It’s easy to think Marketo problems start when something breaks – a campaign that doesn’t trigger, leads that get stuck, or reports that stop adding up. But most issues begin much earlier. As pace increases and more people work in the system, structure slowly erodes – often without clear ownership.
Suddenly there are hundreds of active smart campaigns and folders called “Q3 test” everywhere. That’s when the problems become visible. The real cause, however, is the lack of a clear, sustainable foundation.
Here are three steps to help you rebuild it.
Steps to creating a sustainable Marketo setup
1. Start with the basics
A sustainable Marketo setup isn’t about more workflows - it’s about order.
- Structure folders by function and region, not by individual users.
- Use clear naming conventions so everyone understands what’s what.
- Archive old smart campaigns to keep the system clean.
It sounds obvious, but many organisations outgrow their Marketo structure without noticing.
2. Define roles and responsibilities
As more people work in Marketo, clarity becomes critical. Who owns email programs? Who publishes new logic? Who can change lead scoring? When ownership is unclear, friction grows - and experimentation stops.
3. Plan for change
A good Marketo setup is never static. New products, campaigns and markets require flexibility. Design for scale from the start by using tokens, templates and reusable smart programs that can be cloned instead of rebuilt.
This saves time and makes the system more resilient as the pace increases.
Build for the future
When Marketo is set up properly, the impact is felt across the organisation. Marketing can launch campaigns faster, sales gets better leads, and leadership sees numbers they can trust. But most importantly, the team gains peace of mind—so they can focus on marketing instead of troubleshooting.
If you want a clear picture of how your Marketo environment is performing today, start simple: take a step back and review structure, processes and ownership. That usually provides more clarity than expected.
You can read more about how we help companies build sustainable Marketo solutions here.
