A good program naming convention can help you keep Marketo organized since programs are automatically sorted chronologically in folders and reports. Consistent naming will also make it easier to search for programs, add an asset to a smart list or flow step, and filter by program name in a RCE report.
Here are best practices for naming your programs:
1. If you have set-up multiple workspaces, I recommend you start all program names with a workspace abbreviation. It will enable you to easily sort in your RCE reports by workspace.
- Workspaces example
- APAC
- Default
- EMEA
- NAM
2. Include the program creation date or the date you are starting your event to make it easy to identify when you created or held the program. I recommend putting the year first followed by the month then day so your programs will auto-sort in chronological order.
- YYYY for year
- MM for month. Always include month so you can easily compare the creation date of two content programs in reporting.
- DD for date. Always include the date for event programs so you can easily distinguish between multiple webinars with the same program name taking place in the same month.
3. Use a program abbreviation type if you would like to distinguish between two different types of programs using the same channel. I recommend having as few channels as possible to avoid confusion and having users accidentally choose the wrong one. If you want to make thing easier to read, spell out the entire program type name and don't use an abbreviation.
- Examples:
- Webinar = WB vs Webcast = WC
- Seminar = SM vs Roadshow = RS
4. If you expect to over time build thousands of different programs and assets (Emails and Landing Page), I recommend including the Program ID in your program name. The Program ID can be found in the URL:
5. Always include a description of the program. Shorter is better and try to be as descriptive as possible. If the program is an in-person event include the location. If the program is for content include the content type (e.g. Whitepaper, Video, Case Study).
6. I recommend using separators instead of blank spaces in your program name. Dashes are preferred as separators over underscores or periods since underscores and periods become hard to see when hyperlinked. If you are planning to use the program name via a {{my.token}} in a URL parameter it is best practice to include no blank spaces in your program name. A blank space in a URL parameter can cause a problem. If you aren't planning to use the program name in a URL parameter than blank spaces after the date make the program name a bit easier to read.
- Example of a program name with no blank spaces: NA-2016-01-15-WB-Getting-Started-Webinar-4545
- Example of a program name with blank spaces: NA-2016-01-15-WB Getting Started Webinar 4545
7. Putting it all together. I recommend you go from the highest level to the most specific in regards to Workspace and Creation Date. I like to put the program abbreviation after the creation date of the program but some people like to put it before the date. I like putting the Program ID at the end since it will be a unique number for every program and it won't impact naming consistency if users forget to add it.
Workspace Abbreviation-YYYY-MM-Abbreviated Program Type-Program Description-Program ID
Examples with spaces
- NA-2016-01-TS CES Tradeshow (Tradeshow located in the North America workspace held in January 2016)
- 2016-01-15-WB Getting Started Webinar 4545 (Webinar held on January 15, 2016 with a Program ID)
- APAC-2016-01-12-SM Discovery Center Seminar - Beijing 1324 (Seminar in the APAC workspace held in Bejiing on January 12, 2016 with a Program ID)
- 2016.01-WP Gartner Magic Quadrant White Paper (Gated content program created in January 2016. The month is included so when you review membership and success between two programs it is easy to identify which is the older program)
8. Be realistic and consistent. It is more important that you make it easy for everyone to name programs the same way then to have a complicated structure which is hard to use or follow.
One final thought, consider how you want to filter your programs in RCE using Program Channel, Program Name and Tags when you develop your program naming convention.
Link to Checklist for Attribution Reporting.
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