## Summary Iteration 2 of the in-app targeting functionality builds upon the MVC implementation to productize and expand targeting capabilities for Growth, Sales, and cross-functional teams. This iteration focuses on enabling sophisticated, behavior-based targeting for conversion optimization, activation campaigns, and strategic GTM initiatives for GitLab's SaaS platform. ## Context The MVC in-app targeting functionality (Iteration 1) was developed in late FY25 to enable Growth to deliver targeted messaging to specific user segments. The initial implementation successfully demonstrated value through targeted promotional campaigns and user limit enforcement messaging, validating the need for a more robust, scalable targeting system. **MVC Learnings:** - Targeted messaging significantly outperforms broadcast approaches for conversion campaigns - Namespace-level targeting enables precise audience segmentation - Role-based targeting (owner vs. non-owner) improves message relevance - Feature flag management provides necessary control for campaign deployment **Business Drivers:** - Support First Order growth objectives through targeted conversion campaigns - Enable Sales and GTM teams to execute targeted promotional strategies - Improve operational efficiency by automating manual targeting processes - Scale targeting capabilities across multiple use cases and teams ## Supporting Use Cases for V2 Based on [gitlab#579732](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/579732), the following use cases drive V2 requirements: ### 1. Targeted Discount Promo Delivery **Description:** Deliver promotional discounts to user segments who have completed specific actions or exhibit unique attributes to influence first-order conversion **Desired Outcome:** First Order conversion **Stakeholders:** Sales, Growth **Key Requirements:** - Ability to append/include multi-use promo codes to CTAs - Dynamic URL generation with promo parameters - Behavioral and attribute-based targeting ### 2. Pre-Enforcement Messaging for User + Storage Limits **Description:** Inform defined user sets about upcoming enforcement actions and available remediation options **Desired Outcome:** First Order conversion, compliance with limits **Stakeholders:** Fulfillment, Sales, Growth **Key Requirements:** - Multiple CTAs (primary, secondary) support - URL links within message content - Role-based targeting (owner and non-owner with different messaging) - Persistent, non-dismissible messaging options ### 3. Targeted Activation Push Delivery **Description:** Drive next-step activation actions based on current user state (No activation → Setup → Aha → Habit → Paid conversion) **Desired Outcome:** Activation progression **Stakeholders:** Growth **Key Requirements:** - Multi-page targeting capabilities - State-based conditional messaging - Progressive engagement flows ### 4. Testing New Metric Definitions **Description:** Target user cohorts based on specific attributes or actions to validate new metric definitions **Desired Outcome:** Inform strategic direction **Stakeholders:** Growth **Key Requirements:** - Flexible targeting criteria - A/B testing support - Performance measurement integration ## MVC Functionality The Iteration 1 (MVC) implementation provided: **Core Capabilities:** - Namespace-based targeting via CSV upload - Banner component display on specific pages (e.g., group /billings) - Role-based visibility (owner-only targeting) - Feature flag management for campaign control - Basic event tracking (banner view, dismissal, CTA click) **Technical Implementation:** - Manual namespace list upload in batches - Single-page targeting per campaign - Static banner content - Basic dismissal persistence **Limitations Identified:** - Manual CSV upload process not scalable - Limited to single-page targeting - No support for dynamic content or promo codes - No multi-CTA support - Limited targeting criteria (namespace ID only) - No automated campaign management ## Proposed V2 Functionality ### Enhanced Targeting Capabilities - **Behavioral Targeting:** Target based on user actions, feature usage, and engagement patterns - **Attribute-Based Targeting:** Filter by user role, namespace tier, team size, geography, etc. - **Multi-Criteria Targeting:** Combine multiple targeting conditions with AND/OR logic - **Dynamic Audience Updates:** Automatically update target audiences based on real-time behavior ### Advanced Messaging Features - **Multi-CTA Support:** Primary and secondary CTAs with different destinations - **Dynamic Content:** Personalized messaging with merge fields (namespace name, user name, etc.) - **Promo Code Integration:** Automatic promo code appending to CTA URLs - **Rich Content:** Support for links within message body, formatting options ### Expanded Placement Options - **Multi-Page Targeting:** Display same campaign across multiple pages - **Contextual Placement:** Show messages based on user location and workflow context - **Role-Based Variants:** Different messaging for owners vs. non-owners ### Campaign Management - **Self-Service Interface:** UI for Growth/Sales teams to create and manage campaigns - **Campaign Scheduling:** Set start/end dates and time-based triggers - **Audience Management:** Save and reuse audience segments - **Performance Dashboard:** Real-time campaign analytics and optimization ### Technical Enhancements - **Automated Targeting:** Eliminate manual CSV uploads with query-based audience building - **Scalable Architecture:** Support for larger audience sizes and concurrent campaigns - **Advanced Tracking:** Comprehensive event tracking and attribution measurement - **API Integration:** Enable programmatic campaign creation and management ## Product Requirements ### Targeting Engine 1. Support behavioral targeting based on user actions and feature usage 2. Enable attribute-based filtering (role, tier, geography, team size, etc.) 3. Implement multi-criteria targeting with logical operators 4. Provide real-time audience size estimation 5. Support audience exclusion rules (e.g., exclude current customers) ### Message Delivery 1. Support multiple banner types (info, warning, success, promotional) 2. Enable multi-CTA configuration with customizable labels and destinations 3. Implement dynamic content with merge field support 4. Allow rich text formatting and links within message body 5. Support promo code parameter injection into CTA URLs ### Campaign Management 1. Provide self-service campaign creation interface 2. Enable campaign scheduling with start/end dates 3. Support campaign prioritization and conflict resolution 4. Implement audience segment saving and reuse 5. Provide campaign preview and testing capabilities ### User Experience 1. Maintain dismissal persistence across sessions 2. Support role-based message variants 3. Enable multi-page campaign display 4. Implement frequency capping to prevent message fatigue 5. Provide clear opt-out mechanisms where appropriate ### Administration 1. Feature flag integration for campaign control 2. Permission-based access to campaign management 3. Audit logging for campaign creation and modifications 4. Campaign performance monitoring and alerting ## Event Tracking Requirements ### Core Events - **Campaign Impression:** Track when targeted message is displayed to user - **Campaign Dismissal:** Track when user dismisses message - **CTA Click:** Track clicks on primary and secondary CTAs - **Campaign Conversion:** Track downstream conversion actions ### Event Properties - **Campaign Identifier:** Unique ID for each campaign - **Audience Segment:** Segment user belongs to - **Message Variant:** Which message version was shown (for A/B testing) - **User Context:** Page location, role, namespace tier - **Timestamp:** When event occurred ### Attribution Tracking - Track user journey from campaign impression to conversion - Measure time-to-conversion from campaign exposure - Attribute revenue to specific campaigns - Support multi-touch attribution for users exposed to multiple campaigns ## Technical Implementation Details ### Architecture Components 1. **Targeting Service:** Query engine for audience identification and filtering 2. **Campaign Service:** Campaign configuration and delivery management 3. **Message Renderer:** Dynamic content generation and personalization 4. **Analytics Service:** Event tracking and performance measurement 5. **Admin Interface:** Self-service campaign management UI ### Data Requirements - User behavior and action history - Namespace attributes and metadata - Campaign configuration and rules - Audience segment definitions - Performance metrics and analytics ### Integration Points - **Marketing Systems:** Iterable, Marketo for email campaign coordination - **Analytics Platforms:** Snowplow, Google Analytics for tracking - **Promo Systems:** Zuora promo code integration - **Feature Flags:** LaunchDarkly or GitLab feature flags ### Performance Considerations - Efficient audience query execution at scale - Caching strategies for frequently accessed data - Asynchronous campaign delivery to avoid UI blocking - Rate limiting for campaign impression tracking ## Measurement ### Success Metrics **Campaign Performance:** - Impression rates by audience segment - Click-through rates on CTAs - Conversion rates from campaign exposure - Revenue attribution to campaigns **System Performance:** - Campaign creation and deployment time - Audience query execution time - Message delivery latency - System reliability and uptime **Business Impact:** - Incremental first-order revenue from targeted campaigns - Operational efficiency gains (time saved vs. manual processes) - Campaign ROI and cost per acquisition - User satisfaction with targeted messaging --- **Related Work:** - [MVC In-app Targeting (Iteration 1)](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/16370) - [Supporting use cases for V2](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/579732) - [MVC Test: Trial-lapsed cohort targeting](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/546423) - [In-app targeting for high-propensity namespaces](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/19521)