Vonage Connector for Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) - Version 2.0

What’s New in Version 2.0

Version 2.0 introduces two major capabilities that extend the connector from outbound campaign messaging into a full end-to-end customer engagement solution:

• Vonage Conversations for Salesforce Integration: Convert campaign messages into live, two-way conversations. Customer replies are routed directly into Sales Cloud or Service Cloud from the same sender ID that initiated the campaign.
• Test Message Functionality: Validate campaign message content and delivery by sending test messages to authorized recipients before publishing.

Content:

1. Introduction    
2. Key Benefits  
3. Prerequisites    
   For Both Deployment Modes    
   Additional — Salesforce Cloud Integration Mode Only    
4. Architecture Overview    
   Standalone Mode   
   Salesforce Cloud Integration Mode  NEW   
   Deployment Mode Comparison   
5. User Roles    
6. For Admin User — Installation & Configuration Guide    
   Step 1: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Setup    
   Step 2: Vonage Cloud Runtime Setup    
   Step 3: Connecting Both Ends    
   Troubleshooting & Log Access    
   How to Get Help    
7. For Marketer User — Creating a Campaign    
   Integrate the Vonage Custom Activity in a Journey    
   Test Your Campaign Message Before Publishing  NEW    
   Check Delivery Status in Salesforce Marketing Cloud    
   Compliance & Opt-Out Handling (All Channels)

Introduction

The Vonage Connector for Salesforce Marketing Cloud is a seamless, no-code custom activity built on Vonage’s Communication APIs. It integrates directly into your Marketing Cloud journeys to send SMS, MMS, RCS, and WhatsApp messages to customers at scale.
With Version 2.0, the connector now supports deep integration with Vonage Conversations for Salesforce, delivering a unified “One Salesforce” experience. For the first time, enterprises can initiate a marketing campaign from a single sender ID and have service and sales teams respond to customers from the exact same number. This closes the end-to-end engagement loop that was previously impossible — marketing, sales, and service all operate on one messaging identity.
When a customer replies to a campaign message, the full conversation — including the campaign context, message content, and channel — appears inside Sales Cloud or Service Cloud. Your sales and service teams see exactly what prompted the customer’s reply, enabling informed follow-ups without asking the customer to repeat themselves.
The connector supports two deployment configurations:

• Standalone: The connector operates independently within SFMC. Delivery notifications and opt-in/out responses are stored in Marketing Cloud Data Extensions.
• Salesforce Cloud Integration: Deep integration with Salesforce Cloud via Vonage Conversations for Salesforce. Campaign messages convert into live conversations in Sales or Service Cloud, with full campaign context visible to agents.

Key Benefits

• Omnichannel campaign messaging: Send personalized SMS, MMS, RCS, and WhatsApp messages directly from Salesforce Marketing Cloud journeys.
• No-code setup: Deploy and configure the connector through a guided, code-free process. No developer resources required.
• Delivery tracking and compliance: Capture message delivery statuses and customer opt-in/out responses in Marketing Cloud Data Extensions for full campaign visibility and regulatory compliance.
• One Salesforce experience (v2.0): Initiate campaigns and respond to customers from a single sender ID across Marketing Cloud, Sales Cloud, and Service Cloud. Marketing, sales, and service teams share one messaging identity — completing the end-to-end engagement loop that was previously impossible.
• Campaign context in Sales/Service Cloud (v2.0): When a customer responds to a marketing message, the full campaign context — message content, campaign code, and channel — is visible to sales and service agents inside their Salesforce console. Agents can deliver informed, personalized follow-ups without asking the customer to repeat themselves.
• Test before you publish (v2.0): Send test messages to authorized recipients before activating a campaign. Catch formatting issues, personalization errors, or channel-specific rendering problems before they reach your audience.

Prerequisites

Architecture Overview

The connector sits between Salesforce Marketing Cloud and the Vonage Communication APIs, acting as a bridge that translates Journey Builder activity triggers into outbound messages across SMS, MMS, RCS, and WhatsApp channels.

Standalone Mode

In Standalone mode, the data flow is straightforward:

• Marketing Cloud Journey Builder triggers the Vonage custom activity with the recipient, message content, and campaign code.
• The Vonage Cloud Runtime instance sends the message via the Vonage Messages API on the configured channel.
• Delivery status callbacks are written back to the designated Marketing Cloud Data Extension.
• Opt-in/out responses (if configured) are captured in a separate Data Extension within Marketing Cloud.

Salesforce Cloud Integration Mode  NEW

In Salesforce Cloud Integration mode, the connector extends the data flow into Salesforce Sales/Service Cloud:

• The same Journey Builder trigger sends the campaign message via the Vonage Messages API.
• The message is sent using a Brand Endpoint (sender ID) that is shared with your Vonage Conversations for Salesforce instance — ensuring customers see a single, consistent identity.
• When a customer replies, the response is routed into Sales Cloud or Service Cloud as a live conversation, with the full marketing campaign context attached.
• Delivery status events are batched and pushed to both the SFMC Data Extension and the Conversations for Salesforce backend.
• Opt-in/out handling is managed by Vonage Conversations for Salesforce within Sales/Service Cloud (not in a separate SFMC Data Extension).

Deployment Mode Comparison

User Roles

This guide is organized by the two primary user roles involved in deploying and operating the connector:

For Admin User - Installation & Configuration Guide 

This section walks the administrator through the complete setup process, from configuring Salesforce Marketing Cloud to deploying and connecting the Vonage Cloud Runtime instance. Follow the steps in order.

Step 1: Salesforce Marketing Cloud Setup

Before deploying the Vonage Cloud instance, you must prepare your Marketing Cloud environment by creating the required Data Extensions and the installed package.

1a. Create the Delivery Status Data Extension

Campaign message delivery status can be stored in a Data Extension. The Data Extension can be shared across multiple campaigns or configured separately for each campaign using a unique name.

1. Log in to Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
2. Navigate to Audience Builder → Contact Builder → Data Extensions and create a new Data Extension. Add the following attributes:
   Make sure to use accurate names, including upper/lower case, type, length and nullable configuration:

Make a note of the Data Extension External Key.

1b. Create the Opt-In/Out Data Extension (Standalone Only)

This step is optional and applies only to the Standalone deployment mode.
Opt-in/out responses to campaign messages can be stored in a Data Extension. In Salesforce Cloud Integration mode, opt-in/out is handled by Vonage Conversations for Salesforce within Sales/Service Cloud, so this Data Extension is not needed.

1. Log in to Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
2. Navigate to Audience Builder → Contact Builder → Data Extensions and create a new Data Extension. Add the following attributes:

Make sure to use accurate names, including upper/lower case, type, length and nullable configuration:

Make a note of the Data Extension External Key.

1c. Create the Installed Package and API Integration

Create an installed package in Marketing Cloud that provides the credentials needed to authenticate the Vonage Cloud instance.

1. Log in to Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
2. Navigate to Setup → Apps → Installed packages and create a new package:
   
   
    
3. Name your package:
   
   
    
4. Select Add Component, and API Integration:
   
   
   
   
    
5. Select Server-to-Server:
   
   
    
6. Allow Read/Write operations for updating the Delivery Events and Opt In/Out Data Extensions:
   
   
    
7. Important: Record the generated Client Secret for future reference.
   
   
    
8. Select "Finish".

9. The following information will be required for the Vonage Cloud backend configuration in the next step:

   - Package Id.

   - JWT Signing Secret.

   - Client Id.

   - Base URI name. Note: Use the domain name only

   - Client Secret - as recorded in step 7 above.

   

Step 2: Vonage Cloud Runtime Setup

With your Marketing Cloud environment prepared, deploy a new Vonage Cloud Runtime instance. The deployment flow differs based on the mode you selected.

Choosing Your Deployment Mode: Quick Reference

Use the guidance below to determine which configuration is right for your organization.

Choose Standalone if:

• You use Salesforce Marketing Cloud for outbound campaign messaging and do not need customer responses to flow into Sales Cloud or Service Cloud.
• You want to manage opt-in/out responses within Marketing Cloud Data Extensions.
• You do not have Vonage Conversations for Salesforce installed, or you prefer to keep your SFMC campaigns independent from your CRM conversations.

Choose Salesforce Cloud Integration if:

• You want a unified “One Salesforce” experience where marketing campaigns and service/sales conversations share a single sender ID.
• You want customer responses to marketing campaigns to automatically appear as conversations in Sales Cloud or Service Cloud, complete with campaign context.
• You already have (or plan to install) Vonage Conversations for Salesforce v4.1.0+ on your Salesforce Cloud org.
• Your sales and service teams need visibility into the marketing campaign context that triggered a customer’s response.

Option A: Deploy a Standalone Instance

In Standalone mode, the connector operates independently within Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

• Select Your API Key and Deploy a New Instance: In the Vonage dashboard, select your API key, then click "Deploy a new instance" for the "SFMC - Vonage Connector" application. 
  
  
  
  
• Configuration Type: Select Standalone.
  
  

• Fill in the configuration details: 
  
  
  
  - Region and instance name: Choose the region for your instance and provide a unique, concise name.
  - Marketing Cloud Package Id: Enter the package ID of the Marketing Cloud package created earlier.
  - Enforce Sender ID: Enable this to enforce the use of your sender ID for all campaign messages.
  
  
  
  - Select one of the following options for your brand endpoint. Vonage Number and Brand Name are mutually exclusive.

  Vonage Number: Your SMS/MMS Sender ID.
  Brand Name: An alphanumeric sender ID.
  WhatsApp Account: Your WhatsApp Business account.
  RCS Account: Your RCS Business Messaging account.

  - Marketing Cloud Application Client ID, Client Secret, JWT token and APIs Subdomain: As generated while creating the Marketing Cloud setup.
  
  
  
  Opting in and out keywords
  Auto-reply messages for opting in and out
  Default response for unrecognized keywords
  Opt In/Out Data Extension External Key - The Data Extension for storing opt-in/out events.
  Delivery Status Data Extension External Key: The Data Extension for storing message delivery events.
  Test Messages rate limits - Set the maximum number of test messages allowed per recipient per minute and per day.

Option B: Deploy a Salesforce Cloud Integration Instance  NEW

In Salesforce Cloud Integration mode, the connector connects SFMC with your Salesforce Cloud environment via Vonage Conversations for Salesforce. Campaign messages are converted into live conversations in Sales or Service Cloud.
Before you begin, retrieve the following from the Vonage Conversations for Salesforce Admin Application: Salesforce Organization ID, Backend URL, and the list of configured Brand Endpoints.

1. Salesforce Cloud platform details Obtain the following details from the Vonage Conversations for Salesforce Admin Application. 
   
   
    
2. Select Your API Key and Deploy a New Instance: In the Vonage dashboard, select your API key, then click "Deploy a new instance" for the "SFMC - Vonage Connector" application. 
   
   
   
   
3. Configuration Type: Select Salesforce Cloud Integration. 
   
   
    
4. Fill in the configuration details:
   
   
   
   Region and instance name: Choose the region for your instance and provide a unique, concise name.
   Marketing Cloud Package Id: Enter the package ID of the Marketing Cloud package created earlier.
   Enforce Sender ID: Enable this to enforce the use of your sender ID for all campaign messages.
   Region: Choose the region for your instance.
   
   
   
   Marketing Cloud Application Client ID, Client Secret, JWT token and APIs Subdomain: As generated while creating the Marketing Cloud setup.
   Delivery Status Data Extension External Key: The Data Extension for storing message delivery events.
   Salesforce Organization ID: Your Salesforce Cloud Org ID.
   Brand Endpoint: One of the configured Brand Endpoints which are used by your Salesforce platform. The list of available Brand Endpoints is presented at the Conversation for Salesforce Admin application. Make sure to select the suitable channel for your selected Brand Endpoint.
   Channel:  The communication channel (SMS, RCS, or WhatsApp).
   
   
   
   Conversations for Salesforce Backend URL: The Salesforce Cloud backend URL.
   Delivery Events Batch Size: Number of events to batch before sending to the CSF backend (Default: 1000).
   Delivery Events Batch Push Interval (Minutes): Interval for sending event batches (Default: 10).
   Test Messages rate limits  Set the maximum number of test messages allowed per recipient per minute and per day.
   Webhook Signature Secret: From your Vonage Dashboard settings. See the screen shot below for more details.
   
   

Step 3: Connecting Both Ends

Once the Vonage Cloud instance is deployed, complete the connection by registering it as a Journey Builder Activity within your Marketing Cloud installed package.

3a. Locate and Record the Instance URL

Find and copy the URL of your newly deployed Vonage Cloud instance. This URL is required in the next step.
Find your new instance's URL and copy it. This URL is required for the next configuration step.

3b. Register the Journey Builder Activity

Return to Salesforce Marketing Cloud to register your Vonage Cloud instance as a Journey Builder Activity.

1. Log in to Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
2. Navigate to Setup → Installed package and select your newly created package.
3. Select Add Component, then Journey Builder Activity:
   
   
   

4. Complete the required configuration details:

   Name: A unique component name.

   Category: Select "Messages".

   Endpoint URL: The Vonage Cloud instance URL recorded in the previous step.
   
   

3c. Configure Authorized Test Message Recipients  NEW

To prevent spam and misuse of the test functionality, the administrator must configure the authorized test message recipients through the Admin configuration panel. Access to this panel requires authentication via the Vonage Customer Dashboard.

Rate limits for test messages (maximum per recipient per minute and per day) are configured during instance deployment.

Troubleshooting & Log Access

If messages are not being delivered or the custom activity is not functioning as expected, start with the following checks:

• Verify credentials: Confirm that the Client ID, Client Secret, JWT Signing Secret, and API Subdomain entered during instance setup exactly match the values from your Marketing Cloud installed package.
• Check the Data Extension schema: Ensure column names, types, lengths, and nullable/primary key settings match the specifications exactly (including case sensitivity).
• Confirm the Endpoint URL: The Journey Builder Activity’s Endpoint URL must match the Vonage Cloud instance URL recorded in Step 3a.
• Salesforce Cloud Integration mode: Verify that the Vonage Conversations for Salesforce package is v4.1.0 or higher, and that the Salesforce Org ID, Backend URL, and Brand Endpoint are correctly configured.
• Webhook Signature Secret (Integration mode): Ensure the webhook signature secret from your Vonage Dashboard settings is entered correctly.
• Test message failures: Confirm the recipient is in the authorized test recipients list and has not exceeded the configured rate limits.

SFMC – Delivery & Consent Data Extensions
Open your mapped Data Extensions (e.g., Delivery Events and Consent/Opt Events). Here you can see message delivery status and recipient consents (START/STOP) captured from replies to the campaign you sent.

Vonage Customer Dashboard → Message Logs
The same sends appear here as inbound/outbound logs. If something fails, you’ll also see provider error codes, you can then check the Error Codes reference: https://developer.vonage.com/en/api-errors/messages to understand the reason 

Logs: Instance logs can be accessed from the Vonage Cloud Runtime dashboard. Navigate to your deployed instance and review the runtime logs for detailed error information.

Vonage → Cloud Runtime → Instances → Your Instance → Logs
When SFMC sends via your Cloud Runtime (VCR) instance to the Vonage Messages API, the instance-level logs capture those events. 

How to Get Help

Best way (recommended): Vonage Help Center

• Go to Submit a Request → “Using Vonage Connectors”.
• Open the Support Form and share your details.
• This reaches our SFMC Product Experts for help with setup, troubleshooting, and usage.

What to include (makes it faster):

• Your Brand Name & ApiKey
• Channel (SMS/WhatsApp/RCS)
• Sender type (numeric/alpha/WA)
• Message IDs 
• a short description, and any screenshots 

Vonage Conversations for Salesforce documentation: For issues related to the Salesforce Cloud Integration mode, refer to the Conversations for Salesforce documentation.

For Marketer User — Creating a Campaign

This section is for marketing and campaign managers who will use the Vonage custom activity in their Marketing Cloud journeys. Your administrator should have completed the installation and configuration steps in Section 6 before you begin.

Integrate the Vonage Custom Activity in a Journey

Add the Vonage custom activity to your Marketing Cloud journey and configure it with the destination phone number, message content, and campaign code.

1. Log in to Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
2. Using Journey Builder, add the SFMC Vonage custom activity to your journey:
   
   
    

3. Configure the SFMC Vonage custom activity with the destination phone number, campaign message, and campaign code:

   3.1 SMS messages editor:
   
   
   
   3.2 RCS messages editor:
   
   
   
   3.3 WhatsApp messages editor:
   
   

Test Your Campaign Message Before Publishing  NEW

Before activating a campaign, use the Test button to send a test message and validate your content and delivery. This helps you catch personalization errors, formatting issues, or channel-specific rendering problems before your campaign goes live.

How it works:

• In the campaign message editor, click the Test button.
• Provide the required details to populate your message (recipient phone number and any personalization field values).
• The test message is sent to the specified recipient. Verify the content, formatting, and delivery on the actual device/channel.

Note: Your administrator must have added you to the authorized test recipients list. If the Test button is unavailable or your test fails, contact your admin to verify your authorization and rate limits.

Check Delivery Status in Salesforce Marketing Cloud

After a campaign is activated, message delivery statuses are captured in the Delivery Status Data Extension configured by your administrator (see Section 6, Step 1a).

You can monitor delivery outcomes by navigating to the Data Extension in Contact Builder and reviewing the records. Each record includes:

• Message_UUId: Unique identifier for each sent message.
• To / From: Recipient and sender endpoints.
• Channel: The channel used (SMS, MMS, RCS, or WhatsApp).
• Status: Delivery outcome (e.g., delivered, failed, rejected).
• Timestamp: When the delivery event occurred.
• Journey_Id / Activity_Id / Campaign_Id: Identifiers linking the message back to the specific journey and campaign.

Use these records to track campaign performance, identify delivery failures, and troubleshoot issues with specific recipients or channels.

For Salesforce Cloud Integration mode: Delivery events are also batched and pushed to the Conversations for Salesforce backend. Sales and service teams can see the delivery status alongside the conversation in Sales/Service Cloud.

Compliance & Opt-Out Handling (All Channels)

Respecting customer opt-out preferences is essential for regulatory compliance and maintaining trust. The connector supports opt-in/out handling across all messaging channels.

Standalone Mode

In Standalone mode, opt-in/out responses are captured in the Opt-In/Out Data Extension configured by your administrator (see Section 6, Step 1b). The system processes keyword-based opt-in and opt-out requests and sends auto-reply messages as configured during instance setup.

• Opt-out keywords: Configured by the administrator (e.g., STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE). When a customer sends one of these keywords, they are marked as opted out and will not receive further campaign messages.
• Opt-in keywords: Configured by the administrator (e.g., START, SUBSCRIBE). Customers can re-subscribe by sending an opt-in keyword.
• Auto-reply messages: The system sends confirmation messages when a customer opts in or out, and a default response for unrecognized keywords.

Salesforce Cloud Integration Mode

In Salesforce Cloud Integration mode, opt-in/out handling is managed by Vonage Conversations for Salesforce within Sales/Service Cloud. There is no separate opt-in/out Data Extension in Marketing Cloud for this mode. Customer consent status is maintained centrally in the Salesforce Cloud environment, ensuring consistency across marketing, sales, and service interactions.

Note: Ensure your campaigns comply with all applicable regulations (e.g., TCPA, GDPR, local messaging laws) for the channels and regions you operate in. Consult your legal or compliance team for guidance specific to your organization.

Marketing Cloud Campaigns Integration with Conversations For Salesforce

Vonage Conversations for Agentforce Marketing 2.0 has introduced the integration between Marketing Cloud Campaign messages to live conversation at the Salesforce platform. In order to use this feature, it is required to install the Vonage Conversations for Salesforce Version 4.1.0 in your Salesforce org.

Campaign messages are distributed through Marketing Cloud. For each message sent, a corresponding notification is automatically created on the associated Salesforce record.

Each notification includes the following details:

• The Marketing Cloud Campaign name
• The specific Marketing Cloud Journey
• The message delivery status
• The communication channel used

This ensures full visibility and traceability of campaign communications directly within Salesforce.

If the recipient responds to the marketing message, the reply is automatically attached to their respective record within the Salesforce platform. An agent can then review the response and continue the interaction as a live conversation with the customer.

Alternatively, automated Flows can be configured to respond to customer replies. These Flows enable predefined, rule-based responses, allowing organizations to automate follow-up communication when appropriate.