# How can we help?

## Search

## Overview

Segmentation is a crucial strategy to help you send the right message to the right person at the right time. We created the [Audience Builder](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005532168) to help you segment audiences with purpose and precision. You can query all your data in one tool, build complex audience rules, and see the results in real-time.

The Audience Builder features powerful [audience linking](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/articles/27716113699341) (also called audience nesting) capabilities to help you effectively manage complex segments.

## The Audience Builder

Cordial's Audience Builder is used throughout the platform to search contacts, send messages, save and recall audiences, build [Audience Trend reports](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005364907), and filter results in [Event Dashboards](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005533188) and [event data reports](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005533268). Audiences are built using one or more rules that enable you to query all the data in your account.

1. To create an audience, log in to Cordial and navigate to **Contacts > Audiences** and select **New**.

2. The Audience Builder will appear.

3. Click or drag audience rules to create your audience and configure the desired segmentation. The example below shows valid subscribed contacts who live within 25 miles of the zip code 91911.

- [Learn more about creating and saving audiences here](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005532168).

### Audience rule definitions

You can use one or multiple audience rules to create dynamic segments of contacts.

- You can [find a complete list of available audience rules and their definitions here](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/articles/7534448256397).

### Example segmentations

Some example segmentations you can perform using the Audience Builder include:

- Geography
- Age
- Gender
- Industry
- Job title
- Education level
- Past purchases
- Buying frequency
- Engagement
- Birthdays and anniversaries
- Email type
- Device type
- Open type
- Cart items
- Browse behavior

The list could go on and on, but you get the point.

- You can [learn more about the Audience Builder here](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005532168).

## Linked audiences

Linked audiences (also called nested audiences) are saved audiences you can use and combine in any message—batch messages, automated messages, and Podium Orchestrations.

- [Learn more about linked audiences here](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/articles/27716113699341).

## Segmentation and personalization

Segmentation is only one piece of the puzzle. The power of [Cordial's personalization](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/categories/115000927327) should not be overlooked because it can take the place of segmentation in some situations, reducing the need for unnecessary message clutter.

> **Use case**  
> You could create two separate messages that are each segmented according to gender—or you could create one message and use [Cordial's template syntax (Smarty)](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002049231-Segmentation#! "A code syntax built on a customized version of Smarty (a php based template language). Usually referred to as just **Smarty**.  [Learn More](/hc/en-us/articles/115005691407)") to display conditional content based on the contact's gender. This example can be further extended to include other contact attributes such as language preferences or purchase history. The more you take advantage of personalization, the less you'll need to rely on segmentation and multiple messages.

## More data = better messaging

The more data you collect, the more powerful your segmentation and personalization can be. Make sure to capture all available data points such as contact attributes, events, products, and purchases. Work with your developers to make sure you're capturing as much data as possible.

- You can [learn more about data management here](https://support.cordial.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005361107-Data-Management-Overview).