Kartra lists are groups that help you organize your contacts based on their interests or behaviors. Think of them as containers that hold contacts with similar preferences, making it easier to send them relevant messages.

Your contacts can subscribe to or unsubscribe from these lists, giving them control over the communications they receive. These lists are public-facing, meaning contacts can see and manage their subscriptions through the Unsubscribe or Edit your details link in the footer of your emails.

Why Lists Matter:

  • Every contact should be subscribed to at least one list. This gives your contacts control over how they want to receive messages from you.
  • Lists help you send targeted communications, ensuring the right message reaches the right people.

Example of lists:

Lists organize contacts into mailing groups

Note: There are two names for each list. The first is the internal name, shown only to you. The second is the public name, to help your leads understand what kind of messages they will receive.


Using lists

There are multiple ways to subscribe contacts to your lists:

  • During a batch import
  • Based on a form submission or other action
  • Manually, from an individual contact profile
  • Using an automation rule

Lists can be used for segmentation in many ways, including:

  • To choose recipients for an email campaign
  • As a condition for an automation rule
  • As a split condition in an automated sequence flow
  • etc.

Naming effective lists

Create lists based on communication types that your contacts will understand and value, such as:

  • Product Updates
  • Marketing & Promotions
  • Monthly Newsletter
  • Event Insiders 2023

Always keep your contacts' preferences in mind. Lists should encourage people to stay subscribed by offering content they’re interested in, while giving them the option to opt out of content they don’t want.

Why unsubscribes are okay

Unsubscribes can seem daunting, but they have a silver lining. When people choose to stay subscribed, it means your messages are hitting the mark. Focus on delivering content your audience cares about, and you’ll see better engagement.


Managing your lists

To create or manage your lists:

  • Go to Contacts > Lists and click the add List button in the top right to create a new list
  • Click the icon in the Actions column to delete a list (note: this removes the list but does not delete the contacts).
  • Click the pencil icon in the Actions column to edit the internal or public name of a list
  • Click the hyperlinked number in the Active leads column to see all contacts currently subscribed to that list

Every email you send includes a link in the footer where recipients can manage their subscriptions. This takes them to a page where they can:

  • Update their contact details
  • Manage their subscriptions to your lists

List subscription management for your contacts

This is why your list's public name is so important—it helps contacts understand the purpose of each list. Make sure your public names are clear and encourage people to stay engaged. Learn more about subscription management for your contacts.