Tags, custom fields & segments
In one sentence
Tags are quick labels, custom fields are structured details you define, and segments are saved filters that turn those into a targetable group.
The three tools, compared
| Tool | What it is | Example | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tag | A simple on/off label | VIP, Wholesale, Diwali-2026 | Fast grouping and filtering |
| Custom field | A named value with a type | City = Mumbai, Plan = Gold | Structured data you’ll filter or personalise on |
| Segment | A saved filter (a rule) | “Tag = VIP and City = Mumbai” | Reusable campaign audiences |
The relationship is layered: tags and fields describe a contact; a segment is a saved question about them. You tag and fill fields on people, then build segments that ask “who matches?”
Tags
Create tags on the fly and apply them to one contact or many at once (bulk select in the contact list). Use them for anything you’ll want to filter by later: source, interest, VIP status, a specific promotion.
Keep a small, consistent set of tags. vip, VIP, and V.I.P are three different tags —
agree on a naming convention with your team.
Custom fields
Define fields once in your workspace, then fill them per contact. Common types:
- Text — City, Company, Referral source
- Number — Loyalty points, Order count
- Date — Birthday, Renewal date
- Choice — Plan (Bronze/Silver/Gold)
Custom fields do double duty: you filter on them and you can drop them into template variables to personalise messages (e.g. “Hi {{name}}, your {{plan}} renews soon”).
Segments
A segment saves a filter so you can reuse it. Build one by combining tag and field conditions.
Because a segment is a live filter, its membership updates automatically: tag a new
person VIP in Mumbai tomorrow and they’re instantly part of “Mumbai VIPs” — no manual list
to maintain. You can preview a segment to see exactly who’s in it before using it.
How this connects
- Segments are the primary way to choose Campaign audiences.
- Fields feed template personalisation — see Templates → Building.
- Filters can also exclude opted-out people automatically.
Next: track where people are in your funnel with lifecycle stages →.