If you are sending marketing emails regularly in HubSpot but cannot confidently answer which ones influence results, this is a common issue.
Relying on default email metrics like opens and clicks offers surface-level insight, but those numbers do not show whether emails influence pipeline, support lead nurturing, or contribute to conversions.
That is where custom email reporting in HubSpot becomes useful. With the right setup, you can report on outcomes tied to growth, segment data by lifecycle stage, list, or campaign, and review trends that support better decisions.
Instead of exporting CSVs and manually combining reports, you can build focused insights directly inside HubSpot.
This guide explains how to create a custom marketing email report in HubSpot, from finding the right tools to applying filters, avoiding setup errors, and using dashboards to track meaningful performance.
Measuring Conversions and Revenue from HubSpot Marketing Emails
A custom marketing email report in HubSpot gives you control over how email performance is measured. Default dashboards may not always support deeper analysis, but the custom report builder offers greater flexibility.
In the Reports section, you can create reports using the custom report builder or adapt a prebuilt template. Every email sent through HubSpot, whether part of a sequence or a one-off campaign, is available for reporting.
The focus shifts from opens and clicks to metrics such as conversion rates, campaign outcomes, and the sources or lifecycle stages associated with stronger leads.
Your reporting workflow starts at Reports > Reports > Create Custom Report > Marketing Email.
From there, you work directly with the Marketing Email object. This object connects with CRM objects such as contacts, deals, and companies. That connection enables analysis of how emails influence the pipeline, perform across segments, and support lifecycle movement.
If you are on HubSpot Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise, you can use cross-object reporting to connect campaign activity with revenue outcomes from multiple data sources.
How It Works Under The Hood
Custom reporting in HubSpot relies on a flexible builder that lets you define what to measure, which data sources to use, and how results are displayed.
Inputs:
Start by selecting your primary dataset. For email-focused reporting, this means choosing the Marketing Email object. You can link Contacts, Deals, or Campaigns to bring in CRM context.
Data Fields And Metrics:
You can select performance metrics such as:
- Number of emails sent
- Deliverability rates
- Open and click data
- Bounce and unsubscribe trends
- Influence on deals, if CRM-connected
Filters:
Filters help narrow reports to specific segments. You can filter by campaign name, email type, such as automated or A/B test emails, subscription preferences, or timeframes to focus on a single initiative or audience.
Outputs:
Visualizations should match the reporting goal. For example, a bar chart comparing open rates across campaigns or a funnel showing email-to-deal conversion by lifecycle stage.
Optional Settings:
- Group By: Segment data by contact owner, industry subtype, list, or lifecycle stage.
- Time Frame: Choose between the send date or the interaction date.
- Visualization Type: Use tables for comparisons or charts for trend tracking.
Once saved, the report becomes a dashboard-ready asset. You can pin it to dashboards, share it, or review it weekly with your team.
Main Uses Inside HubSpot
Performance Tracking Across Campaigns
When emails cross different products or audience groups, default metrics often obscure patterns. A custom report adds context by grouping data by campaign or topic.
For example, reviewing all “Quarterly Product Updates” together might show that emails referencing integrations receive higher engagement. That insight informs future content planning better than reviewing single email results.
Conversion Analysis By Lifecycle Stage
Marketing and RevOps teams often want to see how emails perform across buyer stages. By connecting Marketing Email and Contacts objects, you can track engagement by lifecycle stage, from lead to customer.
This view helps answer practical questions:
- Are nurture emails converting MQLs into SQLs?
- Which stages show the highest engagement?
- Where should workflow resources be adjusted?
The report shows how email activity supports movement through the funnel.
Deliverability And Engagement Monitoring
Deliverability problems can go unnoticed until metrics decline. A custom report grouped by bounce reason or email domain can surface issues early.
For instance, if unsubscribe rates increase for Gmail addresses within automated emails, it signals a need to review list quality or message relevance. These reports support consistent engagement and sender reputation over time.
Common Setup Errors And Wrong Assumptions
Even experienced teams make mistakes when creating custom email reports. These are the most common issues to avoid.
Mistake: Only using the default email performance tab
Why It’s A Problem: It shows metrics for individual emails only, which hides trends across campaigns.
What To Do: Use custom reports to track performance across multiple emails and identify engagement patterns over time.
Mistake: Choosing the wrong data object
Why It’s A Problem: Starting with Contacts or Deals limits access to email-specific metrics like bounce or click rates.
What To Do: Start with a Marketing Email to keep engagement metrics central.
Mistake: Forgetting to associate emails with campaigns
Why It’s A Problem: Reports cannot connect emails to campaigns without proper association.
What To Do: Confirm each email is linked to a campaign under Marketing > Campaigns.
Mistake: Skipping date filters
Why It’s A Problem: Reports may include outdated or excessive data.
What To Do: Apply filters such as “Send date is within the last 90 days” before building charts.
Step-by-Step Setup Or Use Guide
Before starting, confirm that reporting permissions are active, emails have been sent recently, and campaigns are assigned.
- Go To The Reports Section
From the top navigation, select Reports, then Reports Home. - Start Creating A Custom Report
Click “Create report” in the upper right and choose “Custom Report Builder.” - Choose Your Data Source
Select “Marketing Email.” Add Contacts or Deals if audience behavior or revenue data is required. - Pick Your Fields And Metrics
Add fields like Email Name, Open Rate, Click Rate, and Send Date. Focus on engagement metrics. - Apply Filters
Examples include campaign name, email type, or send date after a specific point. - Group Your Data
Use groupings such as Campaign Name or Lifecycle Stage to compare performance. - Choose Your Chart Format
Tables support detailed comparisons, while line or bar charts show trends. - Save And Publish
Name the report clearly and pin it to a dashboard to be reviewed on a regular schedule.
Measuring Results In HubSpot
To confirm that reporting supports planning, you need to track more than engagement alone. HubSpot dashboards refresh automatically and provide consistent visibility.
Key metrics to monitor include:
- Open and click rates
- Click-to-open ratio
- Bounce and unsubscribe rate
- Deals influenced
- Lifecycle stage activity
- Revenue by campaign
Build dashboards around these metrics and schedule updates to keep the data current without manual work.
Short Example That Ties It Together
A team sends monthly “Product Spotlight” emails and wants to see which messages influence funnel movement.
They open the custom report builder, select Marketing Email and Contacts, group by Campaign Name, filter emails sent this quarter, and include metrics such as Open Rate, Click Rate, MQL count, and Deals Influenced.
The report shows that one campaign focused on an integration update generated higher engagement and more deals. That insight guides future email planning without the need to export spreadsheets.
How INSIDEA Helps
Setting up accurate email reporting takes time, and a misaligned structure leads to confusing insights.
INSIDEA supports marketing and RevOps teams with:
- HubSpot onboarding: Aligning CRM structure, reporting setup, and data flow
- Ongoing HubSpot management: Maintaining data consistency, workflows, and integrations
- Automation support: Building workflows and custom objects that support reporting accuracy
- Unified reporting: Aligning dashboards with CRM records for shared visibility
Teams working with INSIDEA often choose to hire HubSpot experts when reporting requirements grow complex. Our HubSpot consulting services focus on building reports that teams can maintain and trust over time.
If you want email reporting that reflects actual performance and supports planning, INSIDEA can help you set it up correctly and keep it running cleanly.
