When you’re looking to segment your contacts, getting started can be a little overwhelming. How do I segment? What content do I share? How are others in my industry doing this? If these are the questions swirling around your head, you’ve come to the right place.
We can tell you how to use our segmentation tools, and our amazing Community members can help you fine-tune it based on your industry! So, let’s get started:
The Basics
Our expertise is the “how-to,” so I’ll start with the basics. Put simply, segmentation is just grouping contacts together by shared traits, interests, or behaviors.
Think of a segment as a dynamic filter. Unlike a list, it updates itself. If a contact meets your criteria—like clicking a link or making a purchase—they fall into that segment automatically. This keeps your marketing short and relevant, increasing your Confirmed Open rates by reaching the right audience at the right time.
2026 Pro Resources:
Understanding Contact Segmentation: A deep dive into AND/OR logic and criteria.
Create a Segment of Contacts: A step-by-step walkthrough for the updated 2026 builder.
Using AI for Smart Segmenting: Learn how our new AI Assistant can suggest segments based on your audience's behavior.
Find Your Industry "Buckets"
Now, let’s talk about your industry—this is your area of expertise. I’m willing to bet you already have ideas of what kind of segments would be helpful. If you’re stuck, ask our AI Assistant for a "Segmentation Strategy for [Your Industry]."
Here are some questions to help you narrow it down:
Who is your audience and why do they want to hear from you?
Multichannel Needs: Do some contacts respond better to email while others prefer SMS updates? (You can now send to segments in both!)
Engagement: Can you find your "Most Engaged" fans to reward them with a VIP-only offer?
Data Gaps: Do you collect enough info to group them (like City or Interests), or should you update your sign-up forms to start collecting that data today?
Industry Examples [PDF Download]
We’ve put together some examples of how our customers are successfully using segmentation based on their industry—from retail to nonprofits.
If you have questions about setting segmentation up for success, don’t be afraid to post them in the Community! We’d love to hear what you tried, what worked, and where you're seeing those Confirmed Opens climb.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect the latest Constant Contact features.
