How Marketo Merges Duplicates

Marketo merges duplicates lead by lead, and the duplicates are usually a symptom: forms, list imports and CRM sync each create them for different reasons.

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How Marketo merges duplicate people

Find duplicates with the built-in smart list

Marketo ships a Possible Duplicates smart list. It matches on email and is a starting point rather than a complete answer.

Select the records and merge

Choose which record survives. Merging combines activity history, and it's worth understanding that scores and program membership don't always combine the way people assume.

Check the CRM sync afterwards

If Marketo syncs to Salesforce or Dynamics, the duplicate probably exists there too. Merging one side without the other recreates it on the next sync.

Where Marketo duplicates come from

Forms filled in with a second address. Marketo dedupes on email, so a personal address is a new person.

List imports without a matching key, the single largest source in most instances.

CRM sync, when the CRM already holds duplicates. Marketo faithfully reproduces them.

API integrations that create rather than upsert.

Stopping the next batch

Always import with email as the key, and never import a list you have not deduped first.

Fix the CRM side too, or the sync undoes your work.

Use upsert in API integrations rather than create.

Run the duplicates smart list monthly as a habit rather than a project.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can you bulk merge duplicates in Marketo?

Only through the API or a partner tool. A bulk duplicate merge Marketo run is not a native feature, so the standard route is finding the sets with a smart list and merging them programmatically.

Does Marketo merge duplicates automatically?

It dedupes on email at creation. Anything with a different email needs finding and merging.

Will merging in Marketo fix the CRM?

No. Fix both sides, or the next sync recreates the duplicate.

Duplicate records, duplicate tickets

The same person existing twice in Marketo usually means the same person raising two support tickets that never connect. Ticket Merger fixes that half automatically, on Zendesk and Freshdesk.

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