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

Migrating from Pardot to HubSpot can present challenges, but the move allows your business to harness HubSpot’s robust marketing, automation, and reporting capabilities. This guide provides a clear, practical roadmap to drive a confident transition.

Step 1: Planning and assessment

Evaluate current Pardot setup: Review your campaigns, assets (emails, landing pages, forms), automation rules, prospect lists, reports, and all platform integrations. Identify everything that needs migrating to HubSpot.

Set clear goals: Define the outcomes you expect from this migration—such as improved analytics, smarter segmentation, or streamlined processes.

Create a timeline: Plan how long each migration phase will take, including contingency for troubleshooting and user testing.

Step 2: Export data from Pardot

Leads/prospects export: Export your lead and contact records from Pardot in CSV or Excel format, ensuring all essential fields, tags, and segmentation criteria are included.

Custom fields export: Record and export all custom fields used for segmentation, personalization, or scoring.

Email templates, landing pages, forms: Gather all current operational templates and assets for future rebuilding.

Automation & Engagement Programs: Document and export your active Engagement Studio programs, automations, and dynamic lists for reference.

Step 3: Set up your HubSpot account

Create or review your HubSpot setup: Verify your HubSpot portal is ready—consider upgrades to Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise if needed.

Custom properties: Set up custom properties in HubSpot to accurately mirror your fields from Pardot, preserving data integrity and workflows.

Integrations: Connect third-party tools such as your CRM (e.g., Salesforce), social media platforms, webinar software, or analytics tools in advance.

Step 4: Data migration

Import contacts into HubSpot: Bring over all exported Pardot contacts and leads, ensuring fields and properties are mapped accurately in HubSpot.

Test the import: Start with a data sample to confirm mapping is correct before importing at full scale.

Review data quality: Check the imported data for accuracy, completeness, formatting, and possible duplicates.

Step 5: Rebuild assets in HubSpot

Recreate email templates: Use HubSpot’s drag-and-drop editor or custom HTML to recreate Pardot-style emails, matching design and functionality.

Rebuild landing pages and forms: Leverage HubSpot’s tools to recreate landing pages and capture forms in line with your original Pardot assets.

Set up workflows and automation: Rebuild key nurture journeys, autoresponders, and automations previously managed in Pardot using HubSpot workflows.

Test automation: Validate that all triggers and processes perform as intended and that leads flow correctly through your funnel.

Step 6: Recreate reporting & analytics

Reproduce reporting: Rebuild dashboards and essential reports in HubSpot, ensuring all performance metrics from Pardot are reliably tracked.

Configure goals and KPIs: Re-establish your KPIs and tracking within HubSpot’s reporting suite for continuous measurement and insights.

Step 7: Set up lead scoring & segmentation

Lead scoring: Translate your Pardot scoring models into HubSpot to keep lead prioritisation accurate and actionable.

List segmentation: Build dynamic lists and segments within HubSpot based on behavioural, demographic, and engagement data.

Step 8: Integrate HubSpot with other tools

CRM integration: If you use HubSpot CRM, connect it for unified data and campaign management. For external CRMs, validate integration and syncing.

Other platforms: Re-link all required tools—such as social media management, webinars, and e-commerce platforms—to HubSpot’s ecosystem.

Step 9: Test everything

Workflow testing: Make sure every workflow, campaign, form, and landing page functions as expected from first touch to conversion.

Review data sync: Validate that information flows between HubSpot, your CRM, and integrations seamlessly.

User acceptance testing: Engage your marketing and sales teams in UAT, ensuring the new HubSpot operations match their requirements.

Step 10: Train your team

HubSpot onboarding: Deliver targeted training on HubSpot features—particularly email, automation, reporting, and CRM—to ensure user proficiency.

Highlight new processes: Clarify differences between Pardot and HubSpot, and document updated operational flows for easy adoption.

Step 11: Go live

Final data transfer: Perform a last data import/update if new records were added in Pardot during the migration phase.

Switch over: Move all campaigns and operational processes to HubSpot, pausing activity in Pardot and directing leads/marketing actions into HubSpot.

Monitor performance: Closely monitor post-migration activity in HubSpot, resolving anomalies or snags quickly to maintain momentum.

Step 12: Ongoing optimisation

Optimise campaign performance: Use HubSpot’s analytics to analyse and enhance your marketing campaigns regularly.

Continuous improvement: Review and refine workflows, reports, and scoring models as your team deepens its understanding of HubSpot.

Support as you need it: If questions or issues arise, reach out to Pixel Lab’s expert HubSpot support for ongoing guidance and optimisation.