Experience Cloud and Third-Party Integration
Target sits inside the Experience Cloud: Analytics (A4T), Audience Manager (segments), AEP (Real-Time CDP segments, destinations), Campaign (offer orchestration), and Adobe Experience Platform Identity Service (ECID). Understand how identities stitch across systems - mbox3rdPartyId for cross-device, ECID for anonymous/known linking, and AEP identities for unified profiles.
Know integration mechanics: A4T requires the Analytics extension/launch rule and correct report suite; AAM segments are shared to Target via the Audience Manager integration; AEP segments flow to Target as audiences; Campaign can call Target or vice versa for offer delivery. Third-party integrations typically use the Delivery API or response tokens to pass decisions to non-Adobe systems (e.g., a CMS or email platform).
Traps: assuming segments sync instantly (they don't); forgetting that A4T and AAM integrations require explicit configuration and permissions; confusing ECID with a customer ID; assuming Target can read arbitrary third-party cookies.
Rule of thumb: define the identity graph first, then map each integration to the identity it uses. If two systems key on different IDs, your personalization will fragment.
Worked example: a bank wants cross-device personalization. Use mbox3rdPartyId set to the authenticated customer ID at login, link it to ECID via Identity Service, and share AEP segments to Target for consistent experiences on web and app.