Every way to build an audience in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, compared
Marketing Cloud gives you several ways to build a segment. Each is right for some audiences and painful for others. Compare them side by side, pick the fastest tool for each request, and see where AI segmentation fits.
Side-by-side comparison
When native tools are enough
- Filtered Data Extensions are the quickest option when the audience lives in one Data Extension: a country, a lifecycle stage, a sign-up date.
- SQL Query Activities are the right call for one-off, complex logic your technical team already owns and maintains.
Where they slow you down
- Anything that mixes engagement data with customer data needs SQL, so it lands in a ticket queue.
- Every new variation of an audience means another query to write, test and schedule.
- Regional teams who don't work in English depend on the central team for every segment.
Where QAiry fits
QAiry works inside your Marketing Cloud account. You describe the audience in plain language, in any of 80+ languages. QAiry writes and validates the SQL, previews the count, and creates the Data Extension. You can then refine it in three ways: keep chatting, use the visual editor (Data Extensions, joins, filters, exclusions), or edit the SQL directly. Refreshes can be scheduled, and chained in sequence when one audience feeds another.
Your customer data stays in your SFMC account: only Data Extension metadata is sent to the AI, never customer records.
FAQ
Does QAiry replace SQL Query Activities?
No. It writes SQL for you and runs it through the SFMC API. Your technical team can still read and edit every query.
Can QAiry use Data Views?
Yes. Engagement data such as sends, opens, clicks, bounces and unsubscribes can be combined with your own Data Extensions.
Do I need to change my data model?
No. QAiry reads your existing Data Extensions and the relationships you define between them.
How long does setup take?
Most teams are up and running in under two days. There's nothing to migrate.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. The Starter plan is free and includes the same features as Growth, with a limited number of monthly requests.
Build your next audience in minutes
Describe it in plain language, check the count, and get a ready-to-use Data Extension in your Marketing Cloud account.
