AdRoll Blog: A Beginner's Guide to Cohort Analysis in Digital Marketing

Cohort analysis empowers marketers to move beyond simplistic or generalized conclusions in their data analytics, offering valuable insights that enable digital marketers to make informed decisions based on customer motivations and behaviors.

A cohort represents a subset within an audience segment, united by a shared experience or characteristic that transcends basic demographics. The definition of a cohort group can encompass various "experiences," including significant life events like military service, marriage, divorce, having children, or relocating to a new place.

Additionally, technical factors such as email subscription dates, social media likes or shares, or event attendance can also define cohorts. Companies often leverage cohorts to deliver highly relevant and personalized content and advertisements to small groups of users. Moreover, cohorts help deepen the understanding of audience behavior and enhance strategies and campaigns.