Replace Guesswork with HubSpot Targeting: Segment, Set Rules, Scale

[Jigar_Thakker]

It’s easy to create a CTA, pop-up form, or chat flow in HubSpot, but how do you ensure it reaches the right people at the right time?

That’s where most marketers struggle.

Your pop-ups are showing to everyone and getting ignored, your chat flows are firing on irrelevant pages, or your CTAs are not aligned with the visitor’s stage in the funnel. These mistakes lead to low engagement, poor conversion rates, and a frustrating user experience.

If you are using HubSpot, you already have the tools to fix this.

Targeting rules let you control exactly who sees your content and when. You can show a product demo CTA only to sales-ready leads, trigger a support chatbot only for logged-in users, or display region-specific offers based on the visitor’s country.

Let's explore using targeting rules effectively across three key tools in HubSpot: CTAs, pop-up forms, and chatflows, and build targeted, personalized experiences that convert.

Targeting Rules in HubSpot: Why Dynamic, Personalized Content Matters

Targeting rules in HubSpot let you control who sees what, when, and where on your website. Instead of showing duplicate content to every visitor, you can use these rules to create your CTAs, forms, and chat flows based on the visitor’s behavior, location, device, lifecycle stage, or other attributes.

Visitors don’t all have the exact needs. A first-time visitor might need an intro-level guide, while a sales-qualified lead might be ready for a demo. Targeting rules help you deliver the right message to the right person without manual effort.

HubSpot makes this possible by using data you already have in your CRM, such as contact properties or previous interactions, and combining it with visitor behavior in real-time. The result is a personalized experience that feels relevant to the individual user.

Where You Can Use Targeting Rules

In HubSpot, targeting rules can be applied to:

• CTAs (Calls to Action): Show different CTAs to different audience segments.
• Pop-up Forms: Trigger forms based on user behavior, such as exit intent or scroll depth.
• Chatflows: Launch specific chats based on page visits, contact status, or device type.

These rules work across your website, landing pages, and blog, helping you fine-tune your message based on user context. Using targeting rules improves the performance of your content. You can expect:

• Higher engagement – Visitors are more likely to interact when content feels relevant.
• Better conversion rates – Personalized CTAs and forms drive more sign-ups, downloads, and leads.
• Lower bounce rates – Customized messaging keeps people on your site longer.
• Stronger lead segmentation – You can route leads into more accurate lists and workflows based on their engagement.

How to Access Targeting Settings in HubSpot?

Here's how to access the targeting options for CTAs, pop-up forms, and chat flows.

For Sticky Banners, Pop-Up Boxes, or Slide-In CTAs

1. Go to Marketing > Lead Capture > CTAs in your HubSpot account.

2. In the top left, open the dropdown menu and select CTAs.

3. Find the CTA you want to edit, hover over it, and click Edit.

4. Click the Target tab at the top of the editor to view and adjust targeting settings.

For Pop-Up Forms

1. Go to Marketing > Forms.

2. Find the form you want to work with and click Edit.

3. Click the Targeting tab at the top of the editor to access rule options.

For Chatflows

1. Go to Automations > Chatflows.

2. Select the chatflow you want to edit and click Edit.

3. At the top, click the Target tab to open targeting settings.

You can set up rules based on visitor behavior, device type, and contact lists. The options vary slightly depending on the tool you're using, but the process is similar across all three.

HubSpot Targeting Rules: Personalize Your Journey

By setting targeting rules, HubSpot allows you to control when and where CTAs, pop-up forms, and chatflows appear. These rules can be based on the page URL, query parameters, or visitor-specific details, such as location, device, and contact status. Here's how each type of rule works.

1. Website URL-Based Rules

These rules define where your asset appears based on the URL of the page being viewed.

• Is all pages: This rule makes the asset visible across every page where your HubSpot tracking code is installed. It’s a simple way to apply a universal message, like a general newsletter signup, across your entire website.
• Is: Use this when displaying an asset only on a specific page. If you include query parameters, the rule requires an exact match of the full URL, including those parameters. If you don’t include them, HubSpot ignores query parameters during matching. This is useful when you want a CTA to appear only on your homepage, not on other pages, like /pricing.
• Contains: This rule triggers the asset on any URL that includes a specific string. It works well for targeting all pages within a category, such as those containing "/products", without needing to list each one individually.
• Begins with: Assets using this rule will display on any page where the URL starts with the value you specify. For instance, if you enter /blog, the asset will display on all blog pages, regardless of what follows in the URL.
• Matches wildcard: Wildcard rules use an asterisk (*) to substitute for any path or character in the URL. For example, a rule like www.example.com/*/pricing will match both /marketing/pricing and /service/pricing. This helps target multiple sub-sections with similar page structures.

2. Query Parameter-Based Rules

These rules target users based on values in the URL’s query parameters, often used in marketing campaigns.

• Is: This rule displays the asset when the query parameter matches the specified value. For example, the asset will display if the URL contains 'utm_campaign=birthday' and your rule matches it exactly. It won’t trigger if the parameter has a different value or variation.
• Begins with: This rule activates when the value of a query parameter starts with a specific word or phrase. So, if the parameter is utm_campaign=birthdaytreat, and your rule is set to begin with 'birthday', it will match and trigger.
• Contains: This rule is broader as it triggers if the query parameter value includes the specified text anywhere. If the value is utm_campaign=itsyourbirthday and your rule is set to contain birthday, the asset will display. It helps cover variations without needing exact matches.

3. Visitor Information and Behavior-Based Rules

These rules allow you to personalize asset delivery based on the visitor’s identity, location, or browsing behavior.

• Browser Language: You can show or hide assets based on the language set in the visitor’s browser. For example, you could display a Spanish version of the form for users whose default browser language is Spanish.
• Device Type: This rule targets users based on their device type (desktop, mobile, or tablet). You might use it to display mobile-optimized forms to phone users and different content for desktop visitors.
• Country: With this setting, you can show or hide assets depending on the visitor’s country. This helps run region-specific campaigns, displaying localized content, or meeting legal compliance needs in certain regions.

4. Contact-Based Targeting Rules

These rules rely on information in your CRM to show or hide assets based on a visitor’s known status or membership in a list.

• Segmented Lists: You can target assets to users of specific contact lists in your CRM. For example, you might offer a loyalty discount to people in your "Returning Customers" list but not to new visitors.
• Visitor Type: HubSpot distinguishes between known (tracked) contacts and unknown visitors. This rule lets you target messages accordingly. For instance, you might offer a lead magnet to anonymous users but avoid showing it to existing contacts.
• Logged-In Visitor (Chatflows only): For chatflows, HubSpot allows targeting users logged in via the Visitor Identification API or through access to gated content. This helps offer personalized support or exclusive content to logged-in users only.

Best Practices for Using Targeting Rules Effectively

Here’s how to make sure your targeting rules are helping, not hurting, your conversion goals:

1. Start Broad, Then Refine

If you're unsure how to segment your audience, start with general rules (e.g., show to all mobile users). Collect performance data, then narrow your targeting based on results.

2. Map Rules to Funnel Stages

Use targeting based on the stage of the lifecycle. For example:

• Top of Funnel: Show blog readers a pop-up for signing up for the newsletter.
• Middle of Funnel: Offer product comparison guides to returning visitors.
• Bottom of Funnel: Show demo request CTAs on pricing or product pages.

3. Don’t Overlap Messages

Avoid showing a chat flow, a pop-up, and a CTA all at the same time on the same page. This will overwhelm visitors. Choose one clear action per page or segment.

4. Use Preview and Testing Tools

Always test how your assets appear across devices, browsers, and visitor types. HubSpot provides a preview mode, so you can use it before publishing.

5. Regularly Audit Rules

Set a monthly or campaign-based review cycle to update URLs, remove outdated campaigns, and refine targeting logic based on performance.

What Not to Do: Targeting Rule Mistakes That Hurt Your Conversions

Targeting rules can help you deliver more relevant content—but only if they’re set up and maintained correctly. Here are some common mistakes to watch out for.

1. Over-Targeting and Creating Friction

When you apply too many targeting conditions, you limit who can see your CTA, form, or chatflow. This might seem like a way to get highly qualified leads, but it can reduce visibility and slow down lead generation in practice. If your audience is too narrow, you miss out on potential conversions.

Over-targeting can also frustrate users. If content appears and disappears inconsistently, it can feel confusing or disruptive. The goal is to make the experience feel natural—not forced.

Tip: Start with a few core rules, test the results, and add more if the data supports it.

2. Forgetting to Update Rules as Campaigns Evolve

Targeting rules aren't set-and-forget. As your marketing campaigns change—new offers, updated landing pages, restructured site navigation—you must revisit and adjust your targeting settings.

If rules aren’t updated, you risk showing outdated or irrelevant messages or hiding important content from the right audience.

Tip: Set a reminder to review targeting settings when launching new campaigns or making major site updates.

3. Not Testing Across Devices or Browsers

What works on desktop doesn’t always work the same on mobile or in different browsers. A chatflow might block content on a mobile screen. A pop-up form might not load properly in specific browsers. If you don’t test thoroughly, users could face usability issues that stop them from converting.

Tip: Preview and test all assets on multiple devices and browsers before going live. Use HubSpot’s preview tools and test with real users when possible.

[Jaycee_Lewis]

Thanks, @Jigar_Thakker 🙌 — Jaycee