Salesforce Marketing Cloud is a digital marketing platform that empowers businesses to deliver personalized, targeted customer experiences across email, mobile, web, advertising, and social media. It supports both B2C and B2B marketing with tools for automation, segmentation, journey mapping, analytics, and more. In 2025, Salesforce has elevated this platform with the release of Marketing Cloud Next (MCN) a major milestone aimed at unifying, simplifying, and enhancing marketing operations.
Salesforce Marketing Cloud Next
Marketing Cloud Product Overview
Salesforce Marketing Cloud is not a single tool it’s a suite of solutions tailored for different marketing needs. Here’s how they break down:
Marketing Cloud Engagement (MCE)
Formerly known as ExactTarget, MCE is the go-to B2C marketing solution. It supports multi-channel campaigns across email, SMS, push, and more using tools like Journey Builder, Email Studio, and Automation Studio.
Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (MCAE)
Previously Pardot, MCAE serves B2B marketers with robust features for lead nurturing, scoring, campaign automation, and CRM integration. It aligns tightly with core Salesforce objects like leads, contacts, and opportunities.
Marketing Cloud Growth (MCG)
Launched in 2024, MCG brings marketing functionality “on core” meaning it’s built natively on the Salesforce Data Cloud. MCG is ideal for growing businesses needing powerful but easy-to-use marketing automation.
Marketing Cloud Advanced (MCA)
MCA extends the capabilities of MCG by adding deeper personalization, more automation tools, and stronger AI integration. It’s suitable for businesses ready to scale campaigns at an enterprise level.
What Is Marketing Cloud Next (MCN)?
Marketing Cloud Next (MCN) is Salesforce’s most advanced marketing solution to date, introduced at Salesforce Connections 2025. It represents the company’s long-term vision to bring together all of its marketing tools B2B, B2C, automation, personalization, and data into one streamlined platform.
Over the years, Salesforce has built a wide range of marketing technologies through acquisitions like ExactTarget (for B2C marketing) and Pardot (for B2B), along with innovations in data, AI, and automation. MCN is the next-generation solution that merges these capabilities into a single, powerful system.
What Makes Marketing Cloud Next Different?
Marketing Cloud Next isn’t just a rebranding it’s a complete transformation. Here’s what sets it apart:
- A Unified Platform (Combining):
MCN brings together technologies from nine Salesforce acquisitions, creating one consistent platform. Tools that used to operate separately, like ExactTarget and Pardot, are now part of one cohesive experience. - Built on Data Cloud (Rebuilding):
The entire platform is now built natively on Salesforce Data Cloud. This means that customer data is no longer siloed. Instead, it flows seamlessly across Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Commerce Cloud, and now Marketing Cloud, giving marketers a unified, real-time view of every customer. - Smarter, Simpler Marketing (Simplifying):
MCN eliminates the confusion between B2B and B2C marketing tools by offering one intelligent solution that can handle both. It reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO) and makes integrations easier by using shared services across the Salesforce ecosystem.
Core Features of Marketing Cloud Next
MCN comes packed with modern, AI-powered tools designed to make marketing faster, smarter, and more effective:
- Agentforce Tools:
New intelligent features like Agentforce Campaign Creation, Segment Intelligence, and Lead Management use AI to help marketers plan, target, and execute campaigns more efficiently. - Real-Time Personalization:
MCN leverages Data Cloud to deliver hyper-personalized customer experiences using up-to-the-minute data and behavior tracking. - Unified Analytics:
Marketers get access to centralized dashboards that provide real-time performance tracking, customer insights, and predictive analytics across all marketing efforts and channels.
The Great Convergence
Salesforce is not asking marketers to start over or abandon what they’ve built. Instead, it’s offering a smooth and gradual path to transition into Marketing Cloud Next (MCN).
Rather than a full migration (which can be disruptive), Salesforce calls this a “convergence.” This means your current tools, automations, and data can still be used and gradually enhanced within MCN.
How the Transition Works:
- From Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (MCAE) → Move into Marketing Cloud Growth (MCG) or Marketing Cloud Advanced (MCA).
- From Marketing Cloud Engagement (MCE) → First shift to MCE+, then into Marketing Cloud Next (MCN).
These are stepping stones, not forced upgrades. Your:
- Existing campaigns
- Journey Builder workflows
- Email content
- Data Cloud segments
Your existing journeys, content, and Data Cloud segments can all continue working and will be compatible with Marketing Cloud Next (MCN).
Benefits of Salesforce Marketing Cloud in 2025
Discover how Marketing Cloud helps you deliver smarter, faster, and more personalized experiences in today’s digital-first world.
1. Omnichannel Customer Engagement
Marketing Cloud empowers businesses to connect with their customers across multiple touchpoints email, SMS, social media, digital ads, push notifications, and the web all from one platform. This omnichannel capability ensures that you reach your audience where they are, delivering consistent messaging throughout the entire customer journey.
2. Real-Time Personalization at Scale
With built-in AI (Einstein) and real-time customer data flowing through Data Cloud, Marketing Cloud lets you tailor every message, offer, and interaction based on current behavior and preferences. Whether a customer clicks an email or browses your website, you can respond instantly with relevant, personalized content improving engagement and conversion rates.
3. Unified 360-Degree Customer View
Thanks to its native integration with Salesforce Data Cloud, Marketing Cloud gives you a complete, up-to-date profile of each customer. You can bring together data from marketing, sales, service, and commerce to understand who your customers are, what they need, and how they interact with your brand across channels enabling smarter segmentation and more effective campaigns.
4. Seamless Integration with the Salesforce Ecosystem
Marketing Cloud works natively with other Salesforce products like Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, and Commerce Cloud. This deep integration makes it easy to align marketing with sales and support efforts, automate lead handoffs, track campaign performance across the funnel, and deliver a consistent customer experience across departments.
5. AI-Powered Automation and Campaign Intelligence
Marketing Cloud leverages the power of Salesforce Flow and Einstein AI to automate repetitive tasks, optimize customer journeys, and uncover insights from your data. You can build dynamic journeys, trigger campaigns based on behavior or lifecycle stage, and use predictive analytics to forecast results all with minimal manual intervention.
How Do You Get Started with Marketing Cloud Next?
Transitioning to Marketing Cloud Next (MCN) doesn’t require starting from scratch. Here’s how to begin your journey smoothly and strategically.
1. Evaluate Your Current Edition
Begin by identifying which Marketing Cloud edition your organization is currently using Marketing Cloud Engagement (MCE), Account Engagement (MCAE), or Marketing Cloud Growth (MCG). Each of these editions has a unique pathway toward MCN. Understanding your current setup helps determine the best strategy for transition and highlights which existing assets (such as campaigns, data models, and automations) are transferable.
2. Understand the Pathway to MCN
Salesforce has outlined specific transition paths depending on your edition:
- MCAE → MCG or MCA → MCN
- MCE → MCE+ → MCN
These aren’t abrupt migrations but gradual “convergences,” where you can adopt features of MCN in stages. Review what features are currently available in MCN and how they align with your current processes. You may also want to explore the new capabilities, such as Agentforce tools, unified segmentation, and personalization powered by Data Cloud.
3. Engage a Certified Salesforce Partner
Navigating the transition to MCN is easier with expert guidance. A Salesforce consulting or implementation partner can help you:
- Assess your current configuration and marketing goals
- Design a transition roadmap tailored to your business
- Provide hands-on support with configuration, training, and integration
- Ensure compliance and governance throughout the process
Partnering with experts can significantly reduce risk and accelerate time-to-value.
4. Start With What You Already Have
One of the key advantages of MCN is that it allows you to build on your existing investments. Data segments created in Data Cloud, Journey Builder flows, and marketing content (like templates and automation rules) can often be reused or adapted. Instead of “lifting and shifting,” MCN allows you to gradually layer in new features while continuing to run campaigns without disruption.
Final Thoughts
Salesforce Marketing Cloud has always been a leader in marketing automation. With the launch of Marketing Cloud Next, Salesforce is setting a new standard for unified, intelligent, and scalable marketing. Whether you’re in B2B, B2C, or hybrid, the path forward is clear: simplify your stack, personalize at scale, and empower your marketing with real-time data and AI.
Stay ahead of the curve start planning your move to Marketing Cloud Next today.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is Salesforce Marketing Cloud Next (MCN)?
Marketing Cloud Next is the latest evolution of Salesforce’s marketing technology. Announced at Connections ’25, it unifies features from previous tools like Marketing Cloud Engagement (MCE), Account Engagement (Pardot), and others into a single, powerful platform built on Salesforce Data Cloud.
Q2: How is Marketing Cloud Next different from MCE or Pardot?
MCN combines capabilities from both B2B and B2C platforms, eliminates redundancy, and operates on a unified infrastructure with Sales, Service, and Commerce Clouds. It’s also powered by real-time data and AI for more intelligent marketing.
Q3: Is Marketing Cloud Next a new product or just a rebrand?
It’s more than a rebrand. MCN is a convergence of technologies, rebuilt on Salesforce’s core Data Cloud. It includes new features, rebuilt personalization engines, and native integration with other Salesforce clouds.
Q4: Do I need to migrate everything to use MCN?
No. Salesforce has created smooth transition pathways. You can continue using your existing data, automations, and journeys. The process is gradual, not a forced migration.
Q5: Which tools are included in MCN?
Some key tools include Agentforce Campaign Creation, Segment Intelligence, Lead Management, AI-powered personalization, unified analytics, and real-time data processing.
Q6: Can Marketing Cloud Next support both B2B and B2C marketing?
Yes. One of the major goals of MCN is to support both B2B and B2C marketing models on a single application — helping companies streamline their operations and reduce complexity.
Q7: How do I know if I’m ready for Marketing Cloud Next?
Start by evaluating your current Marketing Cloud edition (MCE, MCAE, or MCG), review what MCN offers, and consult with a Salesforce Partner to plan your roadmap.
Q8: Is Marketing Cloud Next available for all Salesforce customers?
MCN is rolling out gradually. Access depends on your current edition, region, and use case. Speak to your Salesforce rep or Partner to check eligibility.
