How to Import Contacts to HubSpot on YouTube: Step-by-Step Guide

Importing contacts into HubSpot is a crucial task for businesses looking to centralize their customer data and streamline their marketing efforts. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the step-by-step process of importing your contacts into HubSpot, ensuring a smooth and efficient transition. We'll cover everything from preparing your import file to utilizing HubSpot's advanced import features, helping you avoid common pitfalls and maintain a clean, organized database.

You will find the below video helpful.

Preparing Your Import File

Before importing your contacts into HubSpot, it's crucial to ensure your file is clean and organized to avoid common issues like duplicates. Here are the key steps to prepare your import file:

1. Use a CSV or Excel file format that matches HubSpot's requirements
2. Include a header row with column names that correspond to HubSpot properties
3. Ensure each column contains only one type of data (e.g., first name, email)
4. Remove any blank rows or columns
5. Eliminate duplicate contacts by using a unique identifier like email address

By taking the time to properly structure and clean your import file, you'll save yourself headaches down the road and ensure a smooth import process. For more tips on organizing your data, check out how to build a prospect list.

Understanding HubSpot's Import Options

HubSpot offers several import options to fit your specific needs. The two main types are:

1. Single object or activity import: This allows you to create and/or update one object or activity at a time, such as contacts, companies, deals, tickets, calls, products, and custom object records. Tasks can be created but not updated.
2. Multiple object and activity import: This option enables you to create, update, and/or associate multiple objects and activities in a single import. You can import multiple objects and activities in one file or two objects/an object and an activity in separate files.

When choosing between single and multiple object imports, consider the following:

• Single object imports are best for updating or adding records for a single object type, like contacts or companies.
• Multiple object imports are ideal when you need to associate records, such as connecting contacts to their respective companies or deals to their associated contacts.

For more tips on optimizing your sales workflows, see our guide on automate sales prospecting.

By understanding the different import options available in HubSpot, you can choose the most efficient method for your data import needs. For related tools, check out sales prospecting tools.

Mapping Your Data Correctly

When importing data into HubSpot, it's crucial to map your imported data fields to the appropriate HubSpot contact properties. This ensures data consistency and accuracy across your database. To map your data correctly, follow these steps:

1. Review your import file and identify the data fields you want to import.
2. In HubSpot, create custom properties that match the data fields in your import file, if they don't already exist.
3. During the import process, map each data field to its corresponding HubSpot property. HubSpot will provide suggestions based on property names, but verify each mapping to ensure accuracy.

Pay special attention to unique identifiers, such as email addresses or customer IDs. These identifiers are essential for updating existing contacts accurately and avoiding duplicates. When mapping unique identifiers, consider the following:

• Use email addresses as the primary unique identifier for contacts, as they are the most reliable and commonly used identifier in HubSpot.
• If your import file contains custom unique identifiers, create a custom property in HubSpot to store this information and map it accordingly during the import process.

Accurate data mapping helps in data enrichment, ensuring your database is clean and reliable.

By taking the time to map your data correctly and utilizing unique identifiers, you'll maintain a clean and accurate database in HubSpot, which is essential for effective marketing, sales, and customer service efforts.

Reviewing and Cleaning Imported Data

After importing your data into HubSpot, it's essential to review it for any errors or inconsistencies. This step is crucial for maintaining data quality and ensuring that your marketing, sales, and customer service efforts are based on accurate information. To review your imported data, follow these steps:

1. Access your import history in HubSpot by navigating to Contacts > Imports.
2. Review the summary of your recent imports, paying attention to any errors or warnings.
3. If you notice any issues, such as missing or incorrectly formatted data, make the necessary corrections in your import file and re-import the affected records.

Once you've reviewed your imported data, take some time to clean and organize your HubSpot database. Here are a few tips to help you maintain data quality:

• Merge duplicate contacts and companies to keep your database clutter-free and ensure that all interactions are associated with the correct records.
• Update any outdated or incomplete information, such as job titles, company names, or contact details.
• Standardize your data by ensuring that all properties use consistent formatting and terminology, such as using "Inc." instead of "Incorporated" or "Co." instead of "Company."
• Consider implementing data hygiene practices, such as regularly reviewing and cleaning your database, to maintain data quality over time.

Bardeen can help you automate enrichment and qualification tasks, freeing up time for important work.

By reviewing and cleaning your imported data, you'll ensure that your HubSpot database remains accurate, organized, and reliable, enabling you to make informed decisions and effectively engage with your contacts.

Utilizing HubSpot Import Tools and Features

HubSpot offers a range of advanced features to streamline the import process and ensure data accuracy. One such feature is the ability to set up property values during the import process. This allows you to assign specific values to properties for the imported records, saving you time and effort in updating them manually later.

Another powerful feature is the option to deduplicate records during the import process. HubSpot can identify and merge duplicate records based on unique identifiers such as email addresses or custom properties. This helps maintain a clean and organized database by eliminating redundant data.

To further enhance your data management capabilities, HubSpot provides an auto-create and associate companies with contacts feature based on email domains. When enabled, this feature automatically creates a new company record and associates it with the corresponding contact record whenever a contact with a new email domain is imported or created. This automation saves time and ensures that your contacts and companies are properly linked.

To utilize these advanced features:

1. During the import process, map your columns to the appropriate HubSpot properties and select the desired import options, such as 'Create and update records' or 'Update existing records only.'
2. Choose the unique identifier (e.g., email or custom property) to deduplicate records and prevent duplicates from being imported.
3. Enable the 'auto-create and associate companies with contacts' feature in your import settings to automatically link contacts and companies based on email domains.

By leveraging these powerful import tools and features, you can ensure that your data is accurately imported, deduplicated, and properly associated, resulting in a well-organized and efficient HubSpot database.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

When importing contacts into HubSpot, there are several common mistakes that can lead to data inconsistencies and import errors. Being aware of these pitfalls and taking steps to avoid them can save you time and ensure a smooth, successful import process.

One of the most frequent issues is incorrect file formatting. Before starting your import, double-check that your file is in a supported format (CSV, XLS, or XLSX) and that it adheres to HubSpot's formatting requirements. Ensure that your file has a header row, all required columns are present, and there are no extra spaces or special characters in your column headers.

Another common pitfall is mapping errors. When matching your import file's columns to HubSpot properties, be sure to carefully review each mapping to confirm that the data aligns correctly. Pay special attention to unique identifiers like email addresses or company domain names, as these are crucial for updating existing records and avoiding duplicates.

To troubleshoot import errors:

1. Review the error message provided by HubSpot, which will identify the specific issue and affected records.
2. Download the error file to see a detailed breakdown of each error, including the affected rows and columns.
3. Make necessary corrections in your import file, such as fixing formatting issues, updating invalid values, or removing duplicates.
4. If the error relates to missing required properties or invalid mappings, adjust your property mappings or create new custom properties as needed.
5. Once you've resolved all errors, re-import your updated file to successfully bring your data into HubSpot.

Automate contact imports and save hours with Bardeen. Check out our web scraping playbook to streamline your processes effortlessly.

By taking a proactive approach to data preparation and carefully reviewing your import settings, you can avoid common pitfalls and ensure a seamless import experience. If you encounter any persistent issues or need further guidance, don't hesitate to consult resources on managing leads or reach out to their support team for assistance.

While the manual process of importing contacts to HubSpot via YouTube integration provides a straightforward method, automating this task can save significant time and reduce the margin for error. Automation with Bardeen not only streamlines the import process but also enables seamless integration of contact information from various platforms directly into HubSpot. Let's explore how Bardeen can automate tasks related to HubSpot, enhancing efficiency and data accuracy.

Here are some examples of automations using Bardeen's playbooks:

1. Copy all HubSpot contacts to Google Sheets: This playbook automates the transfer of your HubSpot contacts to Google Sheets, facilitating easy sharing and further data analysis without manual exports.
2. Copy all HubSpot contacts to Coda: Streamline the process of managing your contacts by automatically copying them from HubSpot to a Coda table, enhancing project management and collaboration across your team.
3. Save LinkedIn profile to HubSpot as a new contact: Directly save LinkedIn profiles as new contacts in HubSpot, simplifying lead generation and ensuring your CRM is always up-to-date with your networking efforts.

Automate your HubSpot workflows today by downloading the Bardeen app.