost during the migration. This includes customer data, campaign histories, and analytics, which require careful mapping from one platform to the other.

Another obstacle is the potential downtime that could affect ongoing marketing activities. It’s crucial to plan the migration in a way that minimizes impact on day-to-day operations. Additionally, teams may face a learning curve as they adapt to HubSpot’s interface and tools.

The difference in features and functionality between the two platforms might also mean that certain processes need to be reconfigured to fit within HubSpot’s ecosystem. Identifying these potential obstacles early in the planning stages of migration is critical for a successful transition to HubSpot.

Overcoming the Migration Hurdles: Proven Strategies

To overcome migration challenges, it’s essential to have a well-thought-out plan:

• Conduct a comprehensive audit of your Marketo assets to identify items requiring migration.
• Prioritize and segment data to ensure a seamless transfer while enhancing data quality through database cleaning.
• Schedule migration during low-traffic periods to minimize downtime and notify stakeholders to anticipate temporary disruptions.
• Provide team training and utilize HubSpot’s educational resources for rapid familiarization with the new platform.
• Explore specialized migration services or tools for a smoother transition.
• Establish a pilot program to test the new system, allowing early issue identification and adjustment before full implementation.

Navigating the complexities of migration requires meticulous planning and execution. With a well-prepared strategy in place, organizations can streamline the migration process, minimize disruptions, and optimize the benefits of adopting the new system.

Why Marketo Falls Short on Current Marketing Technology Needs

Marketo has been a significant player in the marketing technology arena, but it struggles to meet the evolving needs of today’s digital marketers. Its complex interface and steep learning curve can stifle the agility that businesses need to respond to rapid changes in the digital landscape.

In terms of integration, Marketo’s ecosystem can be restrictive, not offering the breadth of connectivity that modern marketing strategies require. While it remains a powerful tool for enterprise-level marketing automation, its value proposition is less clear for smaller businesses or those that prioritize ease of use and cost efficiency.

HubSpot’s content management system and robust blogging tools make it much easier to create, optimize, and promote content marketing campaigns compared to Marketo.” – Alex Birkett, Growth Marketing Consultant  

As the demand for comprehensive, user-friendly, and integrated marketing solutions increases, Marketo’s limitations become more apparent. HubSpot’s ascendancy is a response to this shift, reflecting the industry’s move towards platforms that facilitate not just more effective marketing, but also a better overall user experience.

The Final Verdict: HubSpot vs. Marketo

HubSpot represents the next step in the evolution of digital marketing platforms. With its user-friendly interface, comprehensive integration capabilities, and a scalable pricing model, HubSpot is well-suited for businesses of all sizes looking to grow and adapt in the digital age. It empowers organizations to streamline their marketing efforts, sales processes, and customer service, providing a unified experience that drives results.

As the digital marketing landscape becomes more complex, HubSpot’s all-in-one platform simplifies the execution of integrated marketing strategies. It enables marketers to focus on what matters most—creating meaningful engagements with their audience and driving sustainable growth. HubSpot’s commitment to continuous improvement and its forward-thinking approach make it a leader in the industry, ushering in a new era of marketing technology solutions.

Choose OneIMS for Your HubSpot Migration

Transitioning from Marketo to HubSpot can be a daunting process given the myriad of challenges that can arise during this migration. However, with the right support, you can overcome these hurdles smoothly and efficiently. This is where OneIMS steps in.

As your digital marketing partner, OneIMS can provide the expertise, resources, and support necessary to facilitate this critical transition. With our deep understanding of both Marketo and HubSpot, we can guide you through the migration process ensuring minimal downtime and maximum efficiency.

We have partnered with OneIMS for the last 10 years to not only build and manage our website but also to support our SEO and inbound marketing initiatives. They do great work in addition to being easy to work with and always bring new ideas to the table. I would recommend them to everyone looking to improve their web presence and demand generation efforts.” – Greg Henry, CEO, DecisionPoint Systems, Inc.

Our team will ensure that your valuable data is transferred carefully, and the unique processes and workflows you’ve implemented in Marketo are adapted to fit seamlessly within HubSpot’s diverse ecosystem. Additionally, we provide comprehensive training and support to help your team quickly adapt to the new platform.

But our support doesn’t end at the migration. OneIMS is committed to helping you leverage HubSpot’s capabilities to its fullest extent. Whether it’s developing integrated marketing strategies to attract and retain customers, optimizing your lead nurturing processes, or leveraging data analytics to drive growth, we’ve got you covered.

As a result, with OneIMS, you’re not just getting a migration service, but a strategic partner that can help you scale and consistently meet your revenue goals. We believe in the power of HubSpot’s integrated marketing solutions and are committed to helping you unlock its full potential.

To get started on your HubSpot journey, visit here to schedule a call with a member of our OneIMS team today.