How to Create Lookalike Lists in Hubspot

Hubspot gives you powerful tools to build lookalike lists so you can reach new audiences that closely resemble your best existing customers, while staying aligned with privacy and consent requirements.

This step-by-step guide explains how lookalike lists work, the requirements you must meet, and exactly how to set them up inside your account.

What Are Lookalike Lists in Hubspot?

Lookalike lists are automatically generated audiences that mirror the attributes and behaviors of a source group of users. The platform analyzes your source list and finds similar users in supported ad networks so you can scale campaigns without losing relevance.

In this context, a lookalike list:

• Is based on a defined source audience (for example, a list, form, or lifecycle stage).
• Uses machine learning to find people similar to your source audience.
• Can be used in connected ad networks to expand your reach.
• Respects consent and tracking preferences by only including eligible contacts.

Hubspot Requirements for Lookalike Lists

Before you can create these lists, there are important requirements and limitations you must understand. These ensure quality targeting and compliance with privacy rules.

Account and Network Requirements

To use this feature effectively, make sure you meet these prerequisites:

• You must have an account with ads tools access.
• Your ad network accounts need to be connected and authorized.
• Your source data must come from eligible contacts with sufficient information.

Each connected network may also have its own minimum audience size and policy requirements. Refer to your specific ad network documentation in addition to the official Hubspot lookalike list documentation for details.

Contact and Consent Requirements

Lookalike lists are built using contacts that meet consent and privacy conditions. Typical requirements include:

• Contacts must be associated with valid identifiers (such as email or user IDs) that the ad network can match.
• Contacts must have provided appropriate consent for advertising and tracking where required.
• Contacts who have opted out of advertising or cookies will not be used as a matching source.

If your source audience contains many contacts without valid identifiers or consent, you may not be able to generate a reliable list.

How to Create a Hubspot Lookalike List

You can create a new lookalike list directly from your main audience tools. Follow these steps to set everything up correctly.

Step 1: Choose Your Source Audience

First, decide which existing audience you want to use as the basis for your new segment. Strong source audiences usually have:

• High engagement (for example, frequent site visitors or active leads).
• Clear intent (such as demo requests or recent purchases).
• Enough volume to meet ad network minimum thresholds.

Common types of source audiences include:

• Static or active contact lists.
• Contacts created from a specific form or workflow.
• Existing remarketing or lifecycle stage segments.

Step 2: Open the Audience Tools

Next, navigate to your audience management area:

1. Open your main navigation and go to your ads or audiences section.
2. Locate the tab where existing lists are stored.
3. Look for an option such as “Create audience” or “Create list.”

Your layout may differ slightly depending on your subscription level and interface updates, but the workflow remains similar.

Step 3: Select Lookalike as the Audience Type

When the audience creation panel opens, you will typically see multiple audience types. Choose the option labeled for lookalike or similar audiences. Then:

1. Enter a clear, descriptive name for your new lookalike list.
2. Select the ad account or network that will receive the audience.
3. Confirm that the audience type is set to “Lookalike” (or the equivalent naming in your interface).

Using precise names helps you differentiate between prospecting, remarketing, and lookalike campaigns later on.

Step 4: Connect the Source List

Now you will connect your chosen source audience:

1. Click the dropdown or search field to find your existing list or segment.
2. Select the list that best represents the type of customers you want more of.
3. Verify that the source audience size meets any required minimums.

Some networks allow you to adjust the “similarity vs. reach” balance. A more precise similarity may reduce volume but improve targeting quality.

Step 5: Configure Network Settings and Save

After defining the source, you may see additional settings depending on your ad network and region:

• Geographic or language filters.
• Audience expansion controls.
• Ad account or campaign associations.

Review all settings, then click the button to create or save the new audience. The list will be sent to the connected network where it will begin processing.

Managing and Using Hubspot Lookalike Audiences

Once your list is created, you will manage it from the same area where you manage other audiences.

Monitor Audience Status

New lists usually have a status indicating that they are syncing or building. Typical statuses include:

• Processing or building.
• Ready or active.
• Too small or not eligible.

If your audience remains too small, consider expanding your source list or combining multiple high-intent segments.

Use Lookalike Lists in Campaigns

After the status is active in your ad network, you can target this audience in new or existing campaigns. General steps include:

1. Create a new campaign or ad set in your connected ad account.
2. Choose the lookalike audience as your primary targeting group.
3. Exclude existing customers or remarketing audiences if necessary to avoid overlap.

Pairing lookalike lists with strong creative and clear offers will help you convert these new, similar users more effectively.

Best Practices for Hubspot Lookalike Strategy

To get the best results from your campaigns, follow these practical tips.

Start with High-Quality Source Data

Your source audience determines the quality of your lookalike segment. Focus on:

• Contacts who completed meaningful actions (purchases, demos, trials).
• Recent converters rather than very old customers.
• Audiences with sufficient volume and accurate contact data.

Respect Privacy and Compliance

Ensure all contacts used for building these audiences have appropriate consent in line with your region’s regulations. Keep your privacy notice and consent capture process up to date and easy to understand.

Test Multiple Lookalike Variations

Instead of relying on a single audience, create and compare variations such as:

• Lookalikes of recent high-value customers.
• Lookalikes of frequent site visitors.
• Lookalikes of engaged newsletter subscribers.

Measure performance across click-through rate, cost per acquisition, and lifetime value to identify the strongest segments.

Next Steps and Additional Resources

Lookalike lists can dramatically improve your ability to scale campaigns while maintaining relevance. Combine them with strong segmentation, clear consent practices, and ongoing optimization to maximize performance.

For deeper strategic help with ads, analytics, or audience building, you can explore consulting services at Consultevo.

For the most accurate and current product interface instructions, always refer to the official Hubspot lookalike list help article.