Manage segments and preferences
Segment fundamentals
Segments define who receives marketing content. Candidates must understand static segments (fixed membership snapshot) versus dynamic segments (membership recalculated as data changes). Know how segment queries are built from profiles, interactions, and related entities, and that dynamic segments refresh on a schedule or on demand.
Understand preferences and consent: subscription centers, topic-based preferences, and how opt-in/opt-out is captured. Consent can be recorded at the contact level and via consent records tied to purposes. Know that a suppression or opt-out overrides segment membership - a person in a segment who opted out will not receive the communication.
Traps to watch for
- Assuming a dynamic segment updates instantly; it refreshes on a schedule.
- Forgetting that suppression lists and opt-outs take precedence over segment inclusion.
- Confusing subscription center preferences (recipient-controlled) with marketer-defined segment rules.
- Mixing up segment estimated size with final resolved membership.
Rule of thumb
Treat segment membership as a candidate list and consent as a gate. Final audience = segment members minus suppressed/opted-out profiles. When a question asks why someone in the segment did not receive an email, check consent and suppression first.
Worked example
A marketer builds a dynamic segment of all contacts in a region and sends a newsletter. Several contacts report not receiving it. The segment includes them, but they previously opted out via the subscription center, so suppression blocked delivery. The correct fix is honoring their preference, not editing the segment.