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Salesforce Experience Cloud vs Community Cloud: What’s the Difference?

avatuavatu / July 14, 2025

Home / Blogs / Salesforce Experience Cloud vs Community Cloud: What’s the Difference? Salesforce Experience Cloud vs Community Cloud: What’s the Difference? In the present-day hyper-connected digital environment, businesses are actively looking for ways to deliver personalized and smooth experiences to their customers, partners, and employees. Salesforce has long been at the forefront of this evolution with its wide array of powerful cloud-based platforms. Among them, Community Cloud and its successor, Experience Cloud, have allowed organisations to build engaging online communities that drive collaboration, self-service, and engagement. But with Salesforce officially transitioning from Community Cloud to Experience Cloud, many often wonder: What’s the difference between both? Is this just a rebranding, or there is more to it? This blog will explore the key differences, reasons behind the transition, benefits of Experience Cloud Salesforce, and how it shapes the future of digital experiences. Come, let’s dive in! What Was Salesforce Community Cloud? Originally, Salesforce Community Cloud was launched as a platform that empowered organisations to create branded portals, forums, and websites to connect with external stakeholders, i.e., customers, partners, and even employees. Its primary characteristics include: Branded communities for customer assistance and engagement. Partner portals for managing relationships and sales processes. Employee hubs for HR support and internal collaboration. Case management, knowledge base integration, and discussion forums. Although Community Cloud served its purpose well, the rapid digital transformation across industries called for more robust, flexible, and immersive experiences that were far beyond static community portals. What Is Salesforce Experience Cloud? Experience Cloud Salesforce is the evolution of Community Cloud, reimagined to meet the demands of today’s digital-first economy. Officially rebranded in 2020, Experience Cloud Salesforce expands on the capabilities of Community Cloud and positions itself as a comprehensive digital experience platform. Furthermore, Salesforce Experience Cloud allows you to build: Customer-facing portals with dynamic personalization. Partner marketplaces integrated with sales and marketing tools. Employee service portals connected to workflows and knowledge bases. Content-driven websites and mobile experiences – all on the same platform. What sets Experience Cloud apart is its focus on personalization, flexibility, integration with other Salesforce Clouds such as Sales, Service, and Marketing Cloud, and use of AI-driven recommendations through Salesforce Einstein. Scale smarter with Avatu’s Experience Cloud implementations! Explore Now! Experience Cloud vs Community Cloud: Key Differences While Experience Cloud builds upon the bedrock laid by Community Cloud, here’s a complete breakdown of what has truly changed with the rebranding: Feature Community Cloud Experience Cloud Positioning Online community platform Complete digital experience platform Personalisation Basic audience targeting AI-driven content personalisation Builder Tools Community Builder Experience Builder (improved) Integrations Salesforce CRM Full integration with CRM + Marketing + CMS Content Management Limited Robust CMS capabilities Analytics Basic reporting Advanced engagement and personalisation insights Mobile Optimisation Responsive Mobile-first, native app assistance Branding Flexibility Templates with limited design control Full brand control and flexibility In a nutshell, Experience Cloud isn’t just a rebranded Community Cloud but a reimagined platform that aims at addressing modern digital demands. Why Did Salesforce Make This Shift? The rebranding to Experience Cloud wasn’t just cosmetic, but a strategic response given by Salesforce to the changing market demands. Here’s why Salesforce decided to make this shift: 1. Rising Demand for Personalized Digital Experiences: In today’s time, customers expect customised experiences across every digital touchpoint. To ensure this, Experience Cloud Salesforce leverages AI and data insights for delivering personalised content and recommendations. 2. Need for a Unified Platform: Businesses demanded more than just forums and portals. They wanted a single platform to create websites, microsites, customer apps, and more – all connected to their Salesforce data. 3. Growing Content-Driven Experiences: The present-day customer journeys are content-rich. Experience Cloud Salesforce offers Salesforce CMS, which makes it easy for businesses to publish, manage, and distribute content. 4. Digital-First Business Models: Particularly after the pandemic, businesses started prioritising digital engagement. Hence, Salesforce had to support not just community building, but entire digital experience ecosystems. Power smarter digital journeys with Avatu’s Experience Cloud expertise. Get Started! Benefits of Migrating to Salesforce Experience Cloud Is your business still reliant on Community Cloud? Here’s why it’s time you should consider upgrading to Salesforce Experience Cloud: 1. More Engaging User Experiences With improved templates and design tools, you can build visually stunning and intuitive interfaces that truly reflect your brand. 2. AI-Powered Personalisation Experience Cloud makes use of Salesforce Einstein for delivering intelligent recommendations, content suggestions, and targeted experiences. 3. Seamless Integrations Experience Cloud portal, when connected with Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and more, ensures a connected customer journey. 4. Powerful Content Management Salesforce CMS allows you to create and manage content across channels, which was not accessible in Community Cloud. 5. Mobile-First Design Create responsive experiences that work across devices, or even design a custom mobile application powered by Experience Cloud Salesforce. 6. Scalability & Security Developed on Salesforce’s secure infrastructure, Experience Cloud guarantees enterprise-grade security, compliance, and scalability. Use Case of Experience Cloud Salesforce A top-notch manufacturing business used Community Cloud to handle its partner ecosystem, but its portal lacked personalisation, real-time collaboration, and automation. When they migrated to Salesforce Experience Cloud, they launched a dynamic partner portal that offered the following: Customised dashboards and content Smooth deal registration and tracking Self-service assistant and training modules In short, this transition helps businesses with 30% faster partner onboarding, a 40% rise in registered deals, and majorly improved partner engagement, proving the real power of digital experience transformation. Conclusion The evolution from Salesforce Community Cloud to Experience Cloud demonstrates a significant shift in the way organisations build digital relationships with customers, partners, and employees alike. It indicates how Community Cloud is no longer enough to offer static portals. Today’s users demand dynamic, personalised, and smooth experiences and that’s exactly what Experience Cloud delivers via AI-driven personalisation, robust content management, and in-depth integration with broader Salesforce ecosystem. However, unlocking its full potential requires more than just migrating platforms – it takes thoughtful implementation and a partner who understands both your business objectives and the

Salesforce Experience Cloud for Partners: A Game-Changer in Collaboration

Home / Blogs / Salesforce Experience Cloud for Partners: A Game-Changer in Collaboration Salesforce Experience Cloud for Partners: A Game-Changer in Collaboration In today’s rapidly evolving digital world, teamwork is no longer an option but an essential. For businesses that are extensively dependent on partner ecosystems, the need to connect, communicate, and co-create smoothly with partners has never been more critical. In such a scenario, Salesforce Experience Cloud enters as a robust platform that revolutionises the way organisations collaborate with external stakeholders. But does it actually impact the way people collaborate? Well, the answer is a resounding yes. Salesforce Experience Cloud revolutionises traditional partnerships into dynamic, data-driven, and highly personalised experiences. By offering a digital space that brings together all stakeholders, it breaks silos, promotes transparency, and speeds up joint success. Why wait, then? Let us now explore what makes it a strategic powerhouse for partner collaboration. What is Salesforce Experience Cloud? Initially known as Salesforce Community Cloud, Salesforce Experience Cloud is a digital experience platform that enables businesses to create branded mobile apps, forums, and portals. It is more than just a website builder; it is an extension of your Salesforce CRM, crafted to serve different audiences. Whether you’re pursuing higher education or working in the corporate sector as employees or partners, Experience Cloud ensures personalised digital experiences tailored to your audience. With Experience Cloud, organisations can craft customised environments where partners can access real-time data, collaborate on deals, get assistance, and align with corporate strategies, all while maintaining brand consistency and security. In a nutshell, Experience Cloud eliminates the gap between internal teams and external partners, allowing smooth, secure, and scalable engagement. But what truly sets it apart in the world of partner collaboration? Well, Salesforce Experience Cloud is not just advantageous but a game-changer for organisations seeking to empower and grow their partner ecosystems. Still using outdated partner tools? Let Avatu modernize your Salesforce Experience Cloud setup! Get Started! Why Salesforce Experience Cloud is a Game-Changer for Partners? Salesforce Experience Cloud redefines the partner experiences by providing a centralised access to tools, insights, and workflows that drive mutual growth. For partners, this means faster onboarding, better visibility into leads and opportunities, real-time assistance, customisable access to resources, and better alignment with business objectives. Not only that, but this shared platform allows co-selling and co-marketing in a way that feels cohesive, efficient, and empowering. Let’s break down the key features that make it a game-changer: 1. Partner Portals and Customisation At the core of the Salesforce Experience Cloud is its ability to develop custom partner portals. These portals are branded, user-friendly hubs where partners may log in to: Register and track leads Access marketing and sales resources Submit support tickets Track commission and performance metrics What truly makes it stand out is the level of customisation provided. You can customise the experiences based on partner roles, industry, region, and access level. This guarantees that each partner sees only the information relevant to them, making the portal both secure and simplified. Additionally, businesses can incorporate low-code tools to rapidly deploy new features or optimise workflows without heavy IT involvement. This mobility enables firms to adjust quickly to partner requirements and market changes. 2. Seamless Integration with Salesforce CRM Experience Cloud isn’t a standalone tool; it natively integrates with Salesforce CRM. This means partners and internal teams are always working off the same set of information. This integration offers different benefits, including: Unified customer records Shared lead and opportunity tracking Real-time updates on deals Improved forecasting and reporting This 360-degree view helps minimise redundancy, enhance accuracy, and ensure partners feel like an extension of your internal team rather than an external entity. 3. Enhanced Communication and Collaboration Tools Effective collaboration is not just about access but also about communication. Experience Cloud Salesforce integrates with tools like Chatter and Slack, allowing partners to communicate: With your internal team in real-time Around specific opportunities or service cases Within dedicated groups or partner communities This results in seamless alignment on joint deals, faster case resolution, and more prospects for innovation. Partners may also join discussion forums, engage in knowledge-sharing, and contribute to community-driven content, promoting a sense of belonging and continuous learning. 4. Analytics and Reporting for Partners Experience Cloud Salesforce provides analytics and dashboard capabilities to provide partners with actionable insights. From tracking performance against KPIs to monitoring sales activity and customer satisfaction, partners can: Evaluate their progress Determine growth prospects Take data-driven actions Admins may also provide custom dashboards based on partner tiers or roles, ensuring that the right people get the right insights. This transparency develops trust and motivates partners to optimise their performance continually. Data gaps causing friction? Let Avatu unify your teams and partners with Salesforce! Explore More! Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Salesforce Experience Cloud for Partners While Experience Cloud Salesforce provides immense potential, some common mistakes may affect the user experience. Here’s what to avoid: Overcomplicated Interface: An overly complex portal will discourage engagement. Thus, it is critical to keep it clean, intuitive, and user-friendly. Lack of Personalisation: The concept of one-size-fits-all doesn’t work and failing to personalise the portal for different partner roles or industries limits effectiveness. Insufficient Onboarding: Not providing training or tools to assist partners in navigating the platform can lead to underutilisation. Infrequent Updates: A sluggish portal causes disengagement. Keep material, tools, and resources up to date on a regular basis to ensure their relevance. Ignoring Feedback: Partner feedback is really valuable. Create feedback loops into your Experience Cloud strategy to continuously improve the platform. Read More: Maximize ROI with the Right Salesforce Sales Cloud Solutions How to Implement Salesforce Experience Cloud for Partners? Seeking to deploy Experience Cloud Salesforce for your partner network? Here’s how to get started: 1) Define Your Objectives What do you wish to achieve? Is it faster partner onboarding, better deal tracking, or enhanced communication? Salesforce partners urge businesses to set clear KPIs. 2) Map the Partner Journey Determine every touchpoint your partners have with