Data Segmentation Tools, a Comparison of Salesforce Marketing Cloud Solutions

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of These Salesforce Cloud Marketing Segmentation Tools?

Here are some key advantages and disadvantages of each of the SFMC segmentation tools available:

DESelect Segment

Advantages:

• All data extension types
• Data views
• Advanced segmentation (incl. CASE WHEN, Picklists, Subqueries, etc.)
• Most cost-effective solution on the market
• Onboarding training
• Release updates every two month
• No implementation tracks
• No external support required
• Can be automated
• No experience required
• Can be used across several business units
• And more

Disadvantages:

• Data must be inside of SFMC
• Same technical limits as SQL queries

*Audience Builder

Advantages:

• Segments SFMC data
• Has its own UI
• No experience needed from marketers

Disadvantages:

• Data is updated only once per 24 hours
• No possibility to add new data extensions without Salesforce professionals
• Expensive
• Not flexible

Other concerns to consider:

This Salesforce solution requires a Salesforce professional’s help to set up the tool and configure dimensions. Also, it doesn’t suit flexible data models.

*Salesforce has discontinued offering Audience Builder to new customers and continues to serve it only to it’s existing users

Query Studio

Advantages:

• Help Write SQL
• Handles errors
• Preview options available
• Free

Disadvantages:

• Requires SQL knowledge
• No UI – the console is more advanced
• No automatic creation of data extensions
• No validation
• No support
• No features

Other concerns to consider:

Advanced knowledge of SQL is required, or you will need to use an SQL query generator. Since there is no UI, the console is difficult to use if you don’t have experience with that interface.

Writing SQL Queries

Advantages:

• Customizable coding
• Ability to write unique, tailored queries

Disadvantages:

• Timeouts occur for data sets that are too long
• Complex queries also cause timeouts
• Time-consuming
• Highly technical knowledge required

Other concerns to consider:

It takes a lot of time and effort to learn how to write SQL queries. You will need to learn SQL from scratch if you have no prior knowledge. You may request SQL from a tech team. However, coordinating communications to obtain the exact results is a challenge.

Hiring an FTE

Advantages:

• Advanced segmentation
• Custom segmentation scenarios
• Data model adjustments are possible

Disadvantages:

• Needs to be trained
• Can leave the company, creating a backlog
• Limited availability
• Expensive

Other concerns to consider:

If an organization hires an FTE for audience segmentation in SFMC campaigns, it may be prudent to sign a contract with them. If they leave, the organization will immediately require a new solution. However, it could take months to find, hire, and train a new FTE.

Also, if the FTE is remote (as many are), time zones can be an issue. Marketers rely on the FTE to be available for segmentation purposes, and without that person, they cannot effectively run their campaigns.

Sick time, vacations, and other time-off requests also become a concern for the organization if they hire an FTE for segmentation.

SAS EG/Google Cloud Platform

Advantages:

• Advanced segmentation
• Lead scoring
• RFM scoring
• And more

Disadvantages:

• Even more complex than SQL
• Require skilled FTEs
• Expensive

Other concerns to consider:

SAS EG platforms rarely occur. However, they occur mostly for calculations and aggregations in retail.

Salesforce Reports

Advantages:

• Picklists
• Create JOINs with a maximum of four data extensions
• Inexpensive
• Has a user-friendly UI

Disadvantages:

• Only INNER and OUTER JOINs are available
• Data migration
• Does not support data views
• Requires additional licenses
• Cannot be automated

Rarely will an organization utilize Salesforce reports for audience segmentation for its marketing campaigns. However, there are many more effective and efficient methods.

SFMC Filters

Advantages:

• No implementation required
• No experience required
• Can be automated

Disadvantages:

• Only INNER and OUTER JOINs
• Create JOINs with up to three data extensions
• No picklists
• Manually creating target data extensions required
• Limited filtering options

Other concerns to consider:

Filters in SFMC can be a solution for customers that don’t need to perform advanced segmentation with their audience. The primary issues are the limited number of DEs that can JOIN. Also, it takes substantial time to set up.

Excel

Advantages:

• Only requires knowledge of Excel
• Free (if you already have the MS Office Suite)

Disadvantages:

• Cannot be automated
• No error checks
• Unsecured data management (e.g., a marketer can change the data type and has no error)
• Manually creating target data extensions
• Data type issues
• Doesn’t support data views
• Can take a lot of time to load the data, and unsustainable for companies carrying big amounts of it

Other concerns to consider:

Using Microsoft Excel for audience segmentation is a very slow process with vast opportunities to make mistakes that are not easily found.

System Integrators

Advantages:

• Complex segmentation
• Data model adjustments
• Developing new segmentation scenarios

Disadvantages:

• High dependence on 3rd party
• If a professional is fired/changes job, the company is stuck for several days/months
• Expensive
• Time-consuming
• Can take days to get the desired result

Other concerns to consider:

Partners for audience segmentation work well in the implementation and design phases. However, it’s very expensive and time-consuming during campaign deployment rollout.

Interaction Studio

Advantages:

• Great personalisation and interaction management capabilities inside the app
• All-round information about the customer

Disadvantages:

• Doesn’t segment SFMC data
• Limited use of SFMC data (only gears)
• It’s on the more expensive end of the spectrum