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Cert++

Resource Pack

Marketing Cloud Email Specialist

The Marketing Cloud Email Specialist credential is the hands-on email exam. It validates that you know how to build, send, and analyze emails inside Marketing Cloud Engagement. Not the admin exam, not the consultant exam -- this one goes deep on the actual email tooling: Content Builder, AMPscript, Journey Builder, Automation Studio, data extensions, and deliverability. If you spend your days building email programs and want a credential to back it up, this is the right cert to pursue.

3-Step Path to Passing

  1. 1

    Complete the Official Email Specialist Trailmix

    Salesforce built this trailmix specifically for this exam. Work through it sequentially -- it maps directly to the five exam topics. Budget about 12-15 hours total.
  2. 2

    Attempt Practice Exams

    I recommend my own practice exams, but I have linked other options in the resources section below. The official Salesforce practice test is also worth taking.
  3. 3

    Schedule Your Exam

    This exam is available online proctored, so you can schedule and sit whenever you are ready. No need to book far in advance.

Core Resources

Exam Overview

Questions

65

60 scored + 5 unscored

Duration

90 min

1 hour 30 minutes

To Pass

67%

Minimum Score

Question Format

The exam tests your hands-on ability to build and send emails in Marketing Cloud Engagement, configure Automation Studio and Journey Builder workflows, manage subscriber data and data extensions, and interpret email performance metrics and Einstein analytics.

Scored

92%

60questions

Unscored

8%

5questions

Exam Details

Pricing

$200 registration · $100 retake

Delivery

Online proctored or at a testing center

Experience

Prerequisites

No prerequisites required

Exam Topics

Each topic section shows the topic weight, learning objectives, and links to study resources.

Email Marketing Best Practices10%

Email design principles, subject lines and preheaders, personalization and segmentation strategies, deliverability mechanics (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, IP warming, bounce handling), CAN-SPAM and GDPR compliance, subscriber acquisition and list growth, and opt-in best practices.

  • Given a customer scenario, evaluate elements and techniques of email marketing to design effective emails and email programs.
  • Given a customer scenario, differentiate elements of an email that can impact message deliverability.
  • Given a customer scenario, demonstrate appropriate and effective subscriber acquisition and retention methodologies.

Resources

Content Creation and Delivery24%

Content Builder organization and asset management, email types (template, HTML paste, text), dynamic content, layouts and content blocks, email creation workflow, Guided Send wizard, Test Send vs. Preview, send classification, link tracking, and triggered vs. scheduled sends.

  • Given a desired sending process, recommend Marketing Cloud tools to use when preparing an email for send.
  • Given a customer scenario, create and customize an email message to meet customers' needs.
  • Given a customer scenario, configure send settings to meet the customer requirements.
  • Given a customer scenario, organize and manage email campaign content.

Resources

Marketing Automation26%

Journey Builder vs. Automation Studio decision-making, Journey Builder entry sources, wait activities, Decision Splits, Engagement Splits, Update Contact, goal and exit criteria, re-entry rules, Automation Studio activities (SQL Query, File Import, File Transfer, Send Email, Data Extract, Filter), and scheduled vs. triggered automation.

  • Given a customer scenario, recommend the appropriate marketing automation solution.
  • Given a customer scenario, build the appropriate Automation Studio solution.
  • Given a customer scenario, build the appropriate Journey Builder solution.

Resources

Subscriber and Data Management26%

Data Extension types (Standard, Filtered, Random) and field types, Primary Key selection, sendable DE and subscriber key mapping, Import Wizard vs. Automation Studio import, AMPscript Lookup functions, List Detective, Suppression Lists vs. Publication Lists vs. Exclusion Lists, Preference Center vs. Profile Center, and contact deletion.

  • Given desired output requirements, set up Data Extensions in Marketing Cloud.
  • Given a customer's business requirements, determine how to import data into Marketing Cloud.
  • Given a customer's business requirements, configure segmentation tools to model subscribers and data.
  • Given a customer scenario, identify and troubleshoot send discrepancy based on subscriber preference management.

Resources

Insights and Analytics14%

Standard email metrics (Unique Opens, Total Opens, Click-to-Open Rate, Bounce Rate, Unsubscribe Rate, Complaint Rate), Tracking Extract data, Intelligence Reports (formerly Datorama Reports for Email), Journey Campaign Analytics, Einstein Engagement Scoring, Einstein Send Time Optimization, and Einstein Subject Line recommendations.

  • Given a customer scenario, explain the different metrics available for email campaigns and what each one means.
  • Given an email campaign, describe the steps involved to analyze the performance results.
  • Given a customer scenario, configure and run Marketing Cloud ad hoc and automated reports.
  • Given a customer scenario, recommend an Einstein product that will analyze campaign effectiveness.

Resources

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