A Beginner’s Guide to Using Smart Content in HubSpot Email Marketing

Are you sending the same email to everyone?

If you're blasting the same email to your entire list, you're missing a huge opportunity to connect on a deeper level. Today’s consumers expect personalization and not just using their first name. They want relevant content that meets them where they are in their journey.

That’s where smart content in HubSpot comes in.

Whether you’re a marketer juggling multiple personas or a business owner trying to improve email ROI, smart content helps you deliver the right message to the right person at the right time.

Let’s break down how it works and how to start using it.

What Is Smart Content in HubSpot?

Smart content is dynamic content that changes based on the viewer’s characteristics or behavior. In email marketing, that means you can show different copy, images, CTAs, or offers to different segments of your audience, all within a single email.

Smart content in HubSpot can be based on:

• List membership (e.g. leads vs. customers)

• Lifecycle stage

• Device type

• Preferred language

• Geographic location

• Previous interactions or behavior

This allows you to craft hyper-targeted messaging without creating dozens of versions of the same campaign.

Why Smart Content Matters

Let’s say you're promoting a webinar. You can:

• Show a registration CTA to new leads

• Show a replay link to those who already attended

• Show a case study or product offer to hot leads who viewed your pricing page

All in the same email. That’s the power of smart content, it’s scalable personalization that drives engagement and conversions.

According to HubSpot research, emails with smart content perform significantly better in click-through rates and engagement.

How to Set Up Smart Content in HubSpot Emails

Step 1: Define Your Segments Start by identifying the key differences in your audience. Think personas, lifecycle stages, or even geographic differences.

Step 2: Create Your Email When you build an email in HubSpot, you can select any content module (text, image, CTA, etc.) and click “Make Smart.”

Step 3: Choose Smart Rules Pick your smart rule criteria, like list membership or lifecycle stage. You can set up as many variations as needed for each segment.

Step 4: Customize Each Version Write specific copy or use tailored visuals for each group. Keep the tone and brand consistent while addressing unique pain points.

Step 5: Test and Monitor Once your campaign goes live, monitor open rates, clicks, and conversions by segment. Use these insights to refine future smart content strategies.

Common Use Cases for Smart Email Content

Smart content works beautifully in a range of email campaigns:

• Welcome series: Show different next steps for leads vs. customers

• Newsletter personalization: Highlight content based on interest tags

• Promotional offers: Tailor discounts by location or customer tier

• Lead nurturing: Match content to a user’s funnel stage

• Event invites: Adjust based on time zone or past attendance

And here’s the best part—it’s all manageable inside your HubSpot portal, no custom coding required.

A Smarter Way to Market with Email

When your emails feel more personal, people are more likely to open, click, and convert. With HubSpot’s smart content features, you can scale personalization without burning out your team or duplicating your workload.

At LevelUp Digital, we help businesses build smarter email strategies that actually drive growth—not just vanity metrics. If you're ready to take your HubSpot email game to the next level, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Ready to Turn Emails into Conversions?

Let’s build smarter campaigns together.
👉 Get in touch with our team