What is email segmentation?
Email segmentation is the process of dividing your email subscribers into different groups or segments based on specific criteria. This allows you to send targeted and personalized emails to different segments, rather than sending a one-size-fits-all message to your entire email list.
The benefits of email segmentation
Email segmentation offers several benefits that can greatly improve your email marketing campaigns.
Better campaign performance
By segmenting your email list and sending relevant content to each segment, you can improve the overall performance of your campaigns. Targeted emails have higher open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates compared to generic emails sent to your entire list.
Deliverability
When you send targeted emails, it increases the chances of your emails reaching the recipients’ inbox rather than landing in the spam folder. This is because the content is personalized and relevant to the recipient, making it more likely to pass through spam filters.
Targeted promotions
Email segmentation allows you to tailor your promotions and offers to specific segments of your audience. This increases the likelihood of a positive response and can lead to higher sales and customer engagement.
Improves customer experience
By sending personalized and relevant content, you can provide a better experience for your subscribers. They will appreciate receiving emails that address their specific interests or needs, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty.
Increases ROI
Segmented email campaigns have been proven to deliver higher return on investment (ROI) compared to generic email campaigns. When you send targeted emails, you are more likely to achieve your desired outcomes, whether it’s driving sales, increasing website traffic, or generating leads.
Ways to segment your email list
Demographics
Segmenting based on demographics such as age, gender, income, occupation, or education level can help you tailor your messages to specific groups.
Geographical location
Segmenting based on geographical location allows you to send location-specific offers or information, making your emails more relevant and personalized.
Customer personas
Creating customer personas based on your target audience’s characteristics, interests, preferences, and behaviors can help you segment your email list effectively.
Behavior
Segmenting based on past purchase behavior, website activity, or engagement with previous emails can help you target subscribers who are most likely to be interested in specific products or offers.
Email activity
Segmenting based on a subscriber’s level of engagement with your emails, such as open rate, click-through rate, or purchase rate, allows you to send re-engagement campaigns to inactive subscribers or reward highly engaged subscribers.
Organization type
If you have a B2B business, segmenting based on the type of organization (e.g., industry, company size, job title) can help you target your emails to the specific needs and pain points of different businesses.
Stage of the funnel
Segmenting based on where subscribers are in the customer journey (e.g., new leads, repeat customers, loyal customers) allows you to send relevant content that guides them through the funnel and encourages them to take the next step.
Where they shopped
Segmenting based on where customers have previously made purchases from your website or physical stores can help you send targeted recommendations or promotions for similar products.
Type of customer
Segmenting based on customer type, such as first-time buyers, loyal customers, or high-value customers, allows you to send personalized emails that cater to their specific needs and preferences.
How to create segments
Determine criteria
First, determine the criteria or factors you will use to segment your email list. This could be demographics, behavior, or any other relevant data points.
Collect data & set up workflows
Collect the necessary data from your subscribers through signup forms, surveys, or tracking tools. Use an email marketing platform like Mailchimp to set up workflows that automatically segment subscribers based on the collected data.
Create content & start sending
Create targeted content for each segment, such as personalized product recommendations or exclusive offers. Use email templates provided by your email marketing platform to design and send the emails to the respective segments.
Measure & test
Measure the performance of your segmented email campaigns using key metrics like open rate, click-through rate, conversion rate, and ROI. Test different segments, content strategies, and email designs to optimize your campaigns over time.
Create email campaigns with Mailchimp
Mailchimp is a popular email marketing platform that allows you to easily create and manage segmented email campaigns. With Mailchimp, you can set up automated workflows, design professional-looking emails, and track the performance of your campaigns through detailed analytics.
To get started with Mailchimp, create an account and import your email list. Then, use the segmentation features to divide your list into different segments based on your chosen criteria. Design your email templates using Mailchimp’s drag-and-drop editor, or choose from pre-designed templates. Finally, schedule and send your campaigns to the respective segments.
Monitor the performance of your campaigns using Mailchimp’s analytics dashboard. Analyze metrics like open rate, click-through rate, and conversion rate to optimize your campaigns and improve your email marketing strategy.
By utilizing email segmentation and leveraging the features of Mailchimp, you can create more engaging and personalized email campaigns that resonate with your audience, increase customer satisfaction, and drive better results for your business.
