In Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC), a List is a simple way to manage a group of subscribers for your email marketing campaigns. Lists are ideal for beginners and smaller audiences where personalization and segmentation are less complex.
This guide walks you through creating a List in Email Studio, explains key settings, and offers tips for best practices.
What is a List in SFMC?
A List is a collection of subscribers (email addresses) used for sending emails. Each subscriber in a List must have a unique Subscriber Key (usually the email address) and status like Active, Unsubscribed, Bounced, etc.
When Should You Use Lists?
- You're managing a small, simple audience
- You don’t need complex segmentation
- Your subscriber data fits into a flat structure
- You’re using Email Studio and not Automation Studio
Step-by-Step: How to Create a List
- Log in to Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
- Navigate to Email Studio > Subscribers > Lists.
- Click the “Create” button.
- Enter a List Name (e.g., Newsletter Subscribers).
- Provide an optional Description.
- Select options:
- Public – Visible in subscription center
- Private – Hidden from subscribers
- Active By Default – Add new subscribers as active
- Click “Create”.
- Add subscribers manually or import from a file.
Key Settings in a List
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| List Name | Internal name for the list |
| Public/Private | Controls if subscribers can see it |
| Active By Default | Adds new subs as active automatically |
| Subscription Type | Determines unsubscribe behavior |
How to Add Subscribers to a List
- Use Import Wizard to upload a CSV
- Add subscribers manually one-by-one
- Use an automation to import daily/weekly
Subscriber Status Explained
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Active | Eligible to receive emails |
| Bounced | Delivery failed; may be a bad email |
| Unsubscribed | Opted out of that List |
| Held | Repeated failures; temporarily paused |
Master List Management with Peoplewoo Skills
Get hands-on with Salesforce Marketing Cloud. Learn to manage Lists, Data Extensions, journeys, and more with real-time instructor demos.
List vs Data Extension
| Feature | List | Data Extension |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Simple audiences | Complex, relational data |
| Scalability | Up to ~500K subscribers | Millions of records |
| Personalization | Basic | Advanced |
| Speed | Faster setup | More flexible |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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