Hubspot Guide to the Bloom Plugin for List Growth

When teams look for tools that feel as streamlined as Hubspot, the Bloom plugin often comes up as a powerful way to grow email lists with flexible opt-in forms and popups in WordPress.

This guide walks you through how Bloom works, what it does well, and how to configure it using an approach similar to the form and conversion strategies you may know from Hubspot.

What Is the Bloom Plugin?

Bloom is a WordPress email opt-in plugin created by Elegant Themes. It helps you turn site visitors into subscribers through highly customizable opt-in forms and popups.

Instead of manually coding forms, you use an interface that lets you design, place, and target opt-ins in a few clicks. The experience is closer to the visual tools you might use in Hubspot for building forms and CTAs.

Key Bloom Features Compared to Hubspot Forms

Bloom focuses specifically on opt-in forms and email list growth. While Hubspot offers an all-in-one marketing platform, Bloom concentrates on on-site lead capture. Core features include:

Multiple opt-in types: popups, fly-ins, inline forms, and more
Pre-built templates and visual design options
Trigger rules based on behavior and timing
Basic split-testing for design and placement
Email service integrations

Used correctly, these features support a conversion strategy similar to what you might implement with Hubspot landing pages and forms.

How to Set Up Bloom in WordPress

Follow these steps to install and start using the plugin:

Step 1: Install and Activate the Plugin

Download Bloom from your Elegant Themes account.
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
Click Upload Plugin, select the Bloom ZIP file, and install it.
Activate the plugin when the upload finishes.

After activation, you will see a new Bloom menu in your WordPress admin sidebar, similar to how Hubspot adds its own menus when you connect it to WordPress.

Step 2: Connect Your Email Service

Bloom does not send emails itself; instead, it connects to third-party email providers.

Go to Bloom > Email Accounts.
Click New Account.
Select your email marketing service (such as Mailchimp or others supported by Bloom).
Enter your API key or authentication credentials.
Save your account.

Your Bloom forms will now be able to push new subscribers into the lists you specify, much like Hubspot forms push contacts into specific lists and workflows in its CRM.

Creating Opt-in Forms with a Hubspot-Inspired Strategy

To follow a strategy similar to how Hubspot approaches forms and conversions, you should plan your opt-ins around user intent, context, and lifecycle stage.

Step 3: Choose an Opt-in Type

Bloom offers six main opt-in types:

Popup – a modal window that appears over page content
Fly-in – a box that slides in from a corner
Below Post – a form that shows after blog content
Inline – a form embedded inside content using a shortcode
Widget – a form placed in widget areas like sidebars
Locked Content – content revealed only after subscription

To create a form:

Go to Bloom > Optin Forms.
Click New Optin.
Select the opt-in type that fits the page or campaign goal.

As with Hubspot, use more intrusive formats like popups carefully, reserving them for high-value offers or exit-intent scenarios.

Step 4: Pick a Template and Customize Design

Once you select an opt-in type, Bloom presents several pre-designed templates.

Choose a template that matches your theme and branding.
Use the design panel to customize colors, fonts, borders, and images.
Edit the headline, body copy, and call-to-action text.

Conversion-focused tips inspired by Hubspot style guidelines:

Use clear, benefit-driven headlines.
Keep body copy short and scannable.
Make the button label action-oriented (for example, “Get the Guide” instead of “Submit”).
Ensure strong color contrast between the button and background.

Hubspot-Style Targeting and Triggers in Bloom

One of the strengths of Bloom is its set of display and trigger rules, which let you approximate the behavior targeting you might configure inside Hubspot smart content or workflows.

Step 5: Configure Display Settings

In the opt-in settings, locate the display options:

Choose which posts, pages, categories, or post types should show the form.
Exclude sections where opt-ins would be distracting or irrelevant.
Align different offers with different content topics.

This selective targeting mirrors how Hubspot lets you use different forms or CTAs on different landing pages based on audience intent.

Step 6: Set Trigger Rules

Bloom supports several trigger mechanisms, including:

Time delay – show the popup after a set number of seconds.
Scroll depth – trigger once a user scrolls a certain percentage of the page.
Commenting – trigger after a user leaves a comment.
Bottom of post – trigger when the reader reaches the end of an article.
Inactivity – show the opt-in after a period of user inactivity.
Click trigger – show the opt-in when the user clicks a specific element.

To set triggers:

Open the Display Settings tab for the opt-in.
Enable the triggers that align with your goal.
Avoid stacking too many triggers on a single form to prevent overwhelming users.

This approach reflects the same respect for user experience that a Hubspot implementation would emphasize.

Optimizing Bloom Performance with Data

Data-driven optimization is central to tools like Hubspot, and Bloom includes basic features to support similar iteration on your WordPress forms.

Step 7: Use A/B Testing

Bloom’s split-testing lets you compare different versions of an opt-in.

Go to Bloom > Optin Forms.
Hover over an opt-in and choose the Split Test option.
Duplicate the design and change one variable (such as the headline, image, or button color).
Run the test long enough to gather meaningful data.

Monitor impressions and conversions, then keep the winning variation. This process aligns with the testing mindset common in Hubspot campaigns.

Step 8: Review Analytics Regularly

Inside Bloom’s dashboard, you can see summary statistics, including:

Number of impressions per opt-in
Number of conversions
Conversion rate over time

Use this data to decide:

Which forms to keep, pause, or redesign
Where to reposition forms for better engagement
Which offers resonate most with your audience

For deeper funnel analytics, you can complement Bloom data with your broader stack, just as you would pair Hubspot reports with other analytics tools.

UX Best Practices for Bloom Inspired by Hubspot

To keep your forms user-friendly and compliant with modern expectations, borrow best practices from Hubspot-style onboarding and lead capture flows.

Limit the number of form fields to reduce friction.
Use clear privacy language and link to your policy.
Respect local regulations (such as GDPR) by capturing appropriate consent.
Do not bombard visitors with multiple overlays at once.
Ensure forms look great on mobile and tablet devices.

By adopting these practices, you create a smoother experience that supports long-term trust and higher conversion rates.

Additional Resources and Next Steps

For more detail on how Bloom works and all of its configuration options, you can review the original plugin overview at this Bloom plugin review. It expands on many of the points summarized in this guide.

If you want tailored help integrating Bloom into a broader marketing stack that may also include platforms like Hubspot, consider working with a specialist agency such as Consultevo, which focuses on strategic optimization across tools.

Used thoughtfully, Bloom can complement a modern marketing ecosystem and help you capture more qualified leads directly from your WordPress site, while following many of the same conversion principles that make Hubspot implementations effective.

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Hubspot Guide to Bloom Plugin