How to create a segment

Article relevant for:

Plan FreeGrowthProEnterprise

Platform Web

Default segments cover common use cases, but your business has its own questions. Creating custom segments means you can target exactly the right group of users, whether that's frustrated users, or first-time users from a specific campaign. This article walks you through the different ways to create segments in Contentsquare.

New to segments? Start with the Introduction to segments article to learn what segments are and how they work in Contentsquare.

Before you begin

Who can create segments: You need the Analyst or Expert, or Admin role to create segments.
Editing and deleting segments: Analysts can only edit or delete segments they created themselves. Experts and Admins can edit or delete any segment in the project, including those created by others.
Segments are shared: Any segment you create will be visible to everyone in your company who uses Contentsquare. This helps teams stay aligned and use consistent definitions.
Default segments cannot be edited: Segments with a 'lock' icon next to them are Contentsquare's pre-built segments. You can use them but cannot modify or delete them.
No limit on segment creation: You can create as many custom segments as you need for your project.

Click 'Analysis setup' from the main menu and select 'Segments'.
Click 'New segment'.
Name your segment. Give your segment a clear, descriptive name that explains what it includes. For example: "Mobile users who viewed checkout" or "Returning users from Europe."

Tip

Use names that other team members will understand. This makes it easier for everyone to find and use the right segments.
From the drop-down list, choose the criteria you want to use:
- Goals (requires Growth, Pro or Enterprise plans): Target users who completed specific actions you've set up as goals, for example "Viewed product page," "Clicked add to cart".
- Segments: Include or exclude users from existing segments, for example "New users," "Returning users".
- Session attributes: Filter by characteristics like device type, browser, session duration, number of sessions, or e-commerce transactions.
- User actions: Target specific behaviors like exit page, page views, or zone clicks (clicks on specific areas of a page).
- Integrations: Use data from connected platforms like Adobe Analytics, Monetate, or AB Tasty (Pro and Enterprise plans)
- Frustration (requires Growth, Pro or Enterprise plans): Target users who experienced specific issues on your site, like rage clicks, error clicks, or slow page loads.
- Page load metrics (requires Experience Monitoring): Filter by how fast or slow pages loaded for users.
Once you've chosen a criteria type, set the specific values for that criteria.
- For criteria based on existing segments, choose whether the users should match or not match that segment.
- For other criteria types, select the specific values that define your group.
  
  Note
  
  If you use goals as your criteria type, you can include up to nine (9) goals in a single segment.
As you build your segment, you'll see real-time updates showing:
- All sessions: The percentage of your segment's visits compared to total visits on your site
- Devices: How your segment's visits break down across desktop, mobile, and tablet
This helps you understand how large or small your segment is, and whether you're targeting the right audience.
(Optional) Click '+ Add condition' to make your segment more specific by combining multiple criteria.
For example: "New users" AND "Viewed checkout".

To learn more, see combining segment criteria.
Click 'Create' to save your segment.

Your new segment will now appear in the Segments list and be available to use across Contentsquare.

Create segments while you work

You don't always need to build a segment from scratch. When you're working in other parts of Contentsquare, such as Funnels (which shows where users drop off in a flow), Journey Analysis (which maps the paths users take across your site), Zoning Analysis (which shows engagement with specific areas of a page), Page Comparator, Impact Quantification, or Dashboards, you can save your current criteria directly as a new segment.

Save your current filters as a segment

Use this method when you've found a useful combination of criteria during your analysis and want to save it for later.

Open the Analysis Context (the filter panel at the top of your analysis) and set up your criteria.
Click 'Save as new Segment'.
Give your segment a name and click 'Save'.

Create a segment from the shortcuts menu

Use this method when you want to quickly create and apply a segment based on something you can see in your current analysis.

In Journey Analysis, Zoning Analysis and Page Comparator (requires Growth, Pro and Enterprise plans) you can create segments directly from specific pages or zones by right-clicking.

Right-click on the page, journey step, or zone you want to use.
Select 'Create a segment' from the shortcut menu.
The criteria for that page, journey step, or zone will be added to your segment automatically.
Adjust the segment name or add more criteria if needed.
Click 'Create & Apply' to save the segment and immediately apply it to your current analysis.

Additional tips for creating segments

Organize with favorites: Star the segments you use most often to add them to your favorites list for quick access.
Duplicate existing segments: Click the three-dot icon next to a segment (default segments cannot be duplicated) and select 'Duplicate' to create a copy you can modify.
Test before finalizing: Watch how the traffic distribution changes as you add conditions. This helps ensure you're not making your segment too narrow or too broad.
Use descriptive names: Include key details in your segment name, like the device type, user behavior, or time period, so it's easy to identify later.