How to Use Segments in Campaigns

Segments allow you to quickly target specific groups of shoppers when sending a campaign. You can either select an existing saved segment or build filters directly within the campaign. This article explains how segments behave when used in campaigns and how eligibility works.

Tip: To learn more about how to create a segment view the help article here

In this article:

How to use a Saved Segment
How to use once off filters
How Segmentation Counts in Campaigns Work
What Happens if a Segment Changes?
When Should I Use a Saved Segment?
FAQ's

Option 1: Use a Saved Segment

When creating a campaign:

Go to Campaigns.
Click Create Campaign.
Select your audience.

For a single email campaign, you’ll choose your segment during the audience selection step.

For a multi-step campaign, you’ll select your segment during setup. After the campaign is created, you can click into Contacts within the campaign to review or update which segment and filters the campaign is sending to.

Once selected, all filters from that segment are automatically applied.

You will immediately see:

The total number of shoppers in the segment
The number eligible to receive emails

Campaigns can only send to subscribed shoppers. If your segment includes unsubscribed or suppressed shoppers, they will be excluded from the eligible count.

If a segment contains only unsubscribed shoppers, you will see 0 eligible recipients.

You can also preview the list of shoppers included in the campaign audience before sending.

Option 2: Add once off filters

If you don’t select a saved segment, Instant AI automatically starts with All Marketing Subscribers — everyone who has opted in for marketing emails.

You can then refine that audience using filters such as:

Last emailed (e.g. last 7 days)
Last engagement timeframe (e.g. last 180 days)
Last purchased (e.g. last 30 days)
Country
Location
Shopify tag

These filters apply only to this campaign.

If you find yourself reusing the same filter set often, consider saving it as a segment from the Shoppers page for quicker access next time.

How Segmentation Counts in Campaigns Work

When defining your audience, you will see two numbers:

Total shoppers: This includes everyone who matches the filters, regardless of subscription status.

Eligible to receive emails: This includes only subscribed shoppers who can legally receive marketing emails.

Segments are built from your full database, but campaigns automatically restrict sending to eligible (subscribed) shoppers. You can preview the full list of shoppers included before sending. Campaign eligibility is evaluated at send time.

This means:

If someone unsubscribes before the campaign sends, they will not receive it.
If someone newly subscribes and matches the filters before send time, they may be included.

Your final audience is always based on the most up-to-date data.

What Happens if a Segment Changes?

Segments are dynamic and update in real time. If you edit a saved segment, its filters update immediately.

If you delete a saved segment:

It removes the saved shortcut only.
It does not delete any shopper data.
It does not affect sent campaigns.
Draft or scheduled campaigns will continue using the exact filters that were applied when the segment was selected, even if the saved segment is later deleted.

When Should I Use a Saved Segment?

Use a saved segment when:

You regularly target the same group of shoppers
You want consistent reporting across campaigns
You want to build the audience now and reuse it later

Use one-off filters when:

It’s a once-off campaign
The filter set is temporary
You don’t need to reuse it again

FAQs

Can I add additional filters on top of a saved segment?

Yes. You can refine a selected segment further by adding more filters inside the campaign.

Can a shopper belong to multiple segments?

Yes. Segments are saved filter sets. A shopper can match multiple segments at the same time.

Why does my eligible count change before sending?

Audience eligibility is recalculated in real time. Subscription status and shopper behaviour may change between scheduling and sending.

Will unsubscribed shoppers ever receive a campaign?

No. Instant AI automatically excludes unsubscribed and suppressed shoppers from campaigns.

Can I build a segment of unsubscribed shoppers?

Yes. You can create segments that include unsubscribed shoppers for reporting or analysis. However, unsubscribed shoppers will never receive campaigns.