Hibu

What is Hibu

Hibu is a digital marketing company that provides managed services for small and local businesses. The core purpose of Hibu is to make online marketing simple for business owners who do not have the time or expertise to manage it themselves. Hibu offers an integrated solution that includes building a custom website, managing social media, running search engine and display advertising, and handling online listings and reputation. The company uses a proprietary platform powered by AI to manage these services and provide clients with a single dashboard to track performance and leads. Hibu was formerly known as Yellowbook and has a long history in local advertising. It operates internationally, with a strong presence in the United States and the United Kingdom, helping local service providers connect with customers in their area.

Hibu Features

• Custom Website Design and Management: Hibu builds and maintains a professional, mobile-responsive website for your business. This service includes hosting, updates, and ensuring the site is optimized for search engines.
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM): Hibu creates and manages paid advertising campaigns on search engines like Google and Bing. This helps your business appear at the top of search results for relevant keywords, driving immediate traffic.
• Social Media Marketing: The service includes managing your business's presence on social media platforms like Facebook. They create posts, engage with your audience, and run targeted ad campaigns to build brand awareness and generate leads.
• Online Listings Management: Hibu ensures your business name, address, phone number, and hours are consistent and accurate across many online directories and maps. This is very important for local SEO.
• Reputation and Reviews Management: The platform helps you request and monitor customer reviews on important sites. Positive reviews can improve your online reputation and attract more customers.
• Hibu Dashboard: A centralized dashboard where you can see all your marketing results in one place. It tracks website visits, ad clicks, and phone calls. It also includes call recording and transcription to help you analyze lead quality.
• Automated Customer Engagement: Hibu's platform can send automated emails and text messages to your customers. This can be used for appointment reminders, review requests, or promotional offers to encourage repeat business.

Hibu Pricing Plans

Hibu operates on a custom pricing model rather than fixed public tiers. The cost of their services depends on the specific needs of each business. When you contact Hibu, a representative will have a consultation with you to understand your business goals, your industry, and your target market. Based on this discussion, they will create a custom marketing package with a corresponding price. This package can include a mix of services like a new website, search advertising, social media management, and more. The pricing is tailored to the scope of work and the advertising budget required to achieve your objectives.

Hibu Free Plan

Hibu does not offer a free plan for its managed marketing services. Their model is based on providing a complete, done-for-you solution which requires a paid subscription. However, Hibu does provide some free tools for business owners. The most notable is a free digital marketing score. You can enter your business information on their website, and they will provide a free analysis of your current online presence, showing areas where you are strong and where you could improve. This score can help you understand your needs before deciding to purchase their services.

How to use Hibu

Since Hibu is a managed service, using it is different from using a DIY software tool. The process is focused on collaboration with their team.

1. Initial Consultation: The first step is to schedule a call with a Hibu marketing consultant. You will discuss your business, your customers, and your growth goals.
2. Strategy Creation: Hibu's team will analyze your needs and propose a custom digital marketing strategy. This will outline the services they recommend, from website design to ad campaigns.
3. Onboarding and Setup: Once you agree to the plan, Hibu's team gets to work. They will build your website, create your ad campaigns, set up your social media profiles, and configure your dashboard.
4. Campaign Management: Hibu actively manages all your campaigns. Their team monitors performance, makes adjustments to improve results, and keeps everything running smoothly.
5. Monitor Results: As a business owner, your main task is to use the Hibu Dashboard. You can log in to see how many leads you are getting, listen to recorded calls from customers, and see the return on your investment. You will also receive notifications for important events like new leads.

Pros and Cons of Hibu

Pros:

• All-in-One Solution: Hibu combines all major digital marketing services into one package, which saves business owners time and effort.
• Expert Management: The service is ideal for those with little marketing knowledge, as Hibu's team handles all the technical work.
• Integrated Dashboard: Having one place to track all leads and results from different channels is very convenient.
• Focus on Local Businesses: Hibu specializes in local marketing and understands the challenges of small, service-based businesses.

Cons:

• Cost: A managed service like Hibu is generally more expensive than using separate DIY tools.
• Less Direct Control: Because Hibu manages everything, you have less hands-on control over the fine details of your marketing campaigns.
• Contract-Based: Services often require a contract, which can be a long-term commitment.
• Proprietary Platform: Your website and marketing assets are built on Hibu's platform, which can make it difficult to move to another provider in the future.

Hibu integrations

Hibu's platform is designed as a closed, all-in-one system. It internally integrates data from the services it manages, such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and various online directories, into its central dashboard. However, it does not offer public, user-configurable integrations with third-party software like external CRMs (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) or marketing automation tools (e.g., Mailchimp). The lead management, communication, and analytics are all intended to be handled within the Hibu ecosystem.

Hibu Alternatives

• Web.com: Offers a similar range of services to Hibu, including website design, SEO, and paid advertising for small businesses. It is also a managed, done-for-you service.
• GoDaddy: Known for domain registration and web hosting, GoDaddy also provides a DIY website builder and digital marketing tools. They also offer professional marketing services for those who want a managed solution.
• BrightLocal: This is a DIY software platform focused specifically on local SEO. It provides tools for citation management, reputation management, and rank tracking, giving users more direct control than Hibu.
• Constant Contact: Primarily an email marketing and CRM platform, Constant Contact has expanded to offer a website builder and social media posting tools. It is a good alternative for businesses that want to manage their marketing in-house.
• Thryv: Provides a comprehensive business management software for small businesses that includes a CRM, marketing automation, scheduling, and payments, in addition to marketing services.

Hibu API

Hibu does not provide a public API (Application Programming Interface) for developers. Its platform is a proprietary, closed system that is used by its internal teams to manage client marketing campaigns. Access to the platform's data and functionalities is limited to the Hibu Dashboard provided to clients. There is no developer portal or documentation available for third-party integrations.

Hibu Affiliate program

Hibu offers a Partner Program for businesses and agencies that wish to resell Hibu's digital marketing solutions to their own clients. This is different from a typical affiliate program for individuals. To join, interested parties must apply through the Hibu website. The program is designed for marketing agencies, IT service providers, or other B2B companies. Details about revenue sharing, commission rates, and support are provided during the application and approval process. If you are an individual influencer, it is best to contact their support or partnership team directly to inquire about potential collaboration opportunities.