Salesforce Marketing Cloud Consultant Certification – Best Guide for Beginners

Over the past few years, Salesforce Marketing Cloud has experienced significant changes and improvements. And as a result, the Marketing Cloud certification program was redesigned in June 2020 to maintain these updates.

Fundamentally, they introduced the new Salesforce Administrator Certification. This certification is now essential for becoming a Certified Salesforce Marketing Cloud Consultant, which has updated itself completely.

But the question is how to start your journey toward Marketing Cloud Consultant Certification. Don’t worry! Our guide has all the essential information, tips, and expert advice to help you prepare and pass the certification exam.

So let's begin!

An Overview: “Salesforce Marketing Cloud Consultant Certification”

The Salesforce Marketing Cloud Consultant Certification is a special certificate that shows you are an expert in using Salesforce's Marketing Cloud to its fullest. It identifies you as a trusted professional in implementing and optimizing marketing automation strategies.

Generally, this certification exam tests your proficiency in various areas, including email marketing, customer journeys, data management, automation, and analytics within the Marketing Cloud platform.

Above all, having this certification opens up numerous career possibilities in the marketing industry and demonstrates your ability to drive successful marketing campaigns using Salesforce's powerful tools.

Who’s an Ideal Candidate for Marketing Cloud Consultant Certification?

The ideal candidate for the Marketing Cloud Consultant Certification is someone who is devoted to marketing and has a strong desire to become excellent in marketing automation.

The candidate should have a good understanding of marketing principles and practices, plus experience in implementing marketing automation strategies. Practically, this certification is best for marketing professionals, consultants, or anyone working with Salesforce's Marketing Cloud platform.

Further, candidates with experience using Salesforce Marketing Cloud features like email marketing, customer journeys, data management, automation, and analytics are well-suited for this certification.

In short, the perfect candidate for the Salesforce Marketing Cloud Consultant Certification is someone with a marketing background, experience with marketing automation, and a keen interest in leveraging Salesforce's Marketing Cloud to enhance marketing campaigns and drive successful results.

Essential Details about Marketing Cloud Consultant Certification Exam

This exam includes 60 multiple-choice questions that cover different topics. These questions are based on different scenarios, and their complexity level can vary.

Besides, some questions can test your general knowledge of Salesforce Marketing Cloud concepts, while others might ask for specific details about functionalities, methods, or setups. For instance: you may get one, two, or more questions about the correct method/string in SSJS and AMPscript.

The older certification exam used to focus mainly on email use cases. However, the updated version now includes a broader range of cross-channel messaging scenarios. Further, it includes cross-cloud products like Mobile Studio, Sales Cloud-initiated messaging, Distributed Marketing, and Marketing Cloud Connect.

Overall, the Marketing Cloud Consultant Certification exam tests your ability to analyze situations and make appropriate recommendations as a skilled consultant. This updated exam involves understanding a given scenario, considering limitations or constraints, and selecting the best answer to achieve the desired goal.

You can also check the official exam outline: Marketing Cloud Consultant Certification Exam Guide.

Exam Topics, Percentages, and Number of Questions

Topic	% Of Area Exam Covers	No Of Questions
Contact Builder	14%	8
Data Design	13%	8
Discovery	13%	8
Conceptual Design	12%	7
Journey Builder	11%	6
Account Configuration	10%	6
Automation	8%	5
Reporting	7%	4
Email Build	6%	4
Marketing Cloud Connect	6%	4

How to Prepare Yourself for Certification Exam

Follow the points below to prepare yourself for the Marketing Cloud Consultant Certification exam:

1. Experience with Marketing Cloud

Before pursuing this certification, it's necessary to have hands-on experience with Salesforce Marketing Cloud projects. Salesforce demands at least six months of experience or completing five to six implementation projects, in addition to self-study. Therefore, earn as much real-life experience with Marketing Cloud as you can.

2. Self-study

• For self-study, it's good to understand the key concepts deeply.

• Take notes and write down all the critical points and keywords related to you're learning. It will help you remember the essential information while preparing for the certification exam.

• Remember, practice makes you perfect, so don't be afraid to review and revisit your notes regularly to build a strong foundation of knowledge.

3. Official Documentation and Resources

Next, explore the different resources on the Salesforce help pages through the search bar. It is helpful to look up a topic in the Salesforce official documentation and follow along in your Marketing Cloud training account.

Besides, pay attention to the best practices and troubleshooting pages in the official documentation, as they offer valuable insights. Also, check the overview pages for a broader understanding of the topic and beneficial hints. However, you don’t need to spend too much time on pages that only provide step-by-step configuration guides. Focus on the most relevant information to make the most out of your study time.

4. Check out Trails

Explore or revisit some Trails on Trailhead, as they are helpful for critical concepts, especially when the official documentation doesn’t contain enough information. It also has a broad understanding of Marketing Cloud Products.

In addition, don't forget to explore the resources portion at the end of the modules. It includes links to some valuable content. Furthermore, I've put together a trail mix that you might find helpful. To check it out, Click here.

However, not all Trails are equally great. Some are helpful, while others are not. Often they don’t provide the in-depth information you require. So, it's best to use the Trails as an additional resource and not depend only on them for your preparation.

Sum Up

The journey to becoming a certified Salesforce Marketing Cloud Consultant is both exciting and rewarding. Through this comprehensive guide, we've explored essential tips, study materials, and expert advice to help you excel in the certification exam.

Remember, hands-on experience, thorough self-study, and utilizing various resources will be the key to your success. As you embark on this path, welcome the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and never stop learning and growing.

With determination, dedication, and the knowledge gained from this guide, you are well-prepared to unlock the immense potential of marketing automation with Salesforce.

You might also like to read: Pardot Specialist Certification.