If you’re using HubSpot for your business, you’ve probably come across the term “marketing contacts.” But what exactly does that mean, and why is it important?
Understanding HubSpot marketing contacts is crucial for managing your database efficiently, optimizing your marketing spend, and ensuring your campaigns reach the right people, without overpaying.
In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about marketing contacts in HubSpot, including how they work, how to manage them, and how to avoid common pitfalls.
What Are HubSpot Marketing Contacts?
In HubSpot, not all contacts are created equal. There are two types of contacts:
- Marketing Contacts: These are people you plan to engage through HubSpot’s marketing tools, such as email campaigns, ad audiences, and workflows.
- Non-Marketing Contacts: These exist in your CRM but won’t be included in your marketing efforts. You won’t be charged for them under your Marketing Hub plan.
This unique setup enables businesses to store their entire database in one place without incurring charges for contacts they don’t actively market to.
For example, someone who’s purchased from you and is now inactive could remain a non-marketing contact. On the other hand, a new lead who downloads your eBook should be marked as a marketing contact so they can receive follow-up emails and be added to workflows.
Why Marketing Contacts Matter in HubSpot
HubSpot’s Marketing Hub pricing is based on the number of marketing contacts you have. This is different from many other platforms that charge for all contacts in your database.
Here’s why this distinction matters:
- Cost Control: You only pay for contacts you market to.
- Improved Segmentation: Focus your campaigns on active, qualified leads.
- Compliance & Consent: Helps you respect user preferences (like GDPR opt-outs).
- Scalability: Keep historical data in your CRM without it inflating your costs.
In short, HubSpot marketing contacts give you more control and flexibility in how you grow your marketing efforts.
How to Set or Change Marketing Contact Status
HubSpot gives you several ways to assign or change the marketing status of a contact:
1. During Import
When importing a list of contacts (CSV or Excel), you can specify whether they should be set as marketing or non-marketing contacts.
2. In Workflows
Using HubSpot’s automation tools, you can create workflows that automatically mark a contact as “marketing” once they meet specific criteria, like submitting a form or booking a meeting.
3. Manually in the Contact Record
You can open an individual contact and change their status manually.
4. Via API or Integrations
If you’re syncing contacts from another CRM or tool, you can control marketing status via API parameters or integration settings.
Tip: Set up a monthly or quarterly audit to ensure your contact statuses are up to date.
Best Practices for Managing HubSpot Marketing Contacts
To make the most of HubSpot’s pricing model, it’s essential to manage your contacts strategically. Here are some tips:
- Segment Wisely: Use lifecycle stages (Lead, MQL, Customer) to determine who should be a marketing contact.
- Automate Status Updates: Use workflows to upgrade contacts from non-marketing to marketing once they take an action.
- Clean Your List: Remove or downgrade inactive or bounced emails.
- Use Suppression Lists: These help you avoid emailing unengaged contacts and reduce the chance of being marked as spam.
With a little planning, you can maximize the value of every marketing contact.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
While managing HubSpot marketing contacts, businesses often make costly errors. Here are a few to watch for:
| Mistake | Why It’s a Problem | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| Marking too many contacts as marketing | Increases your HubSpot bill unnecessarily | Only mark engaged or qualified contacts |
| Forgetting to update the status before the billing cycle | You’ll be billed for more contacts than necessary | Schedule regular audits |
| Ignoring non-marketing contacts | Missed opportunities for re-engagement or upsell | Forgetting to update status before the billing cycle |
FAQs: About HubSpot Marketing Contacts
Q: Can I change a contact’s status anytime?
A: You can change from non-marketing to marketing at any time. However, downgrading from marketing to non-marketing is only allowed before the start of your next billing cycle.
Q: What happens if I exceed my marketing contact limit?
A: HubSpot will automatically upgrade your subscription tier, and you’ll be charged based on the new number of marketing contacts.
Q: Are non-marketing contacts included in reports?
A: Yes, they are visible in CRM reports but not included in marketing tool metrics like email opens or campaign performance.
Q: Do other Hubs charge for contacts?
A: No. Marketing Hub is the only Hub that uses contact tier pricing. Sales, Service, and CMS Hubs don’t charge based on contact volume.
Properly managing your HubSpot marketing contacts is one of the smartest ways to keep your marketing efficient and cost-effective. By segmenting your audience, automating status changes, and performing regular audits, you can ensure your marketing budget is going toward real, engaged leads, not inactive or irrelevant contacts.