Short Answer
To add an email token in Marketo, you go to the ‘My Tokens’ tab in a program or folder, choose the type of token you want to create, and then define the token value that will be used to personalize your emails.
Email Tokens in Marketo
Email tokens in Marketo are placeholders that you insert into your email templates and content. They automatically pull in dynamic content, such as a lead’s first name or a company name, when an email is sent. Tokens help you personalize your emails at scale.
Types of Tokens
- Lead Tokens: Personal information of the lead, like first name, last name, etc.
- System Tokens: Information about the system or environment, like date and time.
- Program Tokens: Specific to the program, like event details.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Add an Email Token
Step 1: Navigate to the Program or Folder
- In Marketo, navigate to the Marketing Activities section.
- Select the program or folder where you want to add the token.
Step 2: Access My Tokens
- Click on the ‘My Tokens’ tab at the top of the workspace.
Step 3: Create a New Token
- Right-click in the tokens area and select ‘New Token’.
- Choose the type of token you want to create (e.g., Text, Date, Number, etc.).
Step 4: Define the Token
- Give the token a descriptive name that indicates its purpose, such as {{lead.First Name}} for a first name token.
- Set the value for the token. This is the default value that will be used if the corresponding field is empty in a lead’s profile.
Step 5: Insert the Token into Your Email
- Open the email editor for the email where you want to use the token.
- Place your cursor in the location where you want the token to appear in the email content.
- From the editor’s toolbar, select ‘Insert Token’ or simply type the double curly braces {{ and start typing the token name to use the autocomplete feature.
Step 6: Test the Token
- Send a sample email to yourself or use the ‘Send Sample’ feature to ensure the token is pulling in the correct data.
Step 7: Approve and Launch
- Once you have verified that the token works correctly in your sample, approve your email assets.
- Launch your campaign.
Best Practices for Using Email Tokens
Consistent Naming Conventions
Always use clear and consistent naming for your tokens to avoid confusion and make them easily identifiable.
Default Values
Set meaningful default values for tokens to ensure that emails look complete even when certain lead data is missing.
Testing is Key
Always test your emails with tokens to see how they resolve in actual email clients. This helps avoid personalization errors.
Token Usage Monitoring
Keep track of where and how tokens are used. If a token is used across multiple programs, changing its value will affect all associated emails.
Token Organization
Organize tokens at the appropriate levels — folder, program, or global — to ensure they are reusable and manageable.
Conclusion
Email tokens are a powerful feature in Marketo that enable you to personalize communication at scale. They can significantly enhance the relevance and effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. By following these steps to create and implement tokens, you’ll be able to provide a more personalized experience to your leads, which can lead to better engagement and conversion rates. Always remember to test your tokens and monitor their usage to maintain the quality of your marketing communications.
