Best practices for segmenting LinkedIn prospects with custom filters in Dripify

If you’re running outbound on LinkedIn, you know the hardest part isn’t sending messages. It’s figuring out who’s worth your time in the first place. If you’re using Dripify to manage your outreach, custom filters can turn a chaotic pile of leads into a system you actually trust. But most people just slap on a couple of basic filters and call it a day—and then wonder why their results are all over the place.

This guide is for anyone who’s tired of chasing dead leads and wants a no-fluff, practical approach to segmenting LinkedIn prospects in Dripify. I’ll walk you through what works, where people mess up, and how to get more out of the filters without overcomplicating your life.

Why Segmentation Actually Matters

Let’s get real: If you’re blasting the same pitch to everyone, you’re wasting time and annoying people. Segmentation isn’t just about feeling organized—it’s about sending the right message to the right person. Custom filters in Dripify help you:

  • Prioritize hot leads instead of cold contacts
  • Personalize outreach without spending hours on each message
  • Avoid embarrassing mistakes (like pitching a CEO for an entry-level job)
  • Track what’s working (and what’s just noise)

But don’t overthink it. The goal here is “good enough to take action,” not “perfectly categorized down to the color of someone’s socks.”

Step 1: Define What Matters (Don’t Trust Default Filters)

Dripify comes with a bunch of standard filters—location, industry, job title, connection level, and so on. They’re a decent starting point, but they’re too broad for real prospecting.

What to do: - Start with your goal. Are you selling software? Booking calls? Recruiting? Each goal needs different info. - List your must-haves. This could be company size, seniority, geographic region, or even keyword in their headline. - Ignore vanity metrics. Just because Dripify lets you filter by profile photo or connection count doesn’t mean you should. Focus on what actually moves the needle.

Pro tip: If you don’t know which filters matter yet, keep it simple. Track results for a week, then adjust.

Step 2: Get Hands-On with Custom Filters

Here’s where Dripify gets useful. Instead of just picking from a dropdown, you can build your own filter sets to slice your lead list however you like.

How to create a custom filter in Dripify

  1. Go to your ‘Leads’ dashboard.
  2. Click ‘Add Filter’. You’ll see all the standard options, but look for ‘Custom Filter’ or ‘Advanced’ (names might change, but it’s usually obvious).
  3. Pick your parameters. This might be:
    • Job title (contains “VP” or “Director”)
    • Location (San Francisco Bay Area)
    • Industry (SaaS, healthcare, etc.)
    • Keywords in their About section
    • Time since last LinkedIn activity (to weed out inactive profiles)
  4. Stack filters for more precision. For example, “VP” AND “SaaS” AND “Active in last 30 days.”
  5. Save the filter set. Name it something you’ll recognize later (“SaaS VPs US - Active”).

What works: - Layering filters (title + industry + geography) to get specific. - Saving filter sets for each campaign or outreach sequence. - Testing first. Run a quick search to see if your filter actually finds the right people—if you only get three leads, it’s too narrow.

What to skip: - Overly complex filters with six-plus layers. You’ll end up with almost no one, or worse, folks who don’t fit at all. - Filters based on vague criteria (like “influence” or “thought leader”). Stick to stuff you can actually see in the profile.

Step 3: Build Segments Based on Real-World Triggers

Not all segments are created equal. The best ones are based on signals you can spot and act on—not just labels.

Examples of useful segments:

  • Decision-makers: Titles like “Head of,” “VP,” “Director”—people who can say yes.
  • Recently promoted contacts: Filter by “new position within 90 days.” These folks are more open to change.
  • Engaged prospects: People who have posted or commented in the last 30 days.
  • Industry niches: For example, “Healthtech Founders in London.”
  • Existing connections vs. cold leads: Split 1st-degree from 2nd/3rd-degree for different outreach.

Segments to avoid:

  • “Everyone in tech.” (Way too broad.)
  • “People with nice profile pictures.” (Doesn’t translate to business value.)
  • “Connections of connections of influencers.” (Rabbit hole that rarely pays off.)

Pro tip: Review your segments every month. If you’re never getting replies from a segment, kill it or change the filter.

Step 4: Don’t Trust LinkedIn Data Blindly

Here’s the thing: LinkedIn profiles are self-reported, and sometimes people fudge the details. Dripify can only filter what’s in the profile, so:

  • Double-check weird titles (“Rockstar Ninja Guru” probably isn’t a VP)
  • Watch for outdated info—people rarely update job changes right away
  • Company names can be misleading (lots of “stealth mode” or one-person shops)

What you can do: - Add a manual review step for your top segments - Use keywords plus other filters to increase accuracy - Don’t automate outreach until you’ve eyeballed a few profiles in each segment

Step 5: Combine Filters with Drip Campaigns (But Don’t Over-Automate)

The real power of segments is pairing them with targeted messages. Dripify lets you set up different follow-up sequences for each segment. But keep these things in mind:

  • Personalization beats volume. A decent custom intro works better than blasting 500 generic messages.
  • Don’t overdo the merge fields. If your message reads like “{FirstName}, I saw you work at {CompanyName},” it’s obvious and lazy.
  • Test your sequences. Try different approaches for each segment and see what actually gets replies.

Pitfall alert: Automation is great for saving time, but it’s easy to get sloppy. If your segment is too broad, you’ll send the wrong message to the wrong person—fast.

Step 6: Track What’s Working (and Adjust)

This is where most people get lazy: They build a bunch of segments, launch campaigns, and never look back. If you don’t track performance by segment, you’re flying blind.

  • Check response rates by segment. If one filter set gets 10% positive replies, and another gets 1%, you know where to double down.
  • Prune dead segments. Don’t keep chasing leads that never answer.
  • Tweak filters based on real outcomes. If you’re getting junk leads, narrow your filters. If you’re getting too few, loosen them up.

Pro tip: Set a recurring calendar reminder to review your segments and campaigns every two weeks. Small tweaks compound over time.

What To Ignore (And What’s Overhyped)

Let’s be honest—there’s a lot of noise out there about “advanced segmentation” and “AI-powered prospecting.” Most of it’s overkill for what you actually need.

  • Ignore “AI suggestions” unless you’ve vetted them. Dripify and other tools sometimes pitch magical filters. Test them before trusting.
  • Don’t pay extra for data enrichment unless you’re running high-volume, enterprise-level sales. For most teams, LinkedIn data plus a little manual review is enough.
  • Avoid segmenting for the sake of segmenting. If you can’t explain why a segment exists, it shouldn’t.

Keep It Simple, Iterate Often

The best segmentations aren’t built in a day. Start with a handful of filters you believe in, run campaigns, measure results, and keep tuning. Don’t get lost in analysis paralysis or chase shiny features you don’t need.

Segmenting LinkedIn prospects in Dripify isn’t magic—but when you do it right, you’ll waste less time, send better messages, and actually enjoy prospecting a little more. Keep it simple, stay skeptical, and let the results tell you what works.