While lists and segments are both used to manage your contacts and send them messages, they work in very different ways. If you’ve never used a segmentation tool before, it can be difficult to understand how these two features complement each other.
Each tool serves a distinct purpose, so it's important to understand the key differences between lists and segments and to know when it's best to use one or the other.
📹 Watch the video below to understand the differences between lists and segments:
Good to know
To learn more about segments and what different conditions are available, check our dedicated articles:
🔎 What are the differences between a list and a segment?
What is a list?
A list is a static collection of contacts.
Contacts are added to or removed from a list manually, through import, forms, API, or via automation. Once added, a contact remains on that list until you remove them manually or through automation.
Lists are best used for long-term organization or grouping contacts based on where they came from or how they signed up.
Here are the key characteristics of lists:
- Static: Contacts stay until you remove them manually or via automation.
- Long-term organizational tool: Useful for maintaining your database structure.
- Subscription-based: Contacts can subscribe to or unsubscribe from specific lists.
What is a segment?
A segment is a dynamic group of contacts that meet one or more conditions.
Unlike lists, segments update automatically. When a contact meets the conditions, they enter the segment. When they no longer meet the conditions, they are removed.
Segments are ideal for targeting specific audiences based on behavior, attributes, or real-time activity.
Here are the key characteristics of segments:
- Dynamic: Contacts are added and removed automatically.
- Rule-based: Built using conditions (e.g., “opened a campaign”, “purchased within 30 days”).
- Always up-to-date: Reflect the most current attributes and behaviors of your contacts.
What are the main differences between lists and segments?
The following table summarizes the main differences between lists and segments to help you differentiate them:
Feature |
Lists |
Segments |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior | Static | Dynamic |
| How contacts are added | Import, forms, API, automation | Automatically based on conditions you define |
| What it's best for | Database organization | Targeted marketing, personalization |
🎯 When to use a list or a segment?
Now that you understand how lists and segments differ, click the following tabs to discover practical examples that will help you choose the right option for each situation.
Lists are best used for sending out messages to a mass audience and organizing your database. Here are a few situations where you might want to use a list instead of a segment:
To organize your contacts by subscription category
You can create lists that represent your contacts subscription categories. This is especially useful in forms when you use a multi-list subscriptions block, where your contacts can select what they want to receive. For example:
- Newsletter subscribers
- Blog update subscribers
-
Product announcement subscribers
To group contacts by origin or acquisition channel
List help you keep your database clean and organized based on where contacts came from. For example:
- Contacts from a trade show
- Contacts imported from another CRM
-
Contacts who filled out a specific form
To send general updates to your entire database
When you are trying to reach as many people as possible with a specific message, sending to the full list may be the best way to maximize your reach. For example:
- Announcing a new product
- Sharing a major company update
- Promoting an upcoming event
To reach your audience when you lack segmentation data
If you’re just starting to grow your contact base and don’t yet have behavioral data, you can begin by sending a general email to the relevant, consented list. This allows you to establish a connection and start gathering insights, which you can later use to create more targeted segments.
Segments are best used for sending targeted messages to specific groups of contacts. Here are a few situations where you might want to send a message to a segment instead of a whole list:
To send targeted offers to a specific subgroup
Using specific conditions can help ensure your offer reaches contacts more likely to convert. For example:
- Customers who made a purchase in the last 30 days
- Contacts who clicked a specific link in your last campaign
To personalize communication based on engagement
Targeting engaged contacts improves results and protects deliverability. For example:
- Contacts who opened at least one email in the last 3 months
- Highly engaged contacts with a high purchase frequency
To cross-sell or recommend related products
Segmentation lets your tailor messages to buying behavior to send specific product recommendations. For example:
- Contacts who bought Product A but not Product B.
To clean your database
You can use segment contacts who are inactive to clean your database. For example:
- Contacts who have not opened or clicked any campaigns in 6 months.
You can re-engage or blocklist these contacts, improving list health and deliverability. To learn more about how to effectively clean your lists, check our dedicated article Optimize and clean your contact list to improve email deliverability.
To monitor real-time trends:
Segments update automatically, giving you ongoing insight into contact behavior and allowing targeted automation. For example:
- Contact who recently visited key pages
- Contacts who abandoned a cart
⏭️ What's next?
- Create folders and lists to organize your contacts
- Create a segment to filter your contacts
- Create a new list from a segment of contacts
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