Salesforce Marketing Cloud Interview Questions: Technical & Behavioral Prep

Top Salesforce Marketing Cloud Interview Questions Introduction Salesforce Marketing Cloud is a comprehensive digital marketing platform that enables businesses to create and manage marketing campaigns, engage with customers across various channels, and analyze campaign performance. Due to its complexity and wide range of features, securing a role as a Salesforce Marketing Cloud professional requires a deep understanding of its various components. This document provides a curated list of essential interview questions covering key areas of the platform, designed to help candidates prepare for technical interviews and demonstrate their expertise.

Lists and Data Extensions are two fundamental data storage models in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, each with distinct characteristics and use cases. Understanding their differences is crucial for effective data management and campaign execution. Lists are simple, flat-file structures that contain basic subscriber information. They are best suited for smaller, less complex datasets, typically under , subscribers. Lists are easy to set up and manage, making them ideal for straightforward email campaigns where extensive data manipulation is not required. However, they have limitations, including slower import speeds and a restricted number of attributes that can be stored for each subscriber. Data Extensions, on the other hand, are tables within the Marketing Cloud database that can store a wide variety of data, including subscriber information, relational data, and transactional data. They are highly scalable, capable of handling millions of records, and offer faster import speeds. Data Extensions support a virtually unlimited number of attributes, making them suitable for complex segmentation and personalization. They are the preferred choice for most marketing scenarios, especially when dealing with large datasets or when relational data is involved. Feature Lists Data Extensions Data Structure Simple, flat-file Relational database table Subscriber $ < $ , $ > $ , Limit (recommended) Import Speed Slower Faster Attributes Limited Unlimited Simple email Complex segmentation, personalization, and Use Case campaigns relational data

AMPscript and Server-Side JavaScript (SSJS) are both scripting languages used within Salesforce Marketing Cloud to personalize content and automate marketing processes. However, they have different strengths and are suited for different purposes. AMPscript is a proprietary scripting language developed by Salesforce. It is primarily used for personalization within emails, SMS messages, and push notifications. AMPscript is highly optimized for performance and is particularly efficient at handling use cases where each subscriber needs to see unique content. Its syntax is relatively simple and easy to learn, making it accessible to marketers with limited programming experience. Server-Side JavaScript (SSJS) is a server-side implementation of JavaScript that can be used in Marketing Cloud. It offers more advanced features and greater flexibility than AMPscript, including support for arrays, objects, and error handling with try- catch blocks. SSJS is better suited for more complex use cases, such as integrations with external systems, advanced data manipulation, and building custom applications within CloudPages. Feature AMPscript Server-Side JavaScript (SSJS) Primary Use Case Personalization Integrations, complex logic Performance Highly optimized Less optimized than AMPscript Flexibility Limited High (supports arrays, objects, etc.) Readability Simple More complex Error Handling Limited try-catch blocks

Journey Builder is a powerful tool in Marketing Cloud that allows marketers to design and automate multi-channel customer journeys. The entry source is the starting point of a journey, determining which contacts enter and when. The main entry sources include: Data Extension: The most common entry source, where contacts from a sendable data extension are injected into the journey. Salesforce Data: Contacts are added to the journey based on events in Sales or Service Cloud, such as the creation or update of a record. Audience: Uses audiences created in Audience Builder to admit contacts into a journey. Event: Triggers entry based on date-based events like birthdays, anniversaries, or subscription renewals. API Event: Allows external systems to inject contacts into a journey in real-time via an API call. CloudPages: Admits contacts who submit a form on a CloudPage. Mobile App Event: Triggers entry based on user interactions within a mobile app.

A Send Classification is a set of parameters that defines the sending behavior for an email campaign. It combines three key components: the Sender Profile, the Delivery Profile, and the CAN-SPAM classification. By using Send Classifications, marketers can ensure consistency and compliance across their email sends. Sender Profile: Specifies the “From” name and email address that will appear in the subscriber’s inbox. Delivery Profile: Defines the IP address to be used for the send, as well as the header and footer for the email. CAN-SPAM Classification: Determines whether the email is classified as “Commercial” or “Transactional.” Commercial emails must include an unsubscribe link, while transactional emails (e.g., order confirmations) are exempt from this requirement.

Decision Splits and Engagement Splits are both used in Journey Builder to create different paths for contacts, but they operate based on different criteria. A Decision Split evaluates a contact based on their attribute data. For example, you could use a Decision Split to send contacts down different paths based on their city, purchase history, or loyalty status. The split is based on the data you have about the contact at the time they reach that point in the journey. An Engagement Split, on the other hand, evaluates a contact’s interaction with a previous message in the journey. You can use an Engagement Split to send contacts down different paths based on whether they opened an email, clicked a link, or did not engage with the message at all. This allows for real-time adjustments to the journey based on customer behavior.

IP Warming is the process of gradually increasing the volume of email sent from a new IP address over a period of time. This process is crucial for building a positive sending reputation with Internet Service Providers (ISPs). When an ISP sees a large volume of email coming from a new IP address, it may be flagged as spam. By starting with a small volume and gradually increasing it, you can demonstrate to ISPs that you are a legitimate sender and that your emails are not spam. A typical IP warming schedule lasts for at least days and involves sending to your most engaged subscribers first. This helps to ensure high open and click-through rates, which are positive signals to ISPs. Proper IP warming is essential for achieving good email deliverability and ensuring that your messages reach the inbox.

There are three main types of Data Extensions in Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Standard Data Extension: A custom data extension that you create to store any type of data. You can add as many fields as you need to a Standard Data Extension. Filtered Data Extension: A data extension that is created by filtering the records

Data can be shared between Business Units (BUs) in Marketing Cloud by placing data extensions in the “Shared” folder. When a data extension is placed in the Shared folder of a parent BU, it becomes accessible to all child BUs. This allows for centralized data management and ensures that all BUs are using the same data for their campaigns. It’s important to note that data sharing is hierarchical. Child BUs can access data

The All Subscribers list is the master list of all subscribers in your Marketing Cloud account. Every subscriber who has ever been sent an email from your account will appear on this list. The All Subscribers list holds the master opt-in status for each subscriber. If a subscriber is unsubscribed from the All Subscribers list, they will be unsubscribed from all communications from your account. A Publication List is a subset of the All Subscribers list that is used to manage subscriber preferences for different types of communications. For example, you could have separate Publication Lists for your weekly newsletter, promotional offers, and event invitations. When you send an email, you must associate it with a Publication List. This allows subscribers to opt out of specific types of communications without unsubscribing from all of your emails.

Automation Studio is a powerful tool in Marketing Cloud that allows you to automate a wide range of marketing and data management tasks. Some of the key activities that can be performed in Automation Studio include: Send Email: Sends an email to a specified audience. SQL Query: Executes an SQL query to retrieve or manipulate data from data extensions. Data Extract: Creates a zipped file of data from a data extension or data view, which can then be used outside of Marketing Cloud. File Transfer: Transfers files to or from the Marketing Cloud FTP. Import File: Imports data from a file on the FTP into a data extension or list. Wait: Pauses the automation for a specified duration or until a specific time. Script: Executes Server-Side JavaScript to perform more complex tasks.

When querying a Synchronized Data Extension that is synced at the parent Business Unit level from a child BU, you need to prefix the data extension name with ENT. . For example, if you are querying the Contact_Salesforce synchronized data extension

These are all AMPscript functions used to retrieve data from a data extension, but they differ in the number of records they return and how they are ordered. Lookup(): Retrieves a single value from a single record in a data extension that matches the specified criteria. If multiple records match, it returns the value from the first matching record. LookupRows() : Retrieves a set of rows from a data extension that match the specified criteria. It can return up to rows. LookupOrderedRows() : Retrieves a set of rows from a data extension that match the specified criteria and sorts them based on one or more fields. This function can retrieve more than rows, but it may have performance implications with very large datasets.

Journey Builder and Automation Studio are both automation tools in Marketing Cloud, but they serve different purposes. Journey Builder is designed for creating : customer journeys across multiple channels. It is ideal for building personalized, responsive campaigns that adapt to customer behavior in real-time. Journey Builder offers a visual, drag-and-drop interface and supports a wide range of entry sources and activities. Automation Studio is a more technical tool that is used for automating data management tasks and executing multi-step marketing workflows. It is well-suited for ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes, such as importing data, running SQL queries, and transferring files. While Automation Studio can be used to send emails, it lacks the sophisticated journey-building capabilities of Journey Builder. Feature Journey Builder Automation Studio Primary Use Case : customer journeys Data management, ETL User Interface Visual, drag-and-drop Technical, activity-based Triggers Multiple entry sources Scheduled, file drop Channels Multi-channel Primarily email

In a multi-BU organization, unsubscribes can be managed at two main levels: Enterprise Level: If a subscriber unsubscribes at the enterprise level (from the parent BU), they will be unsubscribed from all communications from all BUs within the enterprise. Business Unit Level: If the “Unsubscribe from this Business Unit Only” setting is enabled, a subscriber can unsubscribe from a specific child BU without affecting their subscription status in other BUs. This allows for more granular control over subscriber preferences.

Data views are system-generated tables in Marketing Cloud that store tracking data for your email campaigns. They can be queried using SQL to create custom reports and analyze campaign performance. _Job : Contains information about each email send, such as the Job ID, Email Name, and Send Time. _Open: Contains a record for each time a subscriber opens an email. It includes the Job ID, Subscriber Key, and the date and time of the open event. _Click : Contains a record for each time a subscriber clicks a link in an email. It includes the Job ID, Subscriber Key, the URL of the link that was clicked, and the date and time of the click event. By joining these data views, you can create powerful queries to analyze your email performance in detail.

The contact deletion process in Marketing Cloud is a multi-step process that ensures that contact data is permanently removed from your account. The steps are as follows:

extension.

which their data is no longer accessible or viewable in your account. The default suppression period is days, but this can be configured.

removes the contact information from your account. This process can only be initiated from the parent BU.

Auto-suppression lists are lists of subscribers that you want to automatically exclude

There are several ways to integrate a third-party web form with Marketing Cloud: Form Handlers with Connectors: Some form providers offer pre-built connectors for Salesforce Marketing Cloud. These connectors allow you to easily map your form fields to a data extension in Marketing Cloud. POST to CloudPage: You can configure your form to make a POST request to a CloudPage. The CloudPage can then use AMPscript or SSJS to process the form data and insert it into a data extension. iFrame: You can embed a CloudPage form within your external website using an iFrame. Salesforce Integration: If you are using Marketing Cloud Connect, you can connect your form to Sales or Service Cloud. The data will then be synced to Marketing Cloud via the connector. APIs: You can use the Marketing Cloud APIs to programmatically insert data from your form into a data extension.

The Core and Platform libraries are two different sets of functions that can be used in Server-Side JavaScript. Core Library: The Core library is primarily used for interacting with the SOAP API and for performing tasks on landing pages where AMPscript is not sufficient. To use the Core library, you must explicitly load it using Platform.Load('Core', '1') . Platform Library: The Platform library contains a wide range of functions that are similar to those found in AMPscript. It is included by default and does not need to be loaded. The Platform library has better web, API, and application capabilities than the Core library.

You can personalize an email without using AMPscript by using Dynamic Content. Dynamic Content allows you to display different content to different subscribers based on rules that you define. For example, you could create a dynamic content block that shows a different image or offer to subscribers based on their city or past purchase history. Dynamic Content is a powerful and easy-to-use feature that allows marketers to create personalized experiences without writing any code.

There are several ways a subscriber can be unsubscribed in Marketing Cloud: Manual Unsubscribe: You can manually unsubscribe a subscriber from the All Subscribers list or by importing a list of unsubscribers. LogUnsubEvent: You can use the LogUnsubEvent AMPscript function to programmatically unsubscribe a subscriber. Reply Mail Management (RMM): RMM can be configured to automatically process unsubscribe requests that are sent via email. List-Unsubscribe Header: This is a link that appears in the header of an email in some email clients, allowing subscribers to unsubscribe with a single click. Subscription Center: Subscribers can manage their subscription preferences and unsubscribe from communications via the Subscription Center. Feedback Loops: When a subscriber marks an email as spam, a feedback loop is generated, and the subscriber is automatically unsubscribed.

SELECT j.JobID, j.EmailName, o.EventDate, s.EmailAddress, s.SubscriberKey FROM _Job j JOIN _Open o ON j.JobID $ = $ o.JobID JOIN _Subscribers s ON o.SubscriberID $ = $ s.SubscriberID WHERE o.IsUnique $ = $ 1 AND o.EventDate $ > $ DATEADD(day, -30, GETDATE()) AND j.EmailID $ = $ YOUR_EMAIL_ID This query joins the _Job , _Open, and _Subscribers data views to retrieve the Job ID, Email Name, Event Date, Email Address, and Subscriber Key for each unique open that occurred in the last days for a specific email.

Both InsertDE() and InsertData() are AMPscript functions used to insert a row into a data extension, but they have a key difference in where they can be used. InsertDE(): This function can only be used in an email. It inserts a row into a data extension but does not return any output. InsertData() : This function can only be used in a landing page, microsite, CloudPage, or SMS message. It inserts a row into a data extension and returns the number of rows that were inserted.

You can use the “Delivery Window” option in Journey Builder to specify the hours during which communications can be sent. By setting the delivery window to am to pm, you can ensure that your subscribers only receive messages during those hours. Any messages that are scheduled to be sent outside of the delivery window will be held until the next available time slot.

To send data from Marketing Cloud to an FTP server using Automation Studio, you would typically use the following three steps:

it in a data extension.

extension and create a zipped file.

Marketing Cloud Safehouse to your FTP server.

Personalization strings are placeholders in your email or landing page content that are replaced with subscriber-specific data at the time of send. They are enclosed in double percent signs (e.g., %%FirstName%%). There are two main types of personalization strings: Attribute Strings: These strings derive their values from a field in a data extension or an attribute related to the contact or subscriber. System Strings: These are system-defined strings that display output based on the context of the contact or subscriber, such as %%emailaddr%% or %%MOBILE_NUMBER%% .

You can use the CreateSalesforceObject(), UpdateSingleSalesforceObject() , and RetrieveSalesforceObjects() AMPscript functions to interact with Sales and Service Cloud data. These functions allow you to create, update, and retrieve records in Salesforce objects directly from Marketing Cloud.

BrandBuilder is a tool in Marketing Cloud that allows you to customize the branding of your account to match your company’s look and feel. You can use BrandBuilder to customize the color scheme of the Marketing Cloud interface, the login screen, and the standard subscription center and profile center pages.

Marketing Cloud provides a number of standard email reports to help you track and analyze your campaign performance. Some of the key reports include: Account Send Summary: Displays a summary of all email sends from your account. Email Performance by Domain: Shows the performance of your email sends for each domain you sent to. Email Send Report: Provides detailed information about a specific email send. Subscriber Engagement: Shows which of your subscribers are most and least engaged with your emails.

A goal in Journey Builder is a metric that you define to measure the success of your journey. For example, you could set a goal to have a certain percentage of contacts make a purchase or download a whitepaper. When a contact meets the goal criteria, they are counted as having achieved the goal, and they may also exit the journey at that point. An exit criteria is a condition that you define to remove a contact from a journey. For example, you could set an exit criteria to remove a contact if they unsubscribe or if they have not engaged with any of your messages for a certain period of time. Conclusion Mastering the concepts covered in these questions will provide a strong foundation for any Salesforce Marketing Cloud professional. While this list is not exhaustive, it covers the most common and critical areas that are likely to be addressed in a technical interview. Continuous learning and hands-on experience are key to becoming a successful Marketing Cloud expert.