Choosing a HubSpot Agency Partner in the UK

Introduction

I created this page for HubSpot customers looking for help and information on choosing a HubSpot agency in the UK. I run one of them; we've specialised in the HubSpot platform for the past seven years, so I have a few good ideas about what makes a HubSpot agency tick and how to choose one that is best suited to you.

About us: MO Agency

We’re a mid-sized HubSpot partner with 35 full-time staff. That staff compliment means we only have around 700 hours weekly to share with our clients. So we’re not always able to take on new clients. Use this guide to find a well-suited HubSpot partner agency. Even if that's not us, I’ll call it a success.

Here is some of our recent work:

At the bottom of the page, you'll find testimonials from our happy HubSpot clients.

And if you want to review some of our work, view our directory of HubSpot Case Studies.

We’re not the largest HubSpot platform agency, but with 35 full-time staff in London, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, we're not small either. We pride ourselves on our campaign, creative, onboarding, integration, and migration work.

We win a few HubSpot Impact Awards every year:

2020: HubSpot Impact Award: Customer First
2021: HubSpot Impact Award: Integrations Innovation
2022: HubSpot Impact Award: Platform Migration Excellence
2023: HubSpot Impact Award: Platform Excellence

So keep us in mind as you create your shortlist.

But let's get onto the guide.

Who is the best HubSpot partner agency in the UK?

The answer to this question depends on your requirements and the support you need. In my opinion, the top HubSpot agencies in the UK are (in alphabetical order):

1. Bablequest
2. Blend
3. BBD Boom
4. Hubble Digital
5. MO Agency
6. Six & Flow
7. Struto
8. Quattro

That’s a list of eight great HubSpot agencies. Eight are Elite HubSpot partners, and two are Diamond.

Elite, Diamond, Platinum, and Gold: Do tiers matter?

Yes, HubSpot tiers do matter. HubSpot determines partner tiers using a measure of three things.

1. The agency must be a HubSpot solutions partner program member and be a certified HubSpot partner.
2. HubSpot software licence sales (onboardings) over a rolling 12-month period and
3. Value of HubSpot accounts managed in a given month.

The best HubSpot minds in the UK are working at Elite and Diamond partners. Gold is comprised mostly of partners starting in the partner program. They can be cost-effective to use and are generally suited to inbound marketing campaign work. There are no guarantees they will stay in the HubSpot solutions partner program. 

What does a Diamond tier agency look like inside?

Below is a screenshot of our tier from Feb 2022. You can see we onboard HubSpot clients at an Elite level. But we only manage $90k of HubSpot. So, we are a Diamond HubSpot Partner. To be an Elite partner, we need to manage over $170k+ of HubSpot. We probably should manage more HubSpot accounts, considering our Elite level of HubSpot onboardings, but we're in a good groove, and our current clients are happy. No need to change a good thing. 

What services can a HubSpot agency provide?

The combinations of services and proficiencies can vary, but below is a list of agency services that a well certified and structured HubSpot partner should offer:

• HubSpot onboarding
• Marketing automation
• Lead generation
• Inbound marketing
• Email marketing
• Website development
• Paid media
• Sales enablement
• Integrations
• CRM implementation and migration
• Miscellaneous HubSpot services

Does the size of the agency matter?

Yes. Big and small teams come with unique challenges and advantages. Let me explain from a HubSpot partner perspective.

Small HubSpot partner (1-10 staff)

These guys tend to have specialisations like inbound marketing services. They’re great at this one thing but need to outsource for specialist jobs like HubSpot CMS website development, CRM integrations, or technical SEO. Outsourcing can cause these projects' quality, scope, and cost issues if they are not managed tightly.

Mid-sized HubSpot partner (11-30 staff)

A well-managed agency makes employing all the required specialists easier and maintains the team and processes more efficiently. In my opinion the sweet spot is around 25 - 25 staff. 

Large HubSpot partner (30+ staff)

These service providers have the most skills in-house but struggle to find enough qualified staff to service all their accounts. Unfortunately, smaller clients can find themselves with an inexperienced team. The best of these large HubSpot agencies have excellent processes to support these staff, and the worst don’t.

What does a HubSpot partner agency cost per month?

The rates in the UK range from £2,000 - £10,000 p/month. These figures comprise an hourly rate. Hourly rates in the UK vary from £70 - £140 p/hour.

The more you spend per month, the quicker you can expect results. It’s simple math - you have more consulting hours each month. However, the more you spend with your HubSpot agency, the more you need to manage. A month of moving in the wrong direction at £10,000 p/month is expensive.

MO's take:

Our rates start at £2,130 p/month (30 hours) and go up to £7,250 p/month (80 hours). You can get an unbelievable amount of optimisation and campaign work done in 80 hours per month. Especially if the work is well planned and the team is highly skilled.

Do you need a HubSpot agency?

That depends on you and your company. There are some very skilled people working for HubSpot partner agencies. Hiring a HubSpot partner agency gives you access to these people who can fast-track your HubSpot platform success because they’ve done it before. The HubSpot services they offer are wide-ranging and mostly very practical. They know the common pitfalls, and they can work very quickly. You can learn a considerable amount from these people.

If you don't have HubSpot, look for a traditional digital marketing agency in the UK.

At MO Agency, our goal is to work with our clients for 3 - 12 months and equip them with the skills to run HubSpot themselves - with the same level of quality we do.

Should you onboard with a HubSpot partner or directly with HubSpot?

You should work with a HubSpot agency. HubSpot prefers that a HubSpot partner agency onboard its clients. They’ve found that these clients are retained better.

The HubSpot platform is expansive, and a good HubSpot partner agency can prioritise your work to gain maximum ROI as quickly as possible. Kicking HubSPot off without a HubSpot partner agency is entirely possible - it will just take you longer to reach ROI. And some teams never get over that line. 

Onboarding with a good HubSpot partner costs the same or less than onboarding with HubSpot, and I would argue you always get more value for your money. Plus, you’ve built a relationship with the agency and can contact them later for special projects, or you might decide to want a monthly retainer with them.

Are all HubSpot partner agencies good at HubSpot?

No. Start with the Diamond and Elite level HubSpot partners. These partners excel at HubSpot. Becoming an Elite/Diamond HubSpot partner agency involves completing 100s of courses on the HubSpot platform and guiding 100+ clients to success with HubSpot. A Platinum HubSpot partner agency can also take you there and can often do it at a very reasonable price. You’ll need to sort through a few potentials before finding the right one.

Should you buy HubSpot before choosing a HubSpot agency?

No. An agency partner can advise you on the best combination of HubSpot licences. They will also map out a growth plan to roll out HubSpot licences to everyone in the correct timeframe. There is no use paying upfront for licences you won't be able to use for the first six months.

Secondly, HubSpot partners have relationships with HubSpot through the partner program, and they can help you negotiate a better deal with HubSpot than you could yourself. If you plan to use multiple HubSpot hubs and have lots of licences with a high value (£2,000+ p/month and over more extended periods), HubSpot could entertain a great discount on your licences. Remember, HubSpot wants you to be successful with HubSpot. A HubSpot partner agency is best positioned to make your case for a discount.

Should I use the HubSpot Solutions Directory?

Yes. If you go over to the HubSpot Solutions Directory, you can sort for all HubSpot agencies in the UK. The directory lists Elite HubSpot partners first and ranks them by the number of reviews, not the quality of reviews. Next come the Diamond HubSpot partners. Click on each profile. Read each review - you’ll get a feel for what the agency is good at and what forms the bulk of their work. HubSpot Sales Hub? HubSpot onboarding? Inbound Marketing campaigns? CRM migrations and integrations? The bigger agencies will have far more reviews (they do more projects), so reading what the reviewers say is essential.

The great thing about HubSpot reviews is that you need a HubSpot account to leave a review. So these are genuine HubSpot platform users leaving the reviews. However, agencies only ask their pleased clients for HubSpot reviews. So be a little cautious that this is the entire picture. Maybe pop over to their Google reviews as well. Google reviews are where the unsolicited reviews live. Read them, too.

Which HubSpot hubs should I choose? Can I start with multiple hubs?

Yes. Most HubSpot agencies will tell you that the synergy between HubSpot Marketing Hub and HubSpot Sales Hub is where they focus. Aligned marketing and sales teams lead to business growth. Going with multiple Hubs can increase your chances of getting a discount on your licence. Plus, your results will be much better.

Our most successful clients all use at least three Hubs. Sales, marketing and service teams know what's happening to leads, opportunities and customers at every turn. Accountability is driven hard by this visibility. Accountability inside and between teams is a strong predictor of business growth.

What to talk to us about your HubSpot?

Navigate our contact page and leave an enquiry - an experienced sales team member will get back to you ASAP.

Why you should shortlist us and reach out

• This page is perfectly SEO optimised to rank. Our lead generation is top-class, with paid media or without.
• Our automation and sales processes are dialled in, and someone will contact you ASAP. Test us.
• As you can see from our website, our UX, digital branding, and HubSpot is world-class.
• Finally, we've been in the HubSpot solutions partner program for over seven years, win regular awards, and have great reviews and testimonials.

We hope to head from you soon.