Apply Segments in Campaigns to Build Audiences Efficiently
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Use a segment as the entry point for a campaign flow.
- Review, edit, or replace segments used in active campaigns.
- Create segments using alternative methods.
- Choose the right audience creation approach based on your goal and timeline.
Use Segments in Campaign Flows
Segments are most valuable when they are used to drive automated campaigns. In Marketing Cloud Next, each campaign is equipped with a flow, and each flow begins with a target audience that is defined by a segment. At Northern Trail Outfitters (NTO), Paulo uses segments to start campaigns for new product launches, loyalty updates, and reengagement efforts. Understanding how segments connect to campaigns helps you control which audiences are evaluated when those campaigns run.
When you create a new campaign flow, the Start trigger prompts you to choose the segment that will enter the journey. Because segments are built on the Unified Individual object, the flow evaluates audiences against the same underlying customer profiles defined in segmentation.
Once connected, the segment determines who can enter the campaign flow. Everyone who enters then moves through the same automation, including email sends, decision splits, and follow-up actions. Using segments helps campaigns stay aligned with your targeting strategy as it evolves.
Review or Edit Segment Rules
You can open a connected segment at any time to review or adjust its criteria. This is especially important when Paulo is managing seasonal or fast-moving promotions and needs to confirm that audiences still match campaign goals.
However, you must republish the segment before any edits affect the flow. Republishing reapplies the segment rules and updates the audience based on the new definition. This ensures campaigns always use the most current version of the segment and that changes are applied consistently wherever the segment is used.
Replace Segments in a Campaign Flow
As campaigns evolve, the audience you originally selected may no longer be the best fit. In these cases, you can replace the existing segment in the Start element with a new one without rebuilding the rest of the automation. This allows you to adjust targeting while keeping the overall flow structure intact.
If the flow is already active, you must deactivate it, replace the segment, then republish and reactivate the flow for the replacement to take effect.
At NTO, this flexibility matters most when campaign goals shift. A segment built for early interest in a product launch might later be replaced with one focused on recent purchasers or loyalty members. Updating the segment lets Paulo keep the same campaign structure while refining who enters the journey.
When updating a live flow, review the new segment’s filters and preview results before activating it. After replacement, monitor the flow to confirm the audience behaves as expected.
Create Audiences Using Alternative Methods
In addition to building segments manually, Marketing Cloud Next offers faster and more guided ways to create audiences. These options are especially helpful when time is limited or when the audience is already defined by recent activity or campaign participation.
Use Quick Filters
Quick Filters provide a fast way to create an audience without manually defining segment rules. Instead of starting from scratch, you select from prebuilt conditions such as recent engagement, new records, or activity within a specific time frame. These filters are useful for common scenarios like finding people who clicked a link in a recent email or customers added today.
At NTO, Paulo uses Quick Filters when he needs an audience immediately, such as identifying customers who browsed new gear in the last few days or people who opened a promotional message during a weekend sale.
When you apply a Quick Filter, Marketing Cloud Next creates a full segment based on the selected condition. You can review and publish the segment before using it in a flow or message send. Quick Filters work best when you need to quickly build a simple audience and do not require complex logic or multiple attributes.
Use AI-Assisted Segment Creation
AI tools in Marketing Cloud Next provide a guided way to define or refine an audience using plain language. Instead of starting with fields and filters, you describe the type of audience you want to reach. The system interprets your prompt and suggests criteria that match your intent.
For example, Paulo might enter “Customers who browsed winter gear in the last few days,” and the system proposes relevant filters. AI can also suggest additional rules to refine an existing segment, such as narrowing the audience to loyalty members, or customers near a specific location.
You can review and adjust the suggested rules before publishing the segment. AI-assisted creation is especially helpful when you want inspiration, need to move quickly, or want help translating a marketing idea into data-driven criteria.
You’ve discovered how segments connect to campaign flows and how to build or update audiences using Quick Filters, or AI based on your goals and data needs. In the next unit, you activate a segment and validate that it’s working as expected in a live campaign.