What is Act-On Salesforce Integration?
Organizations choose Act-On for its enterprise-grade marketing automation targeting mid-sized to large B2B companies. Founded in 2008, Act-On provides email marketing, landing pages, lead scoring, multi-channel campaigns, AI predictive analytics, and account-based marketing (ABM) capabilities. The platform charges based on active contacts marketed to—not total database size—starting at $900/month for 2,500 contacts. Act-On positions itself as a more affordable alternative to Marketo and Eloqua while offering native Salesforce connectivity.
Integration Methods and Setup:
Act-On connects to Salesforce through: (1) Native Connector - Bidirectional sync requiring a dedicated Salesforce integration user with System Administrator profile, security token, and custom permission sets. (2) Middleware Options - Zapier, Cazoomi SyncApps, or Tray.io for organizations needing faster deployment or specialized field mapping. (3) REST API/Webhooks - Custom integrations for advanced use cases requiring event triggers or data transformations beyond native connector capabilities.
Key Integration Challenges:
Act-On's native connector requires significant Salesforce configuration. You must create a dedicated integration user (Act-On doesn't support Salesforce MFA), configure custom fields for lead scores, and adjust password expiration policies—otherwise, Salesforce forces credential resets that disconnect the integration entirely. Unsubscribe sync and Email Opt Out management require careful bidirectional configuration to maintain compliance.
Campaign metrics sync every 24 hours by default—not real-time. Detailed email analytics (opens, clicks, bounces, forwards) can flow to Salesforce via Cazoomi SyncApps, but require additional subscription costs ($50-150+/month). Enterprise pricing ($900-2,000+/month) and an active-contact billing model create budget considerations as marketing databases scale.
Native Platform Advantages:
Native Salesforce email platforms eliminate external connector complexity entirely. Leads and contacts aren't synced—they're the same records your sales team already uses. Campaign engagement updates instantly on Contact and Lead records the moment recipients interact. Email metrics appear in real-time dashboards using standard Salesforce reporting. No dedicated integration users, no credential disconnections, no middleware fees—just unified marketing automation within the CRM.
Key Takeaways
- Act-On Salesforce Integration offers native bidirectional connectivity but requires dedicated integration user configuration and custom field setup
- Enterprise pricing ($900+/month) and active-contact billing model create significant budget considerations for growing databases
- Campaign metrics sync every 24 hours by default—real-time sync requires additional middleware configuration
- Native Salesforce email platforms eliminate connector complexity, credential management, and provide instant campaign visibility
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