Step-by-step guide: Migration process from Keap to HubSpot

This guide details each step required for a smooth, controlled migration, so your organisation can fully leverage HubSpot’s connected capabilities.

Step 1: Planning and assessment

Review your current Keap setup: Audit all campaigns, email templates, forms, automation sequences, contact records, reports, and third-party integrations. Identify essential assets and data structures to be transferred to HubSpot.

Define migration objectives: Clarify your primary goals for adopting HubSpot—whether that’s enhanced customer insights, sophisticated automation, advanced segmentation, or richer reporting and analytics.

Build a project timeline: Break down your migration into stages with defined milestones, allowing adequate time for troubleshooting and detailed testing.

Step 2: Export data from Keap

Contacts and customer data: Export all contact and subscriber data from Keap—including custom fields, tags, and communication preferences—to ensure complete data transfer.

Segmentation and custom fields: Extract all lists, segmented groups, and personalised fields that will need to be rebuilt within HubSpot.

Asset export: Download key marketing assets such as email templates and lead capture forms for redevelopment in HubSpot.

Automations and campaigns: Document existing automation workflows, triggers, and communication sequences since these will require adaptation in HubSpot.

Step 3: Configure your HubSpot account

Prepare your HubSpot portal: Validate that your HubSpot subscription (such as Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise) aligns with your requirements and is ready for setup.

Custom property mapping: Create custom properties in HubSpot to accurately reflect your existing Keap data model, supporting seamless data import.

Integration mapping: Catalogue all current integrations with Keap—like e-commerce platforms, event management tools, and analytics—to plan corresponding HubSpot integrations.

Step 4: Data migration

Import contacts and lists: Import your exported contact records and segmented lists to HubSpot, using precise field mapping to preserve data quality.

Test sample imports: Run a small-scale import first to validate field alignment and resolve any format issues.

Quality review: Once import is complete, verify for completeness, accuracy, and absence of duplicates in your data.

Step 5: Asset recreation in HubSpot

Email marketing: Rebuild your core Keap email templates using HubSpot’s drag-and-drop or custom HTML editor, maintaining brand standards.

Forms and landing pages: Recreate your lead capture forms and landing pages in HubSpot, optimising for both design and functionality.

Automations and workflows: Translate Keap automations into HubSpot workflows, configuring triggers, actions, and logic to match original sequences.

Functional testing: Run comprehensive tests on each workflow to confirm expected behaviour and uninterrupted lead journeys.

Step 6: Reporting & analytics

Rebuild dashboards: Create reports and dashboards in HubSpot to continue monitoring your key performance metrics.

KPI alignment: Set up tracking for your established objectives and ensure they align with prior Keap benchmarks.

Step 7: Lead scoring & segmentation

Lead scoring: Adapt your Keap lead scoring and qualification processes to HubSpot’s lead scoring system for consistent sales handover.

Smart lists and segments: Configure dynamic lists in HubSpot based on behavioural and data-driven segmentation for targeted marketing and reporting.

Step 8: Integrations

HubSpot CRM connectivity: Connect your CRM and essential marketing tools to HubSpot, ensuring real-time and secure data synchronisation.

Additional integrations: Integrate remaining platforms—such as social media, webinar, and transaction systems—to unify your Martech stack.

Step 9: System & user testing

Process review: Test all automations, communications, and business process flows extensively to confirm performance and reliability.

Data synchronisation: Validate cross-platform data syncing and address any discrepancies.

Stakeholder validation: Involve relevant team members to test daily workflows and confirm operational readiness before launch.

Step 10: Team training

Onboard your teams: Deliver HubSpot training focused on key features, updated processes, and role-specific workflows for marketing, sales, and administration.

Process orientation: Clearly communicate changes in day-to-day activities and workflows moving from Keap to HubSpot to support user confidence and effective adoption.

Step 11: Cutover & go live

Final data sync: Run a last data update to capture any information changes since migration started.

Switch to HubSpot: Activate HubSpot-based campaigns, forms, and automations, and decommission Keap for your marketing execution.

Performance monitoring: Closely monitor campaign and workflow activity in the early stages and address any performance issues promptly.

Step 12: Continuous optimisation

Track and refine: Utilise HubSpot analytics to monitor campaign outcomes and refine strategies based on real-time insights.

Ongoing improvements: Continuously optimise automations, scoring models, and segmentation as your team builds expertise on HubSpot.

Continued support: For ongoing questions or technical needs, connect with Pixel Lab for dedicated HubSpot support throughout your digital transformation journey.