CEO, Principal Consultant
2/11/2023
We believe that Marketo Engage is more than just a tool—it’s a gateway to unlocking marketing excellence. We have analysed the data from 96 Marketo audits conducted by our team of expert Marketo consultants, offering us an intimate glimpse into how organizations are leveraging this powerful platform.
So what did we find, and how can you learn from these trends to go further and do more with Marketo Engage?
This content is adapted from a webinar on the same topic, which is available to watch on-demand right here.
Assessing Marketo License Usage
Are You Maximizing Your Marketo Features?
When it comes to Marketo Engage, you’ve got a treasure trove of capabilities at your fingertips. Yet, our audits consistently reveal a common trend: organizations tend to use only 55% of Marketo’s available features. What’s more, of that 55%, just 57% is actively used. The result? Many marketers are barely scratching the surface of what Marketo Engage can do.
Our proprietary Marketo Maturity Score reveals the truth. On average, organizations score just 31%, indicating room for significant improvement. The question you should be asking is not whether you have the right tool, but are you using it to its maximum potential?
The Marketo Maturity Curve
Charting Your Progress
Understanding where your organization stands on the Marketo Maturity Curve is vital. This curve outlines four levels of maturity:
- Level 1: Batch & Blast
- Level 2: Personalized & Automated
- Level 3: Scalable & Strategic
- Level 4: Always On Lifecycle
Our audits reveal the distribution of Marketo Engage instances across these levels:
- Level 1: 76%
- Level 2: 35%
- Level 3: 19%
- Level 4: 8%
This data shows that there’s room for most organizations to progress along the maturity curve. The higher you climb, the more effective and strategic your Marketo usage becomes.
License Fee vs. Usage
Unlocking Untapped Potential
Marketo offers a wealth of features that you might not even be aware of. Our audits consistently find that some key features remain underutilized, including:
- Lifecycle modeler: 2.7%
- Predictive content: 5.9%
- Social marketing: 7.8%
- Email deliverability: 8.7%
- Ad targeting: 29%
- Sales insight: 55%
By identifying and implementing these features, you can significantly enhance your marketing efforts and extract more value from your investment.
Improving Email Performance
Cracking the Email Code
In the past year, we’ve analyzed over 1.2 billion emails sent through Marketo Engage instances. One consistent challenge we’ve observed is deliverability, with only 89% of emails reaching their intended recipients. Furthermore, open rates stand at 32%, click-through rates at 10%, and unsubscribe rates at 0.2%. Improving these metrics is key to unlocking the true potential of your email marketing efforts.
To boost email performance, consider:
- Simplifying email creation and improving deliverability with email templates
- Testing emails with tools like Email on Acid or Litmus
- Ensuring high-quality copy in your emails
- Reviewing data quality across your database
Programs by Type
Choosing the Right Program Strategy
At JTF Marketing, we’re frequently asked whether more webinars or emails are the way to go. There are four main program types in Marketo Engage:
- Default: Suitable for operational activities and integrations.
- Email: Equivalent to batch and blast emails.
- Event/Event with Webinar: Designed for event sequences.
- Engagement: Marketo’s lead nurturing programs.
Our audits often reveal a heavy reliance on email sends and default programs. It’s essential to diversify your approach for a more comprehensive and effective strategy.
Landing Pages: Conversions
Optimizing Landing Page Performance
Two factors can significantly impact landing page conversions:
- Known visitor type: Utilizing Munchkin to recognize users and avoid unnecessary form-filling.
- Form prefill: Prefill forms with available information to streamline the user experience.
These strategies can boost conversions, but remember that they may require custom scripts to implement.
Smart Campaigns
The Power of Trigger-Based Marketing
According to Adobe, a golden rule in Marketo is that 25% of your activity should be trigger-based. Our audits consistently show this number reaching almost 30%. Trigger-based campaigns are crucial for engagement, personalization, and overall success.
Be vigilant, though, as Marketo automatically deactivates triggers that haven’t fired in six months.
Our Recommendations
Maximizing Your Marketo Investment
To unlock the full potential of Marketo, consider these recommendations:
- Native CRM integration: Ensure your systems are working together seamlessly.
- Email and landing page templates: Streamline your marketing efforts and resolve inefficiencies.
- Automated data management: Maintain a clean database for better results and cost control.
- Lifecycle modeler: Optimize conversion rates through the funnel.
- Marketo Sales Insight (MSI): Drive sales engagement with collected intelligence.
If you’re eager to receive personalized recommendations for your Marketo instance, our audits are available for free. Book your audit now to take the next step toward maximizing your Marketo ROI.