How HubSpot Rocked 2011: A Year in Review

We recently released HubSpot's 2011 Year in Review slide deck, filled with interesting insights into HubSpot's growth and milestones as a business over the past year. We've had a lot to celebrate internally as a company, as well as the awesome growth HubSpot's customers have experienced from their implementation of the HubSpot software and inbound marketing methodology. We wanted to share some of the milestones we and our customers have achieved in 2011 and give you a peek at the slide presentation, too.

HubSpot Customer Achievements in 2011

HubSpot customers generated an average of 34,000 new leads per day in 2011.

HubSpot customers generated a grand total of 12.4 million leads in 2011.

HubSpot customers saw an average of 32% increase in leads per month in 2011. 

HubSpot in 2011: A Timeline

• March 8: HubSpot raises $32 million in funding from Sequoia Capital, Google Ventures, and Salesforce.com.
• May 19: Mike Volpe named CMO of HubSpot.
• May 20: The Boston Globe names Co-Founder & CTO Dharmesh Shah the Top Innovator in High Tech.
• June 9: HubSpot wins BBJ's Top Places to Work Award for the 2nd year in a row.
• June 16: HubSpot acquires Performable.
• June 17: HubSpot CEO Brian Halligan named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
• July 12: The HubSpot App Marketplace launches.
• August 18: HubSpot acquires oneforty. 
• August 23: HubSpot named the #2 Fastest Growing Software Company and the #33 Fastest Growing Company overall in the Inc. 500.
• August 24: HubSpot sets the Guinness World Record for the Largest Online Marketing Seminar with 10,899 attendees.
• September 15: 1,000 HubSpot customers and partners attend HUGS, the 2011 HubSpot User Group Summit.
• October 19: Deloitte names HubSpot the #8 Fastest Growing Company in North America.
• November 30: HubSpot is named one of America's 20 Most Promising Companies by Forbes.
• December 6: HubSpot launches free Marketing Grader tool to replace Website Grader.

HubSpot Company Milestones in 2011

• 85% of customers said they'd recommend HubSpot.
• HubSpot's customer growth increased by 55% from 2010 (3,855 customers) to 2011 (5,961 customers).
• HubSpot's global footprint grew to 43 countries by YE2011.
• HubSpot's employee growth increased by 73% from 2010 (176 HubSpotters) to 2011 (304 HubSpotters).
• By the end of 2011, HubSpot User Groups (HUGs) had sprouted up in a total of 30 U.S. cities (33 cities worldwide). 
• HubSpot grew its revenue by 81% from 2010 ($16 million) to 2011 ($29 million).

HubSpot Software Milestones in 2011

• HubSpot launched an improved Marketing Dashboard with monthly goal tracking.
• HubSpot added A/B testing and analytics features, such as the call-to-action module.
• HubSpot added fully integrated email marketing capabilities. 
• HubSpot improved its lead management tools to incorporate more data and flexibility.
• HubSpot launched enterprise lead nurturing tools so users could create highly targeted email campaigns in seconds.
• HubSpot launched a custom lead grader app that allows users to customize their lead scoring capabilities. 
• HubSpot rolled out automatic mobile optimization of HubSpot email and web pages hosted on the HubSpot CMS.
• The HubSpot App Marketplace grew to offer 46 applications, boast 22,329 installations, and be used by 65% of HubSpot customers.
• The HubSpot Service Marketplace was home to 59 service providers and made 3,390 transactions, which totaled $4.4 million.

HubSpot 2011 Year in Review

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17 Examples of Twitter Brand Page Backgrounds to Inspire You

Although none of us really like to admit it, let's be honest: first impressions matter. So if you're trying to build a remarkable social media presence, you can bet that the look and feel of your brand pages in social media will make an impression on new visitors who know nothing or little about you. It's no secret that people will judge a book by its cover. And if that's the case, wouldn't you want to make sure the first impression of your brand page is one that captures visitors' attention, making them inclined to stick around and learn more about you?
Take Twitter brand pages for example. The background of the page literally provides businesses with a blank canvas to decorate, so to overlook the marketing potential of this valuable Twitter real estate would be a disadvantage to marketers. Smart marketers are using this space to visually and creatively capture visitors' attention, emphasize their value proposition, promote offers and campaigns, and provide more information than the character limit in their bios allow. Are you?
If you could use some inspiration, here are some great examples of how real brands are painting their Twitter landscapes. And to get started designing your own Twitter background, check out our handy guide (with a video tutorial) on how to create a custom Twitter background.

1) Etica Wines

The Etica Wines Twitter page is a perfect blend of interesting design, branding, and links for visitors to learn more about the company, a wine guide and resource, as well as connect with them on Facebook or via email.

2) Spotify

The Twitter background design for Spotify, a music discovery and sharing application for all genres, effectively demonstrates Spotify's value proposition, both in its imagery as well as its minimalistic copy.

3) IdeaPaint

IdeaPaint's Twitter background cleverly features the brand's signature product -- paint that transforms walls into whiteboards -- in action. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words!

4) Dropbox

The Twitter background design for Dropbox, a file and folder sharing service, features a cute and clever cartoon that embodies its brand/product. Your first impression? Dropbox is such a likable brand!

5) Adrants

Adrants, a quirky marketing and advertising publication, uses its Twitter background to mimic that of its website, simply and consistently extending brand recognition.

6) The Sales Lion

Similarly, The Sales Lion's Twitter background perpetuates the branding elements of its website's masthead while also providing visitors with a quick snippet of information about what The Sales Lion is and what it offers.

7) Snapple

Snapple uses its Twitter background as a call-to-action to promote its latest Twitter campaign, which encourages Twitter users to tweet at the brand using either the hashtag #lemonade or #tea (depending on Twitter users' preference for which part of the popular Half & Half flavor is their favorite) for a chance to win 'Snapply' prizes.*

8) Modcloth

Online retailer Modcloth uses its Twitter background to feature one of its retro-inspired swimsuits in a way that is fun, feminine, friendly, and very on brand, at the same time promoting its other Twitter accounts to direct Twitter users to the most appropriate Twitter contacts for their particular inquiries.

9) Salesforce

Salesforce uses its Twitter background real estate to emphasize its cloud branding and also show the faces behind the brand's tweets. (Note: Using ^ followed by a person's initials is a way for brands to show who authors individual tweets when Twitter is managed by multiple contributors).*

10) Target

While we usually find patterned backgrounds to be a little bit on the distracting/annoying/headache-inducing side, Target strikes a healthy balance between pattern and white space on its Twitter background, while also providing ways for Twitter users to connect with the brand on other social networks.

11) Zendesk

There's nothing wrong with a simple, clean design, and Zendesk's background definitely demonstrates that, along with an unobtrusive call-to-action to follow the brand -- and what you'll get if you do.

12) Livestrong

Livestrong's fierce Twitter background also inspires, empowering visitors to connect with the foundation in a number of ways to appeal to each of the brand's different personas.

13) MLT Creative

MLT Creative, a B2B marketing agency, uses its page to feature its mission, to "make ideas work," and emphasize its agency's creativity. Clean, professional-looking, and intriguing!

14) Zipcar

Zipcar's background creatively showcases its happy users, putting customers at the forefront of its Twitter marketing strategy. The page also includes a call-to-action to learn more and sign up for Zipcar on its website.

15) IMPACT Branding

Inbound marketing agency IMPACT Branding's Twitter page proves that looking professional and appealing doesn't have to mean complicated designwork. With its sleek design, the page highlights IMPACT's value prop and where Twitter users can find more information.

16) McDonald's

Like Snapple, McDonald's uses its Twitter background to reflect its current marketing promotion, Dollar Menu University, an interactive game that it also promotes using its banner image and the pinned tweet at the top of its page.*

17) HubSpot

While we didn't find many examples of businesses using their Twitter backgrounds to feature calls-to-action for particular promotions, offers, or events, we're currently using HubSpot's very own Twitter background to promote our upcoming marketing conference, Inbound 2012. Don't be afraid to use your Twitter background to highlight your campaigns and drive Twitter users to action. Remember: you can update your background as often as you'd like!
(*Note: Use of features such as page banners/pinned tweets you see on pages like Snapple, Salesforce, McDonald's, and HubSpot is available only to businesses with Enhanced Brand Pages, currently only available to select brands.)