Hupspot Guide to Ad Hoc Analysis

Marketing teams using Hubspot-inspired workflows need agile ways to answer data questions fast. Ad hoc analysis is the practice of building quick, focused reports on the fly so you can investigate performance, test ideas, and make decisions without waiting on scheduled dashboards.

This guide breaks down how to run ad hoc analysis effectively, following the structure and best practices outlined in the original Hubspot article on ad hoc analysis.

What Is Ad Hoc Analysis in a Hubspot Context?

Ad hoc analysis is a one-off, question-driven exploration of your data. Instead of using a static, prebuilt report, you assemble a custom view that answers a specific question right now.

In a Hubspot-style marketing stack, ad hoc analysis often supports questions like:

• Why did email engagement spike last week?
• Which landing pages are contributing the most qualified leads?
• How did a new campaign influence pipeline in its first 7 days?

These analyses are temporary. You create the view, grab the insight, share it, and then decide whether it should be formalized into a recurring report.

Benefits of Ad Hoc Analysis for Hubspot Users

Teams that adopt ad hoc analysis gain several advantages:

• Speed: Quickly answer questions without waiting for new dashboards.
• Flexibility: Mix different data sources and time frames as needed.
• Granularity: Drill into specific segments, channels, or assets.
• Experimentation: Test hypotheses about campaigns, audiences, and messaging.

When used alongside scheduled reporting, ad hoc analysis gives you a clear overview and the ability to zoom in whenever you see something unexpected.

Core Components of a Hubspot-Style Ad Hoc Workflow

To run ad hoc analysis effectively, you need three foundational elements that mirror how Hubspot organizes reporting:

1. Clear Questions and Hypotheses

Start with a specific question. Examples:

• “Did our new CTA increase demo requests from paid social?”
• “Which blog topics drive the highest lead-to-customer conversion?”
• “Are webinar leads more likely to upgrade within 90 days?”

A crisp question prevents you from getting lost in the data and guides which filters, segments, and metrics you choose.

2. Reliable, Structured Data

Your analysis is only as strong as the underlying data. Following the Hubspot article’s principles, ensure that:

• Tracking parameters (such as UTM tags) are applied consistently.
• Lifecycle stages and deal stages are clearly defined.
• Standard naming conventions exist for campaigns and assets.
• Lead source and attribution fields are maintained cleanly.

Good structure makes it far easier to slice and combine data quickly when running one-off reports.

3. Flexible Reporting Tools

You’ll need tools that allow you to filter, group, and visualize data on demand. In a stack modeled on Hubspot capabilities, look for:

• Custom report builders with drag-and-drop fields.
• Filters for date range, campaign, lifecycle stage, and persona.
• Chart options such as tables, bar charts, line graphs, and funnels.
• Ways to save, clone, and share custom views.

Step-by-Step: Running Ad Hoc Analysis the Hubspot Way

Use this repeatable workflow to execute quick, targeted analyses:

Step 1: Define the Business Question

Write your question in plain language and tie it to a business outcome. For example:

• “Which channels produced the most SQLs this quarter?”
• “Did the pricing page redesign change demo requests?”
• “What keywords lead to the highest MRR after 6 months?”

This gives you a clear target and criteria for success.

Step 2: Identify the Required Data

Determine which objects, fields, and metrics you need. In a Hubspot-like schema, think in terms of:

• Contacts and companies (lead quality, lifecycle stage).
• Deals (revenue, close date, pipeline stage).
• Marketing assets (emails, landing pages, forms, ads).
• Events (page views, clicks, sessions, submissions).

List out the core metrics you want to measure, such as sessions, conversion rate, open rate, MQLs, SQLs, or revenue.

Step 3: Build a Focused Report

In your reporting interface, assemble a custom view with:

• Filters for date range, campaign, lifecycle stage, and region.
• Dimensions such as channel, asset, or keyword.
• Metrics like conversions, revenue, or deals created.

Keep it narrow. Each ad hoc analysis should answer one primary question, not ten different ones.

Step 4: Visualize and Explore

Choose visualizations that match the question:

• Tables for detailed comparisons.
• Bar charts for channel or campaign performance.
• Line charts for trends over time.
• Funnels for conversion steps across the journey.

Look for patterns, outliers, and sudden changes that deserve deeper investigation.

Step 5: Interpret and Validate

Translate patterns into insights:

• Connect spikes or drops to specific campaigns or events.
• Check sample sizes to avoid overreacting to small datasets.
• Compare against control periods or other segments.

If something seems surprising, rerun the analysis with a slightly different filter or an extended date range to confirm the pattern.

Step 6: Share and Decide

Summarize the findings in simple language and attach the supporting chart or table. Good ad hoc analysis should end with a clear recommendation, such as:

• Increase budget for a high-performing channel.
• Pause or adjust underperforming ads.
• Refine lead routing rules for a specific segment.
• Turn a useful ad hoc view into a scheduled report.

Hubspot-Inspired Use Cases for Ad Hoc Analysis

The original Hubspot article highlights several everyday scenarios where one-off reporting is especially powerful:

Campaign Performance Diagnostics

Dig into why a campaign is underperforming or overperforming by quickly analyzing:

• Performance by channel and creative.
• Lead quality from different audiences.
• Conversion rates across the full funnel.

Content and SEO Deep Dives

Build one-off reports to understand which assets truly support pipeline and revenue:

• Blog posts that convert readers to subscribers or MQLs.
• Landing pages with unusually high or low submission rates.
• Search terms and topics that drive high-value traffic.

Sales and Revenue Investigations

Run quick analyses on your deals to answer questions like:

• Which segments have the fastest sales cycle?
• Which sources lead to the highest average deal size?
• How a pricing or packaging change affected close rates.

Best Practices for Sustainable Hubspot-Style Reporting

To keep your ad hoc analysis reliable and repeatable, follow these practices, adapted from the Hubspot article:

• Maintain data hygiene: Regularly clean and normalize fields such as lifecycle stage, lead source, and campaign names.
• Document definitions: Clearly define what qualifies as an MQL, SQL, and opportunity.
• Standardize tracking: Use consistent UTM parameters and naming conventions across channels.
• Templatize useful views: Turn frequently used ad hoc reports into shared templates or dashboards.

Where to Learn More

For a complete breakdown of ad hoc analysis principles, examples, and visuals, you can read the original Hubspot source article here: Hubspot ad hoc analysis guide.

If you want expert help implementing a data-driven marketing and reporting framework in your own stack, you can also explore consulting services at Consultevo.

By combining structured data, flexible reporting, and a clear workflow for one-off questions, you can turn ad hoc analysis into a powerful decision-making engine for your marketing and revenue teams.