Clwyd Probert 18-01-2026

HubSpot Ads: Targeting & Remarketing Guide (2026)

Q: How do you connect ad accounts to HubSpot?

Go to Settings → Marketing → Ads (or Marketing → Ads), click Connect account, choose Facebook/Meta, Google, or LinkedIn, authorise access, and select the ad accounts. Enable Auto Tracking so HubSpot applies tracking parameters and can tie ad clicks to CRM contacts.

Q: What is audience syncing in HubSpot Ads?

Audience syncing is HubSpot’s automatic, bidirectional sync between CRM lists and ad platform audiences. When you build an audience from an active list, HubSpot updates the matched audience at least daily, adding and removing people as they meet (or stop meeting) your criteria—no manual CSV uploads.

Q: How do you create retargeting audiences in HubSpot?

In Marketing → Ads → Audiences, click Create audience and choose website visitors, contact segments, or (on LinkedIn) company segments for ABM. Define the rules (pages visited, lifecycle stage, lead score, etc.), pick the connected ad account, and HubSpot will sync and maintain the audience automatically.

Q: What is the HubSpot tracking pixel and how does it work?

HubSpot uses its own tracking code for attribution and CRM activity, plus external network pixels (Meta, Google, LinkedIn) for audience building and optimisation. When installed and configured properly, HubSpot can capture click IDs (like GCLID) and connect ad interactions to contacts, deals, and revenue.

Q: How do you measure ROAS in HubSpot?

Set ROI reporting to use deal revenue (preferred for B2B) or an estimated value per contact. HubSpot attributes influenced deals back to ads, so you can report ROAS from click → contact → deal. For best accuracy, sync lifecycle-stage conversions back to ad platforms and use enhanced conversion tracking where available.

Q: What are lookalike audiences in HubSpot Ads?

Lookalike audiences let ad platforms find new people similar to your best customers or leads, using a seed audience from HubSpot. Practically, you create a high-quality seed (e.g., Customers or SQLs), sync it to the platform, then build lookalikes where supported—today this is most reliable on Meta.

Q: How does HubSpot Ads attribution work?

HubSpot assigns credit to ads using attribution models like first interaction, last interaction, and linear multi-touch. Because HubSpot is the CRM, it can connect ad interactions to lifecycle stages, opportunities, and closed revenue—making it far more useful for long B2B sales cycles than platform-only reporting.

Updated: 18 January 2026 · By Whitehat

How Do You Use Ads for Targeting and Remarketing in HubSpot? (2026 Guide)

To use ads for B2B targeting and remarketing in HubSpot, connect your Meta/Google/LinkedIn ad accounts, turn on HubSpot auto-tracking, sync CRM-based audiences, and report ROAS using deals and lifecycle stages—not just clicks. This matters because B2B sales cycles are long and attribution gets messy fast. This guide walks through setup, audiences, compliance, and optimisation.

If you want this implemented without the usual “half-connected” chaos, start with HubSpot onboarding and CRM setup so your tracking, properties, consent, and reporting are solid before you spend a penny on ads.

Video source: This article refreshes and expands the original 2020 London HUG session featuring HubSpot’s advertising team. You can watch the session here: Inside The HubSpot Ads Machine. The 2026 update adds current platform capabilities, privacy considerations, and B2B benchmarking.

What HubSpot Ads actually does (and why B2B teams use it)

HubSpot Ads is most useful when you treat it as a CRM-powered advertising layer, not a “nice dashboard”. The win is closed-loop: ad clicks become contacts, contacts become opportunities, and opportunities become revenue—inside the same system. That’s how you answer the CFO question: “Did we make money, or just buy attention?”

The research brief flags why this matters for B2B specifically: journeys are long, stakeholders are many, and you’ll touch prospects across multiple channels before they buy. When ads and CRM are disconnected, optimisation becomes guesswork. When they’re connected, you can optimise toward downstream quality (SQLs and pipeline), not vanity metrics.

If you already run campaigns but can’t trace pipeline reliably, your next best move is a PPC management audit with CRM attribution to identify broken tracking, missing events, and budget leakage.

HubSpot-Ads-B2B

Connect ad accounts the right way (so attribution isn’t garbage)

Connecting accounts is simple; connecting accounts properly is where most teams fall over. Use HubSpot’s Ads settings to connect Meta, Google Ads, and LinkedIn, then immediately enable auto-tracking so HubSpot appends consistent parameters and can tie ad interactions back to contacts and deals.

Practical setup tip: If your team is using ad blockers (common), pause them during setup. HubSpot’s documentation explicitly warns that ad blockers can interfere with ads tool pages and content.

For B2B teams, the “minimum viable” setup is: (1) connect the ad accounts, (2) ensure the HubSpot tracking code is installed site-wide, (3) confirm lead syncing for lead gen formats where relevant, and (4) define what a real conversion is (usually lifecycle stage changes, not “page views”).

If you’re unsure your portal is configured correctly (properties, consent, tracking, lifecycle stages), start with HubSpot onboarding and CRM setup and treat ads as an “activation layer” on top of that foundation.

Tracking, pixels, and UK GDPR: how to stay compliant and still measure

Remarketing lives and dies on tracking. But in the UK/EU, tracking lives and dies on consent. The goal is to collect what you need for performance measurement without creating a compliance headache. In practice, that means: clear cookie consent, correct legal basis where relevant, and a tracking setup that doesn’t collapse the moment browsers tighten privacy.

HubSpot generally uses two layers: HubSpot tracking for CRM attribution, and network pixels (Meta/Google/LinkedIn) for optimisation and audience building. Your job is to make sure both layers are implemented correctly, and that “conversion” is defined in a way that matters for B2B (pipeline and revenue, not just leads).

Reality check: If your cookie banner blocks marketing cookies until opt-in, your retargeting audience sizes will be smaller—but your data will be cleaner and safer. The right response is better creative + tighter segmentation, not “turn off consent”.

If you want an outside pair of eyes on tracking, consent, and technical setup, a website audit can catch the classic failures: duplicate tags, missing tracking on subdomains, broken event firing, or parameter stripping.

Build CRM-powered audiences (the part most platforms can’t match)

The “why HubSpot” moment is audience syncing. Instead of uploading static lists, you sync living segments driven by CRM reality: lifecycle stage, lead score, company fit, page behaviour, or deal stage. When someone becomes an SQL, HubSpot can move them into a tighter segment automatically. When they become a customer, HubSpot can remove them so you stop wasting money.

In practical terms, you’ll typically build three families of audiences:

Website visitor audiences: based on specific URL groups (pricing pages, product pages, comparison pages).
Contact segment audiences: based on CRM properties (MQL/SQL, lead score bands, industry, product interest).
Company segment audiences (LinkedIn ABM): target accounts by tier, industry, and buying stage.

If your segmentation is fuzzy, fix the CRM first. This is exactly what good HubSpot onboarding is for: lifecycle stages, properties, lists, and reporting that reflect your sales process—not wishful thinking.

A simple B2B retargeting framework that HubSpot can actually execute

Retargeting fails when every visitor gets the same “Book a demo” ad. In B2B, intent varies wildly—someone who read a blog post is not the same as someone who hit pricing twice and opened a case study. The fix is segmentation + message matching. HubSpot’s audience tools make this much easier because audiences can update as people take actions.

Example funnel segmentation (keep it brutally simple):

Awareness: blog readers → promote a relevant guide or checklist, not a demo.
Consideration: product/service page visitors → case study, webinar, or comparison content.
Decision: pricing + form starters → consultation, proof points, and a tight CTA.

The research brief also flags platform fit: LinkedIn is often strongest for B2B retargeting when you need job-title/company targeting; Google RLSA is great for high-intent search follow-up; Meta can be efficient for cheap reach and warm reminders—especially when you’re feeding it high-quality CRM segments.

If you want to combine this with broader inbound conversion strategy (so ads land on content that actually converts), see: SEO with a HubSpot content strategy.

Measure ROAS in HubSpot (without lying to yourself)

Most ad accounts can tell you what happened on the platform. HubSpot can tell you what happened in the business. That’s the difference between reporting “leads” and reporting “pipeline”. For B2B, ROAS should be based on deal amount wherever possible—not a generic lead value that ignores lead quality.

The clean way to do this is to define meaningful conversions as lifecycle stage events (e.g., Lead → MQL → SQL → Customer) and sync those back to ad platforms where supported. That helps platforms optimise toward what you actually want, and it gives you a reporting layer that makes sense months later when deals close.

Whitehat opinion: If you can’t confidently tie campaigns to pipeline, you don’t have a “performance problem” yet—you have an instrumentation problem. Fix tracking and lifecycle stages first, then optimise creative and bids.

If you need help connecting paid media reporting to revenue outcomes, our PPC management services are built specifically around closed-loop attribution in HubSpot (not just platform dashboards).

Common HubSpot Ads limitations (and the workarounds that actually work)

HubSpot Ads is powerful, but it isn’t magic. The brief calls out the “honest limitations” angle as a differentiator, and it’s worth being blunt: not every ad format or platform behaves nicely with CRM attribution, and privacy changes can reduce trackability. Your job is to design a system that still performs when signals are imperfect.

Platform support isn’t universal: Meta/Google/LinkedIn are core; others are partial or manual.
Custom events can be tricky: some advanced pixel/event setups require manual implementation (especially if you need bespoke events).
Lookalikes change: API deprecations happen; always verify what’s supported on your platform today.
Attribution models vary by tier: don’t design reporting you can’t access on your subscription.

If you’re planning big changes (new tracking, new portal, subdomain moves), pair HubSpot work with a technical check via website audit services so you don’t break tracking and then “mysteriously” tank performance.

Quick-start checklist (the minimum you should have in place)

If you’re short on time, this is the “don’t embarrass yourself” checklist. Get these right and you’ll avoid most of the expensive mistakes B2B teams make when they rush into remarketing.

Connect Meta/Google/LinkedIn ad accounts and enable auto-tracking parameters.
Confirm HubSpot tracking code is installed site-wide (including subdomains and landing pages).
Implement consent correctly for UK/EU visitors (and test it).
Define conversions as lifecycle stages and/or qualified actions, not just form submissions.
Build audiences by intent (blog → guide, product → case study, pricing → consult).
Report ROAS using deals/pipeline, then optimise budgets based on downstream performance.

Want a hands-on run-through and peer support from other HubSpot users? The London HubSpot User Group is where we share what’s working (and what’s definitely not).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you connect ad accounts to HubSpot?

Go to Settings → Marketing → Ads, click Connect account, choose Facebook/Meta, Google, or LinkedIn, authorise access, then enable Auto Tracking so HubSpot can tie ad interactions to contacts and deals. Make sure you have the correct admin permissions and pause ad blockers during setup.

What is audience syncing in HubSpot Ads?

Audience syncing automatically updates ad platform audiences based on HubSpot CRM lists, adding and removing people as they meet your criteria—so your targeting stays accurate without manual uploads. Use active lists so segments stay “alive” as lifecycle stages and behaviours change.

How do you create retargeting audiences in HubSpot?

In Marketing → Ads → Audiences, click Create audience, choose website visitors, contact segments, or company segments (LinkedIn ABM), then define your rules and sync to the relevant ad account. Segment by intent (content vs. product vs. pricing) so creative matches buying stage.

What is the HubSpot tracking pixel and how does it work?

HubSpot uses its own tracking code for CRM attribution and relies on external network pixels (Meta/Google/LinkedIn) for remarketing and optimisation, connecting ad clicks and IDs to contacts, deals, and revenue. For advanced tracking needs, you may also require manual event implementation.

How do you measure ROAS in HubSpot?

Measure ROAS by attributing closed-won deal revenue back to ads, using deal amount wherever possible rather than estimated lead values. For accuracy, define lifecycle-stage conversions and sync them back to platforms so bidding optimises toward real pipeline outcomes.

What are lookalike audiences in HubSpot Ads?

Lookalike audiences use a high-quality seed audience from HubSpot (like Customers or SQLs) to help ad platforms find similar prospects, expanding reach while preserving targeting quality. Keep seed audiences clean and refresh them so the lookalike stays aligned with your best-fit customers.

How does HubSpot Ads attribution work?

HubSpot assigns ad credit using attribution models (first touch, last touch, and multi-touch variants) and connects that influence to contacts, lifecycle stages, deals, and revenue. For B2B, multi-touch views are usually more honest than last-click reporting.

What are the best ad types for B2B retargeting?

For B2B retargeting, LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms, Document Ads, and Video Ads often deliver the strongest qualified-lead performance, while Google RLSA is ideal for high-intent search follow-up and Meta can provide efficient warm re-engagement. Match format to stage: content early, proof mid, consultation late.

References

PPC Management, hubspot, Inbound methodology, Advertising, PPC Agency