How to create basic segments on Mailchimp

beginner 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Create segments in Mailchimp by navigating to your audience, clicking Create Segment, and setting conditions based on subscriber data like location, behavior, or tags. Segments help you target specific groups of subscribers with personalized content.

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Prerequisites

Active Mailchimp account
At least one audience with subscriber data
Basic understanding of email marketing
Contacts with relevant tags or data fields

Step-by-Step Instructions

Navigate to your Audience

Log into your Mailchimp account and click Audience in the main navigation menu. Select the audience you want to create a segment for from the dropdown if you have multiple audiences.

Make sure you're working with the correct audience before creating segments

Access the Segments section

Click on Segments in the audience management tabs. You'll see a list of any existing segments and an option to create new ones.

Start creating a new segment

Click the Create Segment button. A popup window will appear with segment building options and condition filters.

Plan your segment criteria before starting to save time during setup

Choose your segment conditions

Select your first condition from the dropdown menu. Common options include:

Contact Information - location, email, signup date
Campaign Activity - opened, clicked, didn't open
E-commerce - purchase behavior, spending amounts
Tags - specific subscriber tags

Start with simple conditions and add complexity as needed

Set specific criteria values

After choosing a condition type, specify the exact criteria. For example, if you selected Location, choose the geographic area. If you selected Tags, pick the specific tag name. Use operators like is, is not, contains, or starts with as needed.

Preview the subscriber count as you add conditions to gauge segment size

Add multiple conditions (optional)

Click Add to include additional conditions. Choose between AND or OR logic:

AND - contacts must meet ALL conditions
OR - contacts must meet ANY condition

Combine conditions to create more targeted segments.

Use AND for narrow targeting and OR for broader reach

Name and save your segment

Enter a descriptive name for your segment in the Segment name field. Good names describe the audience clearly, like New York Subscribers or Frequent Buyers. Click Save to create the segment.

Use consistent naming conventions if you plan to create multiple segments

Review and use your segment

Your new segment will appear in the segments list showing the contact count. You can now use this segment when creating campaigns by selecting it in the To field during campaign setup, or export the segment data for other uses.

Segments update automatically as your audience data changes

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Segment shows zero contacts

Check that your conditions match actual subscriber data. Verify tag names are spelled correctly and that contacts have the required information fields populated.

Cannot find expected condition options

Ensure you have the necessary data in your audience first. Some conditions like E-commerce only appear if you have connected your store and have purchase data.

Segment count seems incorrect

Remember that segments exclude unsubscribed and cleaned contacts by default. Check your audience health and verify that targeted contacts are still active subscribers.

Complex conditions not working as expected

Review your AND/OR logic carefully. Test with simpler conditions first, then gradually add complexity. Use the preview feature to validate results before saving.

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