SEGMENTING CUSTOMERS OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS

1 . A method, comprising:

obtaining a set of features associated with a customer, wherein the set of features comprises profile data from an online professional network and one or more standardized features related to a role of the customer;

applying, by one or more computer systems, a set of whitelists and a set of blacklists to the features to identify a market segment for the customer; and

using the market segment to generate, by the one or more computer systems, output for use in targeting the customer with an educational technology product.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

applying the whitelists and the blacklists to the features to identify a sub-segment of the market segment for the customer; and

modifying the output based on the sub-segment.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using the whitelists and the blacklists to identify an additional market segment for the customer; and

modifying the output based on the additional market segment.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the set of whitelists and the set of blacklists to the features to identify the market segment for the customer comprises:

when a feature in the set of features is found in a whitelist in the set of whitelists, including the customer in a first market segment represented by the whitelist; and

when the feature is found in a blacklist in the set of blacklists, excluding the customer from a second market segment represented by the blacklist.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein using the market segment to generate output for use in targeting the customer with the educational technology product comprises:

tailoring a product experience of the customer with the educational technology product to the market segment.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein using the market segment to generate output for use in targeting the customer with the educational technology product comprises:

targeting the customer with a set of top courses for the market segment in the educational technology product.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein using the market segment to generate output for use in targeting the customer with the educational technology product comprises:

targeting the customer with a marketing communication that is relevant to the market segment.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of features comprises:

an employer;

a seniority;

a headline; and

an industry.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more standardized features comprise:

a job title; and

an occupation representing a set of related job titles.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the market segment represents at least one of:

learning and development;

technology leaders;

information technology (IT);

software development;

data science;

human resources;

higher education;

creative roles;

computer aided design; and

government roles.

11 . An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

obtain a set of features associated with a customer, wherein the set of features comprises profile data from an online professional network and one or more standardized features related to a role of the customer;

apply a set of whitelists and a set of blacklists to the features to identify a market segment for the customer; and

use the market segment to generate output for use in targeting the customer with an educational technology product.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

apply the whitelists and the blacklists to the features to identify a sub-segment of the market segment for the customer; and

modify the output based on the sub-segment.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

use the whitelists and the blacklists to identify an additional market segment for the customer; and

modify the output based on the additional market segment.

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein applying the set of whitelists and the set of blacklists to the features to identify the market segment for the customer comprises:

when a feature in the set of features is found in a whitelist in the set of whitelists, including the customer in a first market segment represented by the whitelist; and

when the feature is found in a blacklist in the set of blacklists, excluding the customer from a second market segment represented by the blacklist.

15 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein using the market segment to generate output for use in targeting the customer with the educational technology product comprises at least one of:

tailoring a product experience of the customer with the educational technology product to the market segment;

targeting the customer with a set of top courses for the market segment in the educational technology product; and

targeting the customer with a marketing communication that is relevant to the market segment.

16 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the set of features comprises:

an employer;

a seniority;

a headline; and

an industry.

17 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the one or more standardized features comprise:

a job title; and

an occupation representing a set of related job titles.

18 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the market segment represents at least one of:

learning and development;

technology leaders;

information technology (IT);

software development;

data science;

human resources;

higher education;

creative roles;

computer aided design; and

government roles.

19 . A system, comprising:

an analysis module comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

obtain a set of features associated with a customer, wherein the set of features comprises profile data from an online professional network and one or more standardized features related to a role of the customer; and

apply a set of whitelists and a set of blacklists to the features to identify a market segment for the customer; and

a management module comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to use the market segment to generate output for use in targeting the customer with an educational technology product.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium of the analysis apparatus further stores instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

apply the whitelists and the blacklists to the features to identify a sub-segment of the market segment and an additional market segment for the customer; and

modify the output based on the sub-segment and the additional market segment.