Pardot Certification: Consultant and Specialist Exam Preparation
All Salesforce certification exam questions are hard, but they’re especially difficult for the two available Pardot credentials.
Even the smartest admins and consultants failed these on their first try… I’ll admit it, I did. But earning these badges is well-worth the time and effort, especially considering the salary benefits.
The problem though, many don’t even know where to start.
If you’re looking for training to earn Pardot credentials, then you’ve come to the right spot. You’ll find everything from mock exam questions to curated study guides. But first, a few general tips that are relevant to both exams.
Pardot Exam Tips
Carefully review and consider the recommendations below. They are curated from Pardot professionals across the ecosystem, and they help provide the best possible chance of passing the certification exams on your first try. In no particular order…
- There are thousands of trailblazers who have taken these exams. And many of them have shared their experiences online, or better yet, are willing to provide guidance to others looking to advance their career. Try searching for “pardot certification” on Twitter and see what you find. If you’re feeling bold, reach out to active users and ask for guidance.
- There are a lot of certification study guides out there, which is great because that means you can vary your studying materials. That said, you should take advantage of the study guides outlined below because they’ve been carefully selected to best prepare you for each exam. The same goes for flash cards and mock exams… you need to be careful to not learn from outdated, or worse, inaccurate materials.
- Real-life experience is the best possible way to prepare. There is no substitute for actually using the software, learning the in’s and out’s of every available feature and spending a lot of time in it. If you don’t have an account then request a training Pardot environment, they’re free (although you can’t send emails from them).
- Trailhead is a great learning tool. You should complete the Trailmixes Salesforce put together, it’s worth it. Even for experienced users, these modules provide a great opportunity to reinforce skills and concepts.
- Attend a community group event. You should be able to find one near you, there are hundreds of Salesforce Trailblazer Community groups around the globe. It can’t be emphasized enough how beneficial these groups can be to your career, not only your exam prep. Through my local meetup, I’ve networked with a ton of professionals and was able to connect with people willing to share knowledge and mentor.
Finally, for those of you asking yourself, “How much time do I need to spend studying before taking the Pardot certification exam” there is no correct answer. Use the tips above and study materials below… and take lots of time to prepare yourself. Be confident in yourself and your knowledge.
Pardot Specialist Certification
This is your first step in becoming a Pardot expert. Salesforce recommends 6-12 months practical experience building and executing marketing workflows in Pardot before taking this exam. Many experts would differ on how much hand’s on experience you actually need, but I can tell you the information below will help curb that bar for those with less time in the system.
The Salesforce Pardot Specialist credential is designed for those who can demonstrate skills and knowledge in designing, building, and implementing marketing workflows through the Pardot platform.
Exam Format
- Content: 60 multiple-choice/multiple-select questions
- Time allotted to complete the exam: 90 minutes
- Passing score: 72%
- Registration fee: USD 200, plus applicable taxes as required per local law
- Retake fee: USD 100, plus applicable taxes as required per local law
- Delivery options: Proctored exam delivered onsite at a testing center or in an online proctored environment. Click here for information on scheduling an exam.
- References: No hard-copy or online materials may be referenced during the exam.
- Prerequisite: None required; course attendance highly recommended.
Exam Outline
These are the topics you will need to be knowledgable in before taking the test. In addition to studying you’ll want to have real-life experience applying these features. The study guides shared below will break these down further.
| Topic Area | Weight |
|---|---|
| Visitors and Prospects | 8% |
| Administration | 11% |
| Pardot Forms, Form Handlers and Landing Pages | 20% |
| Lead Management | 24% |
| Email Marketing | 20% |
| Engagement Studio | 17% |
Best Pardot Specialist Study Guides
- Jacqueline Fassett’s Super Study Sheet: Pardot Specialist – This Google Sheet contains a lot of great study resources. I like it because it uses links directly to Pardot documentation explaining exam concepts. Developed in 2018, the exam breakdown has changed a bit, despite that this document still reigns supreme.
- Ben Edward’s Study Notes – When I took my specialist exam in 2016 this Google Doc was my go-to. Again, the exam breakdown has changed, but this is still a great resource to reference.
- Chris Aldridge’s Super Study Sheet – This Google Sheet comes widely recommended, and is also an older published document.
- Salesforce Certified Pardot Specialist Study Guide – Directly from Salesforce, this exam guide will help prepare you with guidance from the people administering the test.
Best Pardot Specialist Mock Exams
- Pardot Specialist Trailmix from Salesforce Trailhead – Okay, maybe not your typical “mock exam” but this breaks down everything you need to know into trailhead modules (which contain quizzes).
- Rikke Hovgaard’s Pardot Certification Mock Questions – Sample questions created from scratch by Rikke, all relevant to exam areas.
- Jenna Molby’s Pardot Specialist Practice Exam – Another one I used in prepping for my certification. Containing 50 multiple choice types of questions you would see on the exam, but not exactly appearing on the exam.
Best Pardot Specialist Flash Cards
All of these flash card sets are good to cycle through… as a forewarning, be careful to make sure the flashcards are correct. That’s why its good to study cards from multiple sources; you should be able to spot inconsistencies.
Hopefully the information we provided will be helpful in passing your Pardot Specialist exam. If this page help you earn your credentials, let us know in the comments!
Pardot Consultant Certification
NOTE: The specialist certification is a prerequisite.
If you’re beginning to study for the consultant certification then you probably already have some serious Pardot skills. Passing the specialist exam is no joke, and many who have passed both Pardot tests claim it to be the harder of the two. Still, you’ll want to adequately prepare… the test costs $200 and retakes are $100 each.
The Salesforce Pardot Consultant credential is designed for those who have experience implementing Pardot solutions in a customer-facing role.Candidates should be able to design and implement Pardot solutions that meet customers’ business requirements and contribute to their long-term success.
Exam Format
- Content: 60 multiple-choice/multiple-select questions
- Time allotted to complete the exam: 105 minutes
- Passing score: 68%
- Registration fee: USD 200, plus applicable taxes as required per local law
- Retake fee: USD 100, plus applicable taxes as required per local law
- Delivery options: Proctored exam delivered onsite at a testing center or in an online proctored environment. Click here for information on scheduling an exam.
- References: No hard-copy or online materials may be referenced during the exam.
- Prerequisite: Salesforce Pardot Specialist credential
Exam Outline
| Topic Area | Weight |
|---|---|
| Evaluation | 17% |
| Account Configuration | 20% |
| Automating Business Processes | 17% |
| Email Marketing | 10% |
| Lead Management | 14% |
| Personalizing the Prospect Experience | 8% |
| Reporting, Metrics & Analytics | 11% |
| Salesforce Engage | 3% |
Best Pardot Consultant Study Guides
- Jacqueline Fassett’s Super Study Sheet: Pardot Consultant – Another great resource from Jacqueline. Similar to the specialist study sheet we shared above, the Google Sheet uses links directly to Pardot documentation.
- Salesforce Certified Pardot Consultant Study Guide – Directly from Salesforce, this guide has everything you need to help study and prepare for the exam.
Best Pardot Consultant Mock Exams
- Pardot Training eLearning Modules – These sometimes get lost in the mix, considering Salesforce primarily promotes Trailhead as the educational support platform. Complete these modules and you’ll be in good shape to apply concepts to the actual test.
Best Pardot Consultant Flash Cards
For whatever reason, there aren’t many good mock exams for the consultant exam. That said, there are flash cards available which will help test your knowledge.
- Jenna Molby’s Flash Cards to help you prep for the Pardot Certified Consultant Exam
- Brainscape Pardot Consultant Exam Flashcards
- StudyBlue Padot Consultant Certification Notes
- Quizlet Pardot Consultant
Passing the Pardot Consultant exam is a big accomplishment. Wishing you the best of luck on testing day! If you referenced this page in earning your credentials, let us know in the comments below.