What Is Engagement-Based Segmentation?

Understanding “Engagement”: What Actions Count?

Before we segment by engagement, we need to define what “engagement” actually means in a digital context. It’s more than just a buzzword.

Defining Engagement in a Digital Context

In simple terms, engagement refers to any interaction a user has with your brand’s online presence or communications. It’s a measure of their interest, activity level, and responsiveness. High engagement signals a strong connection, while low engagement might indicate disinterest or a need for a different approach.

Common Engagement Metrics to Track

Businesses can track a variety of actions to gauge engagement levels:

Email Engagement: This is a big one for many marketers.
- Open Rates: The percentage of recipients who open your emails.
- Click-Through Rates (CTR): The percentage who click on links within your emails.
- Conversion Rates (from email): The percentage who complete a desired action (like a purchase) after clicking through.
- Reply Rates: For emails that invite a response.
Website Engagement: How users interact with your site.
- Pages visited per session.
- Time spent on site or on specific pages.
- Bounce rate (percentage of single-page visits).
- Form submissions (e.g., contact forms, lead gen forms).
- Video views or content downloads.
SMS Engagement: For text message campaigns.
- Click-through rates on links included in SMS messages.
- Reply rates (if you’re using two-way SMS).
- Conversion rates from SMS promotions.
Social Media Engagement: Interactions on your social profiles.
- Likes, shares, comments, saves.
- Click-throughs from social posts to your website.
App Engagement (if applicable): For businesses with mobile apps.
- Frequency of logins.
- Specific feature usage.
- Time spent in the app.
Purchase Activity: This is a strong form of engagement.
- Recency: How recently a customer made a purchase.
- Frequency: How often they make purchases.
- Monetary Value: How much they spend. (These three are often combined in RFM analysis).

Active vs. Passive Engagement

It’s also useful to distinguish between types of engagement:

Active Engagement: Involves a direct action from the user, such as clicking a link, making a purchase, filling out a form, replying to a message, or sharing content.
Passive Engagement: Indicates interest but involves less direct action. Examples include opening an email (without clicking), viewing a page (without interacting further), or spending time watching a video. While less direct, passive engagement still provides valuable signals.

Why is Engagement-Based Segmentation a Game-Changer for Marketers?

Grouping your audience by their engagement level isn’t just a neat organizational trick; it fundamentally changes how you can communicate and market to them, leading to significant benefits.

Skyrocketing Relevance and Personalization

This is the core advantage. By understanding how engaged someone is, you can tailor your messages to match their current level of interest and activity.

A highly engaged subscriber might receive different content than someone who hasn’t opened an email in months.
This ensures your communications are far more relevant, making recipients feel understood rather than spammed.

Boosting Open and Click-Through Rates

When messages are relevant and targeted to users based on their known engagement patterns, they are naturally more likely to open them and click on the content.

Sending a special offer to your most active email clickers, for example, will likely yield a much higher CTR than sending that same offer to your entire list, including those who rarely engage.

Improving Email Deliverability and Sender Reputation

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and email clients (like Gmail, Outlook) pay attention to how recipients interact with your emails.

If you consistently send emails to a large number of unengaged contacts who don’t open them (or worse, mark them as spam), your sender reputation can suffer. This can lead to more of your emails landing in the spam folder for everyone, even your engaged subscribers.
Focusing your primary efforts on engaged segments helps maintain a healthy sender score and improves overall deliverability.

Reducing Churn and Unsubscribes

One of the main reasons people unsubscribe from email lists or opt out of SMS is receiving too many irrelevant messages.

Engagement-based segmentation allows you to adjust your communication frequency and content for less active users, perhaps sending them fewer messages or specialized re-engagement campaigns.
This reduces annoyance and can prevent them from unsubscribing altogether.

Optimizing Marketing Spend and Resources

Why waste your marketing budget and creative efforts on people who consistently ignore you?

Engagement segmentation allows you to concentrate your resources on segments most likely to convert, purchase again, or re-engage. This leads to a more efficient use of time and money.

Enhancing Customer Lifecycle Management

You can use engagement levels to guide customers through different stages of their journey:

Nurture new leads who are showing initial engagement.
Keep active customers engaged with relevant updates and offers.
Win back lapsed or at-risk customers with targeted re-engagement efforts.

Gaining Deeper Customer Insights

Analyzing which content, offers, or message types drive engagement for different segments provides valuable feedback.

You learn what resonates most with your audience, helping you refine your overall marketing strategy and content creation.

Key Types of Engagement-Based Segments (Examples)

Once you start tracking engagement, you can create various segments. Here are some common and highly effective examples:

Highly Engaged / VIPs / Brand Advocates

Characteristics: These are your star customers and subscribers. They frequently open your emails, click on links, make regular purchases, might share your content on social media, or leave positive reviews.
Marketing Actions: Treat them like gold! Offer exclusive early access to new products, VIP discounts, loyalty rewards, personalized thank-you messages, or invitations to special events. You might also ask them for testimonials or referrals.

Moderately Engaged / Active Subscribers

Characteristics: This group is consistently interested. They regularly open or click on your communications but might not be your most frequent purchasers yet. They are paying attention.
Marketing Actions: Keep them engaged with valuable content. Send targeted product recommendations based on their click behavior, share educational articles or tips related to your products/services, and ensure they receive relevant new product announcements.

Less Engaged / Slipping Away / At-Risk

Characteristics: Their engagement has noticeably declined. Perhaps their email open or click rates have dropped, or they haven’t made a purchase in a while after being previously active.
Marketing Actions: This segment needs a re-engagement strategy. Send targeted campaigns designed to win them back, such as a special “We Miss You” discount, a survey asking for feedback on why their engagement has dropped, or content highlighting what new and exciting things they’ve missed.

Inactive / Dormant Subscribers

Characteristics: This group shows no signs of life. They haven’t opened emails, clicked links, or made purchases for an extended period (e.g., 6 months, a year – depends on your business cycle).
Marketing Actions: Attempt a final re-engagement campaign (a very compelling offer or a “last chance to stay subscribed” message). If there’s still no response, it’s often best practice to move these contacts to a suppression list or “sunset” them (stop mailing them regularly) to protect your sender reputation and focus resources. This is key for list hygiene.

New Subscribers / Recently Engaged

Characteristics: These individuals have just signed up for your list or have recently shown their first signs of engagement (e.g., opened their first welcome email, made their first purchase).
Marketing Actions: This is a critical time to make a good impression. Send a well-crafted welcome email series, provide clear onboarding information, and perhaps offer an introductory discount or special content to encourage further interaction.

Click-Specific Segments

Characteristics: Users who have clicked on links related to a specific product category, service, or topic within your emails or SMS messages.
Marketing Actions: Follow up with more detailed information, related products, or special offers specifically about that area of interest. This shows you’re paying attention to their specific cues.

Table: Engagement Segments & Strategies

Segment Level	Typical Behavior	Suggested Marketing Strategy
Hyper-Engaged (VIPs)	Frequent opens, clicks, purchases, positive social interaction	Exclusive perks, early access, loyalty rewards, referral programs, review requests
Actively Engaged	Regular opens/clicks, occasional purchases, website visits	Nurturing content, targeted offers, new product information, educational tips
Cooling Off (At-Risk)	Decreasing engagement, fewer recent opens/clicks/purchases	Re-engagement campaigns (“We miss you”), special incentives, feedback surveys
Dormant/Inactive	No significant engagement for an extended period (e.g., 6+ months)	Last-ditch re-engagement offer, then list hygiene (suppress or sunset)
New & Engaged	Recently subscribed, first opens/clicks, initial interactions	Comprehensive welcome series, onboarding information, introductory offers
Click-Segmented	Clicked links related to specific topics/products	Targeted follow-up emails/SMS with more info or offers on that specific interest

How to Implement Engagement-Based Segmentation

Ready to put this into practice? Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Define Your Engagement Metrics and Thresholds

First, decide exactly what “engagement” means for your business and set clear, measurable criteria.

What specific actions will you track? (e.g., email opens, email clicks, website visits, purchases).
What are the timeframes for these actions? (e.g., “opened an email in the last 30 days,” “clicked a link in the last 90 days,” “made a purchase in the last 6 months”).
Set specific thresholds for each engagement level (Highly Engaged, Active, Less Engaged, Inactive). For example, “Inactive = no email opens in 180 days.”

Step 2: Choose Your Segmentation Tools

You’ll need tools that can track engagement and allow you to create segments based on that data.

Your Email Service Provider (ESP), SMS platform, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, or a dedicated marketing automation platform should offer these capabilities.
For businesses operating within the WordPress ecosystem, a platform like Send by Elementor is designed with audience segmentation in mind. The goal of such a tool is to allow users to group their contacts based on various criteria, including behavior like how they interact with emails or SMS messages sent through its system. If you’re tracking email opens or clicks using Send by Elementor, you could then build segments like “Opened last campaign” or “Clicked link X in welcome series.” Its integration with WordPress means it’s positioned to potentially leverage user data or WooCommerce data (if designed with these specific integrations) for even richer segmentation.

Step 3: Collect and Track Engagement Data

Ensure your chosen tools are correctly set up to track the engagement metrics you defined.

For emails, this means tracking opens (keeping in mind limitations like Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection) and, more importantly, clicks.
For websites, use analytics tools with event tracking or pixels.
For SMS, track link clicks and, if applicable, reply rates.
E-commerce platforms track purchase data.
Email and SMS campaigns sent via a solution like Send by Elementor would inherently generate engagement data (such as opens, clicks, and send/delivery statuses) that can then be used as criteria for building your segments within that platform.

Step 4: Create Your Engagement Segments in Your Platform

Using your defined metrics and thresholds, build your segments within your chosen marketing tool.

Most platforms allow you to create dynamic segments, meaning they update automatically as user engagement changes. For example, if a user in the “Inactive” segment opens an email, they should automatically move to a more engaged segment.

Step 5: Develop Tailored Content and Campaigns for Each Segment

This is where the strategy comes alive. For each engagement segment, design:

Specific messages (email copy, SMS text).
Relevant offers or calls to action.
Appropriate content formats.
Optimal sending frequency.

Step 6: Automate Where Possible

Marketing automation is your best friend for engagement-based segmentation.

Set up automated workflows or “flows” that are triggered by changes in a user’s engagement status or specific engagement actions.
For instance, using the automation capabilities within a platform like Send by Elementor, you could design a workflow:
- Trigger: A subscriber hasn’t opened any of your last 5 emails.
- Action: Automatically enroll them in a 3-email re-engagement series with a special offer.
- Condition: If they click a link in the re-engagement series, move them back to the “Active Subscribers” segment and end the re-engagement flow. If not, tag them as “Dormant” after the series completes.
Conversely, if a user consistently clicks on links related to “gardening tips” in emails you send, an automation could add them to a “Gardening Enthusiasts” segment for future, more specialized content.

Step 7: Monitor, Analyze, and Refine Continuously

Engagement-based segmentation is not a “set it and forget it” tactic.

Regularly track the performance of your campaigns for each segment. How are open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates looking for your VIPs versus your at-risk group?
Are your re-engagement campaigns successfully reactivating dormant subscribers?
Use these insights to adjust your segment definitions, content strategies, and automation rules over time.

Leveraging Engagement Segments in Email and SMS Marketing

Let’s look at how you can apply these segments specifically to your email and SMS efforts, potentially using a tool like Send by Elementor if your business operates on WordPress.

Tailoring Email Content for Different Engagement Levels

Your email strategy should adapt dynamically to how subscribers interact.

VIPs / Highly Engaged: Send them exclusive previews of new products, early access to sales, special loyalty discounts, or personalized “thank you” messages. They’ve earned a bit of special treatment.
Active Subscribers: Keep them interested with your regular newsletters featuring relevant content, announcements about new products or services they might like, and targeted cross-sell or upsell offers based on their interests.
Less Engaged / At-Risk: This is where re-engagement campaigns come in. Send “We miss you!” emails, offer a compelling incentive to come back and shop, or share a survey asking why they’ve been less active. Highlight popular content or products they might have missed.
Inactive / Dormant: Attempt one or two final re-engagement emails with a strong offer or a clear message asking if they still want to hear from you. If there’s no response, it’s time for list hygiene – moving them to a suppression list to protect your deliverability.
Using the email builder and campaign management features within a platform like Send by Elementor, WordPress users can design these varied email messages and easily target them to the appropriate engagement segments created within its system.

Strategic SMS Messaging Based on Engagement

SMS is a direct and immediate channel, so use it wisely with engagement segments.

VIPs: Consider sending them highly exclusive, time-sensitive flash sale alerts via SMS for quick action, or a special SMS-only discount code.
Active Subscribers (who have opted into SMS): Use SMS for important reminders (like abandoned carts if they are also e-commerce customers and this is part of your strategy), or very targeted notifications about new arrivals you know they’ll be interested in based on past clicks or purchases.
Less Engaged (if SMS opt-in exists and is still valid): A very carefully crafted SMS with a highly compelling, short-term offer might be a way to re-ignite interest. Use this sparingly to avoid annoyance.
The SMS marketing capabilities of a tool like Send by Elementor can execute these targeted text messages. The key is sending relevant SMS that respects the immediacy and personal nature of the channel, always driven by reliable engagement insights and proper consent.

Using Automation to Respond to Engagement Changes

Automation is crucial for making engagement-based segmentation manageable and effective.

Welcome Series for New Engagers: When a new subscriber opens their first email or clicks a link, this could trigger a specific follow-up welcome sequence using an automation tool like Send by Elementor, guiding them further into your brand.
Re-engagement Flows for Declining Activity: If a contact’s email open or click activity drops below a certain threshold for a defined period, an automation can enroll them in a re-engagement series designed to win them back.
Post-Click Nurturing: If a user clicks a link about “Product Category X” in an email or SMS sent via Send by Elementor, an automation rule could tag them with that interest or add them to a specific list. Future communications about “Product Category X” can then be targeted to this highly interested micro-segment.

Best Practices for Engagement-Based Segmentation

To get the best results and maintain a healthy relationship with your subscribers, follow these best practices:

Define Engagement Meaningfully for Your Business

What constitutes “engagement” can vary. An e-commerce store might heavily weigh purchases, while a content publisher might focus on article reads or video views. Tailor your definitions to your specific business goals and customer journey.

Be Consistent with Your Tracking and Definitions

Ensure you are tracking engagement metrics consistently across all relevant platforms and that your definitions for each segment (e.g., what constitutes “inactive”) remain stable over reasonable periods to allow for accurate comparisons.

Combine with Other Segmentation Data

Engagement data is powerful, but it’s even more effective when combined with other types:

Demographic data: Age, gender, location.
Psychographic data: Lifestyle, values, interests.
Purchase history: Past products bought, average order value. This creates richer, more nuanced segments (e.g., “Highly engaged female subscribers aged 25-34 interested in eco-friendly products”).

Regularly Review and Update Your Segments

Customer engagement is not static; it changes over time. Schedule regular reviews (e.g., quarterly) of your segment definitions and the performance of campaigns targeted at them. Be prepared to adjust.

Don’t Be Afraid to Let Go (List Hygiene for Inactive Subscribers)

Continuously sending messages to subscribers who never open, click, or engage hurts your sender reputation, wastes resources, and can even lead to your messages being flagged as spam. Implement a “sunset policy” to regularly remove truly dormant contacts from your active mailing lists.

Test Your Strategies for Each Segment

What works for your VIP segment might not work for your at-risk segment. A/B test different offers, subject lines, calls to action, and content formats within each engagement segment to optimize performance.

Respect User Preferences and Privacy

Always make it crystal clear how users can opt-out of communications or adjust their subscription preferences.
Be transparent about how you are tracking engagement and using that data, in line with privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA.

Checklist: Smart Engagement Segmentation

Aspect	Best Practice
Definition	Clearly define what engagement means for your business goals and set specific thresholds.
Data	Ensure consistent and accurate tracking; enrich with other data types for deeper insights.
Action	Tailor content, frequency, offers, and automation rules to each distinct engagement level.
Maintenance	Regularly review segment performance; perform list hygiene for genuinely inactive contacts.
Testing	Continuously A/B test different strategies and messages within each segment to optimize.
Compliance	Respect user privacy, be transparent about data use, and provide clear opt-out options.

Challenges and Considerations

While highly effective, engagement-based segmentation does come with some challenges to keep in mind:

Defining “Active” vs. “Inactive” Can Be Subjective

The thresholds for what constitutes an “active” or “inactive” subscriber need to be carefully tailored to your specific business model, sales cycle, and typical communication frequency. There’s no one-size-fits-all definition.

Tracking Limitations (e.g., Email Open Tracking Accuracy)

Factors like Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection (MPP), which pre-fetches email content, can make email open rates a less reliable sole indicator of engagement for a portion of your audience. It’s increasingly important to focus on more definitive engagement signals like clicks, website visits, and conversions.

Requires Robust Data Management and Analytics Capabilities

Effectively implementing engagement-based segmentation requires tools that can accurately track various engagement metrics, store this data, and allow you to build and manage dynamic segments.

Potential for Over-Automating and Losing Human Touch

While automation is key to scaling engagement-based strategies, relying too heavily on it without any room for genuine, human interaction (where appropriate) can make your brand feel impersonal. Find a balance.

Data Silos Preventing a Holistic View of Engagement

If your email engagement data, website analytics, SMS engagement, and purchase data all live in separate, disconnected systems, it’s difficult to get a complete picture of a customer’s overall engagement with your brand. Integrated solutions are preferable.

The Future of Engagement-Based Segmentation

Engagement-based segmentation is already a sophisticated strategy, and it’s set to become even more powerful with technological advancements.

AI and Predictive Engagement Scoring

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will play a larger role in:

Analyzing vast amounts of engagement data to identify complex patterns.
Predicting future engagement levels or a customer’s likelihood to churn.
Automatically suggesting or creating optimal engagement segments.

Real-Time Personalization Based on Micro-Engagements

Imagine a user’s immediate interactions on your website (e.g., lingering on a certain product category) instantly influencing the content of the next email or SMS they receive, or even dynamic content on the website itself.

Cross-Channel Engagement Tracking and Orchestration

The goal is a unified view of customer engagement across all touchpoints – email, SMS, website, mobile app, social media, customer service interactions. This allows for truly orchestrated, consistent, and relevant communication no matter where the customer interacts.

Evolution in Integrated Platforms

Communication toolkits designed for specific ecosystems, like Send by Elementor for WordPress users, are well-positioned to embrace these future trends. As they evolve, we might see:

More sophisticated AI-driven engagement scoring built directly into the platform.
Deeper cross-channel tracking capabilities, perhaps through more extensive integrations or by expanding their native feature set beyond email and SMS.
Even more intuitive and powerful automation tools that allow users to easily act on complex, real-time engagement insights—all managed within their familiar WordPress environment. This would democratize access to advanced engagement strategies for a wider range of businesses and web creators.

Conclusion: Building Stronger Relationships Through Engagement Insights

Engagement-based segmentation is far more than just a marketing tactic; it’s a fundamental strategy for building more relevant, respectful, and ultimately, more profitable relationships with your audience. By truly listening to how your contacts interact—or choose not to interact—with your brand, you gain invaluable insights that allow you to tailor your communications effectively.

This approach leads to a better customer experience, improved marketing ROI, and a healthier, more responsive subscriber list. With the right mindset, clearly defined metrics, and capable tools – such as integrated solutions like Send by Elementor that empower WordPress users to manage and automate segmented email and SMS campaigns based on engagement data – businesses of any size can foster deeper connections.

Stop shouting into the void. Start segmenting by engagement, speak directly to the varying interest levels within your audience, and watch as your messages begin to truly resonate, turning passive browsers into active customers and active customers into loyal advocates.

What is Engagement-Based Segmentation?