A tactical guide for B2B marketing teams using HubSpot or Salesforce to structure, execute, and report on campaigns more strategically.
((A quick preface: I, by no means, claim to be the leading campaign expert and your scenario may be unique — this is my best attempt to create a global piece of knowledge to share, but I am very open to feedback! Also YMMV based on your CRM license level too, sadly.))
Without a defined structure, campaign data becomes chaotic and impossible to measure. A strong campaign hierarchy:
Salesforce and HubSpot have a lot in common, but one area where they differ is campaign structure and functionality. While Salesforce is more customizable, HubSpot relies more on the simple inbound marketing model for small businesses. I’m hoping HubSpot will invest in this area, but until then, you’ll need to approach campaign building differently in each system.
Salesforce supports native campaign hierarchies via the Parent Campaign field. Here's the common* 3-tier model:
| Level | Name | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grandparent Campaign | Overarching initiative | Product Launch 2025 |
| 2 | Parent Campaign | Specific campaign type or sub-program | Webinars, Nurture Series, Paid Ads |
| 3 | Child Campaign | Individual tactic or execution | Email #1, LinkedIn Ad #3 |
❗*Note: Salesforce doesn’t have a feature that supports “grandparent campaign” and not everyone uses a grandparent campaign level, some keep it to just parent and child — but grandparent campaigns can be helpful if you are a large org, running a lot of parent campaigns across teams.
📚 Helpful resources: