What Is Marketing Automation?
Marketing automation is the use of software to automate repetitive marketing tasks — email sequences, lead nurturing, segmentation, scoring and campaign triggers — based on user behavior and rules. It lets teams deliver timely, personalized communication at scale without manual effort.
Key takeaways
- Automation runs repetitive marketing tasks (emails, nurturing, scoring) by rule.
- It delivers timely, personalized communication at scale.
- In HubSpot, it's powered by workflows and lists.
What it automates
- Email sequences and nurturing journeys
- Segmentation and list building
- Lead scoring and lifecycle updates
- Internal notifications and handoffs
Concept vs HubSpot build
Marketing automation as a concept is any rule-driven marketing process; in HubSpot it's delivered through workflows acting on lists and properties. The concept is what you want to achieve; HubSpot workflows are how you build it.
Frequently asked questions
What is marketing automation?
Software that automates repetitive marketing tasks — emails, nurturing, segmentation, scoring — based on behavior and rules, to communicate at scale.
What can you automate in marketing?
Email journeys, lead nurturing, segmentation, lead scoring, lifecycle updates and internal handoffs, among other repetitive tasks.
Is marketing automation the same as email marketing?
No — email is one channel automation can use. Automation also handles scoring, segmentation, lifecycle changes and cross-channel triggers.
Related service: Automate marketing in HubSpot