How to use the AND/OR filter when building audiences

Overview

Previously, when adding multiple filters to an audience, the filters were always combined using AND logic - meaning every single filter had to match for a visitor to be included. This worked well for simple audiences but made it difficult to build more flexible or broad segments.

With the new AND/OR filtering feature, you can now control exactly how your filters work together. This means you can build more precise, targeted audiences or cast a wider net.

How AND/OR Filtering Works

When you build an audience in Pearl Diver, you add filters to narrow down which visitors are included. AND/OR logic controls how those filters are applied within a filter group.

✅ AND = "All conditions must match"

Use AND when you want your audience to meet every filter you've set. The more filters you add, the smaller and more specific your audience will be.

Think of it like a checklist - a visitor only qualifies if they tick every box.

🔀 OR = "Any condition can match"

Use OR when you want your audience to meet at least one of your filters. The more filters you add, the larger and more inclusive your audience will be.

Think of it like options - a visitor qualifies if they match any one of them.

Key things to know about how groups work

• Each filter group has one AND/OR setting. When you switch a group between AND and OR, all filters within that group update at the same time.

• You cannot mix AND and OR within the same group. All filters in a group share the same logic. If you need mixed logic, consider creating separate audiences.

• Changing the toggle updates everything in the group instantly. Switching from AND to OR (or vice versa) applies to every filter in that group right away.

Example 1: Narrow, high-intent audience using AND

You want to reach visitors who are based in New York and have visited your pricing page and work in the Financial Services industry.

📍 Location is New York, NY AND 🖥️ Page visited is pricing AND 🏢 Industry is Financial Services

Result: A small, highly targeted audience of Financial Services professionals in New York City who've already shown purchase intent.

Example 2: Broad reach using OR

You want to capture visitors from multiple major metro areas for a national campaign.

📍 Location is Los Angeles, CA OR 📍 Location is Chicago, IL OR 📍 Location is Houston, TX

Result: A larger, inclusive audience of visitors from any of those three cities.

Example 3: Retargeting high-value visitors using AND

You want to re-engage visitors who have come back to your site more than once and spent time on product pages.

🔁 Sessions is greater than 1 AND 🖥️ Page visited contains /products

Result: A focused retargeting list of return visitors who've shown interest in your products.

Example 4: Broad industry targeting using OR

You're running a campaign relevant to multiple industries and want to reach visitors from any of them.

🏢 Industry is Healthcare OR 🏢 Industry is Technology OR 🏢 Industry is Retail

Result: A wide audience covering visitors from three of the largest US industry segments.

How to Use AND/OR Filtering (Step-by-Step)

1. Go to Audiences in Pearl Diver and click [+] to create a new audience, or open an existing one to edit it.

2. Complete the Find step then click Next.

3. Go to the Filter tab. This is where you add conditions to define your audience.

4. Add your first filter by selecting a filter type (e.g. Location, Industry, Page Visited) and setting your value.

5. Add additional filters to the same group as needed.

6. Set the AND/OR toggle for the filter group - look for the AND/OR selector at the group level and click it to switch between the two modes. All filters in the group will update to match your selection.

7. Watch the Audience Size indicator in the side tray update in real time as you adjust your filters and logic.

8. Once you're happy with your filters, click Next to proceed to the Action step.

9. Select your Action(s), give your audience a name and optional description, then click Save.