---
title: Segments
description: Create dynamic audience groups with filters
---

## What are segments

Segments are dynamic groups of contacts based on filter conditions. Unlike static lists, segments automatically update as contact data changes.

Use segments to:
- Target specific audiences in campaigns
- Trigger workflows when contacts enter/exit
- Analyze cohorts and user behavior
- Personalize communications

## Creating segments

### In the dashboard

1. Go to **Segments**
2. Click **Create Segment**
3. Name your segment
4. Add filter conditions
5. Enable membership tracking (optional)
6. Save

### Via API

```bash
curl -X POST {{API_URL}}/segments \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_your_secret_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Active Premium Users",
    "filters": {
      "operator": "AND",
      "conditions": [
        {
          "field": "data.plan",
          "operator": "equals",
          "value": "premium"
        },
        {
          "field": "subscribed",
          "operator": "equals",
          "value": true
        }
      ]
    }
  }'
```

## Filter conditions

Combine conditions with `AND` or `OR` operators to build precise segments.

### Available operators

**Equality**
- `equals` — Exact match
- `notEquals` — Does not match

**Text**
- `contains` — String includes value
- `notContains` — String excludes value

**Numeric/Date**
- `greaterThan` — Larger than value
- `lessThan` — Smaller than value
- `greaterThanOrEquals` — At least value
- `lessThanOrEquals` — At most value

**Arrays**
- `in` — Value in array
- `notIn` — Value not in array

**Existence**
- `exists` — Field has a value
- `notExists` — Field is missing or null

### Field paths

Access contact fields with dot notation:

- `email` — Contact email address
- `subscribed` — Subscription status
- `createdAt` — When contact was created
- `data.firstName` — Custom field
- `data.preferences.newsletter` — Nested field
- `data.lastPurchaseDate` — Custom date field

## Example segments

### Premium subscribers

All contacts on premium plan who are subscribed:

```json
{
  "operator": "AND",
  "conditions": [
    { "field": "data.plan", "operator": "equals", "value": "premium" },
    { "field": "subscribed", "operator": "equals", "value": true }
  ]
}
```

### Recent signups

Contacts who joined in the last 7 days:

```json
{
  "operator": "AND",
  "conditions": [
    {
      "field": "createdAt",
      "operator": "greaterThan",
      "value": "{{now - 7 days}}"
    }
  ]
}
```

### Inactive users

Users who haven't logged in for 30+ days:

```json
{
  "operator": "AND",
  "conditions": [
    {
      "field": "data.lastLoginAt",
      "operator": "lessThan",
      "value": "{{now - 30 days}}"
    },
    {
      "field": "data.lastLoginAt",
      "operator": "exists",
      "value": true
    }
  ]
}
```

### High-value customers

Total spending over $1000:

```json
{
  "operator": "AND",
  "conditions": [
    {
      "field": "data.totalSpent",
      "operator": "greaterThanOrEquals",
      "value": 1000
    },
    {
      "field": "subscribed",
      "operator": "equals",
      "value": true
    }
  ]
}
```

### Free tier churned users

Users who downgraded from paid to free:

```json
{
  "operator": "AND",
  "conditions": [
    { "field": "data.plan", "operator": "equals", "value": "free" },
    { "field": "data.previousPlan", "operator": "in", "value": ["pro", "premium"] },
    { "field": "data.downgradedAt", "operator": "exists", "value": true }
  ]
}
```

## Membership tracking

When you enable `trackMembership`:

**What happens:**
- Plunk computes and stores segment membership
- When contacts enter, sends `segment.entered` event
- When contacts exit, sends `segment.exited` event
- Provides historical membership data

**Use when:**
- You want to trigger workflows on entry/exit
- You need to track cohort changes over time
- Segment is relatively stable (not millions of changes per day)

**Disable when:**
- Segment changes very frequently
- You only need current membership (not history)
- You have millions of contacts and want to save storage

### Using entry/exit events

With membership tracking enabled, use segment events to trigger workflows:

```json
{
  "triggerType": "SEGMENT_ENTRY",
  "triggerConfig": {
    "segmentId": "high-value-customers"
  }
}
```

Or use the generic event trigger:

```json
{
  "triggerType": "EVENT",
  "triggerConfig": {
    "eventName": "segment.entered"
  }
}
```

Event data includes:
```json
{
  "segmentId": "seg_abc123",
  "segmentName": "High Value Customers"
}
```

## Using segments

### In campaigns

Send a campaign to a segment:

```bash
curl -X POST {{API_URL}}/campaigns \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_your_secret_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Premium Feature Announcement",
    "audienceType": "SEGMENT",
    "segmentId": "premium-users",
    "templateId": "feature-announcement"
  }'
```

### In workflows

Trigger workflows when contacts enter a segment:

```bash
curl -X POST {{API_URL}}/workflows \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_your_secret_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "VIP Welcome",
    "triggerType": "SEGMENT_ENTRY",
    "triggerConfig": {
      "segmentId": "high-value-customers"
    }
  }'
```

## Managing segments

### Get segment with count

```bash
curl -X GET {{API_URL}}/segments/segment_id \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_your_secret_key"
```

Returns member count:

```json
{
  "id": "segment_id",
  "name": "Premium Users",
  "memberCount": 1542,
  "filters": {...}
}
```

### List segment members

```bash
curl -X GET "{{API_URL}}/segments/segment_id/contacts?limit=50" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_your_secret_key"
```

### Update segment

```bash
curl -X PATCH {{API_URL}}/segments/segment_id \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_your_secret_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Updated name",
    "filters": {
      "operator": "AND",
      "conditions": [...]
    }
  }'
```

When you update filters, membership is recomputed automatically.

### Delete segment

```bash
curl -X DELETE {{API_URL}}/segments/segment_id \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_your_secret_key"
```

Active campaigns and workflows using this segment will stop working.

## Best practices

**Start broad, then narrow** — Create general segments first, then add specific conditions.

**Test your filters** — Preview segment size before using in campaigns to avoid sending to wrong audience.

**Name clearly** — Use descriptive names: "Q4 2024 Premium Signups" not "Segment 3".

**Avoid overlapping segments** — If using in workflows, ensure segments don't overlap to prevent duplicate emails.

**Use for analysis** — Create segments to understand user cohorts, even if not used in campaigns.

**Combine with events** — Track events and use them in segment conditions for behavior-based targeting.

## What's next

- [Build campaigns](/guides/campaigns) to send to segments
- [Create workflows](/guides/workflows) triggered by segment entry
- [Track events](/guides/events) to use in segment filters