Integrate Optimizely Analytics Audience Sync

  • Updated
This feature is in beta. Apply on the Optimizely beta signup page or contact your Customer Success Manager.

Use the Optimizely Analytics Audience Sync to automatically sync cohorts built from your warehouse data in Optimizely Analytics and publish them directly into Optimizely Data Platform (ODP). You can also use these audiences in Web and Feature Experimentation. Also called the Warehouse Audience Sync, this integration lets you leverage data stored in your own warehouses, such as Snowflake, BigQuery, or RedShift, to target experiments and personalize campaigns, offering a unified experience across multiple Optimizely platforms. 

As a campaign manager, digital marketer, or data analyst, you can enjoy the following benefits from this integration:

  • Unified audience management – Activate the same customer segments across multiple Optimizely tools, eliminating manual audience recreation. With the unified audiences, you can ensure consistent targeting across analytics and marketing campaigns.  

  • Automated sync process – Only configure once and then let audiences sync automatically, removing the need to manually export or upload data. Receive real-time updates when cohorts change in Optimizely Analytics.

  • Security and reliability – Protect customer data with enterprise-grade security such as automatic error handling and retry logic, and a complete audit trail of all sync activities. 

Prerequisites

  • Access to Optimizely Analytics.
  • Access to Web Experimentation or Feature Experimentation.
  • (Optional) Access to Optimizely Data Platform (ODP). 

Configure the Optimizely Analytics Audience Sync in ODP

Sync cohorts

  1. Log in to ODP.
  2. Go to Data Setup > App Directory and search for Optimizely Analytics Audience Sync.
  3. Open the app and go to the Settings tab. Click Cohorts.
  4. Select an available cohort in your Optimizely Analytics, such as Users That Used Learn Tabs, from the Cohort to Sync drop-down list.
  5. Select an identifier column, such as id, from the Cohort Column drop-down list. This ensures users are mapped across systems accurately. 
  6. Click Add to save your selection. You can add multiple cohorts. The system retains these for future syncs. If you want to remove a cohort, select that cohort from the Remove Cohort drop-down list and click Remove Cohort From Sync. 

  7. Click Trigger Sync to run the sync. You can monitor real-time status updates as the system transfers the data. 

When a sync runs, the system completes the following steps automatically:

  • Connects to Optimizely Analytics using your configured credentials.
  • Exports selected cohorts as data files.
  • Processes and validates the data to ensure quality.
  • Transfers the data securely to ODP.
  • Creates or updates audiences in your ODP account.
  • Sends a summary of sync data and flags any issues encountered.

The entire process typically completes within minutes, depending on audience size.

Activate your synced audiences in ODP and Experimentation

Your cohorts display as real-time audiences in ODP immediately after a successful sync. You can use them in ODP and Web or Feature Experimentation for

  • Campaign targeting – Sync high-value customer segments from Analytics to power targeted email campaigns and personalized experiences.
  • Customer journey optimization – Use behavioral cohorts to trigger personalized journeys in your marketing automation.

  • Real-time personalization – Keep website and app personalization current with the latest customer insights from Analytics.

  • Cross-platform analytics – Maintain consistent audience definitions across analytics and marketing tools for accurate measurement.

See Build real-time audiences in ODP and Build Feature Experimentation audiences in ODP for details on activating audiences. 

Best practices

Consider the following guidelines to ensure a successful sync:

  • Start with your most important customer audiences.
  • Use clear and descriptive names for each cohort.
  • Select identifier columns that exist across both systems. Email is typically the safest choice.
  • Schedule regular syncs to keep audience data fresh.
  • Test with small audiences first to validate the configuration.
  • Monitor sync logs regularly to catch issues early.
  • Document your cohort strategy to ensure your team members understand what each audience represents.
  • Coordinate with your team to increase awareness of the availability of new audiences.

Troubleshoot sync failures

If a sync fails, complete the following checks before contacting support:

  • Confirm your credentials are still valid.
  • Verify the cohort still exists in Optimizely Analytics.
  • Ensure the identifier column contains valid data.

If issues persist, contact support through the Optimizely Connect Platform (OCP). The app provides detailed error logs to help diagnose problems.

Next steps

Take the following steps after you transfer your cohorts from Optimizely Analytics:

  • View sync history – Review past transfers and their outcomes.
  • Set up alerts – Receive notifications on sync successes or failures.
  • Schedule regular syncs – Keep your audiences automatically updated.
  • Contact support – Use OCP for additional assistance.