Skip to content
Marketing

How to Build Recipient Segments in Email Campaigns

Learn how to build recipient Segments for GHL Customer Care email campaigns using filters like tags, activity, and more to keep audiences updated automatically.

3 min read607 words4 explained images
View as markdownOpen in ClaudeOpen in ChatGPT
Each image has a one line explanation. Switch to full detail for the step it belongs to, the fields and buttons involved, examples and the whole procedure.
On this page
  1. Key Benefits of Using Segments
  2. How to Build a Segment
  3. Step-by-Step Instructions:
  4. Smart Lists vs Segments
  5. Frequently Asked Questions
  6. Next Steps

This article will walk you through how to build Segments in GHL Customer Care for use in your email campaigns. Segments let you filter contacts based on live conditions like tags, activity, or location. They automatically update in real-time, ensuring your audience list is always relevant and up to date.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is a Segment?

Segments are dynamic contact groups created using filters such as email activity, tags, contact fields, or engagement. Unlike static lists, Segments update automatically as contacts enter or exit the defined criteria.

This makes Segments incredibly useful for email marketing—allowing you to target specific groups of contacts who meet certain behaviors or demographics at any given time.

Key Benefits of Using Segments

Segments help you personalize and automate email campaigns with precision. They ensure your messages go to the most relevant audience—boosting open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.

  • Automatically refresh based on contact behavior and attributes

  • Save time by reusing Segments across different campaigns

  • Reduce bounce rates by excluding inactive or unqualified leads

  • Combine multiple filter conditions with AND/OR logic

  • Increase email relevance through better targeting

  • Eliminate the need for manual contact updates

How to Build a Segment

Building a Segment allows you to create a dynamic group of contacts using filters like tags, activity history, and location—so you always email the right people at the right time.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Navigate to: Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. Create a new campaign or click on an existing one to edit

    Step 1 of 6: Navigate to: Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. Create a new campaign or… What this shows Step 1 of 6: Navigate to: Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. What this shows Shows where to go for step 1 of 6 in the "Step-by-Step Instructions:" section of "How to Build Recipient Segments in Email Campaigns". This screenshot accompanies step 1 of 6 in the "Step-by-Step Instructions:" section of "How to Build Recipient Segments in Email Campaigns". At this point in the walkthrough you navigate to: Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. Create a new campaign or click on an existing one to edit. The navigation path used here is Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. This part of the guide covers 2 fields, listed below. The next step is to click “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder. Step 1 of 6Path: Marketing > Emails > CampaignsImage 1 of 4 Where to goNavigate to: Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. Create a new campaign or click on an existing one to edit
    Fields in this part of the guide Tag is “Compliant”AND Pre-Built Segment is Contacts Engaged in Last 7 days
    Buttons and menus referenced Navigate toCreate“Send Or Schedule”“Add Filter”“Add OR Filter”SaveReview and Send
    Next stepClick “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder
    All 6 steps in this procedure
    1. Navigate to: Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. Create a new campaign or click on an existing one to edit this image
    2. Click “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder
    3. Scroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments"
    4. Choose your filters. You can combine logic like for example:
    5. Use “Add Filter” or “Add OR Filter” to build complex conditions
    6. Click Save or Review and Send

  2. Click “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder

    Step 2 of 6: Click “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder What this shows Step 2 of 6: Click “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder What this shows Shows what to click for step 2 of 6 in the "Step-by-Step Instructions:" section of "How to Build Recipient Segments in Email Campaigns". This screenshot accompanies step 2 of 6 in the "Step-by-Step Instructions:" section of "How to Build Recipient Segments in Email Campaigns". At this point in the walkthrough you click “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder. The navigation path used here is Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. This part of the guide covers 2 fields, listed below. The next step is to scroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments". Step 2 of 6Path: Marketing > Emails > CampaignsImage 2 of 4 What to clickClick “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder
    Fields in this part of the guide Tag is “Compliant”AND Pre-Built Segment is Contacts Engaged in Last 7 days
    Buttons and menus referenced “Send Or Schedule”Navigate toCreate“Add Filter”“Add OR Filter”SaveReview and Send
    Next stepScroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments"
    All 6 steps in this procedure
    1. Navigate to: Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. Create a new campaign or click on an existing one to edit
    2. Click “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder this image
    3. Scroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments"
    4. Choose your filters. You can combine logic like for example:
    5. Use “Add Filter” or “Add OR Filter” to build complex conditions
    6. Click Save or Review and Send
  3. Scroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments"
    Step 3 of 6: Scroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments" What this shows Step 3 of 6: Scroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments" What this shows Shows what to choose for step 3 of 6 in the "Step-by-Step Instructions:" section of "How to Build Recipient Segments in Email Campaigns". This screenshot accompanies step 3 of 6 in the "Step-by-Step Instructions:" section of "How to Build Recipient Segments in Email Campaigns". At this point in the walkthrough you scroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments". The navigation path used here is Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. This part of the guide covers 2 fields, listed below. The next step is to choose your filters. You can combine logic like for example. Step 3 of 6Path: Marketing > Emails > CampaignsImage 3 of 4 What to chooseScroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments"
    Fields in this part of the guide Tag is “Compliant”AND Pre-Built Segment is Contacts Engaged in Last 7 days
    Buttons and menus referenced Navigate toCreate“Send Or Schedule”“Add Filter”“Add OR Filter”SaveReview and Send
    Next stepChoose your filters. You can combine logic like for example:
    All 6 steps in this procedure
    1. Navigate to: Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. Create a new campaign or click on an existing one to edit
    2. Click “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder
    3. Scroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments" this image
    4. Choose your filters. You can combine logic like for example:
    5. Use “Add Filter” or “Add OR Filter” to build complex conditions
    6. Click Save or Review and Send

  4. Choose your filters. You can combine logic like for example:

    • Tag is “Compliant”

    • AND Pre-Built Segment is Contacts Engaged in Last 7 days

  5. Use “Add Filter” or “Add OR Filter” to build complex conditions

  6. Click Save or Review and Send

    Step 6 of 6: Click Save or Review and Send What this shows Step 6 of 6: Click Save or Review and Send What this shows Shows how to confirm for step 6 of 6 in the "Step-by-Step Instructions:" section of "How to Build Recipient Segments in Email Campaigns". This screenshot accompanies step 6 of 6 in the "Step-by-Step Instructions:" section of "How to Build Recipient Segments in Email Campaigns". At this point in the walkthrough you click Save or Review and Send. For context, this section explains: Navigate to: Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. Create a new campaign or click on an existing one to edit Click “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder Scroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments" Choose your filters. You can combine logic like for example…. The navigation path used here is Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. This part of the guide covers 2 fields, listed below. Step 6 of 6Path: Marketing > Emails > CampaignsImage 4 of 4 How to confirmClick Save or Review and Send
    Fields in this part of the guide Tag is “Compliant”AND Pre-Built Segment is Contacts Engaged in Last 7 days
    Buttons and menus referenced SaveReview and SendNavigate toCreate“Send Or Schedule”“Add Filter”“Add OR Filter”
    All 6 steps in this procedure
    1. Navigate to: Marketing > Emails > Campaigns. Create a new campaign or click on an existing one to edit
    2. Click “Send Or Schedule” from the Top right in the Email Builder
    3. Scroll down to "Recipient (To)" section and select "Build Segments"
    4. Choose your filters. You can combine logic like for example:
    5. Use “Add Filter” or “Add OR Filter” to build complex conditions
    6. Click Save or Review and Send this image

Smart Lists vs Segments

While both Smart Lists and Segments help you group contacts, they are used in different areas of GHL Customer Care and serve distinct purposes.

Smart Lists are found in the Contact Manager and allow you to save custom views based on filters. Segments, on the other hand, are used in the email campaign builder to dynamically select contacts at the time of sending.

Feature

Smart Lists

Segments

Location

Contact Manager

Campaign Builder

Auto-Updating?

✅ Yes

✅ Yes

Manual Inclusion?

✅ Yes (via Tag)

❌ No (logic only)

Reusable?

✅ Yes

✅ Yes

Workflow Compatible?

❌ No

✅ Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I reuse the same segment in different campaigns?

Yes. When you save a Segment, it becomes available for use across multiple campaigns.

Q: Are Segments live-updating or static?

Segments update in real time. As contact data changes, Segments automatically reflect those changes.

Q: Can I use OR logic in Segments?

Yes, use the “Add OR Filter” button to include OR conditions alongside AND logic.

Q: What’s the difference between Smart Lists and Segments?

Smart Lists are CRM-based and can be used for general filtering. Segments are campaign-focused and ideal for live filtering during email sends.

Q: Can I manually add or remove contacts from a Segment?

No. Segments only include contacts that meet your defined filter criteria. For manual grouping, consider using Tags or Smart Lists.

Next Steps

  • Reuse Segments in other email campaigns to scale your efforts

  • Add more conditions to fine-tune audience targeting

  • Combine Segments with email A/B tests for better results

  • Explore how Segments can trigger automations in Workflows

  • Tag contacts based on Segment inclusion using automation rules

Was this guide helpful?

Related guides

@Mention or Tag Profile in Posts from Social Planner2 min read · 4 imagesAdd Location Tagging to Social Post1 min read · 9 imagesAdd Pinterest Pins in Social Planner4 min read · 8 imagesSocial Planner - How to Add Multiple Watermarks4 min read · 8 images