Overview
This guide walks you through connecting your Sona Audiences to Customer.io for automated syncs. By completing this setup, your Customer.io audiences will stay updated in real time based on Sona segmentation, enabling behavior-driven campaigns triggered by real-time customer signals.
Prerequisites
A Customer.io account must be connected to Sona.
Access to Sona Audiences data.
Step 1: connect Customer.io to Sona
Go to Connectors in the Sona sidebar.
Locate or add the Customer.io Connector.
Authenticate and confirm the status reads Active.
Step 2: create a new destination
Navigate to the Destinations section.
Click + Add Destination.
Select Customer.io from the list.
Step 3: Customer.io-specific configuration
Record Matching: choose the identifier used to match records, for example email. Set Source to the matching field in your Sona data, and Target to typically "Email" in Customer.io.
Field Mapping: define which data points to sync. Set Source to additional fields from Sona, such as lifecycle stage or industry, and Target to the corresponding field names in Customer.io. Click + Add to map more fields.
Enable Real-Time Processing: located under Field Mapping, check this box if you want immediate data updates. When enabled, real-time processing will override the scheduled sync frequency, ideal for time-sensitive workflows and immediate lead follow-up.
Sync Frequency: schedule how often data should sync. Use the interval settings to configure updates every n minutes, hours, days, or weeks, and set effective start and end times if needed.
For general destination configuration steps, such as selecting a Sona audience, setting sync frequency, record matching, field mapping, sync settings, and saving, follow the instructions in the Data: Destination Setup guide.
Best practices
Use descriptive destination names like "Trial Users: Customer.io Retargeting".
Match on email for highest consistency across systems.
Include fields that support segmentation and campaign triggers in Customer.io.
Schedule syncs hourly for dynamic campaign use cases.
Create separate destinations for distinct cohorts or lifecycle stages.
Monitor sync activity regularly to ensure data integrity.
FAQs
What does this destination do?
What does this destination do?
This destination syncs a Sona Audience to Customer.io so your audiences stay updated in real time based on Sona segmentation, enabling behavior-driven campaigns triggered by real-time customer signals.
What should I use for Record Matching?
What should I use for Record Matching?
Match on email for the highest consistency across systems. Set Source to the matching field in your Sona data and Target to typically "Email" in Customer.io.
When should I enable real-time processing?
When should I enable real-time processing?
Enable real-time processing, found under Field Mapping, when you need immediate data updates rather than waiting for the scheduled sync frequency. It is ideal for time-sensitive workflows and immediate lead follow-up, since it overrides the regular sync schedule.