How Do You Measure Program ROI in Marketo?
Tie Marketo programs to pipeline and revenue using native Program Cost, Success, and multi-touch attribution—plus CRM opportunity data—to calculate true ROMI and defend budget with confidence.
Direct Answer
In Marketo, Program ROI = (Attributed Revenue − Program Cost) ÷ Program Cost. Track cost at the Program level, define Success (e.g., MQL, Meeting, Opp), connect to CRM for opportunities and revenue, and use MT attribution (e.g., FT, LT, U-shaped, W-shaped) to allocate revenue credit across programs and channels. Review monthly with finance to reconcile pipeline created, pipeline won, and ROMI.
Marketo ROI: What to Set Up First
The Marketo ROI Playbook
Follow this sequence to make ROI auditable and repeatable across programs and channels.
Define → Instrument → Execute → Attribute → Reconcile → Optimize
- Define taxonomy & channels: Channel (Email, Paid Social, Webinar), Subchannel, Tags (region/product/segment).
- Instrument costs: Add monthly costs in each Program; include agency/media and content production.
- Execute with statuses: Build program status flows so Success is reached when the buying action occurs.
- Attribute revenue: Connect Marketo to CRM; rely on Contact Roles to spread credit across touches and programs.
- Reconcile with finance: Compare Pipeline Created, Pipeline Won, and Revenue to GL; true up late costs.
- Optimize mix: Shift budget to programs with ROMI ≥ 1.5 and leading indicators (meetings, opps per 100 MQLs).
Marketo ROI Maturity Matrix
| Capability | From (Ad Hoc) | To (Operationalized) | Owner | Primary KPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Taxonomy | Inconsistent names | Enforced Channel/Subchannel/Tags | Marketing Ops | Reportability, Filter Accuracy |
| Cost Capture | Partial costs | Complete monthly costs (media, content, tools, agency) | MOPS/Finance | Cost Coverage % |
| Program Success | Clicks/opens | Status-driven MQL/Meeting/Opp Success | Demand Gen | Success Rate |
| Attribution | Single-touch | Multi-touch with Contact Roles | RevOps | % Opps with Contact Roles |
| ROI Governance | Occasional review | Monthly ROMI review; budget reallocation | Marketing Leadership | ROMI, Cost/Opportunity |
Snapshot: From Activity to Revenue Accountability
Standardized program statuses and monthly cost capture let leadership compare webinars vs. paid social on ROMI. Budget shifted to the top quartile programs, increasing pipeline created without raising spend. Explore results: Comcast Business · Broadridge
Align Marketo with Revenue Marketing Transformation (RM6™) to connect program execution to pipeline, revenue, and ROMI.
Frequently Asked Questions about Marketo Program ROI
Make Marketo ROI Auditable
We’ll standardize program statuses, capture full costs, connect CRM opportunities, and operationalize attribution so you can scale what works.
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