What is Marketing Cloud?

When people talk about Salesforce Marketing Cloud, they are sometimes referring to the wider Salesforce marketing ecosystem and sometimes to one product within it, usually Marketing Cloud Engagement. That is where confusion tends to creep in!

In reality, Marketing Cloud is the umbrella term for all Salesforce marketing software. Within the portfolio are several products, including Marketing Cloud Engagement (formerly ExactTarget), Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (formerly Pardot), Marketing Cloud Growth, and Marketing Cloud Advanced Edition. Which one is most suitable depends on the business itself, including its sales cycle, the channels it uses, and how advanced its marketing requirements are. 

However, the broader portfolio approach is what makes Marketing Cloud useful. Rather than forcing every business into the same system, Salesforce offers different products for different types of marketing maturity, channel mix, and customer journey complexity.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud gives businesses a way to manage customer engagement in a more connected and scalable way. Using one of the Salesforce marketing automation products helps teams:

• engage audiences across multiple digital channels

• automate customer journeys rather than relying on one-off sends

• segment audiences for more relevant messaging

• monitor campaign performance in real time

• personalise communications using customer data

• choose the product or edition that best fits their requirements

For some businesses, that may mean running sophisticated email journeys. For others, it may mean aligning sales and marketing more closely through account-based nurturing or expanding into newer Salesforce marketing products.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud works as a portfolio of products rather than a single application.

Essentially:

1. Businesses choose the Marketing Cloud product or products that fit their needs

2. Customer and campaign data are used to segment audiences and guide communications

3. Campaigns and journeys are delivered across relevant channels such as email, SMS, social, and web

4. Automation tools reduce manual work and support more timely engagement

5. Reporting and analytics help teams see what is performing and where to optimise next

Because the portfolio includes multiple products, the exact setup will vary from one business to another. Salesforce Marketing Cloud is suitable for smaller to enterprise-sized businesses.

Marketing Cloud vs Marketing Cloud Engagement

Marketing Cloud is the umbrella portfolio name.

Marketing Cloud Engagement is one product within that portfolio, generally associated with cross-channel campaign execution and journey building.

Marketing Cloud vs Account Engagement

Marketing Cloud refers to the wider set of Salesforce marketing products.

Account Engagement (aka Pardot) is one specific product within that set, usually aligned more closely with B2B marketing and lead nurturing.

Marketing Cloud vs Salesforce Platform

Salesforce Platform is the technical foundation for building applications, automation, and integrations.

Marketing Cloud is the marketing software portfolio used to manage customer engagement and campaigns.

Is Salesforce Marketing Cloud a single product?

No. Marketing Cloud is the umbrella name for Salesforce’s portfolio of marketing software, which includes products such as Marketing Cloud Engagement, Account Engagement, and Growth Edition. Although people may use the term colloquially to refer to their chosen product.

What does Marketing Cloud help businesses do?

It helps businesses engage customers across channels such as email, social media, web, and SMS, while also supporting segmentation, automation, analytics, and personalisation through streamlined automation.

What products sit within Marketing Cloud?

The current product list includes Marketing Cloud Engagement, Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, Marketing Cloud Growth Edition, and Marketing Cloud Advanced Edition.

How do I choose the right Marketing Cloud product?

That depends on factors such as your sales cycle, channel mix, and wider business requirements. It's best to start with figuring out your overall martech strategy and go from there. 

Is Marketing Cloud the same as Account Engagement?

No. Account Engagement is one product within the wider Marketing Cloud portfolio, but again, customers may use the term 'Marketing Cloud' to refer casually to Account Engagement.