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• Why Matomo is the top Google Analytics alternative

  17 juin, par Joe

  You probably made the switch to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) when Google stopped collecting Universal Analytics (UA) data in July 2023. Up to that point, UA had long been the default analytics platform, despite its many limitations. 

  This was mostly because everyone loved its free nature and simple setup. A Google account was all you needed — even a free legacy G-Suite account worked perfectly. Looking at the analytics for just about any website was easy.

  That all changed with GA4, which addressed many of UA’s shortcomings by introducing a completely new way to model website data. Unfortunately, this also meant you couldn’t transfer historical data from UA into GA4, leading to more criticism. 

  Then there’s the added cost. GA4 is still free, but its limited functionality encourages you to upgrade to the enterprise version, Google Analytics 360 (GA360). Sure, you get lots of great functionality, less data sampling, and longer data retention periods, but it comes at a hefty price — $50,000 per year, to be exact.

  There are other options, though, and Matomo Analytics is one of the best. It’s an open-source, privacy-centric platform that offers advanced features of GA360 and more. 

  In this article, we’ll compare GA4, GA360, and Matomo and give you what you need to make an informed decision.

  Google Analytics 4 in a nutshell

  Google Analytics 4 is a great tool to use to start learning about web analytics. But soon enough, you’ll likely find that GA4 doesn’t quite cover all of your needs. 

  For example, it can’t provide a detailed view of user experiences, and Google doesn’t offer dedicated support or onboarding. There are other shortcomings, too.

  Data sampling

  Google only processes a selected sample of website activity rather than every individual data point. Rather than looking at the whole picture, it sets a threshold and selects a [hopefully] representative sample for analysis. 

  This inevitably creates gaps in data. Google attempts to fill them in using AI and machine learning, inferring the rest from data patterns. Since the results rely on assumptions and estimates, they aren’t always precise.

  In practical terms, this means that the accuracy of GA4 analysis will likely decline as website traffic increases.

  

  (Image source)

  Data collection limits

  GA4’s 25 million monthly events limit seems like a lot, but they add up quickly. 

  All user interactions are recorded as events, including :

  • Session start : User visits the site.
  • Page view : User loads a page (tracked automatically).
  • First visit : User accesses the site for the first time.
  • User engagement : User stays on a page for a set time period.
  • Scroll : User scrolls past 90% of the page (enhanced measurement).
  • Click : User clicks on any element (links, buttons, etc.).
  • Video start/complete : User starts or completes a video (enhanced measurement).
  • File download : User downloads a file (enhanced measurement).

  For context, consider a website averaging 50 events per session per user. If every user logs on every third day, on average, you’ll need 10,000 individual visitors a month to reach that 25 million. But that’s not the problem. 

  The problem is that collection limits in GA4 affect your ability to capture, secure, and analyse customer data effectively.

  Customisation

  GA4 users also face configuration limits that restrict their customisation options. For example : 

  • Audience limits : Since only 100 audiences are allowed, it’s necessary to combine or optimise segments rather than track too many small groups. 
  • Retention limits : Data retention is limited to only 14 months, so external storage solutions may be necessary in situations where historical data needs to be preserved.
  • Conversion events : GA4 will only track up to 30 conversion events, so it’s best to focus on high-value interactions (e.g., purchases and lead form submissions). 
  • Event-scoped dimensions : Since e-commerce operations are limited to 50 event-scoped dimensions, they need to carefully consider custom dimensions and key metrics. This makes it important to be selective about which product details to track (color, size, discount code, etc.).

  Data privacy

  GA4 isn’t GDPR-compliant out of the box. In fact, Google Analytics 4 is banned in seven EU countries because they believe the way it collects and transfers data violates GDPR.

  Data privacy regulations may or may not be a big concern, depending on where your customers are. However, if some are in the UK or any of the 30 countries that make up the European Economic Area (EEA), you must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

  It tells your customers that you don’t respect their data if you don’t. It can also get very expensive.

  Limited attribution models

  Attribution models track how different marketing touchpoints lead to a conversion (such as a purchase, sign-up, or lead generation). They help businesses understand which marketing channels and strategies are most effective in driving results.

  GA4 supports only two of the six standard attribution models previously supported in Universal Analytics. Organisations wanting data-driven or last-click attribution models will find them in Google Analytics. But they’ll need to look elsewhere if they’re going to use any of these models :

  • First click attribution
  • Linear attribution
  • Time decay attribution
  • Position-based attribution (u-shaped)

  GA360 isn’t a solution either

  Fundamentally, GA360 is the same product as GA4, without the above limits and restrictions. For companies that pay $50,000 (or more) each year, the only changes involve how much data is collected, how long it stays and data sampling thresholds.

  Above all, the GDPR-compliance issue remains. That can be a real problem for organisations with operations that collect personal data in the EEA or the UK.

  And the problem could soon be much bigger than just those 31 countries. Many countries currently implementing data privacy laws are modelling their efforts on GDPR, which may rule out both GA4 and GA360.

  

  What makes Matomo the top alternative ?

  No data limits

  One way to overcome all these challenges is to switch to Matomo Analytics. 

  There’s no data sampling and no data collection limits whatsoever with on-premise implementation. Matomo also supports all six attribution models, is open source and fully customisable and complies with GDPR out of the box. 

  Imagine trying to change your business strategy or marketing campaigns if you’re not confident that your data is reliable and accurate.

  It’s no secret that data sampling can negatively affect the accuracy of the data, and inaccurate data can lead to poor decision-making.
  

  With Matomo, there are no limits. We don’t restrict the size of containers within the Tag Manager nor the number of containers or tags within each container. You have more control over your customers’ data. 

  And you get to make your decisions based on all that data. That’s important because data quality is critical for high-impact decisions. 

  Open source

  Open-source software allows anyone to inspect, audit, and improve the source code for security and efficiency. That means no hidden data collection, faster bug fixes, and no vendor lock-in. As a bonus, these things make complying with data privacy laws and regulations easier.

  Matomo can also be modified in any way, which provides unlimited customisation possibilities. There’s also a very active developer community around Matomo, so you don’t have to make changes yourself — you can hire someone who has the technical knowledge and expertise. They can : 

  • Modify tracking scripts for advanced analytics
  • Create custom attribution models, tracking methods and dashboards
  • Integrate Matomo with any system (CRM, eCommerce, CMS, etc.)

  Data ownership

  Matomo’s open-source nature also means full data ownership. No third parties can access the data, and there’s no risk of Google using that data for ads or AI training. Furthermore, Matomo follows privacy-first tracking principles, meaning that there’s :

  • No third-party data sharing
  • Full user consent control
  • Support for cookie-less tracking
  • IP Anonymisation, by default
  • Do Not Track (DNT) support

  All of that underlines the fact that Matomo collects, stores, and tracks data 100% ethically.

  On-premise and cloud-based options

  You can use the Matomo On-Premise web analytics solution if local data privacy laws require that you store data locally. Here’s a helpful tip : many of them do. However, this might not be necessary. 

  Due to GDPR, several countries recognise the EEA as an acceptable storage location for their citizens’ data. That means servers hosted in any of those 30 countries are already compliant in terms of data location. 

  Alternatively, you could embrace modernity and choose Matomo Cloud — our servers are also in Europe. While GA4 and GA360 are cloud-based, Google’s servers are in the US, and that’s a big problem for GDPR.

  

  Comprehensive analytics

  If you need a sophisticated web analytics platform that offers full control of your data and you have privacy concerns, Matomo is a solid choice. 

  It has built-in behavioural analytics features like Heatmaps, Scroll Depth and Session Recording. These tools allow you to collect and analyse data without relying on cookies or resorting to data sampling.

  Those standout features can’t be found in GA4 or GA360. Google also doesn’t offer an on-premise solution.

  The one area where Matomo can’t compete with Google Analytics is in its tight integration with the Google ecosystem : Google Ads, Gemini and Firebase. 

  Key things to consider before switching to Matomo

  There are pros and cons to switching from GA4 (or even GA360) to Matomo. That’s because no software is perfect. There are always tradeoffs somewhere. With Matomo, there are a few things to consider before switching :

  • Learning curve. Matomo is a full-featured analytics platform with many advanced features (session replay, custom event tracking, etc.). That can overwhelm new users and take time to understand well enough to maximise the benefits.
  • Technical resources. Choosing a Matomo On-Premise solution requires technical resources, such as a server and skills.
  • Third-party integration. Matomo provides pre-built integration tools for about a hundred platforms. However, it’s open source, so technical resources are required. On the plus side, it does make it possible to add to the list of APIs and connectors.

  Head-to-head : GA4 vs GA360 vs Matomo

  It’s always helpful to look at how different products stack up in terms of features and capabilities :

  	GA4	GA360	Matomo
  Data ownership			✔
  Event-based data	✔	✔	✔
  Session-based data			✔
  Unsampled data			✔
  Real-time data	✔	✔	✔
  Heatmaps			✔
  Session recordings			✔
  A/B testing			✔
  Open source			✔
  On-premise hosting			✔
  Data privacy	Subject to Google’s data policies	Subject to Google’s data policies	GDPR, CCPA compliant ; full control over data storage
  Custom dimensions	Yes (limited in free version)	Yes (higher limits)	Yes (unlimited in self-hosted)
  Attribution models	Last click, data-driven	Last click, data-driven, advanced Google Ads integration	Last click, first click, linear, time decay, position-based, custom
  Data retention	Up to 14 months (free)	Up to 50 months	Unlimited (self-hosted)
  Integrations	Google Ads, Search Console, BigQuery (limited in free version)	Advanced integrations (Google Ads, BigQuery, Salesforce, etc.)	100+ integrations (Google Ads, WordPress, Shopify, etc.)
  BigQuery export	Free (limited to 1M events/day)	Free (unlimited)	Paid add-on (via plugin)
  Custom reports	Limited customisation	Advanced customisation	Fully customisable
  Scalability	Suitable for small to medium businesses	Designed for large enterprises	Scalable without limits (self-hosted or cloud)
  Ease of use	Simple, requires onboarding	Steeper learning curve	Flexible, setup-intensive.
  Pricing	Free	Premium (starts at $50,000/year)	Free open-source (self-hosted) ; Cloud starts at $29/month

  So, is Matomo the right solution for you ?

  That’d be a ‘yes’ if you want a Google Analytics alternative that ticks all these boxes :

  • Complies natively with privacy laws and regulations
  • Offers real-time data and custom event tracking
  • Enables a deeper understanding of user behaviour
  • Allows you to fine-tune user experiences
  • Provides full control over your customers’ data
  • Offers conversion funnels, session recordings and heatmaps
  • Has session replay to trace user interactions
  • Includes plenty of readily actionable insights

  Find out why millions of websites trust Matomo

  Matomo is an easy-to-use, all-in-one web analytics tool with advanced behavioural analytics functionality.

  It’ll also help you future-proof your business because it supports compliance with global privacy laws in 162 countries. With an ethical alternative like Matomo, you don’t need to risk your business or customers’ private data.

  It’s not just about avoiding fines. It’s also about building trust with your customers. That’s why you need a privacy-focused, ethical solution like Matomo. 

  See for yourself : download Matomo On-Premise today, or start your 21-day free trial of Matomo Cloud (no credit card required).

• Multilingual SEO : A Marketer’s Guide to Measuring and Optimising Multilingual Websites

  26 juin, par Joe

  The web—and search engines in particular—make it easier than ever for businesses of any size to reach an international audience. 

   
  A multilingual website makes sense, especially when the majority of websites are in English. After all, you want to stand out to customers by speaking their local language. But it’s no good having a multilingual site if people can’t find it. 

  That’s where multilingual SEO comes in. 

  In this article, we’ll show you how to build a multilingual website that ranks in Google and other local search engines. You’ll learn why multilingual SEO is about more than translating your content and specific tasks you need to tick off to make your multilingual site as visible as possible. 

  ¡Vamos !

  What is multilingual SEO ? 

  Multilingual SEO is the process of optimising your website to improve search visibility in more than one language. It involves creating high-quality translations (including SEO metadata), targeting language-specific keywords and building links in the target language. 

  

  The goal is to make your site as discoverable and accessible as possible for users searching Google and other search engines in their local language. 

  It’s worth pointing out that multilingual SEO differs slightly from international SEO, even if the terms are used interchangeably. With multilingual SEO, you are optimising for a language (so Spanish targets every Spanish-speaking country, not just Spain). In international SEO, you target specific countries, so you might have a different strategy for targeting Argentinian customers vs. Mexican customers. 

  Why adopt a multilingual SEO strategy ?

  There are two major reasons to adopt a multilingual SEO strategy : to reach more customers and to deliver the best experience possible. 

  

  Reach a wider audience

  Not everyone searches the web in English. Even if non-native speakers eventually resort to English, many will try Googling in their own language first. That means if you target customers in multiple non-English-speaking countries, then creating a multilingual SEO is a must to reach as many of them as possible. 

  A multilingual SEO strategy also boosts your website’s chances of appearing in country-specific search engines like Baidu and Yandex — and in localised versions of Google like Google.fr and Google.de.

  Deliver a better user experience

  Multilingual SEO gives your customers what they want : the ability to search, browse and shop in their native language. This is a big deal, with 89% of consumers saying it’s important to deal with a brand in their own language.

  Improving the user experience also increases the likelihood of non-English-speaking customers converting. As many as 82% of people won’t make a purchase in major consumer categories without local language support. 

  How to prepare for multilingual SEO success

  Before you start creating multilingual SEO content, you need to take care of a couple of things. 

  Identify target markets

  The first step is to identify the languages you want to target. You know your customers better than anyone, so it’s likely you have one or two languages in mind already. 

  But if you don’t, why not analyse your existing website traffic to discover which languages to target first ? The Locations report in Matomo (found in the Visitors section of Matomo’s navigation) shows you which countries your visitors hail from. 

  

  In the example above, targeting German and Indonesian searchers would be a sensible strategy. 

  Target local keywords

  Once you’ve decided on your target markets, it’s time to find localised keywords. Keywords are the backbone of any SEO campaign, so take your time to find ones that are specific to your local markets.

  Yes, that means you shouldn’t just translate your English keywords into French or Spanish ! French or Spanish searchers may use completely different terms to find your products or services. 

  That’s why it’s vital to use a tool like Ahrefs or Semrush to do multilingual keyword research. 

  

  This may be a bit tricky if you aren’t a native speaker of your target language, but you can translate your English keywords using Google Translate to get started. 

  Remember, search volumes won’t be as high as English keywords since fewer people are searching for them. So don’t be scared off by small keyword volumes. Besides, even in the U.S. around 95% of keywords get 10 searches per month or fewer. 

  Choose your URL structure

  The final step in preparing your multilingual SEO strategy is deciding on your URL structure, whether that’s using separate domains, subdomains or subfolders. 

  This is important for SEO as it will avoid duplicate content issues. Using language indicators within these URLs will also help both users and search engines differentiate versions of your site. 

  The first option is to have a separate domain for each target language. 

  • yoursite.com
  • yoursite.fr
  • yoursite.es

  Using subdomains would mean you keep one domain but have completely separate sites :

  • fr.yoursite.com
  • es.yoursite.com
  • de.yoursite.com

  Using subfolders keeps everything clean but can result in long URLs :

  • yoursite.com/en
  • yoursite.com/de
  • yoursite.com/es

  As you can see in the image below, we use subdomains to separate multilingual versions of you site :

  

  While separate domains provide more precise targeting, it’s a lot of work to manage them. So, unless you have a keyword-rich, unbranded domain name that needs translating, we’d recommend using either subdomains or subdirectories. It’s slightly easier to manage subfolders, but subdomains offer users a clearer divide between different versions of your site. 

  If you want to make your site even easier to navigate, then you can incorporate language indicators into your page’s design to make it easy for consumers to switch languages. These are the little dropdown menus you see containing various flags that let users browse in different languages.

  5 multilingual SEO strategies to use in 2024

  Now you’ve got the basics in order, use the following SEO strategies to improve your multilingual rankings. 

  Use hreflang tags

  There’s another way that Google and other search engines use to determine the language and region your website is targeting : hreflang..

  Hreflang is an HTML attribute that Google and other search engines use to ensure they serve users the right version of the page.

  You can insert it into the header section of the page like this example for a German subdomain :

  <link rel=”alternate” href=”https://yourwebsite.com/de” hreflang=”de” />

  Or you can add the relevant markup to your website’s sitemap. Here’s what the same German markup would look like :

  <xhtml:link rel=”alternate” hreflang=”de” href=”https://yourwebsite.com/de/” /> 

  Whichever method you include one language code in ISO 639-1 format. You can also include a region code in ISO 3166-1 Alpha 2 format. Note that you can include multiple region codes. A web page in German, for example, could target German and Austrian consumers. 

  Hreflang tags also avoid duplicate content issues. 

  With a multilingual site, you could have a dozen different versions of the same page, showing the same content but in a different language. Without an hreflang tag specifying that these are different versions of the same page, Google may penalise your site.

  Invest in high-quality translations

  Google rewards good content. And, while you’d hope Google Translate would be good enough, it usually isn’t.

  Instead, make sure you are using professional linguists to translate your content. They won’t only be able to produce accurate and contextually relevant translations — the kind that Google may reward with higher rankings — but they’ll also be able to account for cultural differences between languages. 

  Imagine you are translating a web page from U.S. English into Italian, for example. You’ve not only got to translate the words themselves but also the measurements (from inches to cm), dates (from mm/dd/yy to dd/mm/yy), currencies, idioms and more. 

  Translate your metadata, too

  You need to translate more than just the content of your website. You should translate its metadata — the descriptive information search engines use to understand your page — to help you rank better in Google and localised search engines. 

  As you can see in the image below, we’ve translated the French version of our homepage’s title and meta description :

  

  Page titles and meta descriptions aren’t the only pieces of metadata you need to pay attention to. Make sure you translate the following :

  • URLs
  • Image alt tags
  • Canonical tags
  • Structured data markup

  While you’re at it, make sure you have translated all of your website’s content, too. It’s easy to miss error messages, contact forms and checkout pages that would otherwise ruin the user experience. 

  Build multilingual backlinks

  Building backlinks is an important step in any SEO strategy. But it’s doubly important in multilingual SEO, where your links in your target language also help Google to understand that you have a translated website. 

  While you want to prioritise links from websites in your target language, make sure that websites are relevant to your niche. It’s no good having a link from a Spanish recipe blog if you have a marketing SaaS tool. 

  A great place to start is by mining the links of competitors in your target market. Your competitors have already done the hard work acquiring these links, and there’s every chance these websites will link to your translated content, too.

  

  Don’t forget about internal linking pages in the same language, either. This will obviously help users stay in the same language while navigating your site, but it will also show Google the depth of your multilingual content.

  Monitor the SEO health of your multilingual site

  The technical performance of your multilingual pages has a significant impact on your ability to rank and convert. 

  We know for a fact that Google uses page performance metrics in the form of Core Web Vitals as a search ranking factor. What’s more, research by WP Rocker finds that a side loading in one second has a three times better conversion rate than a site loading in five seconds. 

  With that in mind, make sure your site is performing at optimal levels using Matomo’s SEO Web Vitals report. Our SEO Web Vitals feature tracks all of Google’s Core Web Vitals, including :

  • Page Speed Score
  • First Contentful Paint (FCP)
  • Final Input Delay (FID)
  • Last Contentful Paint (LCP)
  • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

  The report displays each metric in a different colour depending on your site’s performance, with green meaning good, orange meaning average, and red meaning poor.

  

  Check in on these metrics regularly or set up custom alerts to automatically notify you when a specific metric drops below or exceeds a certain threshold — like if your Page Speed score falls below 50, for example. 

  How to track your multilingual SEO efforts with Matomo

  Matomo isn’t just a great tool to track your site’s SEO health ; you can also use our privacy-focused analytics platform to track your multilingual SEO success.

  For example, you could use the report to focus your multilingual SEO efforts on a single language if searches are starting to rival English. Or you decide to translate your most trafficked English keywords into your target languages, regardless if a tool like Ahrefs or Semrush tells you whether these keywords get searches or not.

  If you want to analyse the performance of your new language, for example, you can segment traffic by URL. In our case, we use the segment “Page URL contains fr.matomo.org” to measure the impact of our French website. 

  We can also track the performance of every language except French by using the segment “Page URL does not contain fr.matomo.org”.

  You can use Matomo to track your Keyword performance, too. Unlike search engine-owned platforms like Google Analytics and Google Search Console that no longer share keyword data, Matomo lets users see exactly which keywords users search to find your site in the Combined keywords report :

  

  This is valuable information you can use to identify new keyword opportunities and improve your multilingual content strategy. 

  For example, you could use the report to focus your multilingual SEO efforts on a single language if searches are starting to rival English. Or you decide to translate your most trafficked English keywords into your target languages, regardless if a tool like Ahrefs or Semrush tells you whether these keywords get searches or not.

  For international brands that have separate websites and apps for each target language or region, Matomo’s Roll-Up Reporting lets you keep track of aggregate data in one place. 

  

  Roll-Up Reporting lets you view data from multiple websites and apps as if they were a single site. This lets you quickly answer questions like :

  • How many visits happened across all of my multilingual websites ?
  • Which languages contributed the most conversions ?
  • How does the performance of my Spanish app compare to my Spanish website ?

  Is it any wonder, then, that Matomo is used by over one million sites in 190 countries to track their web and SEO performance in a privacy-friendly way ?

  Join them today by trying Matomo free for 21 days, no credit card required. Alternatively, request a demo to see how Matomo can help you track your multilingual SEO efforts. 

• What is audience segmentation ? The 8 main types and examples

  8 juillet, par Joe

  Marketers must reach the right person at the right time with the most relevant messaging. Customers now expect personalised experiences, which means generic campaigns won’t work. Audience segmentation is the key to doing this. 

  This isn’t an easy process because there are many types of audience segmentation. The wrong approach or poor data management can lead to irrelevant messaging or lost customer trust.

  This article breaks down the most common types of audience segmentation with examples highlighting their usefulness and information on segmenting campaigns without breaking data regulations.

  What is audience segmentation ?

  Audience segmentation involves dividing a customer base into distinct, smaller groups with similar traits or common characteristics. The goal is to deliver a more targeted marketing message or to glean unique insights from analytics.

  It can be as broad as dividing a marketing campaign by location or as specific as separating audiences by their interests, hobbies and behaviour.

  Consider this : an urban office worker and a rural farmer have vastly different needs. Targeted marketing efforts aimed at agriculture workers in rural areas can stir up interest in farm equipment. 

  Audience segmentation has existed since the beginning of marketing. Advertisers used to select magazines and placements based on who typically read them. For example, they would run a golf club ad in a golf magazine, not the national newspaper.

  Now that businesses have more customer data, audience segments can be narrower and more specific.

  Why audience segmentation matters

  Hyken’s latest Customer Service and CX Research Study revealed that 81% of customers expect a personalised experience.

  These numbers reflect expectations from consumers who have actively engaged with a brand — created an account, signed up for an email list or purchased a product.

  They expect relevant product recommendations — like a shoe polishing kit after buying nice leather loafers.

  Without audience segmentation, customers can get frustrated with post-sale activities. For example, the same follow-up email won’t make sense for all customers because each is at a different stage of the user journey. 

  Some more benefits that audience segmentation offers : 

  • Personalised targeting is a major advantage. Tailored messaging makes customers feel valued and understood, enhancing their loyalty to the brand. 
  • Businesses can understand users’ unique needs, which helps in better product development. For example, a fitness brand might develop separate offerings for casual exercisers and professional athletes.
  • Marketers can allocate more resources to the most promising segments. For example, a luxury skincare brand might target affluent customers with premium ads and use broader campaigns for entry-level products.

  8 types of audience segmentation

  There are eight types of audience segmentation : demographic, behavioural, psychographic, technographic, transactional, contextual, lifecycle and predictive segmentation.

  

  Let’s take an in-depth look at each of them.

  Demographic segmentation 

  Demographic segmentation divides a larger audience based on data points like location, age or other factors.

  The most basic segmentation factor is location, which is critical in marketing campaigns. Geographic segmentation can use IP addresses to separate marketing efforts by country. 

  But more advanced demographic data points are becoming increasingly sensitive to handle, especially in Europe, where the GDPR makes advanced demographics a more tentative subject. 

  It’s also possible to use age, education level, and occupation to target marketing campaigns. It’s essential to navigate this terrain thoughtfully, responsibly, and strictly adhere to privacy regulations.

  Potential data points :

  • Location
  • Age
  • Marital status
  • Income
  • Employment 
  • Education

  Example of effective demographic segmentation :

  A clothing brand targeting diverse locations must account for the varying weather conditions. In colder regions, showcasing winter collections or insulated clothing might resonate more with the audience. Conversely, promoting lightweight or summer attire would be more effective in warmer climates. 

  Here are two ads run by North Face on Facebook and Instagram to different audiences to highlight different collections :

  

  (Image Source)

  Each collection features differently and uses a different approach with its copy and even the media. With social media ads, targeting people based on advanced demographics is simple enough — just single out the factors when building a campaign. And it’s unnecessary to rely on data mining to get information for segmentation. 

  Consider incorporating a short survey into email sign-up forms so people can self-select their interests and preferences. This is a great way to segment ethically and without the need for data-mining companies. Responses can offer valuable insights into audience preferences while enhancing engagement, decreasing bounce rates, and improving conversion rates.

  Behavioural segmentation

  Behavioural segmentation segments audiences based on their interaction with a website or an app.

  Potential data points :

  • Page visits
  • Referral source
  • Clicks
  • Downloads
  • Video plays
  • Conversions (e.g., signing up for a newsletter or purchasing a product)

  Example of using behavioural segmentation to improve campaign efficiency :

  One effective method involves using a web analytics tool like Matomo to uncover patterns. By segmenting actions like specific clicks and downloads, identify what can significantly enhance visitor conversions. 

  

  For example, if a case study video substantially boosts conversion rates, elevate its prominence to capitalise on this success.

  Then, set up a conditional CTA within the video player. Make it pop up after the user finishes watching the video. Use a specific form and assign it to a particular segment for each case study. This way, you can get the prospect’s ideal use case without surveying them.

  This is an example of behavioural segmentation that doesn’t rely on third-party cookies.

  Psychographic segmentation

  Psychographic segmentation involves segmenting audiences based on interpretations of their personality or preferences.

  Potential data points :

  • Social media patterns
  • Follows
  • Hobbies
  • Interests

  Example of effective psychographic segmentation :

  Here, Adidas segments its audience based on whether they like cycling or rugby. It makes no sense to show a rugby ad to someone who’s into cycling and vice versa. However, for rugby athletes, the ad is very relevant.

  

  (Image Source)

  Brands that want to avoid social platforms can use surveys about hobbies and interests to segment their target audience ethically.

  Technographic segmentation

  Technographic segmentation separates customers based on the hardware or software they use. 

  Potential data points :

  • Type of device used
  • Device model or brand
  • Browser used

  Example of segmenting by device type to improve user experience :

  After noticing a serious influx of tablet users accessing their platform, a leading news outlet optimised their tablet browsing experience. They overhauled the website interface, focusing on smoother navigation and better tablet-readability. These changes gave users a more enjoyable reading experience tailored precisely to their device.

  Transactional segmentation

  Transactional segmentation uses customers’ past purchases to match marketing messages with user needs.

  Consumers often relate personalisation with their actual transactions rather than their social media profiles. 

  Potential data points :

  • Average order value
  • Product categories purchased within X months
  • Most recent purchase date

  Example of effective transactional segmentation :

  Relevant product recommendations and coupons are among the best uses of transactional segmentation. These individualised marketing emails can strengthen brand loyalty and increase revenue.

  A pet supply store identifies a segment of customers who consistently purchase cat food but not other pet products. To encourage repeat purchases within this segment, the store creates targeted email campaigns offering discounts or loyalty rewards for cat-related items.

  Contextual segmentation 

  Contextual segmentation helps marketers connect with audiences based on real-time factors like time of day, weather or location. It’s like offering someone exactly what they need when they need it the most.

  Potential data points :

  • GPS location
  • Browsing activity
  • Device type

  Examples of contextual segmentation :

  A ride-hailing app might promote discounted rides during rush hour in busy cities or suggest carpooling options on rainy days. Similarly, an outdoor gear retailer could target users in snowy regions with ads for winter jackets or snow boots.

  The key is relevance. Messages that align with what someone needs at that moment feel helpful rather than intrusive. Businesses need tools like geolocation tracking and real-time analytics to make this work. 

  Also, keep it subtle and respectful. While personalisation is powerful, being overly intrusive can backfire. For example, instead of bombarding someone with notifications every time they pass a store, focus on moments when an offer truly adds value — like during bad weather or peak commute times.

  Lifecycle segmentation 

  Lifecycle segmentation is about crafting interactions based on where customers are in their journey with a brand.

  

  Lifecycle segmentation isn’t just about selling ; it’s about building relationships. After a big purchase like furniture, sending care tips instead of another sales pitch shows customers that the brand cares about their experience beyond just the sale.

  This approach helps brands avoid generic messaging that might alienate customers. By understanding the customer’s lifecycle stage, businesses can tailor their communications to meet specific needs, whether nurturing new relationships or rewarding long-term loyalty.

  Potential data points :

  • Purchase history
  • Sign-up dates

  Examples of effective lifecycle segmentation :

  An online clothing store might send first-time buyers a discount code to encourage repeat purchases. On the other hand, if someone hasn’t shopped in months, they might get an email with “We miss you” messaging and a special deal to bring them back.

  Predictive segmentation 

  Predictive segmentation uses past behaviour and preferences to understand or predict what customers might want next. Its real power lies in its ability to make customers feel understood without them having to ask for anything.

  Potential data points :

  • Purchase patterns
  • Browsing history
  • Interaction frequency

  Examples of effective predictive segmentation :

  Streaming platforms are great examples — they analyse what shows and genres users watch to recommend related content they might enjoy. Similarly, grocery delivery apps can analyse past orders to suggest when to reorder essentials like milk or bread.

  B2B-specific : Firmographic segmentation

  Beyond the eight main segmentation types, B2B marketers often use firmographic factors when segmenting their campaigns. It’s a way to segment campaigns that go beyond the considerations of the individual.

  Potential data points :

  • Annual revenue
  • Number of employees
  • Industry
  • Geographic location (main office)

  Example of effective firmographic segmentation :

  Startups and well-established companies will not need the same solution, so segmenting leads by size is one of the most common and effective examples of B2B audience segmentation.

  The difference here is that B2B campaigns involve more manual research. With an account-based marketing approach, you start by researching potential customers. Then, you separate the target audience into smaller segments (or even a one-to-one campaign).

  Audience segmentation challenges (+ how to overcome them) 

  Below, we explore audience segmentation challenges organisations can face and practical ways to overcome them.

  Data privacy 

  Regulations like GDPR and CCPA require businesses to handle customer data responsibly. Ignoring these rules can lead to hefty fines and harm a brand’s reputation. Customers are also more aware of and sensitive to how their data is used, making transparency essential.

  Businesses should adopt clear data policies and provide opt-out options to build trust and demonstrate respect for user preferences. 

  

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  Privacy-focused analytics tools can help businesses handle these requirements effectively. For example, Matomo allows businesses to anonymise user data and offers features that give users control over their tracking preferences.

  Data quality

  Inconsistent, outdated or duplicate data can result in irrelevant messaging that frustrates customers instead of engaging them.

  This is why businesses should regularly audit their data sources for accuracy and completeness.

  Integrate multiple data sources into a unified platform for a more in-depth customer view. Implement data cleansing processes to remove duplicates, outdated records, and errors. 

  Segment management 

  Managing too many segments can become overwhelming, especially for businesses with limited resources. Creating and maintaining numerous audience groups requires significant time and effort, which may not always be feasible.

  Automated tools and analytics platforms can help. Matomo Segments can analyse reports on specific audience groups based on criteria such as visit patterns, interactions, campaign sources, ecommerce behaviour, demographics and technology usage for more targeted analysis.

  Detailed reporting of each segment’s characteristics can further simplify the process. By prioritising high-impact segments — those that offer the best potential return on investment — businesses can focus their efforts where they matter most.

  Behaviour shifts 

  Customer behaviour constantly evolves due to changing trends, new technology and shifting social and economic conditions. 

  Segmentation strategies that worked in the past can quickly become outdated. 

  Businesses need to monitor market trends and adjust their strategies accordingly. Flexibility is key here — segmentation should never be static.

  For example, if a sudden spike in mobile traffic is detected, campaigns can be optimised for mobile-first users.

  Tools and technologies that help 

  Here are some key segmentation tools to support your efforts : 

  • Analytics platforms : Get insights into audience behaviour with Matomo. Track user interactions, such as website visits, clicks and time spent on pages, to identify patterns and segment users based on their online activity.
  • CRM systems : Utilize customer records to create meaningful segments based on characteristics like purchase history or engagement levels.
  • Marketing automation platforms : Streamline personalised messages by automating emails, social media posts or SMS campaigns for specific audience segments.
  • Consent management tools : Collect and manage user consent, implement transparent data tracking and provide users with opt-out options. 
  • Survey tools : Gather first-party data directly from customers. 
  • Social listening solutions : Monitor conversations and brand mentions across social media to gauge audience sentiment.

  Start segmenting and analysing audiences more deeply with Matomo

  Modern consumers expect to get relevant content, and segmentation can make this possible.

  But doing so in a privacy-sensitive way is not always easy. Organisations need to adopt an approach that doesn’t break regulations while still allowing them to segment their audiences. 

  That’s where Matomo comes in. Matomo champions privacy compliance while offering comprehensive insights and segmentation capabilities. It provides features for privacy control, enables cookieless configurations, and supports compliance with GDPR and other regulations — all without compromising user privacy. 

  Take advantage of Matomo’s 21-day free trial to explore its capabilities firsthand — no credit card required.