Pardot
Pardot, rebranded Marketing Cloud Account Engagement in 2022, is the B2B marketing automation, lead scoring and account based marketing platform of Salesforce.
What does Pardot do?
What is Pardot?
Pardot is the B2B marketing automation product of Salesforce, rebranded Marketing Cloud Account Engagement in 2022. It combines email marketing, dynamic content, drip campaigns, lead scoring and grading, account based marketing, sales alerts, ROI reporting and Salesforce CRM integration. It is widely adopted by B2B sales and marketing teams that want to identify and qualify website visitors before passing them to the sales pipeline.
What data and cookies does Pardot collect?
The Pardot tracker (pd.js or piAId snippet) drops third party cookies on pardot.com (visitor_id_*, pi_opt_in, lpv_*) and first party cookies on the publisher domain. The cookie name includes the Pardot account ID and the visitor ID. On every page view it sends URL, referrer, page title, custom parameters and prospect identifiers. Once a visitor fills a Pardot form, the tracker links the visitor profile to a Salesforce Lead or Contact, enabling person level tracking through later sessions.
GDPR and ePrivacy implications
Pardot tracker cookies are not strictly necessary. Article 5(3) ePrivacy requires prior consent before they can be set. Article 6 GDPR requires consent as the legal basis since Pardot enables behavioural profiling of identified prospects. CNIL has explicitly clarified that B2B marketing tools that build lead profiles trigger the same consent obligations as B2C tracking. Marketing emails sent to B2B prospects also require consent under article 13 ePrivacy in most EU jurisdictions, with limited exceptions for legal persons in France.
Consent management with Pardot
Block the Pardot tracker (pd.js) inside your CMP until consent is granted. Use the Pardot Tracker Module Opt In feature so the cookie is only dropped when a consenting visitor explicitly opts in. Disable Pardot tracking until the CMP fires the granted event. Use the Salesforce Consent Management object to log consent in the CRM and tie it to the Lead or Contact. Provide an unsubscribe link in every Pardot email.
Data transfers, Salesforce DPF and EU pod
Pardot runs on Salesforce infrastructure in the United States by default. An EU pod option exists for some Salesforce Marketing Cloud customers and provides Frankfurt data residency. Transfers rely on the Salesforce DPA, EU SCCs and on the Salesforce DPF certification under the EU US Data Privacy Framework. Document the transfer mechanism in your records of processing activities and inform prospects in your privacy notice.
Practical compliance checklist
Sign the Salesforce DPA with EU SCCs. Activate the EU pod when available. Enable Pardot Tracker Module Opt In. Wrap the tracker in a CMP gate. Use double opt in on Pardot forms. Maintain explicit Communication Preferences in the Salesforce Consent Object. Categorise visitor_id_* and pi_opt_in as Marketing cookies. Identify Salesforce Inc. as processor in the privacy notice with the US transfer disclosure.
Pardot and the GDPR
Pardot is classified as “Marketing”. On a site that targets European visitors, it must only load after the visitor consents, and it must be listed in your cookie policy.
- Legal basis
- Consent (article 6(1)(a) GDPR) combined with article 5(3) ePrivacy for the tracker cookies. Marketing emails to B2B prospects also require article 13 ePrivacy consent.
- Risk level
- high
- Applicable regulations
- GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, TTDSG, LOPDGDD, French Data Protection Act, UK GDPR and PECR, CAN-SPAM and CASL
Impact assessment (DPIA)
A DPIA is recommended whenever Pardot is the central B2B marketing automation, when lead scoring relies on long lists of behavioural attributes, when Account Based Marketing combines Pardot with Salesforce Audience Studio, or when sensitive industries process leads.
Sample text for your banner
We use Pardot (Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement) to track website visits, score leads and feed our B2B marketing automation. Pardot drops cookies on your device and shares data with Salesforce in the United States. Without your consent, the tracker does not run and your visit is not logged in our lead database.
What Pardot sets and contacts
- Tracking method
- Pardot tracker (Account Engagement) JavaScript snippet with first and third party cookies for B2B lead scoring, plus form embeds and form handlers
- Server location
- United States (Salesforce, AWS) with EU pod option for Marketing Cloud customers
- Data transferred outside the EU
- Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot) is operated by Salesforce Inc. in the United States. An EU pod option (Frankfurt) is available for some Salesforce Marketing Cloud customers. Transfers rely on the Salesforce DPA, EU SCCs and on the Salesforce DPF certification.
Cookies set (4)
| Name | Type | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| visitor_id<account> | Marketing | 10 years | Pardot persistent visitor identifier (account specific) used to track a prospect across sessions and link page views to a Salesforce Lead or Contact. |
| visitor_id<account>-hash | Marketing | 10 years | Hash that secures the matching of the visitor_id cookie to prevent tampering. |
| pi_opt_in | Marketing | 10 years | Stores the visitor opt in status for Pardot tracking when the Tracker Module Opt In feature is used. |
| lpv<account> | Marketing | 30 minutes | Limits the rate at which Pardot logs page views for the same visitor on the same page to avoid double counting. |
Third-party domains contacted (5)
pardot.compi.pardot.comgo.pardot.commarketingcloudaccountengagement.comsalesforce.com
Frequently asked questions about Pardot
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What cookies does Pardot set?
Pardot drops third party cookies on pardot.com (visitor_id_<account>, pi_opt_in, lpv_<account>) and first party cookies on the publisher domain. The cookie names embed the Pardot account ID and a unique visitor ID. The visitor_id cookie has a default 10 year expiration.
Is consent required for Pardot?
Yes. Pardot tracker cookies are not strictly necessary and trigger article 5(3) ePrivacy. The behavioural profiling and lead scoring require consent under article 6 GDPR. Marketing emails to B2B prospects require consent under article 13 ePrivacy in most EU jurisdictions.
What is the legal basis for Pardot?
Consent (article 6(1)(a) GDPR) for tracking and marketing emails. Legitimate interest may apply to existing customer communications, but lead scoring of unidentified prospects cannot rely on legitimate interest after Schrems II and CNIL doctrine.
What about transfers to the United States?
Pardot data is processed by Salesforce in the United States by default. An EU pod option exists for some Marketing Cloud customers. Transfers rely on the Salesforce DPA, EU SCCs and Salesforce DPF certification.
Do I need a DPIA for Pardot?
A DPIA is recommended whenever Pardot is the central B2B marketing automation, when lead scoring uses extensive behavioural attributes, when ABM combines Pardot with Salesforce Audience Studio or when leads come from sensitive industries.
How do I implement Pardot compliantly?
Block pd.js until consent. Activate Tracker Module Opt In. Use double opt in on forms. Log consent in the Salesforce Consent Object. Limit lead retention. Sign the Salesforce DPA with EU SCCs. Activate the EU pod when available.
What are the alternatives to Pardot in Europe?
HubSpot Marketing Hub (US, with EU data residency option), Marketo Engage by Adobe, Plezi (French B2B), Webmecanik (French, open source compatible), ActiveCampaign and Brevo for SMB needs. Mautic for self hosted B2B automation.
How do I document Pardot in my cookie policy?
List the visitor_id_<account>, pi_opt_in and lpv_<account> cookies with domain, duration (10 years for visitor_id) and purpose. Identify Salesforce Inc. as processor in the privacy notice. Describe US transfers and safeguards. Link to the Salesforce privacy statement and the Pardot privacy notice.
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