Updated January, 2023
You might be surprised to hear that Coca-Cola, among other major brands like Nextdoor and Oregon State, have built attractive websites on HubSpot CMS. Even more, they are tapping into important parts of their brand story. If you’re looking into this solution for your own company, or want to take branding cues from big names, it can be helpful to explore these 7 examples.
See How Coke and 6 Other Big Brands Utilize HubSpot CMS to Tell Their Brand Story
You may not need HubSpot’s enterprise level to desire a marketing solution that’s scalable. In years past, HubSpot has not always been the premier, scalable solution for a new website. But, with their focus on building a best-in-class CRM and CMS platform to match, they’ve become a strong competitor for businesses of any size. Not to mention, so many companies jumping off the Wordpress bandwagon due to serious security concerns.
Honestly? We love HubSpot. (It’s no secret.) But, we haven’t always loved their website builder. We’re here to report: it’s gotten pretty awesome. And it’s now the only way we would build a website.
Because of its complete integration with necessary marketing tools, CMS Hub allows for brand story activation in a way that nothing else can.
What is a CMS, and how can it help activate brand story?
CMS = Content Management System
A CMS, or content management system, is exactly what it sounds like: a system for not only building web pages but for organizing and distributing content. A CMS tends to focus on the power of what used to be a “blog” and has since become the endless sea of knowledge-filled articles that fill Google’s pages.
Most of the go-to builders technically sit in the CMS category, like Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal, and Squarespace. But, to call Wordpress a CMS in the same breath as calling HubSpot’s web build solution a CMS is to compare a piece of bread with an Italian sub.
To continue the analogy, HubSpot has its foundation in advanced marketing and CRM tools. Meaning that below the content management system layer is a whole lot of meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and dressing. It’s a sophisticated, substantial, secure set of tools.
These same tools and capabilities don’t live inside WordPress, Drupal, or any other counterpart. HubSpot is much more than a CMS, while its competitors are a CMS only.
Can a tool actually support a brand story?
That depends. Tools are just that: tools. Choosing the right CMS does not inherently allow your brand story to be better realized. But, using that tool the right way certainly can.
Whether your team is working on their employer, customer, or prospect brand story, words can only take you so far. A brand story that aligns with the journey of your core audience needs to be supported by excellent experiences. Your brand may be experienced through an ad, a phone call, an email, a social post... and especially on your website.
It can be (very easily) argued that the digital vehicle used to deliver your brand story is just as crucial as the messaging.
CMS Hub Features that Activate Brand Story
While your logo and graphics aid in telling a brand story, they are not the core of your branding. A brand story is all about your unique selling point, and it's lived out every in experience a prospect, customer, or employee has with your company. That includes the way your website is laid out, the messaging that fill its pages, and the way they are able to interact (scrolling, clicking, filling out forms, receiving emails, etc.).
It’s easy to understand how big brands are able to use Hubspot’s CMS features in an effective way when you realize the depth of their value:
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Website themes
- Multi-language content creation and testing
- Dynamic content with HubDB
- Local website Development
- SEO recommendations & optimizations
- Conversational bots
- Smart content & reporting
- A/B testing
- Contact attribution report builder
- Content delivery network (CDN)
- 99.99% uptime
- 24/7 security monitoring & threat detection
- Standard SSL certificate
Add all of that to their integrated Customer Relationship Manager (CRM), forms, landing pages, list segmentation, subdomains, follow-up emails, and analytics reporting⸺you’ll discover that this content management system has a lot to be happy about.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola Northeast has developed a seriously delightful website (with all the optimism and charm you’d expect). Displaying large photos and videos, this Coke division was able to encapsulate the unique northeast community using intuitive user experiences.
Brand story expression:
At the core, this Northeast division is an employer brand. They know their key differentiator is their commitment to hard-working employees and the supportive local community.
Features and Products used:
- CMS Hub
- Hubspot CRM
- Marketing Hub
- HubDB
- Integrations/ APIs
- Listings/ Directories
Unique usage of features:
- Coke took advantage of CMS Hub’s powerful integrations to include a location placement map.
What they left on the table:
- With access to myriad ways of engaging consumers and capturing conversions, this beautiful site forgot to use HubSpot’s forms in any capacity.
High Fidelity
If you’re not familiar, High Fidelity has one of the most interesting solutions on the market for a world stuck inside digital meetings: real-time spatial audio. Yep⸺we’re talking virtual events with up to 150 people, all of whom can have conversations with one another as if they were in small groups in a physical room.
Now that we’ve blown your mind, let’s talk about their website. The Get Growth team (of which we’re a proud founding partner) developed a stellar site for High Fidelity. And, it was all accomplished using an advanced code-base on CMS Hub.
Brand story expression:
High-Fidelity has a clear unique proposition: Real-time spatial audio that powers natural conversations. Their brand story is seamlessly supported with organic, human elements and a user experience that shows off their human-first innovation philosophy.
Features and Products used:
- CMS Hub
- Hubspot CRM
- Marketing Hub
- HubDB
- Integrations/ APIs
Unique usage of features:
- This site utilizes HubSpot’s incredible lead generation tools in some of the most important ways: forms and calls-to-action. No doubt, their team is seeing qualified leads and interactions every single day.
What they left on the table:
- The site has yet to take advantage of dynamic content (i.e., providing one message for some people and a different message for others). But, this can come down the line (and knowing Get Growth, it probably will).
Indigo
Indigo boasts a unique set of products and services that are designed to support not only today’s generation of farmers, but tomorrow’s. Their end goal of healthier farms for a healthier planet is (quite beautifully) mimicked throughout the customer experience.
Brand story expression:
Healthier farms that support a healthier planet: that's their brand story. As a thought-leader and source of scientific innovation, the site supports access to top-of-mind solutions and timely discoveries.
Features and Products used:
- Dynamic content
- HubDB
- CMS Hub
Unique Usage of Features:
- With two core audiences, this HubSpot CMS site takes advantage of the ability to separate and track the needs of individual users, segregating them into entirely different funnels.
What they left on the table:
- Without the Marketing Hub, Indigo isn’t tracking and responding to user feedback at the same level. Their efficiency and overall value from the site will suffer from not taking advantage of everything HubSpot has to offer.
Kaj Hospitality
As a company built around hospitable experiences, Kaj Hospitality delivered a visually excellent website. Their minimal yet comfortable aesthetic has been paired with real-life photographs of the staff that run their ten properties. It’s a great example of combining human experience with the clean and fresh feeling one finds in a high-quality hotel.
Brand story expression:
"Here for people." A simple line with a deeper, double meaning. Kaj plays up their unique positioning with authentic photography and excellent content hierarchy.
Features and Products used:
- Landing Pages
- HubDB
- CMS Hub
- Marketing Hub
Unique Usage of Features:
- Kaj Hospitality used HubSpot’s database technology, HubDB, to serve up their inventory of job openings. It’s a smart and sophisticated way to incorporate this unique HubSpot feature.
What they left on the table:
- Like so many websites, there is minimal incorporation of inbound marketing and lead generation. With a powerful tool in their hands, opportunities are falling by the wayside by not using them.
Pierce
Pierce Manufacturing, which supplies the country with premier fire trucks, features the true depth and capacity of a HubSpot Website. From a searchable map, to endless high-end product pages, this website is a first-class brochure site.
Brand story expression:
Peirce boasts "accelerated performance" without increased service intervals. Masculine and product-focused, their website delivers to-the-point details their audience is likely wanting.
Features and Products used:
- Dynamic Content
- CMS Hub
- Marketing Hub
- Integrations/ APIs
Unique usage of features:
- To feature new and in-stock trucks, Pierce smartly used HubDB as a simple database solution. Easily search their listings and find helpful photos and details about what’s available.
What they left on the table:
- As a true brochure website, there doesn’t appear to be a great use of forms, calls-to-action and funnels to utilize the Marketing Hub’s amazing features.
Oregon State
Oregon State utilized HubSpot’s CMS to house their online professional and continuing education courses. From gardening to beer to writing, faculty and industry experts host master classes for as little money as free.
Brand story expression:
While not the most unique selling point, Oregon State presents a brand story about increased skills. More success, fast is the bottom line of their message. And, for someone already in the work-force (possible with a family), this is not a bad selling point.
Features and Products used:
- CMS Hub
- Marketing Hub
- Landing Pages
- Product Catalog
- HubDB
Unique usage of features:
- With extensive webinars, articles, and resources, Oregon State was able to develop multiple databases and HubSpot’s multi-blog feature to organize user experiences and needs.
What they left on the table:
- Oregon State has done an excellent job of incorporating the many tools and use-cases for CMS Hub. However, they have not implemented HubSpot’s conversational bots. This chat feature would be an ideal way to help someone funnel through courses and find a great match.
Nextdoor
Nextdoor for Business developed an extremely simple and smart microsite to help businesses understand the power of advertising on their platform. For both local and enterprise business audiences, Nextdoor has developed a use case and funnel.
Brand story expression:
"Measurable outcomes through meaningful connection." Yep, that's pretty specific. Honing in on measurable sales increases through their unique connection to the local community is a smart selling point for advertising. Nextdoor supports their branding with a single, clear next step all over their site.
Features and Products used:
- CMS Hub
- Blog
- Listings/ Directories
Unique usage of features:
- While a beautiful site on any desktop or laptop computer, Nextdoor understands the reality of their app: people are engaging through mobile devices. This user interface has all the simplicity required for a great mobile experience.
What they left on the table:
- In all its simplicity, Nextdoor forgot to enable the many inbound marketing and lead generation tools that HubSpot has to offer. The one form that can be found on the site is too long, and provides little value.
Did these brands choose the right CMS?
It’s a fair question. Every CMS has its own use case, and HubSpot is not for everyone. If you want to grow your business, then CMS Hub might be a great fit. It’s fair to say that these top brands are in that category: they are using the enterprise level of HubSpot and have their sights set on continued revenue growth.
Many of them are underutilizing the power of the CRM and Marketing Hub that can be added to HubSpot’s CMS. Others are using the inherent marketing forms, landing pages, and conversational bots that come without even upgrading the CMS.
Choosing the right CMS to support your brand story.
Your brand story is lived out in the lives of your customers and employees. The way they can engage with your website, utilize its tools, and iteratively improve its content really do matter.
If you’d like to find the right CMS for your next build, ask these questions:
- Will it be a truly secure environment?
- What is the timeline for launch?
- What are the plans for improving the website based on user data?
- Do I need a digital brochure, or do I need lead generation?
- What are my growth goals, and can my next website contribute to meet them?
If you want your next website to help your company grow, learn more about why web builds suck (and how to avoid pitfalls in your next redesign).
