Segmenting your email list is a potent strategy for boosting engagement in email marketing. It involves dividing your large list into smaller, more specific groups based on certain criteria. This allows for sending highly relevant and personalized content, which tends to result in improved engagement rates.
There are various practical methods to kick off your segmentation journey. Firstly, a straightforward yet effective approach is segmenting subscribers by their initial sign-up paths. For instance, you can create distinct segments for individuals who subscribed after downloading a lead magnet on ‘Topic A’ compared to those who signed up after accessing resources on ‘Topic B’, providing insights into their primary interests.
Secondly, segmenting based on explicitly stated preferences is direct. You can inquire about their interests on the sign-up form or direct existing subscribers to a “preference center” where they can choose the content types they prefer to receive.
Thirdly, segmenting based on subscriber engagement is common and valuable. Creating a dynamic segment of highly active subscribers, those who have interacted with your emails in the last 90 days, can lead to rewarding them with special offers. Conversely, segmenting inactive subscribers for a re-engagement campaign is crucial before considering list cleaning.
Fourthly, for businesses selling products or services, segmentation by purchase history is vital. This involves categorizing first-time customers, repeat buyers, high-spenders, or those purchasing specific products to tailor recommendations, tips, or loyalty offers effectively.
Fifthly, segmenting based on website behavior, if integrated with your email platform, allows for creating groups of visitors who viewed specific pages, product categories, or abandoned their cart for targeted follow-up emails.
Sixthly, using basic geographic or demographic data, if available, is beneficial for sending location-specific announcements or tailoring content based on industry or job roles in a B2B context.
You don’t need to implement all these methods simultaneously. Starting with simple segments like welcoming new subscribers with a dedicated series and rewarding engaged subscribers can gradually transition from universal messaging to more focused, relevant content using data insights, leading to increased open and click-through rates, and stronger audience relationships.
Best,
Sean