How to Segment Your Email List for Better Results

Short answer

Segmentation means dividing your email list into smaller groups so you can send more relevant content. In Mailchimp's analysis of its users' campaigns, segmented campaigns had about 14% higher open rates and about 100% more clicks than non-segmented ones.

Why segmentation matters

If you sell dog products, sending a "Best cat toys" email to dog owners annoys them and hurts your open rates. Segmentation ensures people only get emails relevant to them — so they actually open, read, and buy.

Common ways to segment

By signup source

Signed up from your blog → send content-heavy emails
Signed up from a sale page → send promotions and product updates

By purchase behavior

First-time buyers → onboarding sequence
Repeat buyers → loyalty rewards, upsells
Lapsed customers (no purchase in 90+ days) → win-back campaign

By interest or topic

Ask in the welcome email: "What are you most interested in?" Use tags based on the answer.

By engagement level

High openers (opened last 5 emails) → promote your best offer
Low openers (haven't opened in 60 days) → re-engagement campaign, then unsubscribe if no response

By location

Useful for local businesses running events or region-specific promotions.

How to set it up

Mailchimp: Use Tags and Groups. Apply tags based on signup forms, purchase actions, or manual assignment.

MailerLite: Use Segments (automatic, rule-based) and Groups (manual). Segments auto-update — e.g., "anyone who opened last 3 campaigns."

Klaviyo: Best for eCommerce segmentation. Automatically segments based on Shopify/WooCommerce purchase data.

Start simple

You don't need 20 segments on day one. Start with two:

Buyers vs non-buyers
Engaged (opened in last 30 days) vs unengaged

These two segments alone will dramatically improve your results.