Macro segmentation refers to the practice of dividing online traffic into a few sub-groups of visitors who differ from each other in one or two basic attributes such as location, gender, or an identified browsing pattern. Macro-segmentation is an effective way of delivering relevant experiences to customers, operating under the philosophy that customers are not a monolithic population of users.
While macro-segmentation is not as precise as micro-segmentation, the latter requires a lot of time, effort, and resources, which most marketing teams cannot spare – especially if an automation platform like Dynamic Yield is not employed. But the good news is that some segmentation is better than no segmentation at all!
It stands to reason better results are achieved when you incorporate personalization within messages and content as opposed to generic, catch-all messages. But while micro-segmentation requires customizing messages and content for each small segment, and thinking carefully about how to optimize the user experience and flow you are tailoring, macro-segmentation and targeting take a much simpler approach. The idea is that you can apply simple filters to your audience, such as gender or age, to boost the effectiveness of your campaigns by tailoring just a few experiences for these macro-segments.
Macro-segmentation can yield up to 2x return vs. a one-size-fits-all approach, and is within the reach of most businesses of all sizes today. However, effective macro-segmentation and macro-targeting must be consistent across channels, devices, and platforms.
