DripEmail.org

🎯 Subscriber Segmentation

Send targeted campaigns to specific audience groups

⏱️ 16 min read

What is Segmentation?

Segmentation divides your subscriber list into smaller, targeted groups based on shared characteristics. This allows you to send more relevant, personalized campaigns.

💡 Pro Tip: Segmented campaigns can have 2-3x higher open rates and click-through rates compared to non-segmented campaigns.

Types of Segmentation

Demographic

Age, gender, location, occupation, income

Behavioral

Purchase history, email engagement, website activity

Engagement Level

Highly active, moderately active, inactive, cold

Customer Journey Stage

Awareness, consideration, purchase, retention, advocacy

Creating a Segment

  1. Go to Subscribers → Segments
  2. Click "Create New Segment"
  3. Name your segment descriptively
  4. Add filter conditions
  5. Preview the results
  6. Save the segment

Segmentation Filters

Available filter types:

  • Subscriber info: Email, name, signup date, location
  • Campaign activity: Opened, clicked, did not open
  • List membership: Is/is not on specific lists
  • Tags: Has/doesn't have specific tags
  • Custom fields: Any custom data you've collected
  • Engagement score: Overall activity level

Advanced Segmentation

Combine multiple conditions:

Example 1: Engaged Local Customers

  • Location is "New York"
  • AND Opened any campaign in last 30 days
  • AND Has tag "Customer"

Example 2: Re-engagement Targets

  • Has not opened any email in 90 days
  • AND Was active before that
  • AND Is not tagged "Unengaged"

Dynamic vs. Static Segments

Dynamic Segments

Automatically update as subscribers meet/don't meet criteria. Best for ongoing campaigns.

Static Segments

Fixed list of subscribers at a point in time. Best for one-time campaigns.

Common Segment Ideas

  • VIP customers: High purchase value + frequent buyer
  • New subscribers: Joined in last 30 days
  • At-risk customers: No purchase in 6 months but was active
  • Product interested: Clicked Product X link
  • Cart abandoners: Started checkout but didn't complete
  • Winback targets: Inactive for 90+ days

⚠️ Important: Test your segments with small campaigns before sending to large groups. Verify the segment contains the right subscribers.

Using Segments in Campaigns

  1. Create your campaign as usual
  2. In the Recipients step, select "Segment"
  3. Choose your saved segment
  4. Review the recipient count
  5. Send or schedule your campaign

Best Practices

  • Start with simple segments and gradually add complexity
  • Name segments clearly to indicate their purpose
  • Review segment size before sending (too small or too large?)
  • Test different messaging for different segments
  • Use segments to personalize beyond just names
  • Track which segments perform best
  • Update segment criteria based on results

Next Steps