You know what they say, “knowledge is power,” and when you’re in a profession that’s constantly evolving (not to mention, highly technical), staying attuned to the latest practices is a critical ingredient in achieving success. Learning from peers in the marketing operations community can help you not only build subject matter expertise but also add more value to your organization.
We asked our Marketo consulting team for their go-to marketing automation resources, whether it’s groups, podcasts, forums, or even Slack channels. No matter what medium you prefer, this list offers a dynamic range of marketing operations resources that will help you gain that competitive edge in your career and provide more value to your organization. Let’s jump in!
The Leading Marketing Operations Resources for Marketo Users
Marketo Nation
No surprise here - if you’re a Marketo user, leveraging Marketo Nation is the first step to take when trying to expand your knowledge base. Virtually any search query you submit will bring back relevant results. Browse discussion boards to help your peers assess complications or create your own thread when you have an issue you can’t solve. With 11,051 total answers as of July 28, 2021, you can rest assured that you’re in good hands.
Marketo Nation also features Champion Blogs where Marketo Champions create blogs of all sorts - from checklists and resources for Marketo beginners to more technical pieces, like deep dives on engagement programs. With more than 1,000 blogs to explore, Marketo Nation is an excellent resource for Marketo users, both new and seasoned.
Pro Tip: Follow your Marketo Champions on LinkedIn to level up your knowledge and make connections. Here’s a complete list of the 2023-2024 Marketo Engage Champions with their LinkedIn profiles "linked for your convenience.
Marketo User Groups
When you’re a member of Marketo Nation, you also have the opportunity to join your local Marketo User Group (MUG). To gain access to your local Marketo User Group, simply click on the User Group closest to you, request to join, and you’re in! Here are 3 reasons to get involved with your local Marketo User Group:
- Learn from the Experts: Stay current on all things Marketo. Your Marketo User Group leaders will ask local Marketo experts and Champions of the latest updates, and Partners will even present interesting topics and new Marketo features.
- Network Opportunities: This is a great place to meet users and partners that you may want to collaborate with in the future.
- Make Friends: Sometimes marketing operations professionals just need to cut loose, right? Sprinkled in between educational gatherings, Marketing User Groups will meet for a happy hour for more informal chatting and getting to know one another. The community is tight and getting to know other Marketo users in your area can pay dividends when you need to phone a friend.
Marketo Virtual User Groups YouTube Channel
The Marketo Virtual User Group YouTube channel consists of nearly 100 videos, webinars, and learning sessions specifically designed for digital marketers using Marketo automation software. You can also browse the playlists which are divided by the same user groups found on their website.
"When COVID hit and everyone else was trying to figure out how to go virtual, I felt that I had a duty to the community to share the work that I had already done with the rest of the MUG Leadership to help keep continuity in the community. I really think that it's important for people to understand that I'm doing this less about profit and brand awareness and more because it's a labor of love and the community has a very, very personal spot in my heart."
- Michael Tucker, Marketo Virtual User Group YouTube Channel founder, on why he started the YouTube channel
Known as the number one marketing operations community, MarketingOps (formerly MO Pros) is where marketing operations professionals gather to connect, collaborate, and grow together. Not only does the MarketingOps have an extensive network of 1,700+ marketing operations professionals from various backgrounds across the nation, but they also offer an extensive blog library and podcast. Not to mention, they also have a video series where MOPS professionals share their “MOOPS,” otherwise known as a marketing operations “oops.”
Individuals can also take advantage of the MarketingOps Slack community, where users can connect and collaborate with their peers. A membership with MarketingOps can also earn you tech discounts and even provide career mentorship and general guidance. MarketingOps also hosts events in which yearly members can receive a 10 percent discount.
"I created MO Pros purely so I could feel less alone in my role as a Marketing Operations Professional. I was a team of one when I started the then Slack channel in 2017, and no one wanted to talk shop about Marketing Ops with me. Over time, MO Pros grew organically from my blog post and what it has become is all shaped by the community. Now I and the rest of our members never have to feel alone."
- Mike Rizzo, founder of MO Pros, on why he started MO Pros (now called MarketingOps)
If you’re looking to grow your network and learn the best practices of marketing operations, MO Pros (now marketingops.com) is a great place to start.
MOPsPros
Join a community of 2,600 marketing operations professionals that fosters trust, communal learning, and the personal development of all of its members. Expand your knowledge through their blog library, podcast, and Slack community.
Users can also simplify everyday tasks through the MOPs Pros Toolbox. This chrome extension is designed to introduce helpful features such as:
- 50+ links to online tools for simplifying everyday Marketing tasks
- Built-in campaign URL generator
- Usability improvements for Adobe™ Marketo® Engage*
Marketing Operations Podcasts
MOPS subject matter expert and influencer, Darrell Alfonso, and other marketing operations professionals discussed their favorite podcasts in a LinkedIn thread recently, as seen below. This is yet another reason to follow influencers on LinkedIn to elevate your knowledge.
Here is the definitive list of marketing operations podcasts as compiled by the marketing operations community themselves:
- Accelerating Revenue by True Influence
- B2B Marketing and More by Pam Didner
- Brand Story by Steve Gilman
- Demand Gen Visionaries by Qualified
- Demandgen Radio by David Lewis
- Humans of Martech by Phil Gamache
- Leading with Data by Narrative Science
- Marketing Technology Podcast by Elias Crum
- Operations by Sean Lane
- Ops Cast by MO Pros by Ops Cast
- State of Demand Gen by Chris Walker
- The Data Heroes Podcast by RingLead
- The Hard Corps Marketing Show by Casey Cheshire
- The Martech Podcast by Benjamin Shapiro
- The Revenue Marketing Report by CaliberMind
- The Society of Marketing Technology Consultants by Courtney McAra and Grant Grigorian
Bonus Resource (and a Challenge!)
MERGE Insights
Last but certainly not least, is MERGE Insights. Gain insight from our subject matter experts and stay afloat on the latest updates to Marketo, Workfront, and AEM. Our content is driven by the challenges we hear directly from the MOPS community, ranging from managing change and scaling marketing operations to accessing the best practices and advancing MarTech expertise.
Challenge: Think about ways your team can share knowledge and level up across the board. For example, MERGE’s team of Marketo consultants uses an internal Slack channel called Marketo Knowledge where we share questions and solutions across the team to continually level up our collective knowledge and Marketo subject matter expertise.
Is your organization looking to partner with a marketing operations agency to accelerate the value from your Adobe Marketo investment? The experts at MERGE can help. Get in touch.
