Okta's B2B Marketing Playbook
How two ex-Salesforce execs seized cloud adoption to build a $13 billion company from the ground up despite funding, security, and marketing hurdles.
During the 2008 Great Recession, when unemployment was at an all-time high and 30 million people were out of work, Todd McKinnon told his wife he wanted to quit his job at Salesforce.
After persuading her with a PPT titled "Why I Am Not Crazy", Todd reconnected with a former Salesforce executive who had just graduated from MIT. In 2009, Todd McKinnon and Frederic Kerrest co-founded what is now a leading identity and access management (IAM) company, Okta.
Okta serves over 19,000 customers and employs nearly 6,000 people across 15 offices worldwide. Let’s take a closer look at the marketing strategies that got the company to this point.
In this playbook, we will review 3 Growth Principles, 4 CMOs, 11 Tactics, and Okta’s Marketing Statistics, all illustrated with Examples and 🔍 Inside Scoops.
3 Growth Principles
Combining the Cultural Ethos
During his time at Salesforce, Todd McKinnon and his team were responsible for launching the Salesforce.com platform-as-a-service. In taking the company from single to multiple products, Todd learned how technologies evolve and what makes a company competitive.
His eight years at PeopleSoft showed him the value of building a company that empowers employees to make decisions. These lessons have been instrumental in shaping the culture at Okta, where the co-founders are committed to being bold and innovative.
Navigating the Valley of Death
After nearly 18 months in operation, the two VC firms funding Okta expected the company to have a solid customer base. However, Okta was still too young to gain traction with enterprise customers, making it nearly impossible to hire talent. Todd McKinnon called this the hardest year in Okta's history.
As Okta found its footing with Series B funding, the identity solutions market began to heat up with Salesforce, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon launching competing products. In the following three years, Okta grew to 1,500 employees and surpassed $250 million in ARR, successfully navigating yet another valley of death.
“From the outside, I could say it was validating that Microsoft wanted to compete with us. But internally, I was thinking, ‘Are we big enough to survive this? We’re only a $25 million company with 200 employees.’ That was pretty scary.”
- Todd McKinnon
🔍 Inside Scoop
Todd McKinnon was in his mid-30s, with a six-month-old baby and a recent diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. When he told his wife he wanted to leave his job and start a business amid the financial crisis, she thought he was crazy. Determined to prove he wasn’t, Todd created a PowerPoint presentation.
This PPT outlined his reasons for wanting to leave Salesforce and start a business in “poor economic times”. He listed multiple scenarios detailing what would happen if the company succeeded or failed. Having navigated his fair share of challenges at Okta, Todd believes the hardest thing he ever had to do was convince his wife.
Thinking Long-Term, Acting Short-Term
Okta's scaling strategy is rooted in its leadership's focus on big-picture decisions instead of short-term planning. Todd McKinnon's approach involves making 5-6 key decisions each year with a high success rate.
He does this by spending time with key customers to improve products, meeting with investors to refine positioning, and working with teams to find new leaders. Todd’s personal rule to be home for dinner every night further helps him step back from daily tasks, encouraging him to delegate.
Okta as a company has gotten where it is through strategy and execution rather than being lucky and easy.
- David Weiden
Okta’s CMOs
Ryan Carlson, CMO of Okta (5 years, 4 months)
Ryan Carlson was with Okta for over 10 years, leading marketing through a successful IPO. He began as VP of Product Marketing and later advanced to roles as VP of Marketing, CMO, and EVP & Head of OktaX.
Ryan is currently the President of Chainguard. He has also worked with Wiz, Redwood Systems, Xilinx, Velio Communications, and Cypress Semiconductors. Additionally, Ryan co-founded companies such as Mojam.com and Sproost and is an angel investor with The Operator Network.
He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado Boulder and a double MBA from UCB, and Columbia Business School.
Kendall Collins, CMO of Okta (1 year, 2 months)
Kendall Collins spent 2 years at Okta, serving as CMO and later as an Advisor.
Currently, he is Chief Business Officer and Chief of Staff to Marc Benioff. Kendall is also a Salesforce alumnus, having previously worked there for over 12 years. He has held multiple roles at companies such as WeWork, AppDynamics, Oracle, Procter & Gamble, A.T. Kearney, and Cutco Cutlery.
Additionally, Kendall has served as an advisor or board member for organizations like Ironclad, Algolia, Airtable, Tech for Campaigns, Obama for America, and the San Francisco Education Board.
Kendall holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia.
John Zissimos, CMO of Okta (1 year, 10 months)
John Zissimos served as Chief Digital Officer before transitioning to Chief Marketing Officer during his 2+ years tenure at Okta. He played a key role in reinventing the Okta brand in 2022.
John is currently the CMO at Armada and has previously worked at Google, Salesforce, Hungry Man, McCann Erickson, J. Walter Thompson, and Chiat/Day. He has also been an independent film director and a board member of the Ad Council and the 3% Movement.
He earned his bachelor's degree from Temple University.
Kerry Ok, CMO of Okta (1 year; present)
Kerry Ok is Okta's current CMO, a role she has held for one year. Before becoming CMO, Kerry served as SVP of multiple products and teams and as Chief of Staff at Okta.
Before Okta, she worked at Auth0, Skytap, F5 Networks, and Sunriver Specialties, and was an advisor at JupiterOne.
Kerry holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington.
Okta’s Marketing Tactics
1. Event Marketing Strategy
Okta participates in all major industry events, including Black Hat, Infosec, RSA Conference, and Security Day. The company also attends analyst conferences, and partner events including Microsoft Ignite and AWS re:Invent.
The most important event for Okta is Oktane, an annual Identity Conference, which is known for its high-profile speakers such as Serena Williams, Trevor Noah, Simone Biles, and Michael J. Fox.
The real showstopper dates back to 2018 when President Obama headlined the event. Rumour has it his appearance may have cost Okta up to $400,000, though the actual figure remains a closely guarded secret.
🔍 Inside Scoop
Todd McKinnon almost got kicked out of his own FY16 Kickoff event. That year, the event had expanded to the point where external security was needed at the exits. When Todd tried to enter the hall for his keynote, security wouldn’t let him in.
The organizers had forgotten to register him or print his badge, assuming everyone would recognize the CEO. Fortunately, an Okta employee vouched for him, and Todd was let in to give his keynote.
2. Resource Gallery
Okta’s gallery features everything from use cases to blogs on product, developer, and corporate topics. It also includes analyst reports, datasheets, demos, and more. But the real gems are the customer case studies—videos packed with testimonials and ROI stories that make Okta’s impact far more engaging than typical PDFs.
Okta also publishes a monthly Access Granted Newsletter, highlighting key trends, product updates, and news. And like Mimecast, Okta has a podcast: Mistaken Identity. It dives into digital identity, where experts debunk myths and offer valuable insights on identity management and customer experience.
3. Social Media Marketing
Okta’s LinkedIn stays active with webinars, partner events, product highlights, and analyst mentions. Behind-the-scenes glimpses of employee life like yoga days, diversity celebrations, and cultural lunches often get the most traction.
On Twitter, Okta sticks closely to its brand, with a clean, meme-free approach that’s rare for a Silicon Valley company. Instagram and Facebook, once more employee-centric, have shifted to match the polished vibe of its other platforms. YouTube is a hub for webinars, customer stories, and product demos.
4. Advertising Strategy
Okta partners with multiple ad and media agencies worldwide, including LogicLogicMagic for EMEA Marketing Communications, SundaySky for engaging videos, and RollWorks, Realm B2B & Bombora for ABM campaigns.
Okta uses various formats to promote its case studies, events, guides, infographics, and reports. Most ads are in English, with occasional ones in French and German. Okta rarely advertises on Meta, but when it does, it’s usually for the Japanese market.
5. Paid and earned media
Okta strategically uses paid and earned media to cement its position as an industry leader. Taking a page from Salesforce PR handbook, Todd McKinnon frequently engages with top media outlets like CNBC, WSJ, Forbes, and Bloomberg.
His active participation ensures Okta remains visible in key discussions while positioning him as a trusted thought leader. Okta’s Press Room is a testament to the company’s ongoing relationships with top-tier journalists.
🔍 Inside Scoop
Okta has had its fair share of PR disasters. In 2022, a phishing attack breached 2.5% of its customers, which the company initially denied — until an extortion group leaked screenshots, forcing Okta to come clean. Later that same year, its GitHub source code was stolen, but Okta downplayed the severity again.
In 2023, another blow came when Okta’s support portal was hacked, compromising all its support clients. These troubles can be dated back to 2021 when Okta acquired Auth0. The integration was a mess, prompting the exit of several top execs. Okta chose to keep these struggles hidden from investors.
Their repeated attempts to sweep issues under the rug snowballed into a full-blown PR nightmare, leading to more than a 35% stock drop over five years and a $60 million settlement with shareholders for concealing its vulnerabilities.
6. Okta Elevate Partner Program
Okta has built a dynamic partner network of Solution Providers, Distributors, GSIs, MSPs, and Technology Integrators. Through the Okta Elevate Partner Program, Okta equips its partners with opportunities for revenue growth, marketing support, training, and deal registration perks.
Partners like Google, Apple, AWS, and Microsoft boost Okta’s visibility while reaping exclusive rewards. The partner portal strengthens this collaboration by rewarding contributions with badges, turning partnerships into engines for growth.
🔍 Inside Scoop
When Todd McKinnon left Salesforce to start Okta, investors weren’t exactly lining up. They doubted Identity Management could be a standalone category. Despite the cloud boom, convincing VCs was an uphill battle. Eventually, Okta scored $228 million from Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital.
But Todd’s shaky go-to-market strategy couldn’t win over Bessemer Venture Partners, landing Okta in their "anti-portfolio." However, in a twist of fate, Okta came full circle in 2021 by acquiring Bessemer-backed Auth0 for $6.5 billion—proving that persistence and a touch of poetic justice can go a long way.
“One day it will flip. You’ll go from a lonely category creator to owning the whole thing. All that pain is paid off—you’re the de facto leader. And all that marketing you were doing that people thought was bad? Suddenly it works.”
- Todd McKinnon
7. Okta Community
Okta’s real strength lies in customer retention. With 1.2 million members, the Okta Community connects users across industries and regions. It’s a space where customers and employees collaborate to solve problems and share knowledge.
Okta’s community catalysts are rewarded with discounts, swag, and a place on the leaderboard for bragging rights. Okta is introducing an official rewards program where members will earn points by posting, asking questions, or interacting with peers.
8. The AI Advantage
While not necessarily a marketing tactic, Okta has been able to ride the AI wave. It has published multiple whitepapers, reports, and blogs, generated positive media buzz, and held prime-time television interviews- all boosting Okta's brand and reputation.
Integrating AI into its latest product developments gives the company a significant advantage in staying relevant and contributing to the AI conversation while operating at the intersection of security and artificial intelligence.
9. Okta for Good
Todd McKinnon not only found inspiration for his business while working at Salesforce but also witnessed firsthand the power of giving back. Inspired by Salesforce's 1:1:1 corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, Okta implemented Okta for Good.
With a $50 million commitment over five years, Okta's focus areas include Tech for Good, Digital Equity, and Climate Action. This strategy boosts Okta's brand image, along with driving positive societal change.
10. Okta’s Brand Evolution
Okta teamed up with Brooklyn-based design agency Athletics to give its brand a bold refresh. The “O,” representing the company’s “aura,” evolved to reflect the layers of identity, while the logo took on a sharper, sleeker vibe.
Okta also introduced a fresh color palette and an ultra-modern font giving the entire brand a stylish reboot. This new look, infused across Okta’s website, social media, and all channels, makes the brand feel warmer, more inviting, and cohesive.
🔍 Inside Scoop
Okta wasn’t always Okta. The company started as Saasure, whose mission was to provide a monitoring and management system to companies deploying SaaS applications. But things didn’t quite take off.
Co-founders Todd McKinnon and Freddie Kerrest quickly realized they needed a shift and pivoted to cloud identity management. Along with the new direction came a new name: Okta, inspired by a meteorological term for measuring cloud cover.
11. Todd McKinnon As A Brand
When Todd McKinnon was younger, he dreamed of being an outfielder for the Oakland Athletics. But he was cut after college tryouts. What he’s accomplished since has earned him a reputation as one of the most improved CEOs.
Early on, he and co-founder Freddie Kerrest agreed that Todd would be the face and voice of Okta. His leadership has been pivotal in building Okta into a leading IAM company, solidifying his status as a tech entrepreneur and thought leader.
🔍 Inside Scoop
In the same year he took Okta public, Todd was officially named the 14th fittest man in the world—for his age. He achieved this impressive feat by competing against elite athletes worldwide in the annual CrossFit Games.
Todd’s passion for CrossFit runs deep; whether he’s competing at a national level or fitting in workouts between company events and office visits. After being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in his mid-30s, he only doubled down on his commitment.
Marketing Statistics
Backlink Profile: Okta boasts a strong Domain Rating (DR) of 90 and a URL Rating (UR) of 46, with an impressive 3.5 million backlinks from 18.3K referring domains. This solid backlink profile underscores its authority.
Search Engine Performance: Okta ranks for 125K keywords, generating 627K monthly organic visits valued at $428K. Organic traffic has grown by 74.9K visits, despite a decline in keywords.
Traffic by Location: Most of Okta's organic traffic comes from the US (51.3%), followed by India, Great Britain, France, and Germany. Traffic has grown significantly in the US, with smaller increases in India, France, and Germany.
Trend Analysis: Okta’s organic traffic has seen a steady upward trend, highlighting strong search performance. While paid traffic remains smaller, it shows growth potential as part of Okta’s overall marketing strategy.
Conclusion
The big question is whether Okta is following the playbook or creating one. The answer is a bit of both. While it hosts the typical SaaS yearly tech conference, much like Twilio, Box, and others, it stands out through its branding.
The company doesn't try too hard to inject personality into social media and stays true to its mission of leading in Identity Management. Hoping Okta has learned a thing or two from its previous PR crisis, the company is bound to stick around longer than what Todd McKinnon once forecasted for his wife in that famous PPT.
TL;DR CMO Brief
📅 Strategic Event Participation: Okta boosts brand visibility by hosting its annual Oktane conference and attending major industry events like the RSA Conference and BHUSA. These events build brand leadership and help connect with customers through keynotes and networking opportunities.
🎨 Brand Evolution: Okta's 2022 rebrand, involving a modernized logo and visual identity, creates a cohesive and relatable brand image that resonates with customers, making the company more approachable and engaging.
📰 Paid and Earned Media: Okta strategically uses paid campaigns and earned media to boost brand authority. With partnerships with key media outlets and a strong presence in digital advertising, Okta maintains a consistent and authoritative industry voice.
🤝 Industry Partnerships: Okta’s partnerships with technology giants like Microsoft, AWS, and Google expand Okta’s reach and help integrate its solutions into broader ecosystems, increasing market adoption.
🌐 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Okta's commitment to CSR with initiatives like Okta for Good, helps build a positive brand image. By focusing on tech for good, digital equity, and climate action, Okta connects with values-driven customers and enhances employee engagement.