# Business use cases for Experience Cloud sites

*Experience Cloud Consultant Study Guide · Experience Cloud Basics · Last updated October 24, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/experience-cloud-consultant/experience-cloud-basics/business-use-cases-for-experience-cloud-sites*

Why companies build Experience Cloud sites (self-service and case deflection, partner channel sales, event microsites), why a site is a CRM-connected window rather than a static website, and how site purpose and segment goals decide between one site and several.

- Certification: Salesforce Experience Cloud Consultant
- Exam section: Experience Cloud Basics
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/experience-cloud-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Illustrate the reasons for creating or utilizing an Experience for a specific use case.

## What the exam expects

- Match a business goal (lower support cost, channel sales, event sign-ups, account access) to the kind of site that serves it.
- Explain why a CRM-connected site beats a static website or internal licenses for outsiders.
- Recognize which use cases need no community licenses (public article reading by guests).
- Define site purpose, audience, goals and success measures before choosing a template.
- Decide between one site and several sites in the same org when audiences have different goals.

Key terms:
- **Experience Cloud site:** a branded digital experience connected to your CRM.
- **Case deflection:** a customer solves an issue through self-service (articles, peers) instead of opening a case with an agent.
- **Site purpose:** the one-sentence answer to "The purpose of my site is to ___" that drives audience, goals and template.
- **Guest user:** an unauthenticated visitor; guests don't consume external licenses.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Internal licenses for outsiders | Highly discouraged; external licenses are the only ones suited to an external-facing site | [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=0) |
| Public knowledge base | Needs no community licenses; guests read articles on public pages | [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=0) |
| Guest users and licenses | Guests don't use up any external licenses | [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=0) |
| Sites per org | Up to 100; active, inactive and preview sites (including Visualforce) count | [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=0) |
| Partner Central prerequisite | At least one Partner Community license | [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=0) |
| Event sign-ups | Microsite (LWR) Lead Form component sends visitor information to the Lead object | [Which Experience Cloud Template Should I Use?](https://help.salesforce.com/apex/HTViewHelpDoc?id=sf.siteforce_commtemp_intro.htm&language=en_US) |
| Self-service measures | Deflected cases, agent time per case, customer satisfaction, NPS | [Elevate Customer Engagement](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/community_cloud_basics/communities_setting_goals_for_community) |
| Planning order | Purpose first; it drives audience, conversion actions, goals, measurements and template | [Define Your Site Vision and Purpose](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.exp_cloud_plan_vision.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why does a self-service site lower the cost per case?
- When does a site need no community licenses at all?
- Why define the site purpose before choosing a template?
- Which template captures event sign-ups as leads?

## Sources

- [Define Your Site Vision and Purpose](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.exp_cloud_plan_vision.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Experience Cloud](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.networks_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Unlock the Potential of Experience Cloud for Engagement (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/community_cloud_basics/communities_intro_to_community_cloud)
- [Elevate Customer Engagement with Experience Cloud Strategies (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/community_cloud_basics/communities_setting_goals_for_community)
- [Essential Steps to Launch Your Experience Cloud Site (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/experience-cloud-site-strategy/get-started-with-experience-cloud)
- [Experience Cloud User Licenses](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=users_license_types_communities.htm&language=en_US&type=0)
- [Which Experience Cloud Template Should I Use?](https://help.salesforce.com/apex/HTViewHelpDoc?id=sf.siteforce_commtemp_intro.htm&language=en_US)
- [Learn About Experience Cloud Frameworks and Templates](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.exp_cloud_plan_frameworks.htm&language=en_US)
- [Enhance Partner Engagement with Effective Solutions (Trailhead)](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/community_cloud_basics/communities_partner_community)
- [Understand the Basics of Experience Cloud](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=experience.exp_cloud_basics.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Replace Legacy Chat with Enhanced Chat](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.miaw_replacing_chat_considerations.htm&language=en_US&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 5 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Experience Cloud Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams