A Demand Gen Expert's Guide to Dynamic, Active Segmentation in HubSpot
Content Authenticity Statement
90% of this article was generated by me, the human. AI outputs contributed mostly to summarizing the intro, conclusion, and creating definitions for the active lists below. (Thanks to Christopher Penn for encouraging the use of content authenticity statements!)
Active Segmentation in HubSpot: Your Secret Weapon
Let’s face it—segmentation is the key to any high-performing marketing strategy, enabling you to deliver personalized, relevant content to your audience at precisely the right time.
Whether you’re nurturing leads, closing deals, or driving customer loyalty, the way you slice and dice your database can make or break your campaigns.
And in HubSpot, you’ve got a secret weapon: dynamic active lists.
Dynamic Active Lists vs. Static Lists—What’s the Difference?
HubSpot gives you two primary ways to segment: dynamic active lists and static lists. Understanding when to use each is key to building a scalable, efficient strategy.
Dynamic Active Lists: These are the real MVPs of segmentation. These lists automatically update as contacts, companies, or deals meet (or no longer meet) the defined criteria. For instance, if a contact moves from one lifecycle stage to another, they’ll be automatically added or removed from the relevant list. Dynamic lists are ideal for ongoing campaigns, workflows, lead scoring, and reporting where criteria may change frequently or where you want to ensure you’re always working with the most up-to-date data.
Static Lists: These lists are snapshots of contacts, companies, or deals at a specific moment in time. Once created, they don’t change unless manually updated. Static lists are best used for one-time campaigns, such as sending an event invitation or targeting a specific cohort that won’t change. They’re not as flexible as dynamic lists, but they’re perfect when you need something fixed and finite.
Why Dynamic Active Lists are the MVPs of Lists
Here’s the thing: dynamic active lists are a game-changer, especially when you’re juggling multiple campaigns, segments, and data points.
Here’s why:
In the sections below, I’ll walk you through the essential segments you should have in your HubSpot instance, complete with specific use cases and tips for maximizing their impact. From ABM and buyer’s journey stages to intent-driven outreach, these segments are designed to keep your strategy focused, your data clean, and your results soaring.
A few quick definition things and then we'll get started.
Type of Lists (Emoji Key)
In HubSpot, Contact lists ?? focus on individual people, Company lists ?? segment entire organizations, and Deal lists ?? track opportunities or deal records, each playing a critical role in personalized outreach and pipeline management.
Naming Conventions
Consistent and clear naming conventions are essential for maintaining order and efficiency in HubSpot. By using prefixes like [SEG] for segments or [OPS] for operational lists, you ensure that your lists are easily searchable, instantly recognizable by their purpose, and organized logically within your folder hierarchy. This methodology not only enhances collaboration across teams but also reduces the risk of misusing or duplicating lists, keeping your database streamlined and effective.
Database Segmentation
*ABM Segments (6Sense, DemandBase, etc)
?? [SEG ABM] All qualified accounts: Identifies all accounts that meet the criteria for qualification, enabling targeted ABM efforts.
?? [SEG ABM] Accounts with Profile Fit is Strong: Focus on accounts most likely to convert based on firmographic and behavioral fit.
?? [SEG ABM] Accounts with Profile Fit is Medium: Prioritize accounts with moderate conversion potential.
?? [SEG ABM] Accounts with Profile Fit is Low: Monitor low-fit accounts for nurturing or disqualification.
?? [SEG ABM] Accounts in Low Intent Stage: Gauge interest and engagement at the early stages.
?? [SEG ABM] Accounts in Mid Intent Stage: Identify accounts moving deeper into the consideration phase.
?? [SEG ABM] Accounts in High Intent Stage: Target high-intent accounts ready for direct outreach.
?? [SEG ABM] All qualified accounts with open opportunities: Track ongoing opportunities for tailored engagement.
?? [SEG ABM] All qualified accounts with no open opportunities: Identify gaps for potential pipeline creation.
?? [SEG ABM] All contacts at accounts with Profile Fit is Strong: Ensure outreach to key stakeholders at high-fit accounts.
?? [SEG ABM] All contacts at accounts with Profile Fit is Medium: Focus on influencing decision-makers at medium-fit accounts.
?? [SEG ABM] All contacts at accounts with Profile Fit is Low: Nurture contacts at low-fit accounts for future opportunities.
?? [SEG ABM] All contacts at accounts in Low Intent Stage: Track contacts to gauge the need for early-stage content.
?? [SEG ABM] All contacts at accounts in Mid Intent Stage: Engage contacts moving towards a purchase decision.
?? [SEG ABM] All contacts at accounts in High Intent Stage: Prioritize high-intent contacts ready for closing.
?? [SEG ABM] All contacts at qualified accounts with open opportunities: Track stakeholders at ongoing opportunities for tailored engagement.
?? [SEG ABM] All contacts at qualified accounts with no open opportunities: Identify contacts for potential pipeline creation.
*Types of lists and criteria may vary with different ABM vendors.
Buyer's Journey Segments
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Awareness: Segment accounts just becoming aware of your solution for top-of-funnel nurturing.
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Consideration: Identify accounts evaluating options for mid-funnel engagement.
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Decision: Focus on accounts ready to make a purchasing decision for bottom-of-funnel tactics.
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Delight: All customers categorized here
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Awareness: Tag contacts in the early stages of the buyer's journey for awareness campaigns.
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Consideration: Engage contacts actively researching and comparing solutions.
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Decision: Direct high-value offers and urgency-driven communications to decision-ready contacts.
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Delight: All customers categorized here
Email Subscription Lists
?? [SEG SUBSCRIPTION] All emailable contacts: A master list for all contacts available for marketing email outreach.
?? [SEG EXCLUSION] MASTER Suppression List: A comprehensive list of all contacts to exclude from email communications, preventing overcommunication and compliance risks. includes all exclusion lists rolled into one master exclusion list.
?? [SEG EXCLUSION] Invalid or bounced emails: All automated email bounces or invalid emails marked by HubSpot
?? [SEG EXCLUSION] Unsubscribed contacts: Contacts that have explicitly unsubscribed from all emails
?? [SEG EXCLUSION] Company & agency contacts: A list of anyone with your company or agency's emails to exclude from outreach
?? [SEG EXCLUSION] Competitor contacts: A list of your competitor email handles to exclude from outreach
Intent Lists
Track intent signals at different stages to inform your proactive outreach strategy.
?? [SEG INTENT] Signal A, B, C, etc.
?? [SEG INTENT] Signal A, B, C, etc.
Customer Lists
Track all customer relationships, enabling targeted upsell, cross-sell, or win-back strategies.
?? [SEG CUST] All active & churned customer accounts
?? [SEG CUST] All active customer accounts
?? [SEG CUST] All churned customer accounts
?? [SEG CUST] All contacts at active & churned customer accounts
?? [SEG CUST] All contacts at active customer accounts
?? [SEG CUST] All contacts at churned customer accounts
Optional: If you have multiple product lines, duplicate each customer list for each product line.
ICP Target Account Lists
Focus your efforts on accounts that perfectly match your ideal customer profile.
?? [SEG ICP] All accounts in ICP
?? [SEG ICP] All accounts in Tier 1 ICP
?? [SEG ICP] All accounts in Tier 2 ICP
?? [SEG ICP] All accounts in Tier 3 ICP
?? [SEG ICP] All contacts in ICP
?? [SEG ICP] All contacts in Tier 1 ICP
?? [SEG ICP] All contacts in Tier 2 ICP
?? [SEG ICP] All contacts in Tier 3 ICP
Management Level
These segments categorize contacts by their seniority, ensuring that your messaging is tailored appropriately to decision-makers, influencers, or end-users within a company.
?? [SEG MANAGEMENT LEVEL] - Management level is unknown
?? [SEG MANAGEMENT LEVEL] - Non-Manager-Level Contact
?? [SEG MANAGEMENT LEVEL] - Manager-Level Contacts
?? [SEG MANAGEMENT LEVEL] - Director-Level Contacts
?? [SEG MANAGEMENT LEVEL] - VP-Level Contacts
?? [SEG MANAGEMENT LEVEL] - C-Level Contacts
Personas
Persona segments group contacts by their role and needs, allowing you to deliver highly relevant content that speaks directly to their unique challenges and goals. I typically partner titles & functions together to create my personas, but it is very dependent on your specific use case.
?? [SEG PERSONA] - Persona A
?? [SEG PERSONA] - Persona B
?? [SEG PERSONA] - Persona C
?? [SEG PERSONA] - Persona D
?? [SEG PERSONA] - Persona E
?? [SEG PERSONA] - Persona F
?? [SEG PERSONA] - Persona G
领英推荐
?? [SEG FUNCTION] - All personas in function A (ie Ops, HR, Finance)
?? [SEG FUNCTION] - All personas in function B (ie Ops, HR, Finance)
?? [SEG FUNCTION] - All personas in function C (ie Ops, HR, Finance)
Pipeline Segments
These segments track the status of opportunities within your sales funnel, helping you prioritize outreach, focus on high-impact deals, and accurately forecast revenue based on where each account or contact stands in the buying journey.
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All companies with open opportunities
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All companies with open new business opportunities
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All companies with open expansion opportunities
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All companies with open pipeline - indicates only qualified pipeline
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All companies with closed lost opportunities (non-customer)
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All contacts at companies with open opportunities
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All contacts at companies with open new business opportunities
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All contacts at companies with open expansion opportunities
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All contacts at companies with open pipeline - indicates only qualified pipeline
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All contacts at companies with closed lost opportunities (non-customer)
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All open opportunities
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All open new business opportunities
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All open expansion opportunities
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All open pipeline - indicates only qualified pipeline
?? [SEG PIPELINE] All closed lost opportunities (non-customer)
(Optional: Create company, contact and deal list for each product line and/or each deal stage)
Target Account Lists
These segments identify and organize your highest-value accounts, enabling focused, strategic efforts across marketing and sales to drive engagement, conversion, and long-term growth with your most important prospects.
?? [SEG TARGET ACCOUNTS] - All Target Accounts
?? [SEG TARGET ACCOUNTS] - All AE Target Accounts
?? [SEG TARGET ACCOUNTS] - All BDR Target Accounts
?? [SEG TARGET ACCOUNTS] - All contacts at Target Accounts
?? [SEG TARGET ACCOUNTS] - All contacts at AE Target Accounts
?? [SEG TARGET ACCOUNTS] - All contacts at Target Accounts
Target Persona Lists
The purpose of these lists is to identify with sales what constitutes an appropriate sales target persona. For example, if sales only wants to work with VP+ leaders in Human Resources, excluding comp & benefits titles. You would create a list pulling in management level = VP+ AND function/persona = Human Resources AND excl comp & benefits persona/titles into a target prospect list.
?? [SEG TPL] Target persona contacts for sales
?? [SEG TPLS IN ICP] - All target personas in all ICP tiers
?? [SEG TPLS AT TARGET ACCOUNTS] - All target personas in all target accounts
Optional: Break out by target accounts owners (AE vs BDR) and/or by ICP tiers.
Cool, Clever Ways to Use Your Active Segments (Actual Use Cases)
Programmatic Email Nurture Campaigns
Leverage Buyer’s Journey and Persona Segments to create nurture streams with sophisticated branching that automatically adjust as contacts move through stages. This ensures that your content always aligns with where they are in their journey and what matters most to them.
For example, here's how my nurture programs are set up:
[NURTURE] Awareness Campaign: Triggers with this active list ?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Awareness
[NURTURE] Consideration Campaign: Triggers with this active list ?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Consideration
[NURTURE] Decision Campaign: Triggers with this active list ?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Decision
Smart Copy
Using persona segments for smart copy in HubSpot emails allows you to tailor your messaging to resonate deeply with each specific audience, enhancing engagement and driving conversions.
By leveraging the active persona segments, you can automatically adjust email content—such as subject lines, body text, CTAs, and even images—based on the unique challenges, goals, and pain points of each persona.
For example, I sell to two personas HR & Operations. I have two versions of smart copy for most emails, one for HR (?? [SEG PERSONA] - HR Executives), one for Ops (?? [SEG PERSONA] - Operations Executives), and the default version.
This ensures that every contact receives highly relevant, personalized messaging that speaks directly to their role and needs, leading to higher open rates, click-through rates, and ultimately, better results from email campaigns.
Lead Scoring
Use your dynamic lists to feed your lead scoring model. Automatically adjust scores as contacts meet or fall out of criteria like high-intent engagement or strong profile fit, ensuring your sales team focuses on the hottest leads without manual recalibration.
For example, here's how I might set up my lead scoring with dynamic segments:
Weighted Firmographic Fit Score:
?? [SEG ICP] All accounts in Tier 1 ICP = 50 points
?? [SEG ICP] All accounts in Tier 2 ICP = 40 points
?? [SEG ICP] All accounts in Tier 3 ICP = 30 points
Demographic Fit Score:
[SEG TPL] Target persona contacts for sales = 25 points
Engagement Score:
?? [SEG ABM] All qualified accounts OR [SEG ABM] All accounts in High Intent Stage OR ?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Decision = 25 points
Individual criteria (ex: form fill = 10 points; web visit = 2 points, etc.)
Advertising Segments
In HubSpot Ads, I can pull over these dynamic active lists and sync them over to advertising platforms like Meta and LinkedIn.
For example, if I am running a campaign of LinkedIn ads to only our target accounts, I would include the ?? [SEG TARGET ACCOUNTS] - All Target Accounts list and exclude our customers using the ?? [SEG CUST] All active & churned customer accounts list.
Or, let's say I'm running a retargeting campaign in LinkedIn. Instead of just targeting, say web visitors, I can target the highest intent leads using our intent or buyer's journey lists:
?? [SEG INTENT] Clicked on ad
?? [SEG INTENT] Clicked on ad
?? [SEG ABM] Accounts in High Intent Stage
?? [SEG ABM] All contacts at accounts in High Intent Stage
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Decision
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Decision
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Orchestration
Similarly, I may orchestrate various ABM omni-channel campaigns. Perhaps I am coordinating an advertising campaign for our target accounts (as shown above), but I am also coordinating an outbound campaign with our business development team.
Let's say that I want to alert the business development team to the accounts or people that engage with the advertising campaign above. I could use my intent lists to trigger a workflow alerting them to the lead:
?? [SEG INTENT] Clicked on ad
?? [SEG INTENT] Clicked on ad
Or, perhaps, I am instead scoring that lead either through ABM vendors, in which case the ad is just one component making up the intent score. Then, I might send over only the "high intent" accounts or contacts to the business development team using these segments:
?? [SEG ABM] Accounts in High Intent Stage
?? [SEG ABM] All contacts at accounts in High Intent Stage
Or, perhaps, I am using the ad clicks or engagement to manually indicate what stage of the buyer's journey an account or prospect is in (in the case that I don't have an ABM vendor doing it for me). Then I would use these active lists:
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Decision
?? [SEG BUYER JOURNEY] Decision
For almost all sales alerts, I will layer on additional criteria before sending the alert. For example, for any high intent activity, the account must be on this list ?? [SEG ICP] All accounts in ICP to ensure they are an ICP account AND this list ?? [SEG TPL] Target persona contacts for sales to ensure they are a target persona. Otherwise, it's not worth wasting sales' time. UNLESS, the lead is a hand-raiser such as a demo request in which case, they always make it to either a BDR or AE.
Of course, advertising & outbound are just some channels for ABM orchestration. Remember, you can use these active lists to trigger campaigns in other channels too like email or chat too.
Reporting
You can pull in any of these segments to analyze their effectiveness on running campaigns through channels. But here's just one example of how you can use them: to measure the quality of leads through any channel.
For example, let's say that I have a slew of demo requests coming in from Google Ads campaigns. I see that the total volume of demo requests is trending up from Google Ads - that must mean it's working, right?!
But once I layer on additional qualification criteria - like how many are in my ICP?? ?? [SEG ICP] All accounts in ICP and how many of those are my target persona?? ?? [SEG TPL] Target persona contacts for sales.
You may start to see you have a very different picture of the success of that channel. (True story: by layering on this criteria we could easily identify that most Google Ads leads were spam.)
Conclusion
Segmentation in HubSpot is more than just a tactic—it’s the driving force behind effective marketing. Dynamic active lists are your secret weapon, helping you deliver personalized, timely content that truly resonates. Whether you’re guiding leads through the buyer’s journey, focusing on high-value accounts, or fine-tuning your campaigns, these lists give you the flexibility to adapt and the consistency to excel.
Once you’ve set up these segments, they become a powerful tool that works behind the scenes—automatically updating, simplifying processes, and keeping your team aligned. It’s worth investing the time to build them right because they’ll elevate every campaign, workflow, and report you run.
In a landscape where relevance is key, active segmentation is essential. So, get these lists up and running, and watch your marketing efforts hit a whole new level. Your future results will thank you.