Segmentation can increase your email revenue by more than 50%, your open rates by more than 20%, and your click rates by more than 60%. Those numbers are worth paying attention to.
At TouchBasePro we have written before about why segmentation matters, but a common problem our clients raise is that they either don't know how to pull more information from their database, or they're worried about putting off new subscribers with a long signup form. Both are fair concerns.
Below are three practical steps to collect better data and build more focused campaigns, without asking your subscribers to fill in a novel.
1. Signup forms
Growing your database is one of the most important parts of email marketing, and signup forms are your first chance to collect useful data. You have more placement options than most marketers use:
- Homepage or website signup
- Blog signup
- E-commerce signup
- Event registration signup
- In-person signup at an event
- Social media signup
- In-store signup
Each placement is an opportunity to capture a different kind of subscriber, which matters when you get to step two.
A note from our compliance team: All email signups must be POPIA compliant. Your subscriber needs to give explicit permission for you to send them marketing emails. If they haven't, don't send.
2. Tag your subscribers with custom fields
Custom fields can hold almost any type of information, including where a subscriber came from. Once your signup form is live, make sure it captures that source data.
Most form builders support a "hidden field" for exactly this purpose. It passes the signup source automatically in the background when someone completes the form, so the subscriber sees nothing extra, but you get the data you need.
That behind-the-scenes tagging is what makes proper segmentation possible. The more you know about how someone joined your list, the more relevant you can make every message you send them.
3. Your welcome emails
Once you know where each subscriber came from, you can build automated welcome journeys tailored to that source. An event registrant should get a different opening message to someone who signed up after a purchase. Be specific. Reference how they found you.
One of the most useful things a welcome series can do is invite subscribers to update their details in a preference centre. It's a low-friction way to gather more information and gives you the building blocks for additional segments over time.
Get in touch with our team if you need help setting up segmentation or building out your preference centre.
Frequently asked questions
- How much can segmentation improve my email marketing results?
- Used consistently, segmentation can increase email revenue by more than 50%, open rates by more than 20%, and click rates by more than 60%.
- What is a hidden field and why does it matter for segmentation?
- A hidden field is a form element that passes data, such as signup source, to your email platform automatically when someone completes a form. The subscriber never sees it, but it tags each contact so you can segment by where they joined your list.
- Do I need POPIA consent for every email signup?
- Yes. Every subscriber must explicitly give permission for you to send them marketing emails. If that consent isn't in place, you shouldn't be sending to that person.
- What should I include in an automated welcome email series?
- Reference how the subscriber found you, tailor the message to their signup source, and include a link to your preference centre so they can share more about their interests. That additional data feeds directly into better segmentation.