Hubspot Blog Sidebar Plugins, Widgets, and Add-ons Guide

The Hubspot marketing blog uses smart sidebar plugins, widgets, and add-ons to boost engagement, navigation, and conversions. You can apply the same ideas on your own site, even if you are not using Hubspot directly.

This guide breaks down the key sidebar elements featured on the original Hubspot blog sidebar article and shows you how to structure, design, and optimize a high-performing sidebar step by step.

Why Model Your Sidebar After the Hubspot Blog

The public Hubspot blog is a live example of how to combine user experience with lead generation. Its sidebar layout is intentionally simple, fast, and focused on helping readers take the next step.

By modeling your own layout after the Hubspot approach, you can:

• Highlight relevant content without overwhelming readers
• Increase email sign-ups and content downloads
• Keep visitors browsing your site longer
• Give search engines a clear, crawlable structure

Core Hubspot-Style Sidebar Strategy

Before you add any plugin or widget, define the strategy your sidebar will follow. The Hubspot marketing blog applies three simple rules:

1. Single clear primary goal: Capture leads or send readers to a key offer.
2. Secondary goals: Help users discover more content and learn about products.
3. Minimal distraction: Keep the design clean and limit the number of elements.

Use these rules as your baseline blueprint when choosing or configuring your own sidebar elements.

Hubspot-Inspired Sidebar Layout Overview

The Hubspot blog uses a vertical stack of modules that appear consistent across posts. A similar layout for your own site might follow this order:

1. Lead capture or newsletter sign-up
2. Featured download or content offer
3. Popular or recommended posts
4. Category or topic navigation
5. About or author section
6. Social proof or additional resources

Each block has a specific purpose, which keeps the sidebar focused instead of cluttered.

How to Build a Hubspot-Style Lead Capture Widget

Lead capture is a central piece of the Hubspot blog sidebar. To replicate this in your own system, follow these steps:

Step 1: Define the Hubspot-Inspired Offer

Decide what you will promote in the sidebar:

• Simple newsletter subscription
• Free ebook, template, or checklist
• Access to a resource library or course

On the Hubspot blog, offers are always tied to the topic of the page, making them highly relevant to the reader.

Step 2: Design a Compact Signup Form

Use a short form that fits neatly in the sidebar. A structure similar to what you see on Hubspot posts works well:

• Clear headline highlighting the benefit
• 1–2 short lines of supporting text
• Fields for email, and possibly first name
• Single, high-contrast call-to-action button

Keep the form minimal. The faster visitors can complete it, the higher your conversion rate will usually be.

Step 3: Add Trust Elements

Following the example of the Hubspot marketing blog, you can increase confidence with subtle proof points near the form:

• Short line about how many people already subscribe
• Note that the content is free and you respect privacy
• Link to your privacy policy if required by your region

Creating Hubspot-Style Featured Content Offers

In addition to email forms, the Hubspot blog often highlights premium content offers in the sidebar, designed to move readers further down the funnel.

Step 1: Choose a High-Value Asset

Select an asset relevant to the main topic of your article, such as:

• Detailed guide or report
• Toolkit, templates, or swipe files
• Free trial or demo of your product

This mirrors how Hubspot aligns offers to specific marketing topics.

Step 2: Design a Visual Card

Instead of a plain text link, build a small visual card that includes:

• Thumbnail or simple image representing the offer
• Short but compelling headline
• Brief benefit-driven description
• Call-to-action button such as “Download now” or “Get the template”

Place this widget near the top third of the sidebar, similar to the positioning typically used in the Hubspot layout.

Adding Hubspot-Like Navigation and Discovery Widgets

The Hubspot blog sidebar helps readers find more content without overwhelming them. You can adopt the same approach with simple navigation widgets.

Popular Posts Module

A popular posts widget helps surface your best material. Configure it to:

• Show 3–6 curated articles only
• Use short, descriptive titles
• Link directly to individual posts

Model your list titles on the clear, educational style used on Hubspot, focusing on outcomes and how-to topics.

Category or Topic List

To mimic the Hubspot category navigation, add a structured list of key topics:

• Group posts under 5–10 main categories
• Use keyword-focused labels like “Email Marketing,” “SEO,” or “Sales Enablement”
• Link each category name to a dedicated archive page

This helps users and search engines understand your site’s structure.

Design Tips to Match the Hubspot Sidebar Experience

Beyond the specific plugins or widgets you install, the overall design should feel as clean and usable as the Hubspot blog.

Visual Consistency

• Use one primary accent color for buttons and highlights
• Align typography and spacing with your main content area
• Avoid heavy borders or distracting backgrounds

Mobile-Friendly Sidebar Behavior

On many themes, the sidebar moves below the content on smaller screens. To maintain a Hubspot-inspired experience on mobile:

• Place your most important modules (like lead capture) near the top of the sidebar in your layout settings
• Test how each widget stacks on phones and tablets
• Remove any element that becomes hard to interact with on small screens

Testing and Optimizing a Hubspot-Style Sidebar

The Hubspot team constantly tests and refines layouts, and you should follow a similar optimization loop.

Key Metrics to Track

• Form conversion rate from sidebar widgets
• Click-through rate on featured offers
• Time on site and pages per session
• Scroll depth and behavior on key posts

Improvement Process

1. Start with a simple setup modeled after the Hubspot structure.
2. Run A/B tests on headlines, offers, and button copy.
3. Remove low-performing widgets to reduce clutter.
4. Iterate monthly based on performance data.

Where to Get Help Implementing a Hubspot-Inspired Sidebar

If you need guidance adapting these Hubspot principles to your own CMS or theme, consider working with a specialized optimization or technical SEO partner. Agencies like Consultevo can help you design, test, and refine a sidebar that supports your broader content strategy.

Applying Hubspot Sidebar Lessons to Any Blog

You do not need to use the Hubspot platform to benefit from the way its marketing blog structures the sidebar. The main lessons are:

• Define a single primary goal for the sidebar
• Promote one strong lead magnet or offer
• Use simple navigation widgets that highlight your best content
• Keep the design clean, fast, and consistent
• Test and optimize continuously

By following these principles and adapting them to your tools and audience, you can build a sidebar that mimics the clarity and effectiveness of the Hubspot marketing blog while remaining fully aligned with your own brand and conversion goals.

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