What’s the balance between behavioral and consent-based segmentation?

Behavioral segmentation is powerful, but consent always comes first. Subscribers who opt down from certain topics or frequencies should be excluded from behavioral triggers that violate those preferences, even if their behavior suggests interest.

For example, if someone browses your pricing page but has opted out of promotional emails, don't override their preference with a behavioral trigger. Instead, use behavior to refine within the boundaries they set. Send them educational content or product updates if they consented to those categories.

Preference centers give subscribers control. Behavioral data adds intelligence. The balance comes from letting preferences act as guardrails while behavior personalizes within those limits.

In regions governed by GDPR or ePrivacy, explicit consent is required for certain types of tracking. Make sure your behavioral segmentation respects these legal frameworks and includes proper opt in mechanisms for data collection.

Consent is the navigation chart. Behavior is the wind. One defines the boundaries. The other optimizes the route within them.