How to use the Advanced Search (video)


With advanced search, you're able to find very specific groups of contacts. You can create conditions out of virtually all the data in your ActiveCampaign account including geolocation, actions your contacts have taken, lists they are on, the status of deals, and much more. You're able to combine nearly unlimited conditions with “And” and “Or” logic until you've narrowed your list to the exact contacts you are looking for.

You may want to find groups of contacts so that you can create a segment, do a bulk edit, or see how many contacts match specific conditions. You may want to see how many contacts opened two of your campaigns. Or, you might want to create a segment out of contacts that have visited a product page on your website. Or, you may want to apply a tag to all the contacts who clicked a link in one of your email campaigns.

  1. When you've finished defining your search condition(s), click the "Search" button. Contacts who meet the search conditions you defined will be listed on the Contacts page.

Creating a segment from an advanced search

After you've created the conditions that find the contacts you want to display in an advanced search, you'll have the option to save that search as a segment. A segment is a subgroup of contacts on your list that you can send highly targeted messaging to. When your contacts only receive messages that are very relevant to them, they'll be more likely to pay attention to your campaigns. This will create a positive feedback loop where your campaigns are opened more and receive more clicks. This in turn may help your deliverability, strengthen your relationship with your contacts, and will likely result in more sales.

Segments are dynamic 

Your segment will update automatically as contacts meet or don't meet your segment conditions.

To save an advanced search as a segment:

  1. Click into the search field where it says "(X condition set)."
Search field: 1 condition set
  1. Click the "Save as segment" button.
Save a segment button
  1. A "Name this segment" modal will appear. Type the name of the segment into the field provided and click "Save."
Name this segment modal

Give your segment a descriptive name

Descriptive names will help you remember what the segment is and which contacts should be included. 

The next time you go to send a campaign, during the list selection step, your saved segment will appear in your list of segments.

The next time you click into the search field, you'll see an option for “Saved Searches.” Clicking it will display a modal with the names of your saved searches listed. Clicking on the name of a saved search will display the matching contacts.

Saved Searches option

Bulk editing your contacts

Advanced search and the bulk editor work together hand-in-hand. With advanced search you can find very specific groups of contacts and with the bulk editor you can make changes to those specific contacts. For example, you might want to create a segment out of all the contacts who opened a specific campaign.

To bulk edit the contacts that were pulled in an advanced search:

  1. Click the "Edit All" button to display the bulk editor.
Edit all contacts button
  1. The bulk editor modal will display. Here you can perform a variety of actions on the contacts:
Bulk editor actions

For more information on using the Bulk Editor, see this help article.

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