When someone says, "email template syntax," most marketers would rather poke themselves in the eye with a blunt pencil than dive into the technical details.
But here's the truth: if you’re using Marketo for your email marketing, understanding Marketo syntax is essential. Even more, if you want to scale email campaigns and set up high-performing Marketo email templates that are ready to launch.
This blog post offers a complete overview of Marketo syntax and how it powers Marketo email templates, even if you're not a developer. You’ll walk away knowing exactly how to work with Marketo syntax elements that make Marketo email templates so powerful.
So pour yourself something nice, take a deep breath, and let's demystify this.
What Is Marketo Syntax In Marketo Email Templates?
Whether you are using professional Marketo HTML email template services or have an in-house developer, it’s always good to understand how Marketo syntax works.
First off, Marketo syntax is custom HTML attributes–a special set of HTML rules or instructions. Envision them as “tags” or “labels” added to email and landing page templates inside Marketo.
These tags tell Marketo which parts of your email or page should be editable, reusable, or dynamic, allowing marketers (even those without coding skills) to update content without breaking the design.
By adding these attributes, you let end users customize the Marketo email templates in the Marketo email editor and boost your marketing team’s efficiency.
Why should you care? Because with proper Marketo syntax:
- You can update text/images within the template without handcoding.
- Your brand emails stay consistent by locking non-editable regions.
- You can launch email campaigns faster with reusable elements.
- Your non-technical team members can make changes without breaking everything.
- You take care of the complex task of personalization of Marketo email templates.
- Non-developers like marketers and content teams edit emails without begging a developer for help every time
How Does Marketo Syntax Work?
At its core, Marketo syntax is about adding specific classes and attributes to HTML elements in your Marketo email templates or landing page. Here’s how Marketo syntax works:
- Editable text: Developers add class="mktoText" to HTML elements (like headlines or paragraphs). Let marketers update text using a simple editor.
- Swappable images: Adding class="mktoImg" to images. Lets marketers replace product photos or banners without touching the code.
- Reusable sections: Blocks like headers/footers are marked with class="mktoSnippet," letting teams insert pre-approved content.
- Dynamic modules: Sections marked with class="mktoModule" can be rearranged or duplicated within emails.
What Are Different Types Of Marketo Syntax Elements
Rich Text Elements (mktoText)
The bread and butter of Marketo email templates. With rich text elements, even users with minimal technical skills can edit email text without touching the code in Marketo’s visual editor.
How it works:
Add class="mktoText" to HTML elements like <div>, <p>, or headings. Marketo converts these into editable fields.
Example:
<h2 class="mktoText" id="headline" mktoName="Main Headline">
Don’t miss out on the end of the season!
</h2>
<p class="mktoText" id="bodyText" mktoName="Promo Description">
Enjoy 20% off on all seasonal items this weekend.
</p>
Key Features:
- mktoName: Appears as field labels in Marketo's UI (e.g., "Main Headline")
- Formatting: Users can add bold, lists, links via visual toolbar.
- Safety Net: Prevents accidental deletion of surrounding HTML.
Common Use Cases:
- Product descriptions
- Event details
- Call-to-action text
Image Elements (mktoImg)
With mktoImg, swapping images becomes painless. It allows controlled image editing while protecting layout integrity.
Method 1: Strict Image Replacement
<img class="mktoImg" id="productPhoto" mktoName="Product Image"
src="default.jpg" mktoLockImgSize="true">
What marketers can do:
- Replace image file
- Maintain original dimensions
Method 2: Flexible Image + Link
<div class="mktoImg" id="banner" mktoName="Main Banner"
mktoImgLink="/summer-sale" mktoImgLinkTarget="_blank">
<img src="banner-default.jpg" alt="Seasonal Promotion">
</div>
What marketers can do:
- Change image
- Edit link URL
- Set link target (new tab/same window)
Advanced Controls:
- mktoLockImgStyle: Lock CSS styling (default: false)
- mktoImgWidth/Height: Set fixed dimensions
Snippets (mktoSnippet)
You use this to reuse pre-approved content blocks across multiple emails. Create the snippet once, update it anywhere, and watch it change everywhere.
Implementation:
<div class="mktoSnippet" id="footer"
mktoDefaultSnippetId="2024GlobalFooter" mktoName="Standard Footer">
</div>
Video Elements (mktoVideo)
Marketo creates a clickable thumbnail with a play button overlay. When recipients click, they're directed to watch the video (typically on YouTube or Vimeo) in a browser tab.
The hard truth is that embedded videos don't work in most email clients. But this approach gives you the next best thing—and Marketo handles all the technical complexity.
Implementation:
<div class="mktoVideo" id="tutorial" mktoName="Product Demo">
<img src="video-thumbnail.jpg" alt="How to use our app">
</div>
Behavior:
- Supports: YouTube/Vimeo URLs (configured in Marketo backend)
- Fallback: Displays image with play icon overlay
- On Click: Opens video in new tab
Pro tip: Be aware that this works beautifully in Apple Mail and Gmail (web) but may not display as intended in Outlook and some older Android clients.
Variables
Using this syntax in your Marketo email templates lets create reusable placeholders for dynamic content.
Global Variable (Entire Email)
<head>
<meta class="mktoString" id="campaignCode" default="SUMMER24">
</head>
<body>
<p>Use code ${campaignCode} at checkout!</p>
</body>
Local Variable (Specific Module)
<div class="mktoModule" id="regionalOffer">
<meta class="mktoString" id="discount" default="15%">
<p>Get ${discount} off local favorites!</p>
</div>
Variable Types:
- mktoString: Text values
- mktoNumber: Numerical values with min/max limits
- mktoColor: Color picker with hex values
- mktoBoolean: Toggle switches (Yes/No)
Modules & Containers
Modules are self-contained sections that can be dragged, dropped, and reordered. With this Marketo syntax, your team can mix and match content blocks like Lego pieces, creating countless email variations from a single template.
Container Framework
<table class="mktoContainer" id="mainContent">
<tr>
<td>
<!-- Modules inserted here -->
</td>
</tr>
</table>
Reorderable Module
<tr class="mktoModule" id="testimonial" mktoName="Customer Quote">
<td>
<p>"This product saved me hours!"</p>
<p>- Jane Doe, Marketing Director</p>
</td>
</tr>
Workflow:
- Developer creates 5-10 modules (testimonials, product grids, etc.)
- The marketer drags modules into container
- System auto-adjusts layout responsively
Conditional Content
This is where email marketing gets personal in a whole new way. Conditional content lets you show or hide entire sections based on who's opening your email.
Implementation:
<div class="mktoModule" id="vipOffer" mktoName="VIP Discount">
<!-- Content visible only to VIP segment -->
</div>
Configure this in Marketo's segmentation tools, and you've got a single template that delivers different experiences to different audiences—without creating multiple versions.
Configuration:
- Create segment in Marketo
- Set rules (e.g., "Customer Type = VIP")
- Apply to module visibility settings
Wrapping Up
Syntax in Marketo email templates isn't a technical exercise, it's a strategic advantage. Your emails will:
- Launch faster
- Maintain brand consistency with ease
- Scale across campaigns without multiplying workload
- Enable personalization without requiring a team of developers
- Empower your entire marketing team to contribute
Whether you're working with professional template designers or building your own, understanding these fundamentals puts you in control of your email marketing.
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