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Import a list of unsubscribed contacts from another provider

Article: 000033118
Updated: June 21, 2024

Upload a file of unsubscribed contacts from a different email marketing service into Constant Contact to prevent accidental mailings

Contacts are considered unsubscribed if they opt-out by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in one of your emails or ask not to receive your mailings in some other way. If you're moving from another email marketing service and have a list of unsubscribed contacts, or you've been keeping track of them on your own, it’s important to add them to your Constant Contact account. This keeps you compliant with the CAN-SPAM Act and prevents you from accidentally sending unwanted emails if the contact is accidentally included on your contact list.

Light Bulb IconDid you know? Before you import your file, prevent import errors by making sure your file is formatted so Constant Contact can recognize all the information.

 

  1. Click Contacts > Add contacts.
    Note: If you're already in the Contacts > All contacts view, you can click the Add Contacts button on the right-hand side of the page from the Lists, Segments, Tags, or Contacts tab.

    Contacts drop-down menu and Add contacts option selected
     
  2. Click the "Add unsubscribed email addresses" link.

    Add contacts overlay with Add or import contacts section, and Upload unsubscribed emails option selected
     
  3. Click Add contacts.

    Upload unsubscribed emails overlay with Add contacts button
     
  4. Click Choose.

    Add unsubscribed email addresses page and Choose button
     
  5. Browse your computer to select an Excel spreadsheet (XLS, XLSX), v-card file (VCF), comma-separated value file (CSV), or text file (TXT) to import.
    Note: This can look a little different depending on your operating system and your browser.

    File Explorer with Excel file of unsubscribed contacts selected and Open button
     
  6. Click Continue.

    Add unsubscribed email addresses page with file selected and Continue button
     
  7. Review the sample of contact information from your list to make sure the Constant Contact fields match the column headings from your file. To change the column headings, click on the drop-down menu in each row to select a new one. Select "Skip Column" if you don't want to import a column of information. If you don't see the correct heading on the list, select "Create Custom Field" to create a new one.
    Important: It's a violation of our Terms of Service to store Sensitive Information in a custom field. Please see our Terms of Service for additional information on Sensitive Information.
  8. Click Continue.

    Add unsubscribed email addresses Preview page, fields in Constant Contact heading options with Skip column option selected and Create Custom Field option, and Continue button
     
  9. (Optional) Add a tag to all the contacts you're importing. Tags help you segment your contacts into different groups when you're ready to send an email.
  10. Click Import.

    Add unsubscibed email addresses - Organize page with Add a tag field and Import button
     
  11. Click Add Unsubscribed contacts.

    Unsubscribed Contacts overlay and Add # Unsubscribed contacts button
     

Once a contact has an "Unsubscribed" status, you won't be able to send any emails to them. If an unsubscribed contact later re-joins your mailing list through any of our sign-up tools, you can start sending emails to them again.

 

Permission to Send IconGet permission: Using sign-up forms ensure that you receive and document express consent from your contacts, which satisfies Constant Contact's email permission policy as well as GDPR and CASL regulations.


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