Inclusive Language Guide for HubSpot Users
Inclusive language matters in every customer interaction, and HubSpot users can take practical steps to find, review, and update non-inclusive phrases across their content. This guide walks you through what inclusive language is, why it matters, and how to bring it into your day-to-day marketing, sales, and service workflows.
The approach below is based on the principles outlined in the original HubSpot inclusive language tools article, translated into clear steps you can follow.
What Inclusive Language Means for HubSpot Teams
Inclusive language is wording that avoids expressions or terms that stereotype, exclude, or diminish people based on traits such as gender, race, ability, age, or socioeconomic status. For teams working in HubSpot, this applies to every touchpoint you manage, including:
- Blog posts and landing pages
- Email campaigns and sequences
- Knowledge base and help articles
- Chatflows, bot scripts, and ticket replies
- Internal communication and documentation
Using inclusive wording helps your organization:
- Build trust with underrepresented audiences
- Avoid unintentionally harmful phrasing
- Align your brand with internal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals
- Create clearer, more precise communication
Core Principles to Apply Inside HubSpot
Before you start editing content in HubSpot, it helps to understand the main principles from the inclusive language framework. These guidelines will shape how you decide what to change and what to keep.
HubSpot Principle 1: Put People First
Whenever possible, describe people as people first, not solely by a characteristic. That means:
- Say “person with a disability” rather than “disabled person,” when context calls for it.
- Use “people with diabetes” instead of “diabetics.”
- Refer to “people experiencing homelessness” rather than “the homeless.”
In your HubSpot content, review any phrases that reduce a person to a label and rework them to center the human being, not the condition or identity.
HubSpot Principle 2: Avoid Stereotypes and Assumptions
Many phrases in everyday language are rooted in stereotypes. When writing in HubSpot, avoid wording that:
- Assumes a default gender, race, or family structure
- Connects job roles with gender (for example, assuming a nurse is always a woman)
- Uses ageist language such as “senile” or “over the hill”
Replace these with neutral, specific alternatives that do not rely on harmful generalizations.
HubSpot Principle 3: Use Gender-Inclusive Language
Gendered language is one of the most common issues you will encounter as you audit HubSpot content. Focus on:
- Using “they” as a singular pronoun when gender is unknown or irrelevant
- Choosing neutral role titles like “chairperson,” “firefighter,” or “sales representative”
- Removing unnecessary gender markers in forms or copy unless they serve a clear, respectful purpose
Review your HubSpot forms, CTA copy, and email templates to ensure you are not forcing visitors into narrow gender categories.
HubSpot Principle 4: Respect Self-Identification
When you need to refer to a group, use the terms that community members use for themselves. In practice, that means:
- Checking current style guides and community resources
- Avoiding outdated or reclaimed slurs unless you are directly quoting someone with clear context
- Updating your HubSpot contact properties if certain labels or fields no longer reflect respectful language
How to Audit Existing Content in HubSpot
To make meaningful changes, start with a structured audit of the content you manage in HubSpot. This can be done in phases so it is realistic for small teams.
Step 1: Export or Inventory HubSpot Content
Create an inventory of high-impact places where language appears, such as:
- Top-performing blog posts and pillar pages
- Most-used email templates and sequences
- Autoresponders and workflows triggered most often
- Knowledge base articles with high traffic or support value
You can export lists of pages, emails, and articles from HubSpot or use reporting tools to prioritize by traffic and conversions.
Step 2: Build an Inclusive Language Checklist
Use a simple checklist so your HubSpot content review is consistent. Include items like:
- Gender-neutral pronouns
- Avoiding disability-related metaphors (for example, “lame,” “blind to,” “crazy”)
- Removing violent or oppressive metaphors
- Replacing idioms that may not translate well across cultures
- Checking for person-first language where appropriate
Keep this checklist in your team wiki, project management tool, or documentation platform so everyone who edits HubSpot content can access it.
Step 3: Search for Flagged Terms in HubSpot
Use built-in search features or exports from HubSpot to locate potentially harmful words or phrases. For example:
- Search your blog or knowledge base for specific flagged terms.
- Scan email templates for gendered job titles and greetings.
- Review chatflows for jokes, idioms, or metaphors that might not be inclusive.
Track what you find in a spreadsheet or project board, including the asset name, URL, and an initial suggestion for replacement text.
Editing Content in HubSpot with Inclusive Language
When you have identified content to update, follow a simple process so your edits are systematic and easy to review.
Step 4: Prioritize Updates by Risk and Reach
In any HubSpot portal, not all assets are equally important. Prioritize by:
- Reach: High-traffic pages, emails, and help articles
- Visibility: Content prominently linked in navigation or product UI
- Risk: Messages that discuss identity, health, or sensitive topics
Handle the most visible and sensitive items first so your biggest exposures are corrected quickly.
Step 5: Rewrite with Inclusive Alternatives
For each flagged phrase in HubSpot, ask:
- Can I make this more specific and descriptive?
- Can I remove unnecessary references to identity altogether?
- Is there a neutral, widely understood alternative?
Examples of changes you might make in HubSpot assets include:
- “Guys” → “everyone,” “team,” or “folks” in email intros
- “Normal user” → “typical user” or “most users”
- “Whitelist/blacklist” → “allowlist/blocklist” in technical documentation
Save versions as drafts where possible so you can gather feedback before publishing.
Step 6: Review Edits with a Second Set of Eyes
Because inclusive language is nuanced, build peer review into your HubSpot content workflow. Aim for reviewers who:
- Understand your audience and brand tone
- Are familiar with DEI principles
- Can spot jargon or ambiguous phrases
Create a standard review step in your content process for all new HubSpot pages, emails, and knowledge base articles.
Maintaining Inclusive Language in Future HubSpot Work
Inclusive language is not a one-time project. To keep your HubSpot content inclusive over time, integrate these practices into your long-term strategy.
HubSpot Content Guidelines and Training
Document your choices in a style guide that is easy for HubSpot users to follow. Include:
- Words and phrases to avoid, with recommended alternatives
- Examples from real HubSpot emails, pages, and support replies
- Guidance on pronouns, titles, and references to identity
Train new team members on this guide so every person who touches HubSpot content understands your expectations.
HubSpot Workflows for Ongoing Audits
Consider building a recurring review cycle into your HubSpot operations. For example:
- Quarterly audits of top blog posts and landing pages
- Biannual reviews of email templates, ticket snippets, and sequences
- Yearly review of form fields, contact properties, and system messages
Document these touchpoints in your content calendar so inclusive language stays visible alongside SEO and conversion goals.
Using External Resources with HubSpot
No single team can track every language change. Support your HubSpot work with external DEI and style resources, such as:
- Community style guides for specific groups
- Accessibility and disability language references
- Up-to-date editorial style manuals
Specialized advisory partners can also help you align inclusive language, analytics, and SEO within HubSpot. For instance, ConsultEvo focuses on performance and optimization strategies that can complement your content improvements.
Next Steps for Your HubSpot Content
To get started today, pick one high-visibility area in HubSpot and run a quick inclusive language check using the principles above. Even small updates to greetings, labels, and examples can significantly improve how people experience your brand.
As you expand your efforts, treat inclusive language as an ongoing quality standard for every HubSpot asset you publish, not just a corrective pass on old content. Doing so will help you create communication that is more respectful, precise, and effective for every audience you serve.
Need Help With Hubspot?
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