How to Create User Segments for In-App Targeting
User segments are groups of users who share common characteristics or behaviors. Effective segmentation is the foundation of personalized in-app experiences that drive engagement and conversion.
Define your segmentation goals
Determine what you are trying to achieve with segmentation: better onboarding, targeted feature announcements, or churn prevention. The goal determines the segmentation criteria.
Collect segmentation data
Gather user attributes (role, company size, plan) during signup and track behavioral data (feature usage, login frequency, actions completed) from product analytics.
Build attribute-based segments
Group users by static attributes like plan tier, company size, or job role. These segments are simple to create and maintain.
Build behavior-based segments
Group users by actions: power users, dormant users, feature adopters, or trial users approaching expiry. Behavioral segments are more predictive than attribute segments.
Create lifecycle segments
Separate users into lifecycle stages: new, activated, engaged, at-risk, and churned. Each stage needs fundamentally different messaging.
Validate and refine
Test whether segment-specific experiences outperform generic ones. If a segment does not show different behavior from others, it is not useful.
Pro Tips
- Start with 4-6 segments maximum. More segments mean more content to maintain.
- Combine attribute and behavioral criteria for the most powerful segments.
- Re-evaluate segments quarterly as your product and user base evolve.
- Name segments clearly so everyone on the team understands who is in each segment.
Conclusion
User segments transform your product communication from broadcast to targeted. The effort of building and maintaining segments pays off in higher engagement, better conversion, and more efficient use of your in-app messaging budget.
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