Re-target high-LTV mobile users with Branch and Segment

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Step 1: Use Segment to create targeted audiences for your campaigns

The first step is to ensure you have Segment set up and are tracking the most critical, high-value events on your app. You will also want to focus on a conversion event with the highest ROI for your ads. 

For example: you might identify all of your users who have not bought something within the first seven days of installing your app. You can then start pulling that group of customers or “audience” together on Segment with the following steps:

1. Log in to Segment.

2. Navigate to Engage and then click Audiences.

3. Click Create, and then choose Audience.

4. Then set up your configuration to identify users who have not bought something  within the first seven days of installing your app.

5. Click Preview and follow the steps to Review & Create.

6. Name your audience 7 Day 0 ARPU New User Audience and click Create Audience. Select the Compute without enabled destinations checkbox.

7. Click Create Audience.

Congratulations! You’re done making your first relevant audience! Do not feel limited to this criterion. Depending on your brand, you could categorize new customers in multiple ways. For example:

• Customers who bought something after seven days but before 30 days.

• Customers who haven’t completed any activity within your app after install.

• Customers who log in three or more times in the first seven days to consume content but do nothing else.

You won’t have to repeat this process for the same conversion criteria. Segment will keep this audience synchronized in real time as users fall in and out of this audience group. 

Step 2: Set up data exports to Segment using Branch

Apps must also implement the Branch SDK. Once the Branch SDK is implemented and Segment is integrated, Branch will automatically start forwarding attributed events (e.g.,  installs, re-opens, purchases) in the format required by Segment. 

How to enable the Segment integration in Branch:

1. Find your Segment Token and keep it handy.

2. On the Branch Dashboard, navigate to the Integrations page.

3. Search for Segment and click on the tile.

4. Enter your Segment Token and press Enable.

In just a couple of clicks, you can send your Branch data to Segment, export your data to your entire suite of analytics tools, and build custom audiences using Branch data. You can now also enable Branch’s data import integration to pull additional Segment data into the Branch Dashboard. 

​​Branch will send attributed installs and opens, as well as any content events, lifecycle events, custom events, and commerce events you track with Branch. Non-referred events, clicks, web session starts, and pageviews will be excluded. Branch also sends all data that is attached to the link that drove the referred event. This will allow you to analyze which campaigns, channels, etc. are helping you acquire and engage users. 

You can see the list of fields that Branch sends to Segment here.

Step 3: Enable the Branch Destination inside Segment 

When you use Branch through Segment, all your Segment events get passed along to Branch in the format it expects, so you don’t need to go back in your code and add a bunch of new webhooks for the same events. Those events can be attributed back to links, campaigns, and channels in your Branch Dashboard. For this, go to Segment and navigate to the Destinations section.

1. Log in to Segment and navigate to Connections, then click Destinations.

2. Click Add Destination. 

3. Search for Branch Metrics and confirm the Source you’d like to connect to.

4. Enter your Branch Secret. This can be found in the Account Settings > App section of the Branch Dashboard.

5. Enter your Branch Key. This can be found in the Account Settings > App section of the Branch Dashboard.

Step 4: Create high-ROI, omni-channel campaigns on your preferred ad networks

You are now ready to leverage your Segment data and build audiences using over 400 downstream tools. We suggest you first retarget campaigns on your highest-ROI channels (e.g., Facebook, Google, InMobi, AdColony) to ensure they are integrated with the Branch Dashboard. 

Best practices:

• Set aside a small portion of your ad budget to run test campaigns across ad partners. 

• Keep budgets and bids consistent, with minimal variation. 

• Depending on the amount of engagement, ensure you have run your tests long enough so the data is statistically valid.

Step 5: Optimize your audiences and channels 

Once you have enough data from your tests, start scaling those campaigns on your core ad networks and ensure they are running with a consistent budget, efficient pricing model (CPI, CPM, CPC, etc), and adequate time frame. 

Always compare performance data against your desired goals, which in this recipe has been capturing the highest-LTV users. Regularly verify your new user data on Segment and Branch, then optimize accordingly. As you discover and retain high-LTV users, be sure to maximize user acquisition while keeping ad spend low. 

Wrapping up

Here’s what we’ve done in this growth recipe:

• Highlighted the integration steps your team should take to prepare for new paid ad campaigns

• Outlined how Branch‘s MMP will augment your Segment audiences 

• Provided insights on how to deliver the right message at the right time to the right people across the right ad networks