What’s the difference between segmentation testing and personalization testing?

Segmentation testing evaluates whether your audience divisions are correct. You might test whether a behavior based segment outperforms a demographic one, or whether splitting engaged users into two tiers improves results. The question is about who belongs together and how groupings affect outcomes.

Personalization testing evaluates content variations within a defined segment. You might test whether including a subscriber's first name improves open rates, or whether product recommendations based on purchase history drive more clicks than generic offers. The segment stays the same while the content treatment varies.

Segmentation testing asks whether you're talking to the right groups. Personalization testing asks whether you're saying the right things to those groups. Both matter, but they answer fundamentally different questions.

Run segmentation tests when you suspect your audience divisions are outdated or suboptimal. Run personalization tests once your segments are solid and you want to maximize relevance within them.

Segmentation testing builds the fleet roster. Personalization testing refines the message each ship carries.