HubSpot Active vs Static List : Differences Explained

Choosing between HubSpot's active and static lists can significantly impact your marketing precision and efficiency.

This guide dives into the core differences and uses of each list type, helping you make strategic decisions for your campaigns.

How to create a list in HubSpot

• Go to your HubSpot account.
• Navigate to Contacts > Lists.

• Click Create list in the upper right corner.

• Select Contact-based or Company-based and choose Active list.

• Set your list criteria in the left panel, such as score properties, form submissions or ads interactions.
• Click Apply filter and then click Save

Tips: you can create simple lists like contacts who filled a form, or contacts imported from LinkedIn with the HubSpot LinkedIn Integration.

HubSpot List Types

Mastering HubSpot lists can give your campaigns a significant boost. But before you dive in, it’s crucial to understand the tools at your disposal.

Within your HubSpot account, you can create lists tailored to your audience’s needs and your marketing objectives.

Let’s explore the two primary types: the constantly changing active lists and the steady static lists.

Active Lists

What Are Active Lists?

Active lists in HubSpot are dynamic list that are automatically updated based on certain criteria. When contacts meet the criteria, they are automatically added to the list. Conversely, when they no longer meet the criteria, they are removed.

Good to know : You can easily convert an active list into a static list.

Example of an Active List in Action

An excellent illustration of an active list in HubSpot is one designed to manage leads dynamically. Imagine you have a list of potential leads that your sales team needs to contact. This active list will automatically update based on the criteria you set.

How It Works:

• Criteria Setup: First, you define the criteria for your active list. For this example, the list includes leads who have filled out a contact form or shown significant engagement on your website, such as multiple page views or downloads.
• Automated Updates: The active list is designed to automatically update and remove leads once they have been contacted by a sales representative. This means that as soon as a sales rep logs a contact activity in HubSpot—whether it’s a call, email, or meeting—the lead is automatically removed from the active list.

Benefits of Active Lists

• Real-Time Updates: Ensures your marketing messages are always relevant.
• Dynamic Segmentation: Automatically adjusts to include or exclude contacts based on their behavior.
• Efficient Management: Reduces the need for manual updates, saving time and effort.

When to Use Active Lists

Behavioral-Based Email Sequences

Active lists are perfect for campaigns that require frequent updates based on contact behavior. If you are running email sequences triggered by specific actions, like page views or form submissions, active lists ensure your audience remains up-to-date and engaged.

Automating Workflows

Active lists are essential for your email campaigns and marketing automation. When integrating with automated workflows, lists can trigger actions like sending follow-up emails or creating tasks in real-time, based on updated contact behaviors.

Real-Time Campaign Adjustments

When your marketing strategy involves continuous engagement and quick adjustments, active lists are invaluable. They allow you to dynamically adjust your target audience, ensuring your messages always reach the most relevant contacts.

Static Lists

What Are Static Lists?

Static lists in HubSpot are fixed and do not update automatically. They capture a snapshot of contacts who meet specific criteria at a certain time and remain unchanged until manually updated, meaning they don't automatically remove contacts.

Example of a Static List in Action

A great use case for a static list in HubSpot is managing event attendees. Once an event has concluded, the list of attendees remains fixed, capturing a snapshot of everyone who participated.

This static list can then be used for various post-event activities like :

• Post-Event Communication: Send follow-up emails, surveys, or additional content to all attendees.
• Analysis and Reporting: Analyze the attendee data to understand engagement and gather feedback.
• Record Keeping: Maintain a record of who attended for future reference or compliance purposes.

Benefits of Static Lists

• Consistency: Ideal for one-time campaigns or events.
• Manual Control: Allows for precise control over who is included or excluded.

When to Use Static Lists

Event Invitations

For events where you want a specific group of people to receive invitations, static lists ensure the invitees remain constant. This helps in personalized invitations and tracking RSVPs, ensuring no one is left out.

Special Promotions

Static lists are perfect for special, one-time promotions where the audience does not need to change over time. They ensure your message reaches a specific, unchanging group of contacts.

Historical Analysis

If you need to track a group of contacts who met criteria at a certain time, static lists are ideal. They help maintain a record of contacts without automatic updates, which is useful for tracking past performance and analyzing the effectiveness of previous campaigns.

Advanced List Management Techniques

Mastering list management requires more than just basic setup; advanced techniques ensure your lists remain efficient and relevant.

Using Folders to Organize Your Lists

Organizing your lists into folders is a simple yet powerful technique to keep your HubSpot account tidy and efficient. By grouping similar lists into folders, you can easily locate and manage them, enhancing your workflow.

For example, create separate folders for active lists, static lists, event-specific lists, and campaign-specific lists.

This organization not only saves time but also helps in maintaining a structured approach to list management, making it easier to implement changes and track performance.

Cleaning and Refining Your Lists

Regularly updating your contact lists ensures they remain effective. Whether active or static, each list deserves regular tune-ups to ensure engagement and deliverability.

By keeping your lists updated, you avoid the issues of bounces and spam complaints, ensuring your marketing emails always reach the right audience.

List Analytics and Performance Tracking

List analytics help ensure your lists are effective. By tracking performance and engagement, you can adjust your strategies to better connect with your audience.

Monitoring Active List Health

Regularly check the health of your active lists. Analyze changes in membership and engagement levels to detect issues early and adjust your strategy as needed.

Evaluating Static List Effectiveness

Review past performances of static lists to improve future campaigns. Track how these lists contribute to your efforts to identify valuable contacts and remove those who are no longer relevant.

Key Takeaways

• Active Lists are automatically updated based on set criteria, ideal for dynamic and ongoing campaigns.
• Static Lists remain unchanged until manually updated, perfect for fixed, one-time campaigns.
• Regular cleaning and refining ensure high engagement and deliverability.
• Use active lists to provide sales teams with real-time data for targeted follow-ups.
• Automate tasks and communications based on list membership to enhance campaign efficiency.

By mastering the use of HubSpot’s active and static lists, you can ensure your marketing efforts are targeted, efficient, and effective.