Marketing Cloud Basic Interview Questions

 

1. Define and expand CRM?

Customer Relationship Management, or CRM, is a technology that enables businesses to manage their interactions with customers and potential customers, with the goal of improving business relationships and growing the business. The CRM system also helps companies stay connected to their customers, streamline processes, and increase profitability.

2. What is an attribute?

An attribute refers to a field or property on a component, such as the name of an email template or a checkbox indicating whether a custom object can be used for reporting.

3. Who can edit attributes in non-upgradable and upgradable components?

Both the developer and the subscriber have the ability to edit attributes on non-upgradeable components in unmanaged or managed packages. However, on upgradeable components in a managed package, some properties can be modified by the developer while others are locked and cannot be edited by either the developer or the subscriber.

4. What is a List?

A list is a compilation of subscribers who receive communications from a business. By creating multiple lists, businesses can segment their subscribers and target their email communications more effectively.

5. What is a Data Extension?

A data extension is a table within a database that stores data, such as subscriber information or relational data. It can be used for a variety of purposes, including holding subscriber data or managing relational data.

6. When should one use List-Based Data Model?

• When dealing with a relatively small amount of data.
• When the data is simple and does not require complex relationships.
• When the data is relatively static and does not change frequently.
• When you want to manually upload or manage data.
• When you want to perform simple queries or segmentation based on specific data attributes.

7. When should one use Data Extension-Based Data Model?

• When dealing with a large amount of data.
• When the data requires complex relationships and interactivity.
• When the data is dynamic and changes frequently.
• When you want to automate the process of data management and upload.
• When you want to perform advanced queries or segmentation based on multiple data attributes.

8. What is the difference between All Subscribers and All Contacts Lists?

• All Subscribers list includes only those contacts who have subscribed or opted-in to receive communication from a company, whereas the All Contacts list includes all the contacts including those who have not opted-in.
• The all Subscribers list is used for email marketing and sending communications to opted-in subscribers, while the All Contacts list can be used for managing all contacts, including unsubscribed or bounced contacts.
• The all Subscribers list is usually smaller and more targeted, while the All Contacts list can be much larger and more diverse.
• All Subscribers list can help companies maintain compliance with anti-spam laws and regulations, while the All Contacts list may include contacts who may not be interested in receiving communication from the company.
• All Subscribers list can also be segmented based on various criteria such as interests, behavior, and demographics, while the All Contacts list is typically a single list of all contacts.

9. What is the Difference between Contact ID and Subscriber ID versus Contact Key and Subscriber Key?

• Firstly, customers use a primary identifier for their customers and link their identifier to Marketing Cloud using the Marketing Cloud Contact Key or Subscriber Key value.
• Secondly, the Contact ID and Subscriber ID fields act as surrogate keys used by internal Marketing Cloud systems.

10. Name the different types of tenant types?

• Firstly, Enterprise 2.0
• Secondly, Enterprise
• Thirdly, Core
• Lastly, Agency

11. What is the use of Metadata API?

The Metadata API allows for the programmatic deployment of changes and management of customization information for an organization, including Experience Cloud sites, custom object definitions, and page layouts. It is especially useful for complex changes and rigorous change management and audit processes.

12. When should one use SOAP API?

SOAP API is used to create, retrieve, update, or delete records, such as accounts, leads, and custom objects. Moreover, SOAP API also allows you to maintain passwords, perform searches, and much more.

13. When should one use Apex?

It can be used to:

• Create Web services.
• Create email services.
• Perform complex validation over multiple objects.
• Create complex business processes that are not supported by workflow.
• Create custom transactional logic.
• Attach custom logic to another operation, such as saving a record.

14. What is Bulk API?

Bulk API main use is to query, queryAll, insert, update, upsert, or delete a large number of records asynchronously. Bulk API is designed on the Salesforce REST framework.

15. What is REST API?

For connecting with Salesforce, the REST API provides a powerful, convenient, and easy REST-based web services interface. It has several advantages, including simplicity of integration and development, and it’s a great solution for mobile apps and web projects.

16. What do you understand by AMPscript?

AMPscript is a scripting language that may be included in HTML emails, text emails, landing pages, SMS messages, and MobilePush push alerts. Furthermore, the system analyses the script when you include it in the message to render content for each subscriber individually. At the end of the email sent, the Marketing Cloud program handles all AMPscript calls.

17. What do you understand by Push Technology?

Push technology or the publish/subscribe model, transfers information from the server to the client, as opposed to pulling technology where information is requested by the client from the server.

18. Define All Subscribers List?

The master list of records for the Marketing Cloud Email Studio account is the All Subscribers list. The All Subscribers list displays every subscriber in your account. Subscribers who are added to a subscriber list at the same time are added to the All Subscribers list. A subscriber can also be unsubscribed from lists and groups while still remaining active on the All Subscribers lists.

19. What are Publication Lists?

Publication lists enable the management of subscriber communication preferences and opt-out actions. Separating lists by communication type allows for honoring opt-out requests without unsubscribing from all previously subscribed publications.

20. When should one use Publication Lists?

• Firstly, to filter the audience of an email sent, which ensures your publications are sent to the subscribers who want to see them.
• Secondly, to show and adhere to regulatory compliance with CAN-SPAM laws.
• Thirdly, use a publication list for each communication type, such as newsletters, weather alerts, and coupons.
• Lastly, use a publication list to control who receives particular communications from a company. In Enterprise 2.0, publication lists can be shared between parent and child business units.

21. How can you edit apex classes in a production environment?

In a production environment, apex classes cannot be directly edited. Changes must first be made in a sandbox and then deployed with appropriate permissions.

22. Who is a List-Level Unsubscribe?

 A subscriber who unsubscribes at the list level does not receive any emails that are sent to that list or publication list. For example, a person could unsubscribe from your Sale Announcements list but still receive emails that you send to your Weekly Newsletter list.

23. Who is an Account-Level Unsubscribe or Master Unsubscribe?

Unsubscribing at the account level results in an unsubscribed status on the All Subscribers list, which applies to all current and future lists.

24. Who is a Global unsubscribe?

A subscriber who unsubscribed at the global level is maintained in a special table in the Marketing Cloud database and effectively unsubscribed from all current and future lists in all Salesforce Marketing Cloud accounts.

25. List the different ways a subscriber can unsubscribe?

A subscriber can unsubscribe in four different ways:

• List-Unsubscribe
• Master Unsubscribe
• Global Unsubscribe
• One-Click Header Unsubscribe

26. What is Multi-Factor Authentication?

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security to Marketing Cloud login processes, protecting against common security threats like phishing attacks, credential stuffing, and account takeovers.

27. List some common methods of Data flows?

Common methods include imports, APIs, and Marketing Cloud Connect.

28. What is the use of SOQL?

The Salesforce Object Query Language (SOQL) allows for powerful query strings to search an organization’s data. It can be used in the query call parameter, Apex statements, Visualforce controllers and getter methods, and the Salesforce CLI or Salesforce Extensions for Visual Studio Code.

29. When should one use SOQL?

• When searching for multiple object types at once
• When needing to search for specific text across multiple fields and objects
• When needing to perform a text-based search across multiple sObjects

30. When should one use SOSL?

We can use SOSL in the following:

• Firstly, while retrieving data for a specific term that you know exists within a field.
• Secondly, when retrieving multiple objects and fields efficiently where the objects might or might not be related to one another.
• Thirdly, when retrieving data for a particular division in an organization using the division’s feature.
• Lastly, while retrieving data that are in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Thai.

31. What is Streaming API?

The Streaming API is used to stream events via push technology, and it also includes a subscription method for receiving events in near real-time. PushTopic events, generic events, platform events, and Change Data Capture events are all supported by the Streaming API subscription method.

32. Define Auditing?

Performing audits provides valuable insights into the usage of a system, which can aid in identifying potential security concerns. Regular audits are necessary to ensure the security of the system by detecting unexpected changes or usage patterns.

33. What Salesforce is Doing about Phishing and Malware

• Providing phishing and malware prevention tools for customers
• Implementing two-factor authentication and identity verification processes
• Offering security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Training employees on security best practices
• Regularly updating and patching security vulnerabilities in the platform

34. What is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of social engineering that involves impersonating a trustworthy individual or organization to obtain sensitive information such as passwords, usernames, and credit card details. This fraudulent activity can be carried out through various means such as email, text messages, phone calls, and other methods.

35. What is Malware?

Malware refers to software that infiltrates or damages a computer system without the owner’s consent. This term encompasses a range of harmful software, including computer viruses.

Have you worked with Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connect? Can you give an example of how it was used in a project?

As a Salesforce Marketing Cloud Developer, I have worked with Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connect in a number of projects. Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connect is an integration tool that allows you to seamlessly connect your Salesforce Marketing Cloud data with your Salesforce CRM data.

One of the projects I worked on was for a client in the retail industry. The client wanted to integrate their Salesforce CRM data with their Salesforce Marketing Cloud data to improve the customer experience and personalize their marketing efforts. To accomplish this, I used Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connect to synchronize the customer data between the two platforms. This integration allowed the client to see a complete picture of their customers, including their purchase history, preferences, and behavior, in one place.

With the help of Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connect, the client was able to create targeted campaigns, deliver personalized content and offers, and track customer interactions in real-time. Additionally, the integration allowed the client to automate many of their marketing processes, saving them time and increasing efficiency.

Overall, the use of Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connect in this project was a huge success. It allowed the client to better understand their customers, improve the customer experience, and achieve their marketing goals.

Can you describe your experience with setting up and managing automation workflows in Salesforce Marketing Cloud?

Setting up and managing automation workflows in Salesforce Marketing Cloud requires a strong understanding of the platform and its capabilities. As a Marketing Cloud developer, my experience in this area involves the following:

1. Identifying the objective of the workflow: The first step is to understand the purpose of the automation and the desired outcome. This helps me to determine the right approach and determine the steps involved in creating the workflow.
2. Creating the data extensions: Data extensions are containers that hold the data that will be used in the automation. I create data extensions based on the requirements of the workflow and ensure that they are properly structured and contain the necessary data.
3. Setting up automation: Once the data extensions are in place, I then set up the automation by creating a new automation in the Automation Studio. I define the triggers and conditions for the automation and determine the actions that will be performed when the conditions are met.
4. Designing the email templates: In many cases, automation workflows involve sending emails. I design and create email templates that are optimized for deliverability and engagement. I ensure that the templates are visually appealing and contain the necessary information to drive the desired outcome.
5. Testing the automation: Before launching the automation, I perform thorough testing to ensure that it functions as expected. I test the triggers, conditions, and actions to ensure that they are working correctly. I also test the email templates to ensure that they are rendering correctly and contain the right information.
6. Monitoring and refining the automation: Once the automation is live, I continuously monitor its performance and make adjustments as needed. I track key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to identify areas for improvement. Based on this data, I refine the automation to improve its effectiveness.

In conclusion, setting up and managing automation workflows in Salesforce Marketing Cloud requires a strong understanding of the platform and the ability to design and implement effective campaigns. As a Marketing Cloud developer, my experience in this area has been instrumental in helping me to create effective workflows that deliver results for clients.

Have you worked with Salesforce data extensions and lists? Can you give an example?

As a Salesforce Marketing Cloud Developer, I have extensive experience working with Salesforce data extensions and lists. Salesforce data extensions and lists are essential components in the Salesforce Marketing Cloud platform that are used to store customer data and manage audience targeting.

A Salesforce data extension is a database-style data structure that enables marketers to store customer data and use it for targeted marketing campaigns. Data extensions can be created by uploading a spreadsheet, integrating with an external database, or by using an API. They can store data such as customer name, email address, purchase history, and more.

On the other hand, lists are collections of subscribers or customers that have been grouped together based on specific criteria. Lists can be created by uploading a spreadsheet or by using a query that selects specific data from a data extension. Lists can be used to target specific segments of customers with specific campaigns or messaging.

For example, I worked on a project where we needed to target customers who had not purchased from our online store in the past six months. To do this, I created a query that selected all customers who had a purchase date more than six months ago from our data extension. I then used the query to create a list of customers who were inactive. Finally, I used this list to send targeted email campaigns to these inactive customers, offering them discounts and promotions to encourage them to make a purchase.

In conclusion, my experience with Salesforce data extensions and lists has been extremely valuable in creating targeted and personalized marketing campaigns that drive customer engagement and sales.

What experience do you have with creating and implementing email templates?

As a Marketing Cloud Developer, I have extensive experience in creating and implementing email templates for various businesses and organizations.

One of my most notable projects was for a multinational retailer. They required a comprehensive email marketing strategy and I was tasked with creating and implementing dynamic and interactive email templates that would resonate with their customers. I utilized the Salesforce Marketing Cloud’s drag-and-drop email builder to create visually appealing templates that were easy to customize and personalize. I also utilized scripting to add dynamic content, such as product recommendations, based on subscriber behavior.

In another project, I worked with a financial services company to develop email templates for their onboarding process. The templates were designed to welcome new customers, provide account information, and educate them on various products and services offered by the company. I also utilized A/B testing to optimize the templates for higher engagement and conversion rates.

Overall, my experience in creating and implementing email templates has taught me the importance of a user-centered design approach and the value of testing and iteration. I understand that email templates must be visually appealing, easy to use, and provide a seamless user experience. I am confident in my ability to create templates that meet the specific needs of any organization.

Can you explain the difference between Marketing Cloud and Sales Cloud?

As a Salesforce Marketing Cloud Developer, I can explain the difference between Marketing Cloud and Sales Cloud as follows:

Marketing Cloud:

Marketing Cloud is a cloud-based digital marketing platform that provides businesses with a centralized platform to create, manage, and deliver targeted, personalized marketing campaigns across multiple channels. The main focus of Marketing Cloud is to engage with customers, prospects, and leads through targeted email, mobile, and social media campaigns. It also provides features such as lead management, email automation, email personalization, and real-time analytics to help businesses better understand their audience and improve their marketing efforts.

Sales Cloud:

Sales Cloud, on the other hand, is a cloud-based sales management platform that provides businesses with a centralized platform to manage their sales processes and customer relationships. The main focus of Sales Cloud is to streamline sales processes, automate lead management, and manage customer relationships. It provides features such as lead tracking, opportunity management, contact management, and forecasting to help sales teams manage their sales pipeline, close more deals, and increase productivity.

In conclusion, the main difference between Marketing Cloud and Sales Cloud is their focus. While Marketing Cloud focuses on engaging with customers and prospects through targeted marketing campaigns, Sales Cloud focuses on streamlining sales processes and managing customer relationships. Both platforms complement each other, and businesses can benefit greatly by using both Sales Cloud and Marketing Cloud together.

How do you stay current with updates and new features in Salesforce Marketing Cloud?

 

As a Marketing Cloud Developer, it is important to stay current with updates and new features in Salesforce Marketing Cloud in order to provide the best solution for clients and ensure the platform is being used to its full potential. There are several ways to stay current with updates and new features in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, including:

1. Salesforce Trailhead: Trailhead is an online learning platform that provides hands-on training and interactive tutorials. Trailhead modules are updated regularly with the latest updates and new features in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, making it a great resource to stay current.
2. Salesforce User Groups: Salesforce User Groups are communities of Salesforce users who meet regularly to discuss best practices, share tips, and stay current with the latest updates and new features. Participating in a Salesforce User Group is a great way to stay connected with the Salesforce community and learn about new features and updates.
3. Salesforce Webinars: Salesforce frequently hosts webinars that provide in-depth information on new features and updates. Attending these webinars is a great way to stay current and learn about new capabilities in Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
4. Salesforce Documentation: The Salesforce Marketing Cloud documentation is updated regularly to reflect new features and updates. Regularly reviewing the documentation is a great way to stay current with the latest information and updates.
5. Salesforce Community: The Salesforce Community is a place for Salesforce users to connect, ask questions, and share information. Regularly visiting the Salesforce Community is a great way to stay current with the latest updates and new features in Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

By utilizing these resources, Marketing Cloud Developers can stay current with updates and new features in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, ensuring they are providing the best solution for clients and using the platform to its full potential.

How do you approach testing and debugging in Salesforce Marketing Cloud?

As a Salesforce Marketing Cloud developer, testing and debugging is an important aspect of delivering high-quality and error-free solutions. Here is my approach to testing and debugging in Salesforce Marketing Cloud:

1. Identifying the Problem: The first step is to identify the problem and understand the requirements. This helps to determine the scope of testing and what should be tested.
2. Test Planning: The next step is to plan the testing process. This includes identifying the test cases, the test data, and the test environment. I make sure to document the test cases and the expected results to ensure that the testing is thorough and efficient.
3. Test Execution: Once the test plan is in place, I execute the tests to identify any errors or bugs. I use the Marketing Cloud Debugger to track the debug logs and identify the cause of the errors.
4. Debugging: If any errors are found during testing, I isolate the problem and debug the code to identify the root cause of the issue. I use tools like the Marketing Cloud Debugger, Data Viewer, and System Log to understand what went wrong and why.
5. Fixing Errors: Once the cause of the error is identified, I correct the code and retest to make sure the solution is working as expected.
6. Regression Testing: After fixing any errors, I perform regression testing to ensure that the changes made did not affect any other parts of the solution.
7. Final Testing: Finally, I perform a final round of testing to make sure that the solution is working as expected and meets the requirements.

In conclusion, testing and debugging in Salesforce Marketing Cloud is a systematic process that involves identifying the problem, planning the testing process, executing the tests, debugging, fixing errors, performing regression testing, and final testing. I make sure to use the right tools and follow best practices to ensure that the solution is error-free and meets the requirements.

Top 10 Web Application Security Risks

The OWASP Top 10 is a standard awareness document for developers and web application security. It represents a broad consensus about the most critical security risks to web applications.

Globally recognized by developers as the first step towards more secure coding.

Companies should adopt this document and start the process of ensuring that their web applications minimize these risks. Using the OWASP Top 10 is perhaps the most effective first step towards changing the software development culture within your organization into one that produces more secure code.

Top 10 Web Application Security Risks

There are three new categories, four categories with naming and scoping changes, and some consolidation in the Top 10 for 2021.

• A01:2021-Broken Access Control moves up from the fifth position; 94% of applications were tested for some form of broken access control. The 34 Common Weakness Enumerations (CWEs) mapped to Broken Access Control had more occurrences in applications than any other category.
• A02:2021-Cryptographic Failures shifts up one position to #2, previously known as Sensitive Data Exposure, which was broad symptom rather than a root cause. The renewed focus here is on failures related to cryptography which often leads to sensitive data exposure or system compromise.
• A03:2021-Injection slides down to the third position. 94% of the applications were tested for some form of injection, and the 33 CWEs mapped into this category have the second most occurrences in applications. Cross-site Scripting is now part of this category in this edition.
• A04:2021-Insecure Design is a new category for 2021, with a focus on risks related to design flaws. If we genuinely want to “move left” as an industry, it calls for more use of threat modeling, secure design patterns and principles, and reference architectures.
• A05:2021-Security Misconfiguration moves up from #6 in the previous edition; 90% of applications were tested for some form of misconfiguration. With more shifts into highly configurable software, it’s not surprising to see this category move up. The former category for XML External Entities (XXE) is now part of this category.
• A06:2021-Vulnerable and Outdated Components was previously titled Using Components with Known Vulnerabilities and is #2 in the Top 10 community survey, but also had enough data to make the Top 10 via data analysis. This category moves up from #9 in 2017 and is a known issue that we struggle to test and assess risk. It is the only category not to have any Common Vulnerability and Exposures (CVEs) mapped to the included CWEs, so a default exploit and impact weights of 5.0 are factored into their scores.
• A07:2021-Identification and Authentication Failures was previously Broken Authentication and is sliding down from the second position, and now includes CWEs that are more related to identification failures. This category is still an integral part of the Top 10, but the increased availability of standardized frameworks seems to be helping.
• A08:2021-Software and Data Integrity Failures is a new category for 2021, focusing on making assumptions related to software updates, critical data, and CI/CD pipelines without verifying integrity. One of the highest weighted impacts from Common Vulnerability and Exposures/Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVE/CVSS) data mapped to the 10 CWEs in this category. Insecure Deserialization from 2017 is now a part of this larger category.
• A09:2021-Security Logging and Monitoring Failures was previously Insufficient Logging & Monitoring and is added from the industry survey (#3), moving up from #10 previously. This category is expanded to include more types of failures, is challenging to test for, and isn’t well represented in the CVE/CVSS data. However, failures in this category can directly impact visibility, incident alerting, and forensics.
• A10:2021-Server-Side Request Forgery is added from the Top 10 community survey (#1). The data shows a relatively low incidence rate with above average testing coverage, along with above-average ratings for Exploit and Impact potential. This category represents the scenario where the security community members are telling us this is important, even though it’s not illustrated in the data at this time.

OWASP Top10