HubSpot SMS marketing integration connects your SMS platform to HubSpot's CRM and marketing automation tools, allowing you to send text messages based on contact behavior, lifecycle stage, and engagement patterns. Instead of managing SMS separately from your other marketing channels, integration brings text messaging into your unified marketing strategy.
This matters for marketing teams because HubSpot already contains your contact data, tracks engagement across channels, and automates workflows. Adding SMS to that ecosystem means text messages can trigger based on email opens, form submissions, deal stage changes, or any other HubSpot event. You get coordinated multi-channel campaigns without switching between platforms.
This guide addresses the most common questions about HubSpot SMS marketing integration: how to set it up effectively, how to automate SMS campaigns within HubSpot workflows, and how to analyze SMS performance using HubSpot's analytics tools.
Understanding capabilities helps you decide whether integration delivers enough value to justify implementation effort.
Campaign automation based on HubSpot data:
Send SMS when contact reaches specific lifecycle stage (lead becomes MQL becomes SQL). Send text when deal moves to certain pipeline stage. Send message when contact downloads specific content or visits particular web pages. All triggered automatically by HubSpot events.
Unified contact timeline:
See all communication with each contact in one place. Email sent Monday, SMS sent Tuesday, form submitted Wednesday, all visible in single HubSpot contact record. No switching between platforms to understand customer journey.
List segmentation using HubSpot properties:
Use any HubSpot contact property for SMS targeting. Send to contacts in specific industries, with certain job titles, at companies of particular size, who scored above threshold. Segmentation logic lives in HubSpot, SMS platform sends to those segments.
Multi-channel workflow coordination:
Build workflows that combine email and SMS intelligently. If contact doesn't open email within 24 hours, send SMS. If contact clicks SMS link, suppress next scheduled email. Coordinate channels to avoid overwhelming contacts.
Attribution and reporting:
Track which SMS campaigns influence deals. See SMS engagement in HubSpot's attribution reports. Measure ROI using HubSpot's revenue tracking connected to SMS activity.
Bidirectional data sync:
SMS engagement data (delivery, opens, clicks, replies) flows back into HubSpot. Use SMS engagement to trigger other actions. Contact replied to SMS, create task for sales rep. Contact clicked link in SMS, enroll in different workflow.
For technical setup details beyond marketing strategy, review the HubSpot SMS integration implementation guide.
Effective integration means more than technical connection. It means using HubSpot's strengths to improve SMS marketing results.
Don't integrate SMS just because you can. Identify specific workflows where SMS adds value to your HubSpot marketing.
High-value use cases:
Lead follow-up after form submission: Contact downloads guide, HubSpot workflow sends email immediately and SMS 2 hours later if email not opened.
Event reminder sequence: Contact registers for webinar, receives email confirmation, SMS reminder 1 hour before event. Higher attendance than email-only reminders.
Abandoned cart recovery: Contact adds items to cart but doesn't purchase, triggers email and SMS sequence coordinated through HubSpot workflow.
Re-engagement campaign: Contact hasn't engaged with emails in 90 days, SMS attempts to recapture attention where email failed.
Lower-value use cases that waste effort:
Newsletter via SMS: Weekly newsletter works better via email. SMS should be reserved for timely, actionable communication.
Long-form content delivery: Blog posts, guides, detailed information belong in email. SMS is for brief updates and urgent calls-to-action.
HubSpot's lifecycle stages provide natural framework for SMS strategy.
Subscriber stage:
SMS role: Minimal. These contacts opted into email but not necessarily SMS. Use email to invite SMS opt-in, but don't assume permission.
Lead stage:
SMS role: Quick follow-up after high-intent actions. Downloaded pricing guide, responded to quote request, attended demo. SMS provides immediate response where speed matters.
Example: Lead downloads pricing PDF. HubSpot workflow sends email with detailed information and SMS 2 hours later: "Got your pricing questions answered? Reply with questions or book call: [link]"
MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) stage:
SMS role: Increase engagement and move toward sales conversation. Test interest level through SMS response rates.
Example: MQL hasn't responded to sales outreach emails. SMS attempt: "Hi [Name], saw you checked out [product]. Quick question about your [use case]? Worth a 10-min call?"
SQL (Sales Qualified Lead) stage:
SMS role: Coordinate with sales activities. Confirm meeting times, send preparation materials, maintain communication between scheduled calls.
Example: Sales rep schedules demo. HubSpot workflow sends confirmation email and SMS reminder 1 hour before: "Demo with [Rep] in 1 hour. Join here: [link]"
Customer stage:
SMS role: Onboarding, support coordination, relationship maintenance. Transactional messages and high-value updates.
Example: Customer signs contract. SMS: "Welcome! Your account setup completes in 24 hours. We'll text when ready. Questions? Reply here."
Create custom HubSpot properties that enable smart SMS marketing.
Required properties:
Mobile Phone Number: Separate from main phone field. Used specifically for SMS.
SMS Opt-In Status: Checkbox or dropdown tracking consent. Critical for compliance.
SMS Opt-In Date: When they gave permission. Required for TCPA compliance documentation.
SMS Opt-In Source: How they opted in (website form, text-to-join, event signup). Useful for segmentation.
Useful properties:
Last SMS Sent Date: Prevents over-messaging. "Don't send SMS if last sent within 7 days."
Last SMS Reply Date: Identifies engaged contacts. Use for segmentation.
SMS Engagement Score: Calculated property based on SMS opens, clicks, replies. Similar to email engagement scoring.
Preferred Contact Method: Let contacts indicate preference. "Email," "SMS," or "Both." Honor their choice in workflows.
Integration mapping:
Ensure your SMS platform syncs these properties bidirectionally with HubSpot. When someone replies to SMS, Last SMS Reply Date updates in HubSpot automatically. This data then informs workflow logic.
Protect contacts from inappropriate SMS outreach using HubSpot's list tools.
Who to suppress from SMS campaigns:
Opted out of SMS: Anyone who texted STOP or unsubscribed. Absolute requirement.
Recently texted: Received SMS within last 7 days. Prevents overload.
Low email engagement: If email engagement score is very low, adding SMS rarely helps. Focus on reactivation or cleanup.
Wrong lifecycle stage: Don't send promotional SMS to unqualified subscribers.
International contacts: Unless your SMS platform supports international messaging at reasonable cost, suppress contacts outside your primary country.
Suppression list maintenance:
Create active HubSpot list with suppression criteria. Reference this list in every SMS workflow. "Only send if contact is NOT member of SMS Suppression list."
Update suppression criteria quarterly based on performance data. If certain segments never engage with SMS, add them to suppression.
HubSpot workflows enable sophisticated SMS automation without manual sending.
Basic SMS workflow components:
Enrollment trigger: What causes contact to enter workflow (form submission, lifecycle stage change, list membership)
Enrollment criteria: Additional filters (must be opted into SMS, must have mobile number, must not be in suppression list)
Delays: Time gaps between messages (immediate, 2 hours, 1 day, etc.)
Actions: Send SMS, update contact properties, create tasks, branch logic
Exit criteria: Conditions that remove contact from workflow (goal achieved, opted out, became customer)
Example workflow: Lead nurture with SMS
Trigger: Contact lifecycle stage changes to Lead
Criteria: SMS Opt-In Status = Yes AND Mobile Phone Number is known AND NOT member of SMS Suppression List
Action 1: Send email with educational content
Delay: 4 hours
Branch: If email opened, Path A. If not opened, Path B.
Path A: Delay 24 hours, send follow-up email
Path B: Send SMS - "Hi [Name], sent info on [topic] earlier. Worth a look? [link] or reply with questions."
Goal: Contact moves to MQL stage or books meeting
Implementation note: Build and test with small contact group before activating for entire list. SMS workflow mistakes are more visible to customers than email mistakes because open rates are so high.
Coordinate SMS with other HubSpot channels without overwhelming contacts.
Email-first, SMS as backup:
Day 0: Send detailed email Day 1: If email opened but no action, send brief SMS Day 3: If SMS clicked, send follow-up email with more detail Day 7: If no engagement on either channel, final SMS asking if still interested
This respects email preference while using SMS to recapture non-responders.
SMS-first for urgent situations:
Event in 2 hours: Send SMS reminder immediately Email sent simultaneously with calendar details and materials Use SMS for urgency, email for comprehensive information
Channel preference logic:
If contact property "Preferred Contact Method" = SMS, send text first If property = Email, send email first If property = Both, send email and SMS on different days No property set, default to email with SMS backup for high-priority campaigns
Avoiding channel fatigue:
Set global workflow rule: No contact receives more than 2 SMS and 3 emails per week across all workflows.
Use HubSpot's "Marketing emails" filter to check how many marketing touches contact received recently.
Suppress from new campaigns if already in multiple active workflows.
Certain HubSpot events make excellent SMS triggers.
Form submissions:
High-intent forms (demo request, pricing inquiry): Immediate SMS confirmation Content downloads: SMS follow-up 2-4 hours later if email not opened Contact form submissions: SMS within 30 minutes maximum
Website activity:
Visited pricing page 3+ times: SMS offering to answer questions Returned to website within 24 hours of email: SMS capitalizing on active interest Specific page visit (case study, testimonial): SMS with related offer
Email engagement:
Opened email but didn't click: SMS with direct call-to-action Clicked email link multiple times: SMS from sales rep while interest is hot No email opens in 60 days: SMS re-engagement attempt
Deal stage changes:
Deal created: SMS welcoming to sales process Deal moved to proposal stage: SMS asking if they have questions Deal stuck in stage for 14 days: SMS check-in to unblock
Event-based:
Webinar registration: SMS reminder 1 hour before start Post-webinar: SMS next day with recording and follow-up offer Event no-show: SMS with recording and offer to reschedule
For comprehensive workflow design strategies, explore HubSpot SMS automation frameworks.
HubSpot's reporting tools show SMS performance alongside other channel data.
Campaign performance dashboard:
Messages sent (total volume) Delivery rate (percentage successfully delivered) Click-through rate (percentage who clicked links in SMS) Reply rate (percentage who responded) Conversion rate (percentage who completed goal) Revenue influenced (deals touched by SMS campaign)
Build custom dashboard in HubSpot showing these metrics for each SMS campaign.
Contact engagement report:
List all contacts who received SMS in date range Show their SMS engagement score Compare SMS engagement to email engagement Identify highly engaged contacts for VIP treatment
Attribution reporting:
HubSpot's attribution reports show which touchpoints influenced deals.
Configure to include SMS as touchpoint type.
View reports showing:
Use this data to justify SMS marketing budget and expansion.
Campaign-level metrics:
Delivery rate: Should be 97%+ for clean lists Click rate: 15-25% typical for targeted campaigns Reply rate: 5-15% for messages requesting response Conversion rate: Varies by goal, but track consistently Opt-out rate: Under 2% acceptable, under 1% excellent
Contact-level metrics:
SMS engagement over time: Is this contact engaging more or less with SMS? Channel preference: Does contact respond better to email or SMS? Lifetime value by channel: Do SMS-engaged contacts spend more?
Workflow-level metrics:
Goal completion rate: What percentage of enrolled contacts achieve workflow goal? Time to goal: How long from enrollment to conversion? Drop-off points: Where do contacts exit workflow without converting?
For comprehensive measurement approaches, review SMS marketing metrics guidance.
Test SMS effectiveness systematically using HubSpot's A/B testing tools.
What to test:
Send timing: 10am vs 2pm vs 6pm Message length: Short (under 100 characters) vs longer (120-160 characters) Call-to-action: "Reply YES" vs "Click here: [link]" vs "Call [number]" Personalization: First name vs no personalization vs company name
Testing methodology:
Create workflow with A/B branch 50% of contacts get Version A, 50% get Version B Track metrics for each version over 7 days Implement winner for future campaigns
Sample size requirements:
Minimum 100 contacts per variation (200 total) Smaller samples produce unreliable results For small contact lists, test less frequently or test major changes only
Custom calculated properties:
Create property calculating SMS response rate: (SMS Replies / SMS Sent) × 100 Create property for days since last SMS engagement Use these properties in segmentation and reporting
Dashboard widgets showing:
SMS performance trends (week over week, month over month) SMS vs email engagement comparison Top performing SMS campaigns Contacts most engaged via SMS (potential VIP candidates)
Revenue reporting:
Tag deals influenced by SMS campaigns Create report showing revenue from SMS-influenced deals Calculate SMS ROI: (Revenue - SMS costs) / SMS costs
Most HubSpot users see SMS deliver 3-8x ROI within first 90 days of effective integration.
Start with transactional messages:
Build trust with SMS confirmations, reminders, and updates before launching promotional campaigns. Contacts who experience valuable transactional SMS are more receptive to marketing messages.
Respect the channel:
SMS feels more personal and immediate than email. Reserve for truly important, timely communication. Overuse burns your list faster than email overuse.
Honor opt-outs immediately:
When contact texts STOP, HubSpot workflow should update their SMS Opt-In Status within seconds. Never send another SMS to opted-out contact. This is legal requirement, not suggestion.
Test integrations thoroughly:
Send test messages to yourself before launching to contacts. Verify personalization tokens populate correctly. Check that links work on mobile devices. Confirm delivery tracking syncs back to HubSpot.
Document your workflows:
HubSpot lets you build complex multi-channel workflows. Document the logic so team members understand why SMS sends when it does. Helpful when troubleshooting or onboarding new staff.
For broader HubSpot marketing strategies incorporating SMS, see HubSpot SMS marketing transformation.
Not all SMS platforms integrate equally well with HubSpot. Evaluation criteria:
Native integration:
Pre-built connector in HubSpot's app marketplace simplifies setup. Sakari offers native HubSpot integration with straightforward authorization process.
Bidirectional sync:
Data flows both ways. SMS sends from HubSpot, engagement data returns to HubSpot automatically. No manual exports or CSV uploading.
Workflow compatibility:
Works within HubSpot workflow builder as action option. "Send SMS via [Platform]" appears as workflow action alongside "Send email" and other options.
Property mapping:
Allows mapping HubSpot contact properties to SMS personalization fields. First name, company, lifecycle stage, custom fields all available for message personalization.
Support quality:
Integration issues require responsive support from SMS vendor. Check reviews and test support responsiveness during trial period.
Pricing transparency:
Understand exact costs for platform access and per-message fees. Hidden costs or confusing pricing make budgeting difficult.
Day 1: Audit current state
How many HubSpot contacts have mobile phone numbers? How many opted into SMS? Which workflows would benefit most from adding SMS?
Day 2-3: Choose and connect SMS platform
Select platform offering HubSpot integration (Sakari provides native integration) Authorize connection between platforms Test connection with sample contact
Day 4: Build first simple workflow
Form submission confirmation via SMS Test with 10-20 contacts Verify messages send and data syncs correctly
Week 2: Expand to multi-touch campaign
Add SMS to existing email nurture workflow Use SMS as backup channel for non-responders Monitor engagement and adjust timing
Month 2: Analyze and optimize
Review SMS campaign reports in HubSpot Calculate ROI Expand successful campaigns, pause unsuccessful ones
Most marketing teams see measurable improvement in campaign performance within 30-60 days of effective HubSpot SMS integration.
Ready to integrate SMS marketing with your HubSpot instance effectively? Start your free trial with Sakari and connect to HubSpot today with our native integration.