Ahhh, “drag and drop,” a simple phrase that inspires simplicity and comfort in all of us. Maybe you’ve been considering HubSpot’s platform, but wonder how easy it is to use some of the tools you rely on, like email builders. HubSpot’s new drag-and-drop editor makes what we already loved much more accessible to users. Below we’ll cover what you need to know about the latest improvement to the HubSpot email marketing tool.
Before the drag-and-drop editor, we had email templates: basic ones included with HubSpot or built by someone else with coding expertise we don’t possess. Or we’d be stuck in design manager tweaking templates and hoping we don’t break anything.
With HubSpot’s new drag-and-drop email marketing tool, the experience is similar to building an email in Mailchimp. You have standard modules that you can drag and drop into your email template within a predetermined set of column layouts; it’s super easy.
The standard set of modules includes text, images, social media, a divider and a few other commonly used content blocks.
When you think about the elements that go into an email, you can get most of them with a combination of standard modules and column layouts. And considering how finicky different email clients can be, it’s best to keep your emails pretty simple anyway.
There’s nothing worse than wanting to make a global change to an email, but having to go through each module to make them. I mean, there might be worse things, but trust me, those moments are the worst.
HubSpot makes that easy for us with the Design tab. Here, you can make overarching changes to your whole email (or the “theme,” as some might say). This makes it a lot easier to stay on-brand and create a cohesive look and feel throughout the email.
Before the drag-and-drop editor, someone who doesn’t live in HubSpot like I do would have little to no flexibility. If clients wanted to send their own emails (as they often do), they could only operate within a strict template and were bound to the limitations that the template had. If they wanted more or less content, it would often be challenging to make the email look good without asking their agency for help. And while we're always happy to help, the client should have the option to make a simple change without having to call us.
With the drag-and-drop editor, all of those things are now straightforward. You can:
These features make it easier for everyone! You spend less time learning how to use the tool and more time on the fun stuff: writing emails, sending them and getting more business!
I know all reviews should have a section with the shortcomings of a product or tool. I tried really hard to do that here...and maybe it’s the haze of happiness induced by the words “drag-and-drop,” but I could honestly only come up with one: lack of module options.
There. I said it. But let’s be real, they included all the ones we actually need. What more do you want to be able to do in an email?
I take it back. No drawbacks.
It’s a simple tool for a simple purpose. It has just the right amount of flexibility to allow for some creativity without letting you go overboard into spammy email land.
The drag-and-drop editor takes HubSpot email marketing to the next level. The sad part is, it probably won’t get the credit it deserves. Because when you build something so simple that functions so smoothly and still offers the level of customization you need, you are likely to go about your day without noticing how easy it made your job. But as someone who has used some legitimately garbage drag-and-drop editors, I can tell with confidence — this one is great.
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