Most users create a Marketing List because they already know how they want to populate it. When you create a new list in Act-On, you name the list and choose how it will be set up as part of the same process.
Quick Reference (Advanced Users) - Click to Expand
- Create lists from Lists > Marketing Lists > New List.
- You choose how the list is populated during creation.
- The most common setup option is uploading a CSV or Excel file.
- Use segments for targeting instead of creating multiple lists.
Where to create a Marketing List
To create a new Marketing List, go to:
Lists > Marketing Lists, then click New List in the top-right corner.
You’ll be prompted to name the list and choose how it should be set up.
Name your list
Enter a name that clearly describes who the list is for or how it will be used. This makes the list easier to understand and reuse later.
- Event Attendees
- Newsletter Subscribers
- Customers – Active
Avoid names based on one-time campaigns or dates. Those are better handled with segments.
Choose how to set up the list
After naming the list, choose how you want to populate it. This determines where the contacts come from and how the list is initially built.
Upload an Excel file or a text (CSV) file
Choose this option if you already have a file of contacts. This is the most common way to create a new Marketing List.
During setup, you will:
- Upload your file
- Match file columns to list fields
- Choose how existing contacts should be handled
Accepted file types for Marketing Lists
- Comma-delimited .csv files (best practice)
- Microsoft Excel .xls or .xlsx files (up to 20MB when zipped)
- Text .txt files with fields separated by commas or tabs
If a contact already exists, Act-On updates the existing record instead of creating a duplicate. New contacts are added to the list.
When setup is complete, review the results to confirm that contacts and fields were mapped as expected.
Copy the structure of an existing list
Use this option to create a new list with the same columns as another list, without copying the contacts themselves.
This is useful when standardizing list layouts or preparing a list that will be populated later.
Copy the contents of an existing list or segment
Choose this option to create a new list that starts with contacts from an existing list or segment.
This can be helpful when branching off a specific audience while keeping the original list intact.
Define the column names for a new empty list
Use this option if you want to define the list’s columns manually before adding contacts.
This approach is less common and is typically used when contacts will be added later by automation or integrations.
Locate contacts with specific response behaviors
Choose this option to build a list based on contact activity, such as responses to emails, forms, or page visits.
This creates a list from behavior-based criteria instead of uploaded data.
What you have now
Once setup is complete, your Marketing List is created and populated based on the option you selected.
From this point on, the list can be reused for sending, automation, reporting, and segmentation.
What’s next?
- Use segments to target specific groups within the list.
- If the list needs ongoing updates, use list maintenance programs.
- If contacts come from another system on a schedule, follow the relevant integration or sync articles.