How to use Segments

Learn how to organize your subscribers and send more relevant, personalized emails using segments.

A segment is a group of subscribers who share something in common.

For example, a segment might include subscribers who:

• Signed up for a specific freebie or lead magnet

• Clicked a link or answered a poll in an email

• Purchased a specific product

• Haven’t engaged with your emails recently

The goal of segmenting is to hyper-personalize your communication so your emails stay relevant and valuable.

Think of your email list like a pie. All Subscribers is the full pie. Segments are the slices.

You can view and manage all segments in Audience → Segments.

• View segments as cards or in a list view

• Create, rename, color-code, and manage segments from this dashboard

Important: All Subscribers is a system-generated segment that includes everyone (in all statuses) currently on your list. You can delete subscribers from your list (which removes them from All Subscribers), but you can’t delete the All Subscribers segment itself (it always exists as your master list).

Clear segment names make your Audience tab easier to manage and help workflows stay readable.

We recommend:

• Naming segments based on source or action

• Avoiding vague labels that won’t make sense later

• Being consistent across forms, workflows, and Checkout

Examples:

• Opt-in – Email Checklist

• Clicked – Pricing Page

• Purchased – Course A

You can add subscribers to segments manually or automatically.

You can segment subscribers in Flodesk in various ways:

• Manually:

  • via a CSV upload,

  • using the subscriber filters and the bulk action features

  • even from your subscriber analytics page

• Automatically:

  • via opt-in forms and form preferences,

  • workflow Yes/No branches (aka conditions) and actions,

  • the subscriber preferences page

  • email polls and link actions

  • Checkout purchases (product segments)

Most Flodesk members use a mix of manual and automatic segmentation as their list grows.

Use case: You want a dedicated segment for existing clients so you can send them VIP-only emails.

Step 1. Go to Audience → Segments and click + New segment

Step 2. Name your segment (for example, Clients), choose a color, and click Save

Step 3. Add subscribers directly to the segment by Uploading a CSV containing your clients

Important: only add those clients to your Flodesk list who have opted in to email marketing.

You can now send targeted emails like: "Hi @First name, because you are my client, I wanted to share this VIP offer with you."

Use case: You want new subscribers who download a specific freebie to be automatically grouped together.

Let’s say your freebie is called “Top 10 Business Tips.”

Step 1. Go to Audience → Segments and click + New segment

Step 2. Name the segment (for example, Top 10 Business Tips Opt-in) and save it

Step 3. Go to your Forms dashboard and create a new form

Step 4. Connect the form to the segment you just created
(All new signups through this form will be added automatically.)

Step 5. Customize your form and publish or share it

• New subscribers are added to both All Subscribers and your specific opt-in segment

• You can trigger a workflow to:

  • Deliver the freebie immediately

  • Follow up later with highly relevant content or offers

Example follow-up email:
"Hi @First name! Because you downloaded my Top 10 Business Tips, I thought you'd like my Entrepreneurship 101 Guide too."

Use case: You want to group subscribers based on what they’re interested in.

For example, you can automatically add subscribers to a segment when they:

• Click a specific link in an email (link action)

• Answer an email poll (for example, choosing “Beginner” or “Advanced”)

This allows you to follow up with content that matches their interests—without asking them to sign up again.

If someone clicks a link about Email Marketing, you can add them to an “Interested in Email Marketing” segment and send them more relevant tips or offers later.

Use case: You want to follow up with customers who purchased a specific product.

When someone purchases through Flodesk Checkout, you can automatically add them to a dedicated product segment.

Product segments are especially powerful for:

• Product-specific education

• Upsells, renewals, or cross-promotions

It’s common to use these together, but they serve different purposes:

• Segments define who someone is or what they’ve done, for example:

  • How they joined your list

  • What they clicked

  • What they purchased

• Workflows define what happens next (emails, delays, conditions, exits)

Segments do not automatically send emails.
You choose how to use them by selecting a segment as an email recipient or using it inside a workflow. Think of segments as labels or groupings and workflows as the engine that sends emails over time.

In practice, this means:

• Segments can trigger workflows

• Segments can be used as conditions inside workflows (Yes/No branch)

• Workflow actions can add or remove subscribers from segments

Segments are especially useful when you want to:

• Send different emails to different audiences

• Trigger workflows based on behavior or interest

• Exclude certain subscribers from campaigns

• Personalize content based on what someone signed up for or purchased

• A segment is a group of subscribers who share common traits or actions

• Everyone on your list is always part of All Subscribers

• You can add subscribers to segments manually or automatically

• Subscribers can belong to multiple segments at the same time

• Segments help you send more relevant, higher-engagement emails

What is a segment in Flodesk?
A segment is a group of subscribers who share common characteristics, behaviors, or actions, such as signing up through a form, clicking a link, or purchasing a product.

Is “All Subscribers” a segment?
Yes. It’s a system-generated segment that includes everyone on your list. You can’t delete it.

Can a subscriber be in more than one segment?
Yes. Subscribers can belong to multiple segments at the same time.

How do subscribers get added to segments automatically?
Automatically through opt-in forms, workflows, email interactions, subscriber preferences, checkout purchases, connected 3rd party integrations.

Can I remove subscribers from a segment?
Yes. You can manually remove them using bulk actions or automation rules. Removing someone from a segment does not delete them from your list. Only delete a subscriber if you want to completely erase their record from your Flodesk audience with all their data.

Do segments affect who receives emails?
Only if you choose that segment as your email’s recipient or use it in a workflow.