How to Use Hubspot for an Ungated Content Strategy
Hubspot popularized smart, user-first content, and its approach to ungated content shows how giving away value can actually generate more qualified leads. This guide explains how to build an ungated content strategy that attracts visitors, earns trust, and still supports your lead generation goals.
What Ungated Content Is in Hubspot Terms
Ungated content is any resource a visitor can access without filling out a form. In a Hubspot-style content strategy, this usually includes blog posts, landing pages without forms, videos, and helpful tools.
Instead of hiding everything behind a lead capture form, you use ungated assets to:
- Answer key questions early in the buyer journey
- Show expertise before asking for contact details
- Build trust and brand affinity at scale
Forms still matter, but they are reserved for moments when the perceived value is high enough that a visitor is willing to trade personal information.
Why Hubspot Promotes Ungated Content
The approach described on the Hubspot blog highlights several advantages to ungating more of your content.
Better User Experience
Visitors can immediately access articles, templates, or tools without friction. That leads to:
- Lower bounce rates
- More page views per session
- Longer on-page engagement
This positive experience makes it more likely people will remember your brand and return when they are ready to convert.
More Organic Traffic and Backlinks
Search engines can fully crawl and index ungated pages. The more high-quality pages you have available to index, the more opportunities you have to rank and earn backlinks.
The Hubspot example shows that when your best content is ungated, people are more likely to share and reference it, naturally growing your reach.
Higher-Intent Leads
When you stop forcing visitors to fill out a form for every resource, the leads you do capture tend to be higher intent. They have already consumed valuable content and are more willing to:
- Start a trial
- Request a demo
- Contact sales with specific questions
This aligns with a modern buyer journey, where prospects educate themselves long before speaking with a sales rep.
When to Gate vs. Ungate in a Hubspot Strategy
Deciding what to gate is one of the biggest tactical questions. The Hubspot article suggests focusing on value and intent instead of defaulting to forms.
Content to Keep Ungated
Typically, the following should remain open:
- Educational blog posts and guides
- Short checklists and cheat sheets
- Introductory videos and explainers
- Basic templates and frameworks
These assets attract top-of-funnel visitors and help them understand their problems and options.
Content You Might Gate Strategically
You can reserve forms for high-value, high-intent resources, such as:
- In-depth research reports and benchmark studies
- Comprehensive toolkits and multi-part courses
- Interactive calculators that generate tailored outputs
- Live webinars or events with limited seats
Even then, the Hubspot blog suggests being selective. Gate where it clearly makes sense, not by default.
How to Implement an Ungated Content Plan with Hubspot
You can follow a simple process to apply these ideas inside your own marketing operation.
1. Audit Your Existing Gated Assets
Start by listing all content that currently sits behind a form. For each asset, ask:
- Does this answer a basic question or a highly advanced one?
- Would more people benefit if search engines could index it?
- Is the content strong enough to convert even without a form?
Flag pieces that seem more educational than premium. Those are candidates for ungating.
2. Decide What to Ungate Based on Hubspot Criteria
Borrowing from the Hubspot playbook, you can prioritize ungating assets that:
- Address common early-stage questions
- Are referenced frequently by your sales team
- Could drive backlinks if made public
Make a shortlist and plan to test performance before and after ungating.
3. Update Landing Pages and Internal Links
When you ungate content, you may need to adjust the layout:
- Remove or minimize intrusive pop-up forms.
- Move remaining forms to the middle or bottom of the page.
- Add clear CTAs to deeper resources or product pages.
Follow the example from the Hubspot blog by using in-line CTAs and subtle banners instead of blocking content with a full-page form.
4. Add Smart CTAs and Soft Conversions
You still want visitors to convert, but you can use softer prompts:
- Newsletter sign-ups after someone scrolls a certain depth
- “Send this guide to my inbox” options
- “Get the editable version” CTAs that add extra value
This lets people enjoy ungated content while giving them optional, relevant paths to share contact information.
Hubspot-Style Best Practices for Ungated Content
To get the full benefit, follow these best practices inspired by the Hubspot article.
Prioritize Quality Over Volume
If you are opening more content to the public, quality matters even more. Each ungated piece should:
- Cover a topic comprehensively
- Use clear structure with headings and bullets
- Offer examples, screenshots, or templates where helpful
This makes it more likely the content will rank, be shared, and actually influence buying decisions.
Align with the Buyer Journey
Map ungated pages to key stages:
- Awareness: Explain problems, symptoms, and terminology.
- Consideration: Compare solutions, frameworks, and approaches.
- Decision: Share case studies, ROI examples, and implementation guides.
Hubspot demonstrates that when each stage is supported by ungated education, buyers move themselves closer to purchase.
Measure Impact After Ungating
Track performance before and after you remove forms. Metrics to watch include:
- Organic sessions
- Time on page and scroll depth
- Click-through to product or pricing pages
- Number and quality of leads from related CTAs
If overall pipeline improves, you can confidently continue shifting more content to an ungated model.
Examples and Resources to Model After Hubspot
The original discussion of ungated content lives on the Hubspot blog. You can read it directly for more context and examples: Hubspot ungated content article.
To further refine your strategy, you may also want to consult specialized marketing and SEO advisors. For instance, Consultevo provides optimization and content strategy services that can complement what you implement in your own tools.
Bringing a Hubspot-Inspired Model Into Your Own Stack
You do not need to use any specific platform to benefit from this approach. A Hubspot-style model simply means prioritizing user value, search visibility, and trust before lead capture.
By ungating more content, refining where you ask for forms, and continuously measuring performance, you can create a system where high-quality education fuels sustainable pipeline growth without relying on aggressive gatekeeping.
Use the principles outlined here to review your current library, decide what to open up, and design a content experience your audience will return to again and again.
Need Help With Hubspot?
If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your Hubspot , work with ConsultEvo, a team who has a decade of Hubspot experience.
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