UPDATED 14:35 EDT / AUGUST 24 2017

CLOUD

Google inks landmark cloud deal with marketing giant Marketo

Within two years, Marketo Inc.’s popular line of marketing automation services will run entirely on Google Inc.’s cloud computing platform. That’s the objective of a deal announced today by the two companies.

The collaboration is set to span six years and will see “tens of petabytes” worth of customer data moved to Google’s infrastructure as a service platform, according to Forbes. At first, Marketo will only use the cloud environment to support new clients that don’t need any historical records to be brought over from its on-premises hardware. The company then plans to start migrating its existing user base, which includes more than 6,000 businesses.

Google and Marketo expect the move to be completed by 2019. Then they’ll turn their full attention to the strategic aspect of the deal. The companies plan to integrate their respective products to attract more enterprise customers.

As part of the effort, Google will help Marketo take advantage of its machine learning tools to deliver new capabilities. The effort is slated to place a particular emphasis on enabling partners to develop more compelling ways of applying Marketo’s marketing automation offerings.

Marketo Chief Executive Officer Steve Lucas (pictured) said in a blog post that the partnership could also open up new ways for his customers to use AdWords. Although Google’s core advertising service is already supported by Marketo, the new collaboration between the companies could lead to the development of deeper integrations. In conjunction, the search giant will start prompting Marketo within G Suite. It’s part of a planned go-to-market alliance that is also set to see their sales groups share lead information with one another.

“AdTech and MarTech have existed and even thrived very separately for a number of years but to the detriment of marketers and their audiences,” Lucas said. “These siloed industries must come together because let’s face it; buyers don’t know or care about the difference between them and neither should we. This alliance will accelerate these worlds coming together.”

Lucas also implied that the large companies now buying its services want a guaranteed infrastructure that can handle their demands. “Marketo serves large international brands, such as GE Healthcare and Panasonic; therefore it is absolutely critical that we invest in the most robust global infrastructure possible to support our customers’ business success,” he said.

The companies didn’t divulge any of the financial details, but Lucas provided a glimpse into the deal during the Forbes interview. He revealed that Google has agreed to provide certain “migration incentives” to help foot the cost of the move to its cloud platform. In addition, the search giant will start making more extensive use of Marketo’s software internally.

Lucas spoke with SiliconANGLE Media’s video unit theCUBE earlier this year about the demands of a coming consolidation in marketing technology:

Image: SiliconANGLE

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