HubSpot Guide to RLSA Success

Using HubSpot together with Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA) can dramatically improve how you target and convert high-intent search traffic in Google Ads. This guide explains what RLSA is, why it matters, and how to build and optimize campaigns based on the best practices detailed in the original RLSA article on HubSpot’s marketing blog.

What Is RLSA and Why HubSpot Users Should Care

Remarketing Lists for Search Ads let you customize Google Search campaigns for people who have already visited your site. Instead of treating every searcher the same, you can adjust bids, keywords, and ad copy for warmer audiences.

For marketers who also use HubSpot, this approach is powerful because you can align search campaigns with the journey of users who have interacted with your brand before, increasing relevance and ROI.

How RLSA Works in Google Ads

RLSA combines two core elements: a remarketing list and a search campaign. When someone on your list types a query that matches your keywords, Google Ads can:

• Boost or lower your bids
• Show a different ad than you do for new visitors
• Target broader or more competitive keywords only for warm audiences

The original HubSpot article emphasizes that you are not running display remarketing. You are still showing text ads on the search network, but only when people on your list are searching.

Key Components of an Effective HubSpot-Friendly RLSA Strategy

Before you launch campaigns, you need solid foundations. The source article highlights three essential components:

1. Clear RLSA Objectives for HubSpot Campaigns

Define why you are using RLSA in the first place. Typical objectives include:

• Capturing more conversions from previous visitors
• Increasing bids for high-value audiences
• Re-engaging people who abandoned forms or carts
• Promoting upsells and cross-sells to existing customers

When you know your objective, it is easier to align HubSpot lead nurturing, email workflows, and content offers with your paid search strategy.

2. High-Quality Remarketing Lists

The value of RLSA depends on the precision of your lists. According to the HubSpot source page, strong lists segment users based on behavior, not just simple visits. Examples include:

• All visitors who reached your pricing page
• Users who started but did not complete a signup or checkout
• People who viewed at least three pages in one session
• Existing customers or trial users

In Google Ads, you can build these lists using the remarketing tag and URL rules. If you map this strategy to HubSpot, you can use similar logic for lists inside your CRM and marketing automation.

3. Smart Use of Bid Adjustments and Targeting

The article explains that Google Ads allows two main approaches for RLSA:

1. Bid only: You target your normal keywords but set bid adjustments for people on your remarketing lists.
2. Target and bid: Your ads show only when the searcher is on a remarketing list and matches your keywords.

For many HubSpot-focused teams, a mix of both methods works best: use “bid only” for broad campaigns and “target and bid” for very specific offers or bottom-of-funnel actions.

Step-by-Step: Building RLSA Campaigns Inspired by HubSpot Best Practices

Follow these steps to build an RLSA structure that mirrors the guidance from the HubSpot blog article and fits well with your CRM-driven marketing.

Step 1: Install the Remarketing Tag

First, ensure the Google Ads remarketing tag is installed on every page of your site. This code snippet lets Google build lists of visitors based on rules you define.

• Place it via Google Tag Manager, your CMS, or directly in the template.
• Verify it with Google Tag Assistant to confirm it is firing correctly.

Step 2: Create Audience Lists Aligned With HubSpot Segments

Next, create lists that match your funnel and user behavior. Use URL rules and membership duration to control who is included and for how long. Common list ideas from the HubSpot-inspired strategy include:

• Homepage visitors
• Blog readers who also viewed a product page
• Visitors to your pricing or plans page
• Lead magnet downloaders or signup visitors
• Cart or form abandoners

Align these list names with comparable segments inside HubSpot so your paid search and email nurturing speak to the same audiences consistently.

Step 3: Choose the Right Campaign Type

Create or update a Search campaign in Google Ads. You can either:

• Add RLSA to your existing campaigns, or
• Build dedicated RLSA-only campaigns for highly targeted offers.

The HubSpot article suggests focusing first on campaigns that already convert well, then layering RLSA to improve efficiency.

Step 4: Attach Remarketing Lists to Ad Groups

Within each ad group, attach the relevant remarketing lists and pick either:

• Observation (bid only): You still reach all searchers, but you can increase bids for people who already know your brand.
• Targeting (target and bid): Your ads show only when the searcher is also on the remarketing list.

This is where you can mirror your HubSpot lifecycle stages. For example, use “targeting” for an ad group focused solely on free-trial users searching for upgrade-related queries.

Step 5: Adjust Bids for High-Value Audiences

Based on the HubSpot source article, bid adjustments are one of the most useful levers in RLSA. Consider:

• Raising bids for users who reached your pricing page.
• Lowering bids or excluding users who already purchased.
• Investing more in visitors who spent a long time on site or viewed multiple pages.

Analyze conversion rate by audience, then refine bid multipliers over time.

Step 6: Write Tailored Ad Copy

RLSA lets you customize messaging for people who already know you. The original HubSpot article highlights the benefit of more relevant copy, such as:

• Referencing a product they viewed earlier.
• Reinforcing your core value proposition or unique features.
• Offering a limited-time discount or bonus to bring them back.

Within your ad groups, test ad variants specifically for remarketing audiences and compare performance against generic ads.

Advanced HubSpot-Style RLSA Tactics

Once the basics are running smoothly, the approach described on the HubSpot blog suggests experimenting with more advanced methods.

Broader Keywords Only for Remarketing Lists

Broad or high-cost keywords are often too expensive when targeting everyone. With RLSA, you can:

• Create ad groups that bid on generic terms.
• Use “target and bid” so ads show only for remarketing audiences.
• Control budgets tightly while still expanding reach.

This complements a typical HubSpot content strategy where top-of-funnel topics drive awareness but you reserve ad spend for people who already engaged.

Different Bids for Different HubSpot-Like Segments

Think of each remarketing list as a stage in your funnel:

• Top-of-funnel visitors: modest bid increases.
• Mid-funnel evaluators: stronger bid boosts.
• Bottom-of-funnel or cart abandoners: highest bid multipliers.

This layered structure mirrors how HubSpot encourages marketers to use lifecycle stages and lead scoring to prioritize effort and budget.

Exclude or Cap Existing Customers

RLSA also makes it easy to control wasted spend on people who already converted. You can:

• Exclude lists of confirmed customers from certain campaigns.
• Show them different upsell-focused messaging instead of acquisition ads.

Combined with CRM data and marketing automation, this keeps your strategy aligned with the full customer journey in a way that fits a HubSpot-style growth model.

Measurement and Optimization for HubSpot-Aligned RLSA

To keep improving performance, evaluate your RLSA campaigns regularly and iterate based on data.

• Compare conversion rate for remarketing audiences vs. all users.
• Monitor cost per acquisition by list type.
• Test different membership durations to balance audience size and recency.
• Refine your keyword sets based on which segments respond best.

For professional help aligning your Google Ads and CRM strategy, you can also consult specialists such as Consultevo, who focus on performance-driven campaigns.

Bringing It All Together With HubSpot-Inspired Strategy

When you combine RLSA with a CRM-centric mindset like the one promoted by HubSpot, your search campaigns become far more targeted and efficient. You are no longer paying for every click equally. Instead, you invest more in the people who already know your brand and are more likely to convert.

By defining clear objectives, building behavior-based lists, tailoring bids, and customizing ad copy, you can follow the principles outlined in the original HubSpot article and turn your remarketing lists for search ads into a consistent growth engine.

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