Understanding Segment-Based Audiences: Advertising vs Email Marketing

Orbee segments are groups we create based on how shoppers interact with your website. These groups help you deliver more relevant ads or emails by understanding shopper behavior.

When someone visits your site and takes an action—like viewing a specific make or model—they are automatically placed into the corresponding segment. A single visitor may be placed into multiple segments depending on the actions they take during their visit.

What Types of Segments Does Orbee Collect?

Orbee collects segments across five main categories. Each one helps you understand and target shoppers more precisely.

1. Visitor State

Segments that reflect how often someone has visited your website or what actions they’ve taken. 

Why it matters: Identify which visitors are most engaged and tailor your messaging accordingly.

2. Source/Medium

Segments based on how visitors arrived at your website.

Why it matters: Understand which channels are driving traffic and segment visitors accordingly.

3. Page View

Segments based on which pages or types of content a visitor viewed.

Why it matters: Tailor content or offers based on what the shopper was interested in.

4. Vehicle Specific Segments

Segments based on the specific make, model, or body style the visitor viewed.

Why it matters: Highly targeted follow-ups based on specific shopper interests.

5. Third-Party Tool Engagement

Segments created based on how shoppers interact with tools like KBB Instant Cash Offer (ICO).

Why it matters: Track serious buyers who are evaluating trade-ins or value estimates.

What Can I Do with These Segments?

One of the biggest benefits of Orbee’s segmentation is the ability to market to hyper-targeted audiences based on real shopper behavior.

1. Advertising Campaigns

Use segments to push audiences to platforms like Google Ads, Meta (Facebook/Instagram), and Microsoft Ads. Examples include:

• Retargeting: Serve ads to shoppers who looked at inventory but didn’t convert.

• Lookalike Audiences: Reach new shoppers similar to your website visitors.

• Behavior-Based Messaging: Serve different ads based on the content type they viewed.

Example: Someone viewed trucks but didn’t submit a lead. We can sync that segment to Meta and show them truck ads to bring them back.

2. Email Marketing

Orbee’s email engine lets you send personalized, behavior-driven emails to known users (i.e., shoppers with email addresses).

• Send relevant emails based on activity (e.g., viewed SUVs, submitted form, etc.)

• Automate campaigns for re-engagement or post-visit follow-up

• Improve open/click rates with personalized content

Example: A shopper viewed several SUVs. We send a follow-up email featuring SUV deals, reviews, or new arrivals.

Advertising vs. Email Segments: What’s the Difference?

Segment-based audiences are used in both advertising and email—but they work differently.

Advertising Segments – Broader, Anonymous-Based Targeting

Ad platforms can target users even if they’re anonymous on your website. Orbee tracks behavior and pushes those segments to platforms that use their own algorithms to retarget users.

Example: Someone viewed SUVs but didn’t submit a lead. We send them to an "SUV Shoppers" segment in Google Ads, and Google shows them SUV ads—even though we don’t know their name or email.

Email Segments – Known Users Only

Email marketing segments require a known email address. These lists are naturally smaller because they only include people who submitted forms or otherwise gave you their email.

Example: 1,000 people viewed SUVs, but only 100 submitted a lead. Only those 100 can be emailed.

Summary Table

By understanding how these segments work, you can build smarter campaigns that combine broad ad reach with highly targeted email personalization.