The transition from Pardot to HubSpot is not merely a technical shift but a strategic decision that impacts how businesses handle marketing automation, CRM integration, and data management. While both tools serve similar purposes, HubSpot’s more integrated ecosystem and user-friendly interface have become a compelling reason for organizations to move away from the Salesforce-dependent framework of Pardot. The migration process is best approached with careful planning, thorough data management, and a clear understanding of how the various systems will interact during the transition.
The Reason Companies are Making the Switch
Pardot’s strengths lie in its seamless integration with Salesforce and its robust nurturing features. However, it often demands significant administrative support and technical assistance for maintenance. Many marketing teams experience delays due to the reliance on Salesforce administrators for even basic updates. In comparison, the Pardot to HubSpot Migration offers a more streamlined experience, as HubSpot is a self-sufficient platform that empowers marketers to independently create workflows, forms, campaigns, and track results without needing external technical support.
Flexibility is another key factor in the decision to switch. HubSpot provides more dynamic automation tools, enhanced visual reporting, and a fully integrated CRM. This integration removes the synchronization issues that often arise when trying to reconcile data between Pardot and Salesforce. Over time, the benefits—such as increased speed, ease of use, and lower maintenance—outweigh the initial investment in the migration process.
Planning the Migration
A successful migration begins with a comprehensive audit of your current Pardot instance. All lists, forms, templates, and automation workflows should be thoroughly examined and arranged. The goal is to determine what should be migrated, what needs updating, and what should be discarded. Migrating irrelevant or outdated data can complicate the process. Maintaining clean and consistent data is crucial, as any inconsistencies in Pardot will only become more pronounced in HubSpot. At this stage, it’s time to clean up: delete duplicates, fix formatting issues, and eliminate unqualified or inactive leads.
Once the audit is complete, the next step is to develop a data mapping strategy. Since HubSpot and Pardot store and manage data differently, direct field matches may not always be possible. Review all custom fields in Pardot and decide how they will be mapped in HubSpot. This step is critical for preserving data integrity and ensuring the smooth transfer of contacts, companies, and deal relationships.
Migrating Contacts and Data
The core of the Pardot to HubSpot migration is the transfer of contacts, leads, and related data. This process usually starts with exporting all Pardot contacts, prospects, lists, and activity data. It’s advisable to import the data into HubSpot in smaller batches rather than all at once. Begin by testing the field mappings and data accuracy with a sample dataset. Once the data import is validated, proceed with the full transfer to ensure a seamless migration.
Lead scoring is another area that cannot be directly migrated. Pardot and HubSpot have different lead scoring models, so you will need to reset the lead scoring system in HubSpot. Use this opportunity to refine your criteria for a qualified lead rather than simply replicating the old scoring methods.
While email engagement data such as open and click history may not fully transfer, HubSpot allows for the retention of key engagement metrics through summary fields or historical reports.
Re-establishing Marketing Resources
HubSpot and Pardot handle assets differently, especially regarding templates and design systems. Pardot assets are built using proprietary HTML templates that do not always translate well into clean code. Instead of copying these templates, recreate them in HubSpot. HubSpot’s drag-and-drop editor offers a mobile-responsive framework that simplifies both design and maintenance.
Forms must also be rebuilt. HubSpot offers additional integration opportunities, progressive profiling, and built-in analytics. You’ll need to manually transfer fields and actions from Pardot forms into HubSpot. Similarly, landing pages should be reconstructed in HubSpot, optimizing for enhanced conversions and updated design layouts. This is the perfect time to refresh outdated material and improve the user experience.
Testing and Launching
Testing should begin well before the final migration. To ensure data accuracy, start with a small sample of data to confirm that records, properties, and lists are correctly mapped. Once the automations and assets are recreated, perform end-to-end workflow testing to ensure triggers and actions function as expected. Test emails, form submissions, and lead flow through the sales funnel.
Be cautious with reporting. HubSpot’s campaign data is not recorded in the same way as Pardot’s, so initial reports may appear inconsistent. Compare the data across both platforms and adjust your dashboards to reflect HubSpot’s metrics. Prior to the final cutover, make sure your marketing and sales teams are well-informed about the timing of data synchronization to avoid confusion or overlap.
Post-Migration Work and Going Live
Once the migration is complete, schedule the final cutover during a slow marketing period. Always back up your Pardot data before proceeding. After the migration, closely monitor HubSpot for the first few weeks. Check email delivery, lead flow, form submissions, and CRM synchronization daily until everything is functioning smoothly.
Once you’re confident in the stability of your new system, focus on optimizing HubSpot. Adjust lead scoring models, optimize automation triggers, and update reporting filters. HubSpot’s features often simplify many processes, so take full advantage of its intuitive platform. Encourage your team to explore HubSpot Academy and documentation to learn new best practices.
Conclusion
After the transition is complete, most teams notice immediate improvements. HubSpot’s user-friendly interface streamlines marketing efforts and allows marketers to make faster, data-driven decisions. The integrated CRM eliminates the need for constant synchronization, and enhanced reporting tools provide better insight into marketing performance.
Over time, the migration will allow marketing teams to become more agile, data-driven, and efficient. The improved automation workflows, segmentation capabilities, and analytics empower organizations to make better decisions and scale their marketing efforts. Though the migration process from Pardot to HubSpot can be lengthy and meticulous, the end result is a more flexible, efficient, and modern marketing system that offers greater control for the marketing team.
