In this post, we continue our deep dive into Salesforce Data Cloud, moving from data unification to the next step: **Segmentation and Activation**. We’ll walk through the key steps and best practices using practical examples.
What is Segmentation?
Segmentation is the process of dividing your data into meaningful groups based on shared criteria. By segmenting your data, you can effectively understand, target, and engage with your customers. This approach helps businesses tailor their marketing efforts to specific customer needs.
For example, imagine a company that sells sports equipment. They can segment their customer base by factors like age, gender, sport preference, and purchasing behavior. This allows the company to create personalized campaigns for different customer groups, resulting in more effective engagement.
Salesforce Data Cloud offers different types of segments, including:
- Standard Segment
- Water fall Segment
- Realtime Segment
Each segment type is useful in different scenarios. For instance, if you are working with real-time data that updates within milliseconds, you can use a Realtime Segment. Once a segment is published, the data is stored in the **Segment Membership Data Model Object (DMO) in Data Cloud.
Exploring the Segmentation Canvas
The Segmentation Canvas in Data Cloud is where you define your segmentation criteria. It displays both direct attributes (fields directly related to the data model object) and related attributes (fields related to objects associated with the main data model).
You can apply various operators to define your segmentation logic. Additionally, you can see the segment population count based on the criteria you’ve defined, even without publishing the segment.
Step-by-Step: Creating a Segment
Let’s walk through an example of creating a segment for customers who have placed orders on both your online and e-bike platforms and purchased a cycling-related product.
- Log into your Salesforce Org and navigate to the Segments section.
- Click on the New button and select Visual Builder.
- Choose the Standard Segment option and click Next.
- Select the Data Space and give your segment a name.
- Choose the Unified Individual object for segmentation, and optionally add a description.
- For the Publish Schedule, you can select options like Do Not Refresh, 12 Hours or 24 Hours depending on how often you want the segmentation to update. For now, leave it at the default setting.
- Click Save
You can continue refining your segmentation criteria by adding fields like Order Product and selecting specific product categories like bikes. Once you’ve defined your logic, click Save again. You should now have a segment population count of 28.
What is Activation?
Now that you’ve created a customer segment, such as a group of frequent buyers of specific sports equipment, what’s next? You want to use this data in platforms like Marketing Cloud to run targeted campaigns. This process of sending your segmented data to an external platform is known as Activation.
Activation utilizes Activation Targets to send data to platforms like Marketing Cloud. You can create segments on various Profile Data Model Objects, such as individuals or unified individuals.
Step-by-Step: Creating an Activation
Once your segment is created, it’s time to send that data to an external platform via activation.
- First, you need to create an Activation Target. Navigate to Activation Targets and click New.
- Select Data Cloud as the target, and click Next.
- Provide a name for your activation target and select the Data Space.
- Click Save.
Now, return to your segment and create an activation:
- Select the activation target you just created.
- The Segment Membership is selected by default.
- Click Continue and choose the attributes you want to include in the activation, such as Email and Customer Information.
- Define the sorting order by fields like Order Number and Product Type.
- Give your activation a name and leave the Refresh Type as Incremental.
- Click Save.
After the activation is successful, you’ll see the activation record in the Activation History.
Publishing and Reviewing Data
Before your data can be sent to your external platform, the segment must be published. Once the segment is published, you can check the data in Data Explorer. Select the Data Model Object and explore the Activation Audience for your segmented data.
Additionally, whenever a segment is published, related Data Model Objects like Individual History or Unified Individual History are updated, containing the latest changes for the segmented population.
Key Takeaways
- Before creating a segment, always define a clear goal and understand which data attributes you want to use. This allows you to create targeted segments that align with your business objectives.
- After creating a segment, always validate the results and optimize them by refining your criteria.
- Remember that Segmentation and Activation are distinct processes. Only after a segment is published can the data be sent to an activation platform.
- Finally, when preparing an activation, consider which data model attributes can be included, keeping in mind any limitations.
- Finally, when preparing an activation, consider which data model attributes can be included, keeping in mind any limitations.
