Optimizing Update Notifications in Marketo: Choose the Right Method

Keeping your backend stack in sync with your Marketo instance is essential for seamless operations and timely decision-making. When it comes to sending update notifications, particularly through webhook calls, it's crucial to consider the impact on your Marketo instance's performance and the scalability of your chosen method.

Let's explore the pros and cons of two common approaches to update notifications and understand which one might be the best fit for your needs.

Webhook Calls for Individual Fields:

Sending a webhook call for each field update might seem like a straightforward way to keep your backend system up to date. However, this method can put a significant strain on your Marketo instance, especially if you're dealing with a high volume of updates daily. Marketo instances typically handle a multitude of updates, and making an outbound webhook call for every change can introduce delays in your campaign processing.

This approach might be manageable for smaller-scale operations, but it's not ideal for larger instances. It's essential to be mindful of the performance impact and potential bottlenecks in your workflows. For real-time updates, it's not the best choice.

Marketo's Real-Time Lead Activity Data Stream:

If receiving real-time updates is critical for your backend system, Marketo offers a more efficient solution: the Real-Time Lead Activity Data Stream. With this feature, you can subscribe to receive various types of data, including lead changes, lead activities, deleted leads, and custom objects. This method provides a more streamlined and scalable way to keep your backend stack in sync with Marketo.

It's important to note that when this content was written, Marketo was transitioning the Real-Time Lead Activity Data Stream from beta to general availability. This feature can significantly enhance your data synchronization processes, making it ideal for businesses with high data update volumes.

Bulk Activity Extract API:

If your backend stack doesn't require real-time updates, another alternative is to use Marketo's Bulk Activity Extract API. This method involves pulling data value change activities with new and old values from Marketo and pushing them to your backend regularly, for example, on a nightly basis. Many users opt for this route to efficiently synchronize their systems with Marketo, avoiding the performance issues associated with real-time webhook calls for each field.

Using Batch Smart Campaigns:

To identify users who have had any changes on a particular day, you can employ batch smart campaigns with an "Updated At" filter in the Smart List. Once you've filtered the relevant leads, you can use a trigger campaign to call a webhook. This approach is suitable for up to approximately 100,000 calls per day, assuming your receiving server responds quickly.

In summary, the choice of the method for sending update notifications in Marketo depends on your specific needs and the size of your instance. If real-time updates are essential, consider implementing Marketo's Real-Time Lead Activity Data Stream. For less time-sensitive updates, the Bulk Activity Extract API can offer a more scalable solution. Batch smart campaigns can also be a viable option for certain use cases.

It's crucial to assess the impact on your Marketo instance's performance and the requirements of your backend system to determine the most suitable approach. Keep in mind that technology evolves, so it's a good practice to stay updated with the latest features and best practices in marketing automation.