Another use case for HubSpot custom events

HubSpot custom events just got a major update, and it opens up use cases that were painful to implement before. The new webhook source means you can now send data from any external web application directly into HubSpot custom events without writing middleware.

I have been a fan of custom events since they launched. The power they wield to create automated workflows, segment contacts based on real behavior, and build detailed reporting is unmatched in HubSpot's toolkit. Here is a real use case from our stack that shows what is possible.

The Webhook Source Changes Everything

Before the webhook source, connecting external tools to HubSpot custom events required custom code. You had to build API integrations, host middleware, and maintain the connection over time. Now it is even easier to send data from other web applications with the new webhook source. You add it to any external application that supports outbound webhooks and the data flows directly into HubSpot.

If your other tools do not offer webhooks, you can use Make or Zapier to bridge the gap. It is not ideal, but it works. The point is that the barrier to getting behavioral data into HubSpot has dropped significantly.

Real Use Case: Community Onboarding Sequences

We have community-based product offerings that our clients purchase and join. We use Mighty Networks to host our communities. The goal was to send an email sequence from HubSpot once a contact makes a purchase and then change the sequence once they actually join the Mighty Networks space.

The first email sequence was solved with our internal API purchase event. Custom events trigger the purchase confirmation emails almost exclusively in our system. So the onboarding flow before they join the community was already covered.

The tricky part was knowing when someone actually joined the community. Mighty Networks only offers integrations through Zapier, which means no direct API access. So we built a Zapier flow that sends a custom event to HubSpot when a contact joins a space, including which space they joined.

The Result

With this custom event in place, we were able to remove the client from the previous flow that led them to join the space and send them down a new path to help them get the most out of the community. The transition is seamless from the client's perspective. One day they are getting onboarding emails, the next day they are getting community engagement tips. No manual intervention required.

Before we had the webhook option, I created a Zapier custom code action with JavaScript to create the custom event. With the new webhook source you can save time, energy, and brain power. This is just one of the many ways we have leveraged HubSpot custom events to drive sales, build community, and deliver a better client experience.

Related: Tools of the Trade and Google Tag Manager Essentials.