How Does SFMC Connect with CDPs?
See how Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) integrates with Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) to unify identities, govern consent, activate segments, and measure revenue—without breaking data privacy or channel deliverability.
The Short Answer
SFMC connects with a CDP by syncing profiles, consent, and events into SFMC audiences and journeys, then returning engagement and conversion back to the CDP for measurement. Practically, that means: identity resolution creates a person record, governed attributes & preferences determine eligibility, segments flow into SFMC for email/SMS/push/ads, and outcomes (clicks, purchases, bookings) loop back to improve targeting and ROI.
What Actually Connects Between SFMC and a CDP?
SFMC ↔ CDP Integration Playbook
Use this sequence to unify profiles, respect consent, and activate high-intent audiences while preserving deliverability and measurement.
Unify → Govern → Segment → Activate → Measure → Improve
- Unify identities: Establish cross-channel keys (email, device, CRM ID). Map CDP profile schema to SFMC data extensions.
- Govern consent & suppression: Sync opt-in status, purposes, and regional policies; enforce channel-level frequency caps.
- Model & segment: Build audiences on behavior + value (RFM/LTV/propensity) with exclusion lists for risk and compliance.
- Activate in SFMC: Publish segments to Email/Mobile/Ad Studio; trigger Journey Builder with event APIs and entry criteria.
- Measure outcomes: Send engagement + conversion events back to the CDP; align with CRM and commerce revenue.
- Improve & automate: Close the loop with experimentation, uplift models, and automated re-segmentation windows.
SFMC–CDP Capability Maturity Matrix
| Capability | From (Ad Hoc) | To (Operationalized) | Owner | Primary KPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identity & Keys | Channel-specific IDs only | Unified profile with stable marketing key and stitching rules | Data/RevOps | Reachable Profiles, Match Rate |
| Consent & Suppression | Static opt-in fields | Purpose-based, regional, and channel-level governance synced to SFMC | Compliance/Marketing Ops | Complaint Rate, Opt-out Accuracy |
| Data Ingestion | CSV drops | APIs/streaming into CDP and scheduled exports to SFMC data extensions | Data Engineering | Latency (min), Freshness SLA |
| Segmentation & Eligibility | Manual lists | Model-based segments with exclusions and recency windows | Analytics/Marketing | Lift vs. Holdout, CPA |
| Activation & Journeys | One-off sends | Event-triggered journeys with channel prioritization and caps | Marketing Ops | Conversion Rate, Revenue per Send |
| Attribution & Feedback | Last-click reporting | Looped outcomes into CDP with MTA and cohort validation | Analytics | Incremental Revenue, ROMI |
Client Snapshot: From Unified Profile to Incremental Revenue
After connecting CDP segments and consent to SFMC journeys, a global brand improved match rates, reduced bounces, and raised conversion via event-triggered messages. Explore results: Comcast Business · Broadridge
Orchestrate audiences with The Loop™ and govern transformation with RM6™ to tie activation to measurable revenue.
Frequently Asked Questions: SFMC & CDPs
Make SFMC + CDP Work as One
We’ll unify identities, sync consent, operationalize segments, and build journeys that convert—measured by incremental revenue.
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