Optimizing Marketing Strategies With Data Cloud’s Segment Membership Data Model Object
From Data to Decisions
As an architect, you’re likely to encounter marketers seeking to create a captivating and customized marketing strategy by gaining a deep understanding of the individuals that comprise their target audience segments. When working with Salesforce Data Cloud, you can use the segment membership data model object (DMO) to help marketers achieve this goal. A segment membership DMO is automatically created to store information about members of each of the segments generated within Data Cloud. This resource empowers marketers to enhance and craft their ideal audiences with precision.
Why use the segment membership DMO?
In marketing terms, a segment refers to a specific group of potential customers who share common characteristics and behaviors that make them more likely to respond positively to a marketing campaign. In the context of Data Cloud, a “segment” is defined by specifying criteria or conditions that data records must meet to be included in that specific category. These criteria could be based on demographic information, behavior, preferences, purchase history, or any other relevant data attributes. Once defined, these segments can be used to target specific audiences for marketing campaigns, perform data analysis, make data-driven decisions, and more.
The segment membership DMO enables you to determine who is currently in a segment and to view anyone who has ever been in any segment. The segment membership DMO eliminates the need for additional customizations to keep track of this information, which in turn reduces tech debt. Every object you’re using as a basis for segment creation is equipped with two membership DMOs that apply to all segments using it:
- Latest segment membership: Shows the profile IDs included in the latest segment publish
- Historical segment membership: Shows the profile IDs included in previous segment publishes
For example, if you are segmenting on Unified Individual, the two related segment membership DMOs would be:
- Unified Individual-Latest: contains the profile IDs included in the most recent segment publish
- Unified-Individual-History: contains the profile IDs included in previous segment publishes
Note: Segment membership objects are populated only when a segment is published, and the data in the segment history object goes back only 30 days.
Benefits of the segment membership DMO
Imagine the ability to not only identify an audience but also track their journey as it unfolds. The “Latest” and “History” segment membership objects provide a comprehensive view of segment dynamics. From verification to analysis, from determining churn to re-engagement, these objects offer a window into your audience’s evolution. With each data point, each profile ID, your marketers gain the power to curate experiences that resonate deeply, making campaigns more relevant, impactful, and ultimately successful.
There are two major benefits to using the segment membership DMO.
Verifying segment results without activating the segment to an activation target
Using the “Latest” segment membership object:
- You can verify segmentation results and view who is currently in a segment. You can view the data in Data Cloud using Data Explorer by filtering based on a particular segment.
- You can view the membership data in Tableau, filtering based on the segment ID. You can then join the data based on profile ID to get data from other data model objects so you can build a better view of the individuals in the segment.
- You can query the segment membership DMO using SOQL, SQL (via Query Workspace), Query APIs, or the segmentation REST API.
Determining how segment membership has changed over time and re-targeting
Marketers frequently inquire about identifying churn, which involves pinpointing the moment when audience members disengage from a segment and later requalify for inclusion. This information serves as a valuable resource for enhancing data analytics and understanding audience actions. Additionally, marketers can use this information to craft focused audiences, identifying those who exit particular segments and integrating them into targeted campaigns.
The “History” segment membership object has a column called Delta Type. Its values are:
- New — who is new to the segment as of the last publish date
- Existing — who was already in the segment
- Removed — who has been removed from the segment
Using the Delta Type, the Segment Id, and the timestamp of when the segment was published, marketers can determine how their segment composition has changed over time. As with the “Latest” segment membership object, this data can be viewed and queried. Marketers can also create dashboards in Tableau to view audience changes over time, or create a report within Tableau that shows audience members who have been added or removed over a specific period of time so that they can be included in further analysis for targeted campaigns.
Consider a scenario where the goal is to create targeted campaigns that reconnect with individuals who were once active members of a frequent buyer segment but have since transitioned out of it. Using the capabilities of the History segment membership object, you can unveil the unique characteristics and behaviors of these members. This invaluable insight can then be harnessed to orchestrate strategic re-engagement campaigns tailored precisely to their preferences and needs.
Conclusion
A marketer’s pursuit is to craft campaigns that resonate, captivate, and convert. This journey requires insights that go beyond surface-level understanding, delving into the depths of audience behavior and preferences. You can use the segment membership DMO within Salesforce Data Cloud to plumb these depths, transforming data into actionable insights that drive successful marketing strategies.
