As more teams begin working with Salesforce Marketing Cloud (Marketing Cloud Next), one of the most common early use cases is also one of the most frustrating: getting a simple sign-up form live and connected to a landing page.
On the surface, it sounds straightforward. In practice, there are a few moving parts — campaigns, forms, flows, consent, and publishing — that all need to be configured correctly.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the basics step-by-step, based on what we typically cover in our crash course sessions.
Step 1: Create a Campaign
Start by navigating to the Marketing app via the App Launcher.
- Search for Marketing
- Go to Campaigns
- Click New
From here:
- Give your campaign a name
- Mark it as Active
- (Optional) Add start/end dates
Click Save to create the campaign.
Step 2: Create a Sign-Up Form
Once inside your campaign:
- Select Sign-Up Form
- Allow the system to generate the form
- Click Edit to open it in Content Builder
This is where you’ll design your form.
Step 3: Add a Data Source
Before building the form, you need to define what data you’re collecting.
- Click Add Data Source
- Choose an object (e.g. Lead)
- Save your selection
You’ll now see required fields (e.g. Last Name, Status). Not all of these need to be visible on the form — some can be handled behind the scenes.
Step 4: Build Your Form
Using the drag-and-drop builder, you can:
- Add fields (First Name, Last Name, Email, Company, etc.)
- Include layout elements (sections, dividers)
- Add images, buttons, or custom HTML
You can also:
- Rename labels (e.g. “Last Name” → “Surname”)
- Adjust styling (padding, colours, borders)
At this stage, focus on keeping things simple and user-friendly.
Step 5: Configure Hidden Fields (Optional but Important)
Some required fields — like Lead Status — shouldn’t be filled in by the user.
Instead, you’ll handle these in the flow (next step) by assigning default values (e.g. “Unqualified”).
Step 6: Configure the Flow
This is where a lot of people get stuck.
When you try to publish the form, you’ll likely see an error — that’s because the flow hasn’t been fully configured.
To fix this:
- Click outside the form editor
- Locate the Flow section
- Select Open in Flow Builder
Inside Flow Builder:
Check Field Mapping
- Ensure form fields map correctly to your object (e.g. Email → Email field)
Add Hidden Field Values
- Add required fields like Status
- Assign a default value (e.g. Unqualified)
Step 7: Set Up Consent
Consent is a key part of any form setup.
In the flow:
- Open the Consent configuration
- Set Consent Status (e.g. Opt-in)
- Define the Contact Point (e.g. Email Address)
- Choose the Channel (Email)
- Assign a Subscription Type (e.g. Marketing)
Make sure your form messaging clearly reflects this (e.g. “By submitting this form, you agree to…”).
Step 8: Activate the Flow (This Publishes the Form)
Once everything is configured:
- Click Save in Flow Builder
- Ensure there are no errors
- Click Activate
Important:
👉 Activating the flow will also publish the form.
Step 9: Create and Edit the Landing Page
Next, you need somewhere to host the form.
From your campaign:
- Go to the Landing Page
- Click Edit
In the builder, you can:
- Add branding (logos, images)
- Include text, lists, and buttons
- Drag in your form (already connected)
This is a standard drag-and-drop experience — keep it clean and focused.
Step 10: Set a Friendly URL
Before publishing:
- Go to View Record
- Find the URL Alias
- Replace the default string with something readable (e.g.
/my-form)
Step 11: Publish the Landing Page
Once ready:
- Click Publish
- Confirm all assets (form, page, images)
- Wait for processing to complete
You’ll then get a public URL to your landing page.
Step 12: Test the Experience
Always test before sharing:
- Open the public URL
- Submit a test entry
- Confirm:
- Data is captured correctly
- Lead is created
- Fields are mapped properly
- Consent is recorded
You can also:
- Customise the success message
- Redirect users to a thank-you page
Final Thoughts
This is a basic setup, but it forms the foundation for more advanced use cases.
From here, you can:
- Add leads to campaigns automatically
- Trigger follow-up journeys
- Segment and personalise communications
The key thing is getting the fundamentals right — especially flow configuration and consent.
Want to see it in action? Watch the video below.
Need a Hand?
If you’re working with Marketing Cloud Next and want to go deeper — whether that’s refining your setup, troubleshooting issues, or scaling beyond the basics — feel free to get in touch!
We run these sessions regularly and are always happy to help teams get properly up and running.