---
title: Understand audiences
slug: data-platform/docs/understand-audiences
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-08-10T12:05:16.000Z
---

In Optimizely Data Platform (ODP), audiences let you create customer subsets based on their attributes or activities. Previously, you segmented customers using two types of segment builders: standard and real-time. With audiences, you can centralize segmentation across various Optimizely products, enabling seamless creation and activation without needing to switch between different interfaces. This improvement enhances usability, ensures seamless data integration, and delivers a cohesive customer experience.

With the audience builder, you can create two types of audiences:

- **Real-Time audiences** – The real-time audience builder uses the ODP GraphQL API, letting you segment customers in real time and further personalize your customers' web-based experience. See [Build real-time audiences in ODP](docId\:chCPcgJQ5k5t6nUgnnd43)[ ](https://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/articles/37582243690765/live_preview/01K0BVM7P1M2ZAVWKP0AR037DC#01H8PDX13WYJTA5JFWBRZNPFPC)for information.
- **Standard audiences** – The standard audience builder uses historical customer data by using customer attributes, insights, and behaviors. See [Create standard audiences](docId\:NANHdxpeOJqww6o4qGffi)[ ](https://support.optimizely.com/hc/en-us/articles/37457190898957/live_preview/01K0C30RS1ABKKJ9AVJ34R35HZ)for information. 

## Audiences page

To access your audiences, go to **Customers > Audiences**. A table displays with the following columns. Click any column header to sort the audiences by that column (ascending or descending order).

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/Ra8PsfNS7sku04EfB1LoI_audiences-page.png)

- **Name** – Displays the name of your real-time and standard audiences as a link you can click to view the details of that audience.
- **Type** – Displays the type of audience (**Standard** or **Real-Time**).
- **Size Estimate** – Displays the size of the audience. Standard audiences displays an exact number as it uses historical data, while real-time audiences update continually, and estimates may take up to 20 minutes to calculate.
- **Created By** – Displays the name of the creator.
- **Created** **At** – Displays the date the audience was created.
- **Last Updated** – Displays the date of the most recent update to the audience.
- **Ask Mark** – Click to work on that specific audience with Mark. Available for both standard and real-time audiences. You can choose from the following actions:

  - **Suggest variants** – Mark proposes alternative versions of the audience so you can test different targeting.
  - **Troubleshoot this audience** – Mark checks the audience for issues, such as conditions that return no members.
  - **Explain audience's purpose** – Mark summarizes who the audience targets and why.
  - **Optimize this configuration** – Mark recommends changes to improve the audience definition.

  ::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/BAl1lshGnGQR6Gfu2oGL7_ask-opal-button.png" size="30" isUploading="false" width="274" height="285" darkWidth="274" darkHeight="285" showCaption="false"}
- **(...) > Edit** – Click to edit the audience. Available for both real-time and standard audiences.
- **(...) > Duplicate** – Click to create a copy of the audience. Available for both real-time and standard audiences. 
- **(...) > Delete** – Click to delete the audience. Only available for real-time audiences.
- **Search bar** – Enter the name of your audience to search for it in the list of audiences.
- **Suggest Audiences** – Click to open a list of Mark-suggested audiences. See [Create Mark-suggested real-time audiences ](docId\:G6lHZaZarH1z1ibY8o92O)for more information. 
- **New Audience** – Click to select the type of audience you want to create. You can choose between standard, real-time, and [real-time audience suggested by Mark](docId\:G6lHZaZarH1z1ibY8o92O). Click **Learn more** to learn more about audiences.

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/TdTd7i4_Ih2ATl1_U-YAn_new-audience.png" size="50" isUploading="false" width="353" height="415" darkWidth="353" darkHeight="415" showCaption="false" indent="1"}

## Use ODP audiences in other Optimizely products

You can use ODP audiences in other Optimizely products. You can get information on the usage of ODP audiences across other products and the differences between real-time and standard audiences by clicking on **Learn more** in the message above the Audiences list.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/cPnDeGkjii38Jjx58Z760_use-odp-in-other-products.png)