Many of my customers use WordPress when we first begin our engagement. I've tried and tried to do inbound marketing on WordPress, and it hasn't worked out for me yet. I spend more time dorking around with technology than actual marketing. On top of that, I don't get all of the functionality I need, and my efficiency and effectiveness decrease dramatically.
People think that WordPress is “free.” Yes, it is true that it doesn't have a subscription fee or anything like that. However, time is money. Would you rather spend money on implementing WordPress plug-ins and creating workarounds to make it sort of do what you want or on designing and implementing marketing campaigns that can actually drive business results?
If you want to do inbound marketing (meaning blogging, email marketing, social media, lead generation, and the like), we recommend our clients - large and small - migrate fully from WordPress to HubSpot. Here's why:
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Integrated CRM: Having the CRM as part of the website is a game-changer. No need for integrations and transferring data back and forth. And best of all, you get prospect intelligence that's impossible with a stand-alone CRM. You have a record of what web pages prospects visit, emails they open, what companies are visiting your website, and more. I really can't say enough about it. Well, unless you call me, then you probably won't be able to get me to shut up. LOL!
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Stability: WordPress updates aren't always compatible with older versions. Updates can cause plug-ins to break, which can lead to technology mayhem. You need a professional WordPress programmer to manage that stuff. (Which costs money too.)
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Relevance: HubSpot is one of the fastest-growing marketing companies in the industry, and they invest millions in research and development. I know that I'm working with a tool that will stay relevant as marketing and sales continue to morph in response to constantly changing buyer behavior.
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Availability: HubSpot support specialists are at the ready anytime you have a question. You have a company you can actually call and talk to, and that's responsible for maintaining the technology. For us, this is a huge time saver. We can talk to the pros vs. trying to figure it out ourselves.
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Reliability: Because it is designed by industry professionals, HubSpot is 100% reliable. Since WordPress is open source, anyone can program on it. So basically, no one is 'responsible' for making it work.
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Consistency: Not only can you call HubSpot directly for support, but there are also thousands of HubSpot partners (like us) that can jump in and help you with your system if you want to outsource the work. Based on my experience and many others I talk to, it can be tough to find timely, knowledgeable WordPress help. And if you have someone do custom programming on WordPress, it's challenging for someone else to come in and take over.
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Versatility: The upgraded HubSpot CMS is very flexible and can handle all of the functionality you need to create a website and run marketing campaigns. And more importantly, it has analytics that helps you measure results so you can make sure you're getting a positive return on your investment.
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Efficient: With HubSpot, your whole marketing system (website, email marketing, blogging, social publishing, analytics, workflows, service hub, CRM, and more) is in one place, which makes things much more efficient. There's also an integrated sales tool that makes it even easier to track sales and marketing ROI. WordPress requires plug-ins and integrations that take time to implement, learn and manage - and that still may leave functionality gaps.
People sometimes say, “but HubSpot is so expensive!” In reality, the price is competitive for similar systems in the industry. And when comparing to a tool like WordPress, think of it like driving across the country vs. flying. Driving may seem less expensive on the surface - but once you add up gas, hotels, food, and your time, it's much more costly. With the plane, you pay more up-front, but you have a direct path to your desired location. You get there faster and easier.
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