How to Create Segments in Mailchimp: A Practical Guide

Mailchimp segments are powerful tools for targeting specific groups within your audience, allowing you to send more relevant and engaging campaigns. This targeted approach leads to higher open rates, click-through rates, and ultimately, better campaign performance. In this guide, we’ll explore the various ways to create segments in Mailchimp, providing practical examples and step-by-step instructions to help you effectively segment your audience.

Table of Contents

• Understanding Segmentation and Its Benefits
• Creating Static Segments: Manual Grouping
• Building Dynamic Segments: Automated Targeting
• Combining Segmentation Criteria: Advanced Targeting
• Segmentation Best Practices: Optimizing Your Approach

Understanding Segmentation and Its Benefits

Segmentation involves dividing your Mailchimp audience into smaller, more focused groups based on shared characteristics or behaviors. These characteristics can range from demographic information like location and age to engagement data like purchase history and email activity. By tailoring your messaging to these specific segments, you can significantly improve the relevance and effectiveness of your marketing efforts.

The benefits of segmentation are numerous and can have a direct impact on your business’s bottom line. Here are a few key advantages:

• Increased Engagement: Relevant content leads to higher open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.
• Improved Deliverability: Targeted campaigns are less likely to be marked as spam, improving your sender reputation and deliverability.
• Personalized Customer Experience: Tailored messaging makes subscribers feel valued and understood, fostering stronger relationships.
• Higher ROI: More effective campaigns translate to a better return on your marketing investment.
• Reduced Unsubscribes: Subscribers are less likely to unsubscribe from emails that are relevant and interesting to them.

There are two primary types of segments in Mailchimp: static and dynamic. Static segments are manually updated and are best suited for grouping contacts based on fixed attributes. Dynamic segments, on the other hand, are automatically updated based on predefined criteria, making them ideal for targeting contacts based on their behavior or changing attributes. We’ll delve into both of these types in the following sections.

Example 1: Demographic Segmentation – Location

Let’s say you want to target customers in California with a specific promotion. You can create a segment based on the “Location” field in your audience. To do this, you would navigate to your audience in Mailchimp, click “Segments,” and then “Create Segment.” Under “Segment contacts based on,” you would select “Location” from the dropdown menu. Then, you would specify “is” and enter “California.” This will create a segment of all contacts whose location is listed as California.

Audience > Segments > Create Segment
Segment contacts based on: Location | is | California

This is useful for promoting events or offers specific to that geographic region.

Example 2: Engagement Segmentation – Purchase History

Imagine you want to target customers who have purchased a specific product in the past. You can create a segment based on their purchase history using Mailchimp’s e-commerce integration. Navigate to “Segments” and “Create Segment.” Select the “Purchase History” field (which will be available if you have an e-commerce integration). Then, specify “has purchased” and select the specific product from the dropdown menu. This will create a segment of all contacts who have purchased that particular product.

Audience > Segments > Create Segment
Segment contacts based on: Purchase History | has purchased | [Specific Product Name]

This is perfect for sending targeted upsell or cross-sell offers related to that product.

Example 3: Segmentation based on Email Activity

You may want to re-engage subscribers who haven’t opened your emails in a while. Create a segment based on “Email Activity.” Select “Email Activity” from the dropdown. Then, specify “did not open” and select the last few campaigns you sent. This creates a segment of people who have been receiving your emails, but aren’t engaging with them. You can then craft a specific re-engagement campaign for this group.

Audience > Segments > Create Segment
Segment contacts based on: Email Activity | did not open | [Campaign 1], [Campaign 2], [Campaign 3]

“To truly connect with your audience, you must speak directly to their needs and interests. Segmentation is the key to unlocking that level of personalized communication.” – Email Marketing Expert

Creating Static Segments: Manual Grouping

Static segments are ideal when you need to group contacts based on fixed attributes that don’t change frequently. This is often used for events, manually collected data, or other scenarios where automation isn’t necessary or feasible. The key characteristic of a static segment is that you manually add and remove contacts from it.

Here’s how to create a static segment in Mailchimp:

• Navigate to Your Audience: Go to the “Audience” section in your Mailchimp dashboard.
• Select “Segments”: Click on the “Segments” option within your audience.
• Create a New Segment: Click the “Create Segment” button.
• Choose “Static Segment”: Select the “Static Segment” option from the available segment types.
• Manually Add Contacts: You can add contacts to the segment by searching for them individually and checking the box next to their name, or by importing a CSV file containing the contacts you want to add.
• Save Your Segment: Give your segment a descriptive name and save it.

Once the static segment is created, the list will not update automatically. You will have to manually add or remove contacts.

Example 1: Grouping Event Attendees

Suppose you hosted a webinar and collected a list of attendees. You can create a static segment called “Webinar Attendees” and manually add each attendee to this segment. This allows you to send follow-up emails specifically to those who attended the webinar.

• Collect Attendee List: Gather the email addresses of all webinar attendees.
• Create Static Segment: Create a new static segment named “Webinar Attendees.”
• Add Attendees: Manually search for each attendee in Mailchimp and add them to the segment, or import a CSV file with the attendee list.
• Send Follow-Up Emails: Craft a targeted email campaign for the “Webinar Attendees” segment, providing them with additional resources or a special offer.

Example 2: Tagging Contacts from a Physical Event

Imagine you ran a booth at a conference and collected email addresses on a sign-up sheet. You can create a static segment called “Conference Leads” and add these contacts to the segment. Later, you can then send them a personalized email series based on the conference.

• Collect Leads: Gather email addresses from the sign-up sheet at the conference.
• Create Static Segment: Create a new static segment named “Conference Leads.”
• Add Leads: Manually search for each contact in Mailchimp and add them to the segment, or import a CSV file with the contact list.
• Send Follow-Up Emails: Develop a targeted email campaign for the “Conference Leads” segment, referencing the conference and offering relevant information.

Example 3: Grouping VIP Customers Manually

Sometimes you want to manually identify a subset of “VIP” customers that deserve a more personalized touch. You might identify these based on criteria outside of Mailchimp, such as total purchase value over the lifetime of the customer. You would create a static segment called “VIP Customers” and manually add these individuals.

• Identify VIP Customers: Review your customer data and identify your VIP customers based on your chosen criteria.
• Create Static Segment: Create a new static segment named “VIP Customers.”
• Add VIP Customers: Manually search for each customer in Mailchimp and add them to the segment.
• Send Exclusive Offers: Create exclusive offers and experiences tailored to your VIP customers through this segment.

Expert Tip: Static segments are great for small, one-off campaigns, but for ongoing targeting, dynamic segments are generally more efficient.

Building Dynamic Segments: Automated Targeting

Dynamic segments are segments that automatically update based on specific criteria you define. These criteria can include demographic information, purchase history, email activity, website behavior, and more. Dynamic segments are perfect for creating targeted campaigns that adapt to your audience’s changing behaviors and attributes.

Here’s how to create a dynamic segment in Mailchimp:

• Navigate to Your Audience: Go to the “Audience” section in your Mailchimp dashboard.
• Select “Segments”: Click on the “Segments” option within your audience.
• Create a New Segment: Click the “Create Segment” button.
• Choose Your Criteria: Select the criteria you want to use for your segment. This could be anything from “Email Activity” to “Purchase History” to “Member Rating.”
• Define Your Conditions: Specify the conditions that contacts must meet to be included in the segment. For example, “Email Activity | opened | last 5 campaigns.”
• Set Logical Operators: Use logical operators like “AND” and “OR” to combine multiple conditions.
• Preview Your Segment: Click the “Preview Segment” button to see a list of contacts that match your criteria.
• Save Your Segment: Give your segment a descriptive name and save it.

Dynamic segments automatically update as contacts meet or no longer meet the defined criteria. This ensures that your campaigns are always reaching the right people.

Example 1: Targeting Engaged Subscribers

You can create a dynamic segment of your most engaged subscribers by targeting those who have opened at least three of your last five email campaigns. This segment is valuable for promoting exclusive offers or asking for feedback.

Audience > Segments > Create Segment
Segment contacts based on:
Email Activity | opened | last 5 campaigns | at least 3

This segment identifies subscribers who are actively interested in your content.

Example 2: Identifying Inactive Subscribers

You can create a dynamic segment of inactive subscribers who haven’t opened any of your last ten email campaigns. This segment is perfect for running a re-engagement campaign or cleaning up your list.

Audience > Segments > Create Segment
Segment contacts based on:
Email Activity | did not open | last 10 campaigns

This segment allows you to target subscribers who may have lost interest or whose email addresses may be invalid.

Example 3: Targeting Customers Based on Website Activity

If you have Mailchimp’s website tracking enabled, you can create dynamic segments based on website visits. For example, you could target users who have visited a specific product page but haven’t made a purchase. This allows you to send them a targeted email with a special offer or more information about the product.

Audience > Segments > Create Segment
Segment contacts based on:
Website Activity | visited URL | [Specific Product Page URL]
AND
Purchase History | has not purchased | [Specific Product Name]

This is a highly effective way to re-engage potential customers who showed interest but didn’t convert.

Combining Segmentation Criteria: Advanced Targeting

Taking segmentation to the next level involves combining multiple criteria to create highly specific and targeted segments. This allows you to reach even more granular groups within your audience and deliver exceptionally relevant messaging. You can combine criteria using logical operators like “AND” and “OR” to fine-tune your segments.

Here’s how to combine segmentation criteria in Mailchimp:

• Navigate to Your Audience: Go to the “Audience” section in your Mailchimp dashboard.
• Select “Segments”: Click on the “Segments” option within your audience.
• Create a New Segment: Click the “Create Segment” button.
• Choose Your First Criteria: Select the first criterion you want to use for your segment.
• Define Your First Condition: Specify the condition that contacts must meet for the first criterion.
• Add Additional Criteria: Click the “Add” button to add another criterion.
• Choose Your Second Criteria: Select the second criterion you want to use for your segment.
• Define Your Second Condition: Specify the condition that contacts must meet for the second criterion.
• Set Logical Operators: Use the “AND” or “OR” operator to combine the two criteria. “AND” means contacts must meet both conditions, while “OR” means contacts must meet either condition.
• Repeat as Needed: Add more criteria and conditions as necessary to refine your segment.
• Preview Your Segment: Click the “Preview Segment” button to see a list of contacts that match your criteria.
• Save Your Segment: Give your segment a descriptive name and save it.

By combining criteria, you can create segments that are highly tailored to your specific marketing goals.

Example 1: Targeting Customers in California Who Purchased a Specific Product

Let’s say you want to target customers in California who have purchased a specific product. You can combine the “Location” and “Purchase History” criteria using the “AND” operator.

Audience > Segments > Create Segment
Segment contacts based on:
Location | is | California
AND
Purchase History | has purchased | [Specific Product Name]

This segment allows you to send a highly targeted offer to customers in California who are already familiar with your product.

Example 2: Targeting Subscribers Who Opened a Specific Email OR Visited a Specific Page

You can target subscribers who either opened a specific email campaign or visited a specific page on your website. This allows you to reach people who have shown interest in a particular topic, regardless of how they interacted with your content.

Audience > Segments > Create Segment
Segment contacts based on:
Email Activity | opened | [Specific Campaign Name]
OR
Website Activity | visited URL | [Specific Page URL]

This broadens your reach while still targeting individuals with demonstrated interest.

Example 3: Targeting Highly Rated Customers Who Haven’t Purchased in the Last 6 Months

You can create a segment of high-value customers who haven’t made a purchase recently, indicating a potential lapse in engagement. This allows you to send them a personalized offer to entice them back.

Audience > Segments > Create Segment
Segment contacts based on:
Member Rating | is greater than or equal to | 4 stars
AND
Date Added | is before | 6 months ago
AND
Purchase Date | is before | 6 months ago

This is a powerful way to retain valuable customers and prevent churn.

External Link: For more advanced segmentation techniques, consider exploring Mailchimp’s documentation on segmentation options.

Segmentation Best Practices: Optimizing Your Approach

Creating segments is just the first step. To truly maximize the benefits of segmentation, it’s essential to follow best practices and continuously optimize your approach. Here are some key tips to keep in mind:

• Start with a Clear Goal: Before creating any segment, define what you want to achieve with it. What message do you want to send, and what action do you want subscribers to take?
• Use Descriptive Segment Names: Choose segment names that clearly indicate the criteria used to create the segment. This will make it easier to manage and track your segments over time.
• Regularly Review and Update Your Segments: As your business and audience evolve, your segments may become outdated. Regularly review your segments and update the criteria as needed to ensure they remain relevant.
• Test Different Segmentation Strategies: Experiment with different segmentation criteria to see what works best for your audience. A/B test different campaigns targeting different segments to measure their effectiveness.
• Use Segmentation in Combination with Personalization: Combine segmentation with personalization to create truly unique and engaging experiences for your subscribers. Use merge tags to address subscribers by name and tailor the content of your emails to their specific interests.
• Monitor Your Results: Track the performance of your campaigns targeting different segments. Pay attention to open rates, click-through rates, and conversions to identify which segments are most responsive.
• Avoid Over-Segmentation: While it’s tempting to create highly granular segments, be careful not to over-segment your audience. Too many small segments can be difficult to manage and may not provide enough data to draw meaningful conclusions.

Example 1: A/B Testing Different Subject Lines for Different Segments

You can A/B test different subject lines for your “Engaged Subscribers” segment versus your “Inactive Subscribers” segment. This helps you determine which subject lines resonate most with each group.

• Create Segments: Ensure you have a defined “Engaged Subscribers” segment and an “Inactive Subscribers” segment (as outlined in previous sections).
• Create Two Campaigns: Create two versions of the same email campaign, each with a different subject line.
• Target Segments: Send one version of the campaign to the “Engaged Subscribers” segment and the other version to the “Inactive Subscribers” segment.
• Analyze Results: Compare the open rates and click-through rates for each segment to determine which subject line performed better.

Example 2: Personalizing Email Content Based on Purchase History

You can personalize the content of your emails based on a subscriber’s purchase history. For example, if a subscriber has purchased Product A, you can include recommendations for related products or accessories in your email.

• Segment by Purchase History: Create segments based on the specific products or categories that subscribers have purchased.
• Use Dynamic Content Blocks: Use Mailchimp’s dynamic content blocks to display different content based on the recipient’s segment.
• Personalize Recommendations: Include personalized product recommendations based on the subscriber’s previous purchases.

Example 3: Cleaning Up Inactive Segments and Refining Criteria

Periodically review your “Inactive Subscribers” segment. If the same subscribers remain inactive even after a re-engagement campaign, consider removing them from your list to improve deliverability. Also, review your segmentation criteria. Are you using the right criteria? Are your conditions still valid based on your business goals?

• Review Inactive Segment: Identify subscribers who have been in the “Inactive Subscribers” segment for an extended period (e.g., 6 months or more).
• Run Re-Engagement Campaign: Send a final re-engagement email to these subscribers.
• Remove Unresponsive Subscribers: Remove subscribers who do not respond to the re-engagement campaign.
• Refine Criteria: Evaluate if the number of campaigns for inactivity is appropriate (e.g., last 10 campaigns? Last 12 campaigns?). Adjust based on your send frequency and typical customer behavior.

By following these best practices, you can effectively leverage segmentation to improve your email marketing performance and build stronger relationships with your audience.