The HubSpot Design Certification is coveted not just for the brand value but also for the sheer volume of knowledge it provides. Ranging from how to create a beautifully optimized website to placing custom modules from a designer visionary’s perspective, it dealt with it all. It sure seemed easy theoretically but once I got down to actually creating my first few HubSpot templates I realized exactly how hard it was going to be!
After 4 long months, last week my first HubSpot Template was finally approved and is now live on the marketplace.
Why 4 months? It should’ve been a whole lot easier to create kickass HubSpot templates, price it at $0 and upload it to HubSpot COS Marketplace.
But this was Inbound Mantra’s first attempt at HubSpot Website Templates for the COS Marketplace and hence there were a few internal processes that had to be created, documented and implemented. There were a few development issues, submission guidelines to be adhered to and a few other conversations that took place with Chris (an amazing HubSpotter).
So what were the 5 major dragons I had to slay?
Label Each Module in HubSpot Template Builder
Labeling sure as hell sounds so very obvious! But we missed it, and how?Each and every module of HubSpot templates need to be named. If there is a module created for testimonials, it needs to labeled so.
The whole purpose of HubSpot Template Builder is to give non-techies a chance to create a kickass website with minimal to no design experience. With custom modules, they can just drag and drop sections they require directly on to the webpage.
No HTML Sections
This issue taught me how important it is for us to think with the perspective of the customer.
If I keep an HTML section, every time one of the HubSpot templates are implemented a marketer will have to go through HTML codes and make changes. Who would like that if you are on HubSpot?
Each HTML section has to be converted into a custom module and implemented.
If more than one custom modules are implemented, flexible columns should be used for every module. You may get more details on flexible columns here.
No Default HubSpot Templates Stylesheet
Again, something obvious, but I missed it.While creating HubSpot website templates we sometimes forget to disable the primary CSS file. Can’t you just submit HubSpot templates with a default stylesheet attached? How will it look without all the styling?
The HubSpot marketplace won’t be able to implement styling from your default sheets, instead, there has to be a dedicated stylesheet for each HubSpot template or template pack.
HubSpot CMS Blog Templates
While creating a blog template, only HubL reference should be used as a markup language.
Also, you cannot create separate layouts for listing and individual blog template. This left me wondering, why does HubSpot have an option to implement separate listing and individual templates?
HubSpot Email Templates Stylesheets
Primary stylesheets don’t work for email templates. There isn’t a way to add stylesheets either.
Since we can’t use inline CSS in template submissions, figuring out a way consumed my time. Turns out, for email templates HubSpot marketplace allows inline styling. Looking at the above points, it looks like HubSpot surely has a very customer-centric approach to business, but on the other hand, a few of these pointers could have been mentioned explicitly in the checklist.
It could have saved us a lot of time.
Do you think there are more issues in HubSpot COS Development? Comment below and let me know.
This is my latest submission to the HubSpot COS Marketplace, do take a quick look and let me know what you think!
