CSV
CSV in email marketing: what it is, what it's for and how to prepare a perfect file
In email marketing, a CSV file is usually the simplest way to move a contact list from one tool to another.
For example, from a CRM to an email marketing tool.
But what is a CSV and why is it so widely used in online marketing
CSV stands for Comma-Separated Values, which is exactly what it sounds like: values separated by commas.
In practice, it’s a plain text file that represents data in rows and columns, like a table.
Each column is separated from the rest by a comma, for example:
- user,name,address,email
It’s a very widely used file format thanks to its compatibility with many existing tools.
Thanks to this compatibility, it’s a great help for transferring information between different tools.
- Main advantage: almost any system can read it
- Main limitation: (if you export from Excel, for example) it doesn’t keep styles, formulas or multiple sheets, because it isn’t a spreadsheet file
- Although the name mentions commas, the separator can be something else, for example a semicolon
What a CSV file is used for in email marketing
The most frequent use is importing subscribers into an email marketing platform.
So it’s very useful when you’re switching from one email marketing tool to another.
Or when you segment with your CRM and want to import that list to send a mailing to those contacts.
Also, if you already have a list in your email tool, you can enrich it by creating custom fields and importing new information you’ve gathered about those contacts.
What a CSV file should look like to import contacts without errors
Our recommendation is to first try importing CSV files that are as simple as possible.
For example, the essential field to have is the email.
That will be the minimum column in your CSV.
Other fields you may find useful would be:
- First name, last name, company, country, language, etc.
If you find a field that isn’t available, in Mailrelay you can create custom fields to store more information.
We cover this point in more detail here.
Then, when importing, you just have to map each field to its corresponding CSV column and the system will import it.
Important!
Make sure every row has the same number of columns. If a piece of data doesn’t exist, the column must still exist, but empty, for example:
- column1,,column3,column4
If the columns don’t match, errors will occur when you try to import it.
You can use the first row as a header that indicates the column names, so you know which data goes in each column.
Important!
If your list has accents or special characters like ñ, save the file in UTF-8 so it reads correctly when importing.
What happens if there are duplicate emails in the CSV file?
If you import a CSV with duplicate emails into Mailrelay, nothing happens: they’re detected and won’t be imported.
Likewise, if the contacts already exist in your account, when importing you’ll be able to decide what happens to them, whether they’re overwritten or ignored.