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What is a list?
A list is a group of contacts that you want to message. Every message must be linked to a list, so it's the foundation for any email or SMS message.
How to create a list
Lists are managed from the Messaging page and are essential for organizing who receives your communications. We strongly recommend creating one list per brand and using messaging filters to target specific contacts within that list. This approach keeps your messaging focused, ensures the right contacts receive your emails, and helps maintain a clean, organized, and up-to-date list structure.
Follow these steps to create a list:
Navigate to the Messaging menu.
Click the Lists tab and click Create list.
Enter a name for your list. This name will be visible to recipients if they manage their unsubscribe preferences, so choose a user-friendly name.
Select the channel(s) for this list (e.g., Email, SMS). If you select Email, choose or add the sender email address.
We recommend selecting both email and SMS channels, even if you’re not using one right away. Enabling both ensures you have the flexibility to include either in your future messaging strategy.
Click Save list. Your list will now appear in the Lists tab.
Notes:
You cannot search for individual contacts within a list. To find contacts, use the Audience Manager table.
Our dynamic list feature is currently undergoing improvements, so we recommend holding off on using it for now.
Edit or delete a list
You can easily edit or remove lists to reflect updates in your marketing strategy or to keep your account organized.
How to edit a list
Go to Messaging and click the Lists tab.
Search for and select the list you want to edit click ⋮ icon beside the list and click View.
To change the list name, click the pencil icon, update the name, and press Done.
To update channels or sender email settings, click the cog icon in the top-right corner.
In the List settings popup:
Select or deselect channels.
Edit existing sender details or add a new sender email.
How to turn off "manage subscription preferences"
Simplify the unsubscribe process by removing the option for fans to manage their preferences and instead only show a simple “unsubscribe” button.
Go to Messaging and click Lists and click Settings (cod icon).
Toggle the switch to Disable Manage Subscription Preferences.
Click Save.
Once this is turned off, the unsubscribe page will only display a single “unsubscribe” option. For more information about how unsubscribes work, check out this article.
Dynamic Lists
Dynamic lists are a powerful tool for targeted messaging and advertising. Unlike static lists, they automatically update based on specific criteria.
What Are Dynamic Lists?
Dynamic lists are subscriber lists that automatically grow or contract based on a single segment's criteria. They are ideal for sending tailored messages or targeting with advertising.
Note: You cannot import contacts into dynamic lists.
Criteria for Contacts to Be Added to a Dynamic List
Opted into Messaging Globally: The contact must have previously agreed to receive messages from you. This ensures that you are adhering to best practices and legal requirements around consent for messaging.
Qualify for the Selected Segment: The contact must meet the conditions or filters you've set for the segment that the dynamic list is based on. This allows you to tailor your messaging or advertising to a specific audience.
NOT Have Opted Out of the Selected Message List: Even if a contact has globally opted into messaging, they must not have opted out of the specific message list that the dynamic list is tied to. This ensures that you maintain good relations with your contacts and comply with regulations.
Subscription preferences and dynamic lists
When subscribers click on "unsubscribe," they will see both the regular list they subscribed to and any dynamic lists that they qualify for in their subscription preferences:
In Customer Profiles, only the regular lists will be displayed. The regular lists are what they opted into, while the dynamic lists are the ones that the recipient qualifies for based on the customer’s filters.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Dynamic List
First, Create a Segment
Then, Create the Dynamic List:
Navigate to the Messaging Menu
Click on the Lists Tab
Click 'Create List'
Enter the List Name
Tick 'Make this a Dynamic List'
Select the Channel(s)Click 'Save List'
How to automatically update your Masterlist using Dynamic lists
How to delete a list
Navigate to Messaging and click the Lists tab.
Search for the list you want to delete.
Click the ⋮ icon beside the list and select Delete.
In the confirmation popup, type
DELETEand click Delete to confirm.
How to add contacts to a list
You can add contacts using one of the following methods:
Import contacts from a CSV file
Navigate to Messaging and click the Lists tab.
Search for the list and click to open it and click Import CSV file.
Select the date format and optionally add tags and click Continue.
Upload your CSV file.
Map each CSV column to the corresponding field, then click Continue.
Click Import.
Notes:
The only mandatory field for the import is the email field- all other fields are considered optional.
If you have data that doesn't currently match the import tool, you can add a custom field and then complete your import.
If you need help using the import tool, check out this article for step-by-step guidance.
Importing contacts to a list: Troubleshooting tips
When importing contacts to a list in Audience Republic, you may encounter a few common issues. Here are some things to watch out for:
Blank rows: Make sure your CSV file doesn’t contain any empty rows between data entries, as this can interrupt the import process.
Conflicting custom fields: If you’ve previously created custom fields (e.g., “State”), they may conflict with standard fields used during import. To resolve this, try renaming your custom field (e.g., to “Region”) before re-importing.
Incorrect phone numbers: Ensure all phone numbers include a country code. Numbers without it may be rejected during import.
Invalid email addresses: Double-check that email addresses are properly formatted and end with a valid domain (e.g., avoid formats like test@em123).
Missing country data: If you're importing a "State" field, be sure to include "Country" as well—both are required for a successful import.
Missing phone numbers for SMS lists: If you're importing contacts into an SMS list, each contact must have a valid phone number. For more information, see: Importing phone numbers to a list.
Add existing contacts to a list (from the Audience menu)
Go to the Audience page.
Use filters or search to find the contacts you want to add and select the desired contacts. Click Add to list.
Choose the target list from the dropdown and click Next.
Select the messaging channel(s).
Click Add contacts. Depending on the list size, this may take a few minutes.
Add from a sign up form
You can also collect contacts via a sign up form linked to your list. Make sure both email and SMS are enabled on the list to ensure all data is captured properly.
Add from an event
If you have one or more events set up in your Audience Republic account, you can automatically add contacts to a list when they're tracked or have an order for that event. This setting can be enabled in the Advanced Settings section of the event.
For more details, check out this article.
Add from an automation
You can also use automations to add contacts to a list when certain triggers occur. For example, you might set up an automation so that when a specific tag is applied to a contact, they’re automatically added to a designated list.
Learn more about setting up automations in this help article.
Export a list
Lists can be exported at any time from the Messaging menu as a CSV file. Make sure to use Firefox, Safari, or Chrome—Microsoft Edge is not supported.
Navigate to Messaging and click the Lists tab.
Search for the list you want to export.
Click the Export button.
You’ll receive an email with a link to securely download the file.
Data included in the export:
List insights
Get a snapshot of your audience with these metrics:
Total list count: Number of contacts opted into the list (email + SMS)
SMS & email subscribers: Contacts subscribed to both channels
Best practices
Managing your email lists effectively is key to protecting your sender reputation and minimizing the risk of being marked as spam. Below are a few best practices to keep your lists clean, organized, and optimized for successful message delivery:
Maintain one primary (master) list per brand to keep your audience organized and manageable.
Avoid emailing your entire list with every send—use filters to narrow your audience and deliver more targeted, relevant messages.
Use clear, customer-friendly list names, as these may appear when contacts update their subscription preferences.
Ensure your lists only include contacts who have explicitly opted in to receive communications to minimize unsubscribes, bounces, and spam complaints.
FAQs
How to check when a list was last updated
Click to open the list.
The last updated time will be shown under the list name.
How to transfer existing contacts to another list
Go to the Audience menu.
Click Filter.
Under Messaging, select Subscribed to list and Choose the source list and lick Apply.
OR directly search for the contact you'd like to move.
Select all contact(s).
Click Add to list.
Choose the new list and click Next.
Select the appropriate channel(s) and click Add contacts.
Once you've confirmed that the new list contains the correct contacts, you can delete the old one if needed. Deleting a list will not remove any contacts from your account—they’ll still be available in the Audience table.
Alternatively, you can open the contact’s profile and uncheck the list you’d like to unsubscribe them from on the bottom left-hand side.
How to bulk delete contacts from a list
Go to Audience filters.
Filter by Tag and Subscribed to list.
Apply filters to isolate the contacts you want to remove.
Select all filtered contacts.
Delete them from the list.
Still need help?
Contact us at support@audiencerepublic.com