Campaign Creators Digital Marketing Blog

Avoid These Re-Platforming Pitfalls During HubSpot Migration

Written by Campaign Creators | 4/21/25 8:29 PM

Switching to HubSpot is like upgrading from a crowded two-lane road to a high-speed highway. It opens a world of new possibilities for your business. Smoother workflows, centralized data, and powerful CRM tools can make your business operations more efficient and fortify customer relationships.

But just like any journey worth taking, re-platforming comes with its own set of challenges. Imagine packing up your house to move to a dream home. Without a plan, the transition may result in lost and broken items or delays. From the complexities of transferring customer data to efficiency slowdowns, these hurdles can create roadblocks if you’re unprepared.

Migrating to HubSpot should be a step forward for your business—not a frustrating detour. You can avoid common mistakes and ensure a smooth transition with the right insights and tools. Here, we’ll discuss the value of HubSpot migration, the challenges businesses often face during re-platforming, and how you can avoid these pitfalls to optimize your HubSpot experience.

Why Migrate to HubSpot?

Many businesses choose HubSpot because it provides an all-in-one marketing, sales, customer service, and operations platform.

With its vast capabilities, HubSpot allows teams to streamline workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and gain valuable insights with robust reporting tools. Its intuitive design ensures that even those with minimal technical expertise can easily navigate the platform. At the same time, its powerful integrations with other software make it highly adaptable for businesses of all sizes.

HubSpot is the perfect CRM platform to streamline your processes and achieve better results. From boosting lead generation and improving customer engagement, here's how HubSpot's powerful tools can help move your business forward:

Key benefits of adopting HubSpot include:

  • Streamlined Efficiency: Consolidate platforms and processes for improved workflows.
  • Data Centralization: Access all your contacts, sales data, and campaigns in one platform.
  • Scalability: HubSpot grows with your business, offering tools suitable for SMBs and enterprises.
  • Advanced Automation Tools: Save time with automations that cut out repetitive tasks.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Tap into fine-grained reports and dashboards to track vital metrics.

However, transitioning is a complex process that involves numerous steps and careful coordination. Without proper planning, it’s easy to encounter costly problems like downtime, data loss, or disrupted operations. That’s why ensuring an optimized and well-structured migration process is essential for a smooth and successful transition.

Common Pitfalls During HubSpot Migration (and How to Avoid Them)

Embarking on a HubSpot CRM migration journey is like setting sail on uncharted waters. You’re bound to encounter stormy challenges and hidden obstacles along the way, but you can navigate to your destination with the right tools and strategies.

Below, you'll discover some of the most common HubSpot migration challenges—those choppy waves that can throw teams off course. Plus, we'll offer strategic solutions to help you steer your ship steadily toward smoother seas.

1. Unforeseen Costs

Unforeseen costs are among the most common frustrations during a HubSpot CRM migration. These unexpected expenses often stem from tasks not initially accounted for. Extraneous costs can quickly add up, like extensive data clean-up, building custom integrations, or rebuilding unnecessary assets.

These unforeseen costs can have a ripple effect on your business. A migration process that’s longer and more expensive than planned can delay key marketing and sales initiatives, disrupt operations, and increase pressure on internal teams. Budgets allocated for other priorities may need to be redirected, potentially stalling other projects. In some cases, these delays and cost overruns can lead to frustration among staff and erode stakeholder confidence.

Mitigating these risks requires careful planning before migrating your data. This means conducting a detailed audit of your legacy systems, data, and workflows to identify potential challenges early. Working with experienced consultants or migration specialists can also help accurately forecast costs and avoid surprises.

Solution:

Before migration, conduct a comprehensive audit to identify the project scope. Collaborate with your team or hire experts to map out every requirement—from data cleansing to custom integrations. Tools like HubSpot's free resources and templates can help provide a clear baseline budget.

To streamline the migration process, our proprietary migration planning tool offers a robust framework for project scoping, budgeting, and timeline management. Designed with insights from numerous successful re-platforming projects, the tool enables asset mapping, identifies rebuilding costs, and allows for efficient implementation planning. By leveraging this tool, businesses can ensure a seamless transition aligned with strategic goals and minimize downtime.

 
 
Reduce re-platforming headaches! Avoid lost assets & costly errors with a free automated audit.

 

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2. Data Quality Issues

Importing incomplete, duplicated, or inaccurate data can lead to significant inefficiencies in workflows. It can also result in potential reporting inaccuracies, impacting decision-making and strategic planning.

Poor-quality data slows processes and can cause missed opportunities, such as failing to identify key trends or customer needs. Additionally, it can lead to customer dissatisfaction from errors, delays, or miscommunication, ultimately affecting the overall reputation and success of your business.

Solution:

  • Conduct a data-cleaning process before migration. Remove outdated and duplicate entries.
  • Use tools like CSV exports, data validation software, or API integrations to ensure clean data transfer.
  • Test sample data migrations first to identify and resolve any discrepancies.

3. Manual Asset Rebuilding

Mapping existing assets such as landing pages, forms, email templates, and workflows can be tedious and time-consuming, especially when done manually. Not only does it require significant effort and attention to detail, but it also increases the risk of errors that could impact functionality or user experience. Without the right tools or strategies, this process can quickly become overwhelming and hinder productivity.

Solution:

Leverage HubSpot website migration tools and automated processes to rebuild digital assets. HubSpot provides features like drag-and-drop themes to make this process faster and more precise. Additionally, utilizing migration services from certified HubSpot partners can save your team significant time and effort.

Our Marketing Automation Re-platforming Estimator tool streamlines the asset-mapping process by offering precise clarity on which assets need to be migrated and which can be excluded. This eliminates unnecessary guesswork, ensuring that only essential assets are prioritized, saving both time and resources while maintaining the integrity of your digital environment.

See it for yourself! Request a free audit of your Marketo or Pardot platform!

4. Integration Challenges

Integrating HubSpot with your existing tech stack, such as Salesforce, ERPs, or other essential tools, is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency and ensuring seamless communication across systems. When done correctly, these integrations enable better data sharing, improved workflows, and a more unified view of your business processes.

However, improperly managed integrations can result in data silos, fragmented CRM systems, and missed opportunities for collaboration, ultimately hindering your team's productivity and decision-making. Taking the time to plan and execute these integrations effectively is key to maximizing the value of your technology investments.

Solution:

  • Start with a thorough assessment of your tech stack and identify integrations that are critical for workflows.
  • Use HubSpot’s native integration tools, available through the HubSpot App Marketplace, for a seamless setup.
  • For custom integrations, enlist a professional service, as these require more technical expertise. See our integration products!

5. Errors in Data Syncing

Data discrepancies between the original platform and HubSpot are a significant concern during CRM migration. These discrepancies can include missed updates, incomplete fields, mismatched formats, or duplicated records, leading to confusion and inefficiencies. Such issues not only delay the migration process but can also reduce the system's overall usability, making it harder for teams to access accurate, reliable data. Ensuring a thorough review and cleaning of data before migration can help mitigate these challenges and ensure a smoother transition to HubSpot.

Solution:

  • Map out data fields and entities clearly before migration. An entity relationship diagram (ERD) can help visualize and organize data structures.
  • Perform structured testing post-migration to ensure all records, properties, and dependencies are appropriately aligned.

6. Team Resistance and Poor Adoption

Even the best migration won’t succeed if your team doesn’t adopt the new system. Employees may resist change due to concerns about learning new tools, fear of reduced efficiency during the transition, or uncertainty about how the new system will impact their day-to-day tasks. Without proper support and communication, these worries can lead to resistance, making it difficult to fully realize the new system's benefits.

Solution:

  • Provide role-specific training sessions before and after going live. HubSpot Academy offers free resources to help teams master the platform.
  • Highlight the benefits of HubSpot to your organization, such as streamlined workflows and time savings, to boost employee buy-in.

Organizations can pave the way for a successful HubSpot implementation by addressing potential concerns proactively and prioritizing comprehensive training. Clear communication and showcasing the system's value will boost adoption and foster a more engaged and productive team. With the right strategy, the transition can become an opportunity for growth and innovation.

7. Compliance and Security Gaps

Failure to meet data protection regulations, such as GDPR in Europe or CCPA in California, during a data migration can result in significant legal and financial consequences for businesses. Non-compliance can lead to hefty fines, lawsuits, and damage to your company’s reputation. Mishandling sensitive customer information, whether through poor encryption, unauthorized access, or accidental exposure, is a risk no business can afford to take in today’s privacy-conscious world. Ensuring proper compliance and implementing robust security measures is essential to avoid these pitfalls.

Solution:

  • Work with HubSpot-certified migration specialists to ensure compliance.
  • Adopt measures like encryption, restricted access, and secure backups during data transfer. HubSpot safeguards sensitive information with its stringent data security protocols.

By prioritizing data security and compliance, businesses can seamlessly transition to HubSpot without compromising sensitive information. Taking a proactive approach to mitigating risks ensures both regulatory adherence and the trust of clients. Investing in professional expertise and robust safeguards is a strategic decision that yields long-term benefits.

How Our Tool Simplifies the Migration Process

Navigating these pitfalls can feel overwhelming and time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. To overcome these challenges, we recommend using innovative, reliable tools to make the migration process more manageable and stress-free. That’s where our cutting-edge HubSpot re-platforming app comes in—it’s specifically designed to tackle the most common pain points so you can transition smoothly and focus on what matters most.

Key benefits:

  1. Smart asset rebuild planning: It audits your current platform and creates a clear picture of your existing assets.
  2. Accurate cost & time projections: Obtain detailed forecasts for total costs, enabling the creation of realistic timelines and ensuring complete project transparency.
  3. Scalability: Tailored to manage re-platforming projects of any size, from small initiatives to enterprise-level transitions, without compromising performance.

This revolutionary tool allows businesses to streamline their HubSpot migration planning. Say goodbye to unnecessary expenses and tedious manual work. Our solution helps you reduce costs, save valuable time, and ensure a smooth, stress-free transition. Gain the confidence you need to focus on what truly matters: growing your business and achieving your goals without worrying about the complexities of migration.

Unlock Value Faster with a Well-Planned HubSpot Migration

Migrating to HubSpot opens doors to scalable growth and streamlined processes, but how you execute this migration is crucial in setting the foundation for future success. A well-planned migration ensures your business can fully leverage HubSpot's powerful tools, from marketing automation to CRM capabilities.

However, avoiding common pitfalls such as data quality challenges and integration barriers with existing systems requires thoughtful planning, clear communication, and expert support. With the right approach, your migration can be a seamless transition that drives efficiency and unlocks new growth opportunities.

Take control of your transition today by leveraging Campaign Creators' tools and HubSpot migration services.