Target group definition
When creating a new target group, the Target Group Definition area is empty, except for a plus icon +.
- Click Add + and, in the very left drop-down list, select whether you want to create a negative condition. Select Not if the criteria you define for it is false. To create a positive condition, leave this first drop-down field blank.
Note
Sometimes you want to formulate rules in a negative fashion. Select the not option from the first drop-down list while creating a rule. For example, to find recipients not from Berlin, the rule would be: not Recipient list field "Location" is equal to "Berlin".
- In the next drop-down list, select whether you want to create an action-based, campaign-based, recipient list-based, recipient data-based or target group-based condition.
As another option, you can use the parentheses to hierarchically handle more complex definitions. Rules within parentheses are applied first and then the rules in the second level and so on. Use AND or OR logic relations between two conditions. To change the type of relation, click it. Due to correctness and logical unambiguousness, target groups without parentheses can only contain one type of logic relation. Thus, if you click a relation, relations between the rules are changed. If you want to use different types of logic relations, use parentheses as in the following example.
Example
You are looking for recipients located in Berlin or Hamburg and with email accounts at example.com.
(Recipient location equals Berlin OR Recipient location equals Hamburg) AND email address contains @example.com
The parentheses makeOptimizely Campaign select recipients from Berlin or Hamburg first. Then out of this subset, recipients with an example.com email account are selected.
Tip
Use drag-and-drop to sort rules and conditions or put them into parentheses. If you hover over a rule, a context menu appears on the right side. Click Add + to add a new condition at a specific position; click Remove — to delete a condition. The Copy symbol creates a copy of a condition.
target-group-definition.mdxDefining target groups via recipient data conditions
If you selected Recipient list field in the second drop-down list, the following drop-down list shows fields from your recipient list. Select the field you want to query, such as ZIP code.
Depending on the type of field, in the next step you can select an operator. The operator compares the content of the selected recipient field with a targeted value. The following table shows all available operators. You complete other rules by entering a matching value in the last field.
Operator | Data field type |
|---|---|
is equals to | String, numeric field, date field, boolean |
is not equal to | String, numeric field, date field, boolean |
is greater than | Numeric field, date field |
is greater than or equal to | Numeric field, date field |
is less than | Numeric field, date field |
is less than or equal to | Numeric field, date field |
is one of the following values | String, numeric field See Multiple values. |
contains | String |
begins with | String |
ends with | String |
empty/unknown | String, numeric field, date field, boolean See Empty fields (NULL values). |
is not empty/unknown | String, numeric field, date field, boolean See Empty fields (NULL values). |
in exactly X hours | Date field |
in exactly X days | Date field |
is anniversary | Date field Compares the day and month of the date field entry with the current day and month so you can filter recurring events such as birthdays and anniversaries. |
is anniversary in exactly X days | Date field |
was exactly X days ago | Date field |
was less than X days ago | Date field |
is more than X days ago | Date field |
was lass than X months ago | Date field |
is more than X months ago | Date field |
Month is current month | Date field Compares only the month of the date field entry with the current month. |
Day is current day | Date field Compares only the day of the date field entry with the current day. However, this does not mean today because all dates that have the same day, will match. |
Note
Comparing date field entries
The following conditions let you compare date field entries to consider time periods prior to today:
- was exactly X days ago
- was less than X days ago
- is more than X days ago
- was lass than X months ago
- is more than X months ago
Example 1: 2021-01-01 was exactly 5 days ago. If today was 2021-01-06, the condition would apply.
Example 2: 2021-01-01 is more than 5 days ago. If today was 2021-01-07, the condition would apply.
Example 3: 2021-01-01 was less than 5 days ago. If today was 2021-01-05, the condition would apply.
target-group-definition.mdxDefining target groups via Action-based conditions
If you selected Action in the second drop-down list, you can define the rule through recipient-specific actions or events (such as opens, clicks).
The following actions are available:
Action | Description |
|---|---|
generated a hard bounce | Recipients who have generated a hard bounce. In the Mailing drop-down list, select either all mailings, mailings of a specific type or specific mailings. |
generated a soft bounce | Recipients who have generated a soft bounce. In the Mailing drop-down list, select either all mailings, mailings of a specific type or specific mailings. |
clicked a link | Recipients who have clicked one or more links. Select a time period, the desired mailings, and the corresponding links. In the drop-down list Count you can define the number of clicks on a link (exact value or minimum number, optionally with upper limit). |
clicked links of click profiles | Recipients who have made a certain number of clicks in a selected click profile. Select a time period and the desired mailings. You can select the number of clicks and the desired click profile in the drop-down list Clicks. |
received mailing | Recipients to whom a mailing was sent, which means that the subscriber is not unsubscribed, blocked, or outbounced. Note that a recipient matching this criterion can still create a hard or soft bounce. To exclude these recipients, create the target group as follows: has received mailing AND has NOT created soft/hard bounce.:::hint{style="info"} |
Note | |
If you use Mailings Classic, please see the note in the FAQs. ::: | | opened mailing | Recipients who have opened mailings one or more times. Select a time period and the desired mailings. In the Count drop-down list you can define the number of openings (exact value or minimum number, optionally with upper limit). | | responded | Recipients who have responded to mailings. Select a time period and the required mailings. | | created one or more post clicks | Recipients who have created one or more post clicks. | | automated open was detected | Recipients whose messages were opened by an automatic service (e.g. Apple Mail Privacy Protection). You can create a target group that includes such opens from all available services or select specific services from a list. |
Note
target-group-definition.mdxRelative time period filter
In most action-based filters, you can select the Period filter Within the last... n Hours/Days. The relative time period filter takes into account the time span from the time of the calculation to the last relevant time stamp and calculates n further days/hours back from there. Example: The period filter Within the last 1 hours takes into account the currently started hour plus the last full hour. The highest possible time value of this filter is 119 min 59 s.
Selecting a mailing
From the Mailing drop-down list, select one or multiple mailings for the target group definition.
Note
Select only sent mailings. If you select, for example, paused, canceled or incomplete mailings, you cannot use the target group definition.
- All mailings. All sent mailings.
- target-group-definition.mdxMailings of type. All sent mailings of a specific type:
- Regular. Optimized mailings of an A/B test (Smart Campaigns) and mailings from Mailings Classics (deprecated).
- Special. Transactional mails.
- Transactional message. Split mailing of a transactional mail. See A/B test for transactional mails.
- Confirmation email. Confirmations.
- Split. Split mailings from Mailings Classics (deprecated).
- Campaign. Mailings and split mailings of a Smart Campaign (without optimized mailings).
Tip
To select all mailings of an A/B test in a Smart Campaign, select both options Regular (to select the optimized mailing) and Campaign (to select the split mailings).
- The following mailings. Select one or multiple mailings from the list.
Post click conditions
If post-click tracking is configured for your client, actions that a recipient does on your website are tracked. You can create target groups using the post-click data, for example, from select recipients who have bought a certain item in your web shop.
You can track post-click data using the proprietary Optimizely Campaign post-click tracking or a full-featured web analytics software. Optimizely maintains partnerships with several vendors, for example, Adobe, Webtrekk, Econda, Google Analytics, and eTracker. If you are interested in this option, contact your Optimizely account manager.
To create a target group with post-click data, perform the following steps:
- In the second drop-down list, select Action and in the following drop-down list, select has created one or more post clicks. The input mask changes according to the post-click setup of your client.
- If you use more than one post-click or web analytics service, select the one you want to use from the Service drop-down list.
Tip
The internal Optimizely Campaign post-click tracking is called default. If you use only one service, this drop-down list will not appear when creating the target group. The service is displayed, though when you save the target group condition.
- In the Mailing list, you can select post clicks that are created through a designated mailing. If you leave this selection empty, any mailing, or no mailing at all, respectively, is taken into account.
Tip
Post-click data that were not created through a mailing can be processed only if they carry a user ID identical to the recipient ID within Optimizely Campaign. Therefore, the ID your customers use when logging in to your web shop should be the same as the recipient ID used in Optimizely Campaign. Usually, the email address is used as recipient ID. New customers and customers that do not want to receive promotional emails can also receive system emails (such as order confirmations) via Optimizely Campaign. If customers register for your newsletter, their post-click data is completely available.
- To delimit post clicks to a period or date, select a type in the Period field and enter a date or a number of days in the calendar interface. The following scenarios are available:
- No restrictions. Post-clicks are not delimited by time.
- From ... until .... Post-clicks must be created in the designated period.
- On .... Post-clicks must be created on a designated date.
- Not on .... This scenario excludes the selected date.
- After or on .... Post-clicks must be created on the selected date or later.
- Before or on .... Post-clicks must be created on the selected date or earlier.
- Older than ... days. Post-clicks must be created X days ago or earlier.
- In regular mailings, the time range is calculated from the sending date.
- In system mailings, the time range is actualized every day.
- Exactly ... days ago. Post-clicks must be created exactly X days ago.
- In regular mailings, the date is calculated from the sending date.
- In system mailings, the date is actualized every day.
- Within the last ... days. Post-clicks must be created within the last X days.
- Within the last ... months. Post-clicks must be created within the last X months.
- Today. Post-clicks must be created on the current day.
- In regular mailings, this day is the sending date.
- In system mailings, an actualization is made every day.
- Current month. Post-clicks must be created in the current month.
- In regular mailings, this is month in which the mailing is sent.
- In system mailings, an actualization is made every day.
- Select a category.
Tip
You can define categories individually and contain a string (such as product name) or a float value (such as revenue). You can combine several categories in one target group condition and therefore select recipients who have bought product A and B or have bought products from group X for more than 500 dollars. By combining several post-click categories you may create recipient segments for discounts, cross- and up-selling offers, and so on.
- If the selected category is a string, you can select one of the following operators from the list:
- equals
- does not equal
- contains
- is empty/unknown
- is not empty/unknown
- starts with
- ends with
- Enter the identifier in the field next to the operator.
Tip
The automatic completion function helps you to exactly match the name you are looking for. By default, the automatic completion shows the first ten or fewer matches.
- If the selected category is a float value (for example, a product price), you can select one of the following operators from the drop-down list:
- equals
- does not equal
- is greater than
- is less than
- is less than or equals
- is greater than or equals
Optional: To aggregate post-click values, select one of the following operators from the drop-down list that appears to the left:
- one occurence in
- sum of
- average of
- number of
- In the field next to the operator, enter a value.
Note
When the selected operator is equals, the entered value must match exactly the value given by the system, including decimal places. Follow the instructions for entering multiple values.
- Click Apply.
Automated opens
Some email providers automatically load data from messages, including tracking pixels which are used for detecting opens. A well-known example for this is Apple Mail if the option Privacy Protection is activated. Such automated opens falsify the analysis of recipient behavior. To prevent this, Optimizely Campaign provides the condition automated open was detected for defining target groups.
With this condition you can target or exclude recipients whose email provider creates automated opens. Thus, segmenting and reporting of your email campaigns retain the maximum possible precision.
Recipient list-based conditions
If you selected Recipient list in the second drop-down list, the system checks whether recipients are contained in a recipient list. Perform the following steps:
- In the Recipient list, click a recipient list.
- To add the condition to your target group, click Apply .
Note
Optimizely Campaign identifies recipients by recipient ID, usually the email address. If you are using custom recipient IDs (that is, no email addresses), you have to select recipient lists that use the same custom recipient IDs.
Campaign-based conditions
If you selected MA campaign in the second drop-down list, the system checks whether recipients are currently passing through or have already passed through a specific Marketing Automation campaign. You can select multiple campaigns for this condition also:
- In the drop-down list, select has passed through MA campaign X or is currently passing through MA campaign X.
- In the following drop-down list, select one or more campaigns.
- To add the condition to your target group, click Apply .
Target group-based conditions
If you selected Target group in the second drop-down list, the system checks whether recipients are contained in a target group. Perform the following steps:
- In the drop-down list, select Recipient matches target group X.
- In the following drop-down list, select the desired target group.
- To add the condition to your target group, click Apply .
Use this condition to add target groups that are used many times (such as Men, Women, ...) as a component to other, more complex target groups. Thus, you only have to define these component target groups once and can reuse them whenever they are needed.
Note
When defining target groups with a target group-condition, take care that they do not exclude each other reciprocally. For example, the target group you want to create matches recipients from the Greater London area. To do so, you define a condition that matches the respective postal codes. If you add a target group-based condition to this target group matching recipients from Northern England, these two conditions would exclude each other reciprocally and there would be no matching recipients in this target group.
target-group-definition.mdxSelecting multiple values
If you select is one of the following values, you can enter multiple values in one text box. For example, if you want to copy values from a CSV file:
- Select the operator is one of the following values.
- Enter the values, for example, comma-separated.
- Open the drop-down list, click the scissors symbol (Separate multiple values) and in the box, enter the used delimiter symbol.
- Click Apply. The entered values are now handled as single values.
target-group-definition.mdxManaging empty fields
There are generally three types of fields.
- Fields which contain a value (Place of residence = "Berlin")
- Fields which contain no value and are empty (Place of residence = "")
- Fields which are unknown (Place of residence = unknown)
For example, if you acquired additional newsletter subscribers through an external action (such as a sweepstakes) and imported these into your recipient list, some will not contain information for Place of residence. If you want to select recipients in your target group who do not live in Berlin, the condition would be as follows:
With this, recipients are selected who have entered a place of residence other than Berlin (such as Boston). However, the rule does not consider null values (unknown or no place of residence) because the Optimizely Campaign logic assumes that it cannot be determined whether the recipient resides in Berlin or not.
However, with another rule, you can modify the target group so that recipients whose places of residence are unknown are also selected. To do this, add the rule .Recipient list field "City" is empty/unknown and link both rules with or:
Thus, you include recipients without an explicit place of residence by using the query is empty/unknown.