Why Salesforce’s Marketing Cloud Next Matters in Australia
Salesforce Marketing Cloud has long been one of the most advanced platforms for customer engagement. It gave businesses the ability to run powerful campaigns across email, mobile, social, and more. But to make the most of it, many organisations needed a broad mix of skills.
- A database specialist to write SQL queries and manage Data Extensions
- A developer to use AMPScript for advanced automations
- A content creator to design and produce campaign assets
- A marketer to plan and execute the strategy
For some businesses, this setup worked well. For others, especially those without large teams, it could feel complex and resource-heavy.
At ProQuest Consulting, we have seen both sides. We have worked with Australian organisations that unlocked huge value from Marketing Cloud, and others that found it harder to scale without significant investment in skills and people.
This is why Salesforce has created Marketing Cloud Next. It builds on the strengths of Marketing Cloud but makes the platform more accessible, more user friendly, and more future-ready.
What is Marketing Cloud Next
Marketing Cloud Next is Salesforce’s new, unified marketing platform. It brings all the main Salesforce marketing products together on one system, powered by Data Cloud and AI through Agentforce.
For years, marketers had to go through different Salesforce tools for various uses:
| Old Product | Primary Use | Challenge |
| Marketing Cloud Engagement (MCE) | Email, mobile, social campaigns | Separate from sales and service data, updates were slow, personalisation limited |
| Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (MCAE), formerly Pardot | B2B marketing automation | Worked well for B2B but was isolated from other channels |
| Marketing Cloud Growth (MCG) | Marketing automation for small businesses | Built on Salesforce platform, Good for small teams but not scalable for growth |
| Marketing Cloud Advanced (MCA) | Showing customers the right content at the right time | Operated separately from campaign tools so felt disconnected |
Marketing Cloud Next is not yet a complete replacement for every existing product. Today it combines core functionality and lays the groundwork for the future.
The vision is clear: one login, one data model, one place to build, run, and optimise campaigns in real time. The real power will come as it evolves alongside Agentforce, enabling AI agents to orchestrate campaigns and personalise every interaction using live customer data.
Why It Matters for Australian Marketers
In Australia, customer expectations are high, and patience is low. Marketing Cloud Next lets you:
- React to customer actions instantly, turning more interest into sales
- Connect every interaction across sales, service, and marketing so customers experience one seamless brand
- Deliver personalisation at scale without overloading your team
- Spend more time on creative strategy while automation handles repetitive work
- Work in a platform that is more user-friendly and configurable, reducing the need for specialist technical skills
- Leverage AI to simplify setup and decision making, so marketers spend less time managing tools and more time creating impact
It is not just about speed. It is about making advanced marketing more accessible, more effective, and more rewarding for both teams and customers.
Native integration with Data Cloud
Data Cloud is the backbone of Marketing Cloud Next. It unifies structured and unstructured customer data into a single live profile. Whether someone clicks an ad, speaks to a service rep, or visits in store, their profile updates instantly. Marketing actions are always based on the most current view of the customer.
How to Prepare for the Migration
Moving to Marketing Cloud Next is a shift in how Salesforce delivers marketing technology. Preparing well will make the transition smoother and help you see value faster.
What happens to your current setup
- Marketing Cloud Next will run in parallel with your existing Marketing Cloud edition. This means you do not lose access to your current campaigns while you start exploring and testing the new platform.
- Salesforce has released different editions of Marketing Cloud Next, so the migration path may look slightly different depending on which products you use today. Some functionality will gradually move across, while other features will evolve over time.
Licensing and consumption
- Traditional Marketing Cloud is license-based, with access defined by edition.
- Marketing Cloud Next introduces a more consumption-based model, especially when it comes to Data Cloud and Agentforce. This means you pay based on how much data you use and how many AI-powered actions are running. For many businesses, this offers more flexibility and scalability, but it does mean planning and governance around usage will be important.
Steps to get ready
- Audit your current setup and identify overlaps or heavy customisations
- Map your migration path to keep your best campaigns running smoothly
- Upskill your team so they can work effectively with AI agents
- Work with the right partner. At ProQuest Consulting, we help Australian brands migrate with minimal disruption and maximum return. Our Salesforce expertise, market insight, and change management approach ensure your team is confident and your investment delivers results.
Agentic MarTech is the Future
Migrating to Marketing Cloud Next is the first step. The next phase is Agentic MarTech.
This is where AI agents go beyond suggesting actions and actually take them. They can create campaigns, build audiences, adjust budgets, and personalise experiences in real time at a scale humans cannot match.
What to expect:
- AI helps turn briefs into live campaigns in hours, speeding up the whole campaign development process
- Deliver consistent messaging across all channels, with AI suggesting next best actions based on previous engagements
- Instant adaptation to customer behaviour, making sure you reach them the right way at the right time
- Continuous optimisation based on performance
The result is marketing that feels personal from first click to purchase without teams chasing every opportunity.
But technology alone is not enough. Even the smartest AI will only succeed with clear goals, clean data, and strong brand guidelines. The most successful organisations will treat AI as a powerful teammate and keep humans in control of strategy, vision, and brand.
We see Marketing Cloud Next as an opportunity for Australian organisations to get more value from their Salesforce investment with less complexity. For us as a partner, it means we can spend less time helping clients overcome technical hurdles and more time helping them shape strategy, unlock value, and drive growth.
With the right preparation and the right partner, Marketing Cloud Next can transform your marketing today and position you to lead in the AI-powered world of tomorrow. Get in touch with ProQuest to get started on your Marketing Cloud Next Journey.
