Cohorts

Cohorts allow you to group users based on their behavior and characteristics. Unlike static segments, cohorts are defined by rules and automatically include users who match the criteria. Cohorts integrate directly with campaign targeting, making it easy to reach specific user groups.

Accessing Cohorts

Navigate to Analytics → Cohorts from the sidebar.

What is a Cohort?

A cohort is a dynamic group of users defined by:

• Behavioral rules: Users who performed (or didn't perform) specific actions
• Property rules: Users with specific attributes
• Time windows: Actions within a defined period

Example cohorts:

• "Power users" - users who logged in 10+ times in the last 30 days
• "At-risk users" - users who haven't engaged in 14 days
• "Premium prospects" - users who viewed pricing but didn't upgrade

Creating a Cohort

Basic Information

1. Click Create Cohort
2. Enter a Name (e.g., "Power Users")
3. Add an optional Description

Adding Rules

Click Add Rule to define cohort criteria. Multiple rules create an AND condition (users must match all rules).

Event-Based Rules

Target users based on actions they took:

Condition	Description	Example
Did	User performed the event	Did "purchase_completed"
Did not	User hasn't performed the event	Did not "unsubscribe"
Did at least N times	User performed event multiple times	Did "feature_used" at least 5 times

Time window: Specify when the event should have occurred:

• "In the last 7 days"
• "In the last 30 days"
• "In the last 3 months"

Property-Based Rules

Target users based on their attributes:

Condition	Description	Example
Equals	Property matches value	plan = "premium"
Not equals	Property doesn't match	status ≠ "churned"
Contains	Property contains text	email contains "@company.com"
Greater than	Numeric comparison	lifetime_value > 100
Less than	Numeric comparison	days_since_signup < 30

Rule Examples

Power Users:

Rule 1: Event-based
  - Did "session_started"
  - At least 10 times
  - In the last 30 days

Trial Users at Risk:

Rule 1: Property-based
  - plan = "trial"

Rule 2: Event-based
  - Did not "feature_used"
  - In the last 7 days

High-Value Inactive:

Rule 1: Property-based
  - lifetime_value > 500

Rule 2: Event-based
  - Did not "session_started"
  - In the last 14 days

Cohort Statistics

After saving, you'll see:

• User Count: Number of users currently in the cohort
• Last Updated: When the count was last refreshed
• Created At: When the cohort was created

Click Refresh Count to update the user count.

Linking Cohorts to Segments

Cohorts can be linked to segments for campaign targeting:

Creating a Segment from Cohort

1. Open the cohort
2. Click Create Segment
3. The segment is created and linked

Using Linked Segments

Once linked:

• Use the segment in campaign targeting
• The segment automatically syncs with cohort membership
• Users added/removed from cohort update in the segment

This is the bridge between analytics and campaigns.

Use Cases

Engagement-Based Targeting

Cohort: "Engaged Free Users"

• Plan = "free"
• Did "core_feature_used" at least 5 times in last 30 days

Campaign: Upgrade offer targeting users who clearly find value.

Re-engagement

Cohort: "Dormant Users"

• Did "signup_completed" more than 30 days ago
• Did not "session_started" in last 14 days

Campaign: Win-back email with special offer.

Feature Adoption

Cohort: "Feature Non-Adopters"

• Did not "new_feature_used" in last 30 days
• Did "session_started" at least 3 times in last 30 days

Campaign: Feature announcement to active users who haven't tried it.

Upsell Targeting

Cohort: "Premium Ready"

• Plan = "basic"
• Did "premium_feature_limit_hit" at least 2 times in last 14 days

Campaign: Upgrade prompt for users hitting limits.

Managing Cohorts

Editing Cohorts

1. Click on a cohort to open details
2. Modify rules as needed
3. Click Save
4. Click Refresh Count to update membership

Deleting Cohorts

1. Open the cohort
2. Click Delete
3. Confirm deletion

Warning: If a cohort is linked to a segment, the segment will also be deleted.

Best Practices

Keep Rules Simple

• Start with 1-2 rules
• Add complexity only if needed
• Test cohort size after each change

Use Descriptive Names

Good: "Trial Users - Week 2 - Low Engagement" Bad: "Cohort 1"

Refresh Regularly

User counts are cached. Refresh before using for campaigns or reporting.

Monitor Cohort Size

• Too small: May not have statistical significance
• Too large: May not be targeted enough
• Ideal: Large enough to matter, specific enough to act on

Combine Behavioral and Property Rules

The most powerful cohorts combine:

• What users ARE (properties)
• What users DO (events)

Cohorts vs. Segments

Feature	Cohorts	Segments
Primary use	Analytics	Campaign targeting
Rule types	Behavioral + property	Mostly property-based
Integration	Links to segments	Direct campaign use
Focus	Understanding users	Reaching users

Use cohorts for analysis, then link to segments for campaigns.

Related

• Creating Segments - Segment targeting
• Retention Analysis - Analyze cohort retention
• Creating Campaigns - Target cohorts in campaigns