# Getting website visits into your CRM: 4 ways compared

> How identified company visits get into HubSpot, Salesforce or Pipedrive: CSV import, API, webhook and automation services. With field mapping and duplicates.

Quelle: https://whovisit.app/en/blog/website-visits-into-crm-four-ways
Veröffentlicht: 2026-11-07
Herausgeber: Whovisit (ARAVILO, Innsbruck)

A list of visiting companies is only useful if sales sees it where it works anyway. That is usually the CRM. There are four ways to get it there. They differ in effort, timeliness and susceptibility to errors. This article classifies them and shows what to watch for with fields and duplicates.

## The four ways at a glance

| Way | Timeliness | Effort | Suitable when |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSV import | as needed, by hand | low | You are starting out or only evaluate weekly |
| API retrieval | on a schedule | medium, needs development | You run a script or a data reconciliation |
| Webhook | immediately after the event | medium | Sales is to be informed promptly |
| Automation service | depending on the trigger | low to medium, no programming | You want to forward and adapt data between tools |

### 1. CSV import

The visitor list is exported as a CSV file and imported into the CRM. All three big systems can do this.

- **HubSpot** accepts, according to the [guide to the import file](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/import-and-export/set-up-your-import-file), CSV, XLSX and XLS with a header row. Each column is mapped to a property. UTF-8 is required for special characters such as umlauts.
- **Pipedrive** imports, according to its [help page on spreadsheet import](https://support.pipedrive.com/en/article/importing-data-into-pipedrive-with-spreadsheets), XLS, XLSX and CSV. It maps columns automatically by their names. If a field is missing, create a custom field beforehand.
- **Salesforce** offers the Data Import Wizard for accounts and contacts. For larger volumes, [Trailhead](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/en/content/learn/projects/import-and-export-with-data-management-tools/use-the-data-import-wizard) points to the Data Loader.

The drawback is the manual step: anyone who forgets to export sees no new visits.

### 2. API retrieval

A script queries the visitor data via API and writes it into the CRM. This suits regular reconciliations, for example at night. You are independent of whether a receiver happens to be reachable. You can also catch up on gaps at any time. In return, you have to maintain both interfaces and handle errors.

### 3. Webhook

The service reports every visit by itself to an address you specify. From there it goes into a script or an automation service. What to watch for with signature, retries and duplicate delivery is covered in [Webhooks explained simply](https://whovisit.app/blog/webhooks-einfach-erklaert).

### 4. Automation service

Services such as Zapier, Make or n8n receive a webhook and build a workflow from it without code.

- **Zapier** provides its own address with the [Catch Hook](https://help.zapier.com/hc/en-us/articles/8496288690317-Trigger-Zaps-from-webhooks) trigger. Which plans include it is stated in the Zapier help.
- **Make** offers a module for [webhooks](https://help.make.com/webhooks).
- **n8n** comes with a [webhook node](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.webhook/) that creates one address for test runs and one for production. n8n can also be self-hosted.

The advantage is the speed of set-up. Do check, though, where the service processes data. Conclude a data processing agreement if necessary.

## Mapping fields

Decide beforehand which information belongs in the CRM. For an identified company, the following make sense:

| Information | Target field in the CRM (example) |
|---|---|
| Company name | Company / account / organisation |
| Domain | Domain or website |
| Industry, place | Industry, city |
| Last page visited | custom field or note |
| Number of visits in the period | custom number field |
| Date of last visit | custom date field |
| Origin of the record | Source, such as "website visit" |

Create the custom fields before importing, otherwise the data ends up in notes or not in the system at all. A field for the source helps later to filter and rate such records. How to build a ranking from the signals is shown in [Lead scoring in B2B](https://whovisit.app/blog/lead-scoring-b2b).

## Avoiding duplicates

The same company visits your site several times. Without countermeasures, many identical records arise. The best key is the domain, because it is more unambiguous than a company name with a legal form.

- **HubSpot** matches companies, according to the documentation on [merging and preventing duplicates](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/records/deduplication-of-records), via the primary domain, and on import also via the second domain. Important: when creating via the API, companies are, according to the same page, not matched by domain. There, first query for the domain before creating, or check it in your account.
- **Pipedrive** offers, on import, a choice for how to handle detected duplicates, including merging.
- **Salesforce** uses its own rules. An external key on the company, such as the domain in a field, makes updating more reliable than matching by name.

In general: store the domain in lower case, without `www.` and without a path, before you use it as a key. HubSpot removes everything after the domain on import; other systems do not necessarily do that.

## Data protection

Company identification delivers companies, not people. As soon as you add a contact person to a visit in the CRM, personal data arises. For that you need a legal basis of its own. With sole traders, even the company name can relate to a person. The assessment of the IP address itself is in [IP address and GDPR](https://whovisit.app/blog/ip-adresse-personenbezogen-dsgvo), approaching companies in [Approaching identified companies](https://whovisit.app/blog/von-der-erkannten-firma-zum-gespraech). Also decide how long visits remain in the CRM. Delete old records regularly.

Whovisit, for example, offers CSV export, API and webhooks. The webhook messages contain no IP addresses. With every provider, check what is actually transmitted.

## Frequently asked questions

**Which way is best to start with?** The CSV import. It needs no technology and shows you which fields you really need. Automate only once the mapping is settled.

**How do I prevent duplicate companies in the CRM?** Use the domain as the key and normalise it before importing. Check how your CRM matches via the respective route. With HubSpot, different rules apply to import and API.

**May I create identified companies automatically as leads?** As a company record, usually yes. As soon as people come into play, you need a legal basis and must inform the individuals concerned. The overall routes available are shown in [Which companies visit my website?](https://whovisit.app/blog/welche-firmen-besuchen-meine-website).