Segments let you group contacts based on profile data, engagement, scores, CRM information, SMS status, and more. They update automatically as your data changes, so you can reuse them for targeting, suppression, and automation across campaigns. This article shows you how to create a segment from a list and explains the different query options available.
Quick Reference (Advanced Users) - Click to Expand
- Start from any list that supports segments (Marketing Lists, Form Submission lists, Webinar lists).
- From the list menu, choose Create a Segment to open Manage Segment.
- Give the segment a clear name, then pick a Method:
- Search – find contacts by text values across fields.
- Direct Selection – manually check which contacts belong.
- Query – build rule-based segments from profile, behavior, score, CRM, SMS, and system data.
- In the Query method, choose a criteria type (Profile, Behavior, Score, System, SMS, CRM), then select the field, operator, and value.
- Combine multiple rules with AND, OR, or CUSTOM logic.
- Preview the results, adjust if needed, then save the segment for use in sends and automated programs.
Try it like this: Create a segment of new, engaged prospects by combining:
- Profile: Country equals “United States”
- System: Created in the last 30 days
- Behavior: Opened any email in the last 10 days
Use the Query method and join the rules with AND.
Open a List and Start a Segment
You can create segments from any list that supports segmentation, including:
- Marketing Lists
- Other Lists > Form Submissions
- Other Lists > Webinar Lists
- Go to Lists and choose the list you want to segment.
- Click the down arrow next to the list name and select Create a Segment.
- The Manage Segment page opens. Here you name the segment, choose the segmentation method, and define the criteria.
Choose a Segmentation Method
At the top of Manage Segment, enter a descriptive Name for your segment. Then choose one of these Methods:
- Search
- Direct Selection
- Query
Each method offers a different way to find and group contacts in your segment.
Search Method
The Search method finds contacts by matching text values across the list fields. Enter one or more text values and click View Sample to see who matches.
Typical searches include:
- First name (for example, “Mary”) to find everyone with that first name
- Last name (for example, “Marketer”) to find all contacts with that last name
- Company name (for example, “Act-On”) to find contacts from a specific company
- Email domain (for example, “@example.com”) to find contacts with a shared domain
Direct Selection Method
The Direct Selection method displays a table of every contact in the list, usually sorted alphabetically by last name. You select contacts by ticking the checkbox next to each contact you want in the segment. This is useful for small, handpicked segments, such as a test group.
Query Method
Query segments are the most flexible and powerful. The Query method lets you build rule-based segments using:
- Profile data (fields in the list)
- Behavior data (email, forms, pages, webinars, website, custom touchpoints)
- Score values (lead and predictive scores)
- System values (record creation and last update dates)
- SMS information (phone validity, opt-in/opt-out, locale)
- CRM data (fields from CRM objects)
The rest of this article focuses on the Query method, because it is the main way to build reusable, dynamic segments.
Query Criteria Types
When you select the Query method, you can add multiple rules. Each rule uses one of the criteria types described below. You can mix types in a single segment.
Profile Criteria
Profile criteria use contact fields from the list, such as name, email address, company, job title, city, or custom date fields. These rules identify contacts based on who they are.
Examples:
- Job Title contains “Marketing Coordinator”
- Industry equals “Education”
- Country equals “United States”
Behavior Criteria
Behavior criteria use tracked engagement. You can segment on message sends, opens, clicks, website visits, landing page views, form submissions, webinar attendance, and custom touchpoints. This helps you group contacts based on how they interact with your marketing.
Examples:
- Opened at least one email in the last 30 days
- Visited a specific landing page at least twice
- Submitted a particular form
- Clicked on one of several selected messages
For behaviors, you often select:
- The behavior type (for example, Opened message, Clicked message, Submitted form)
- Which items to include (specific messages, pages, or forms)
- A time frame (for example, in the last 10 days, in the last 2 months)
Avoid using behavior queries “for all time” where possible, because very large time windows can make segments slower to load. Use reasonable time frames instead, such as the last 30, 60, or 90 days.
Advanced Criteria Types
The following criteria give you additional control for more advanced segmentation. Expand each section for details and examples.
Advanced: Score Criteria
Score criteria filter contacts by their lead scores or predictive scores. This is useful when you want to group contacts by their position in the buying journey or by how likely they are to convert.
Typical uses:
- Identify contacts above a lead score threshold (for example, score at least 30).
- Create stages such as “warm leads” or “hot leads” based on score ranges.
- Combine score rules with behavior rules to refine who is ready for sales outreach.
Advanced: System Criteria
System criteria let you segment by when a contact record was created in a list or last updated. This is helpful for identifying new prospects or recently changed records.
Examples:
- Contacts created in the last 30 days (new signups).
- Contacts updated in the last 7 days (recent changes from imports or forms).
Advanced: SMS Criteria
SMS criteria let you segment contacts based on their SMS status and phone data. You can identify valid numbers, opt-in and opt-out status, and phone numbers from a specific locale.
Examples:
- Contacts who have a valid SMS phone number.
- Contacts who have opted in to SMS.
- Contacts with phone numbers from a specific country or region.
Advanced: CRM Criteria
CRM criteria segment contacts by related CRM data. This is available for accounts with Account-Based Marketing enabled. You can tap into CRM objects and fields such as opportunity stage, account type, owner, or custom attributes.
High-level steps:
- Choose CRM in the criteria type dropdown.
- Select the CRM object to query (for example, Account, Opportunity, Campaign).
- Pick a field, an operator (such as equals, contains, between), and a value.
Define Your Query Rules
For each rule in the Query method, you choose:
- The criteria type (Profile, Behavior, Score, System, SMS, or CRM).
- The field name to evaluate.
- The operator (for example, equals, contains, starts with, at least, at most, between).
- The value or range you want to match.
Click the plus icon to add additional rules. Each rule is numbered so you can refer to it when you build custom logic.
Combine Multiple Query Expressions
When you have more than one rule, you control how they work together using the Combine expressions with setting:
- AND requires contacts to match every rule in the list.
- OR requires contacts to match at least one rule.
- CUSTOM lets you write your own boolean expression using the numbered rules.
Advanced: Custom Combinations
Custom logic gives you fine-grained control. Each rule is assigned a number, which you can combine using AND, OR, and parentheses to describe more complex conditions.
Example patterns:
- 1 AND 2 – contacts must meet rule 1 and rule 2.
- 1 OR 2 – contacts may meet either rule 1 or rule 2.
- 1 AND (2 OR 3) – contacts must meet rule 1 and also meet either rule 2 or rule 3.
As you add more rules, keep an eye on complexity. It is easy to build very detailed expressions that become hard to maintain. Check your segment results to confirm they match your expectations.
Save Your Segment
When you are satisfied, click Save to create the segment.
The segment is now available for email sends, suppressions, and automated programs that target the same list.
Advanced: Reuse Queries with Templates
If you have built a query you want to reuse on other lists or campaigns, you can save it as a Query Template. Templates make it easier to apply consistent behavior or profile logic across multiple segments.
- After defining your query criteria, click Query Templates in the upper right.
- Enter a name and click Save.
When creating a new segment on another list, choose the Query method, click Query Templates, and apply the saved template. You can then tweak fields or time frames without rebuilding the logic from scratch.
Best Practices
- Use clear, descriptive segment names that indicate purpose and key criteria (for example, “US - New 30 Days - Clicked Last 14”).
- Start simple. Add one or two rules, check results, then layer in more conditions.
- Prefer time-bounded behavior queries (such as last 30 or 90 days) rather than “all time” to keep segments responsive.
- Use score and CRM criteria when you want to reflect qualification or pipeline stages, not just raw activity.
- Review important segments periodically to ensure they still match your current strategy.