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How Do I Connect HubSpot To My External Site?

Connecting HubSpot To An External Website

Not every team builds their entire website on HubSpot CMS. You might be running a WordPress, Webflow, Squarespace, or custom-coded site, but still want to take advantage of HubSpot’s CRM, forms, lead capture, and automation tools.

Luckily, you can connect HubSpot to almost any external site. This article breaks down how it works, what tools you can embed, and what to watch out for during setup.

What Happens When You Connect HubSpot to a Site Outside HubSpot

Connecting HubSpot to an external site means you’re using HubSpot’s marketing and CRM functionality on top of a different CMS or front-end environment.

That connection typically allows you to:

  • Capture form submissions directly into your HubSpot CRM
  • Use tracking scripts to monitor site behavior
  • Trigger workflows and email automation based on site activity
  • Embed CTAs, live chat, or pop-up forms into your site
  • Sync external analytics data with your HubSpot contact records

You don’t need to migrate your whole website to HubSpot CMS to use these features but you do need to configure a few pieces manually.

Do You Need a Developer to Connect HubSpot to Your Site?
For most basic installs (like tracking code, embedded forms, or live chat) you won’t need a developer. HubSpot provides copy-and-paste snippets with clear instructions. But if you're working with advanced API usage, event tracking, or custom design components, you may want light development help to ensure everything integrates cleanly.

How to Add the HubSpot Tracking Code to Your External Website

This is usually the first and most important step. HubSpot’s tracking code enables contact tracking, form capture, page view logging, and much of the automation logic inside your portal.

Steps to install:

  • In HubSpot, go to Settings → Tracking & Analytics → Tracking Code
  • Copy the JavaScript snippet HubSpot provides
  • Paste it into the <head> section of every page on your external site (or your global site template if using a CMS)
  • Publish your changes

Once this is live, HubSpot will start tracking visits, contacts, and behavioral data from your external domain.

For WordPress sites, there are dedicated plugins that simplify this process. For platforms like Webflow or Squarespace, you’ll paste the code into the site settings or global header section.

How to Add HubSpot Forms to an External Website

You can embed HubSpot forms on any site that allows custom HTML or script blocks.

Options include:

  • Raw embed: Copy/paste a form’s embed code into your site
  • Popup form: Use HubSpot’s pop-up form builder, which works as long as the tracking code is installed
  • API submission: If your form is custom-coded, you can submit data to HubSpot via the Forms API

Each submission will automatically create or update a contact in HubSpot and can trigger workflows or list membership.

Can You Style HubSpot Forms to Match Your Site?
Yes, but depending on your site’s theme, the default embed may not match visually. You can apply your own CSS overrides or ask a developer to fine-tune the styling. HubSpot also allows form themes and inline styling options to help with light customization.

Make sure to test forms thoroughly after embedding to confirm data is flowing properly and any hidden fields (like campaign attribution or source tracking) are set up correctly.

How to Trigger HubSpot Workflows from an External Site

Once forms or behavioral tracking are connected, you can trigger HubSpot workflows automatically.

Example triggers you can start with:

  • Contact fills out a form on your external landing page
  • Visitor views a specific page more than once
  • A custom property gets updated from an external integration

You can also trigger actions via the HubSpot API if you’re using a custom back-end system. This is common for SaaS products or gated tools that update CRM records after user activity.

Can You Use HubSpot CTAs or Chat on a Non-HubSpot Site?

Yes—both CTAs and chat tools work on external sites, as long as the tracking code is installed.

  • CTAs: HubSpot’s newer CTAs are responsive and easy to embed using a short script. You can place them in buttons, banners, or inline page content.
  • Chat: You can enable HubSpot’s live chat or chatbot on your external site by toggling the chatflow setting inside your portal. Once active, the widget appears automatically based on page rules.

These tools keep visitor engagement and CRM data connected, even if you’re running a completely separate front end.

What About Analytics and Attribution from External Sites?

As long as the HubSpot tracking code is installed, you can track:

  • Page views by known and unknown visitors
  • Conversion paths from form fills or chat
  • Referrers and original source data
  • UTM parameters passed in from campaigns

HubSpot also captures cookie-based session data to build attribution reports—even when the site is hosted elsewhere.

Are There Risks to Using HubSpot with a Non-HubSpot CMS?
Not in terms of functionality. The main tradeoff is that you may lose access to CMS-specific features like smart content blocks, native SEO tools, or tight CRM-website personalization if you aren’t using HubSpot CMS. But the core functionality (forms, tracking, automation) still works well on most external platforms.

If you want deeper analytics like scroll depth or user recordings, use tools like FullStory or Hotjar alongside HubSpot.

Integrating HubSpot with Other Platforms

Most external sites are part of a broader stack. This can get a little crazy when you’re not sure what tools work with what platform. 

The good news is HubSpot connects well with platforms like:

  • Google Analytics
  • Salesforce
  • Stripe
  • Zapier
  • Segment
  • Calendly

If your site includes external tools (appointment schedulers, payment processors, gated content) HubSpot’s API and app marketplace offer dozens of options to sync contact activity and behavioral data.

FMK often helps clients connect non-HubSpot experiences to workflows, list logic, and lifecycle automation.

Migration Considerations If You Start With an External Site

Some teams start with HubSpot connected to an external site, then move to HubSpot CMS later. 

If you’re thinking about ripping off the bandaid and fully switching platforms, consider:

  • Whether your design and content will need to be rebuilt
  • If you have technical SEO requirements or legacy URLs
  • How your current CMS handles forms, redirects, or custom scripts
  • Whether HubSpot CMS features like smart content or multi-language would simplify your current setup

FMK offers audits and migration support for teams moving from platforms like WordPress or Webflow into HubSpot CMS.

Connecting HubSpot to Your External Site

You don’t need to move your whole site to HubSpot to start benefiting from its CRM, forms, automation, and tracking tools. With a few simple steps, you can plug HubSpot into almost any website, and start capturing leads and behavioral data right away.

As your stack grows more complex, connecting HubSpot correctly becomes even more valuable. Forms, chat, email, and attribution stay aligned with your CRM, no matter where your content lives.

Need help connecting HubSpot to your site?
FMK helps marketing and web teams embed HubSpot tools, track external behavior, and automate follow-up without needing to rebuild your site from scratch.

Reach out if you want support with form integration, tracking setup, or CMS migration planning.