How to Import Email Contacts From a CSV File
When to Use CSV Import
CSV import is the standard method for three common scenarios. First, migrating from another email platform: export your subscriber list from the old system as a CSV and import it into your new one. Second, adding contacts collected offline: paper signup sheets from events, business cards from trade shows, or customer lists from your CRM or POS system. Third, bulk adding contacts from a partner, referral, or co-registration arrangement where you received a file of opted-in contacts.
On AI Apps API, the Email Broadcast app handles CSV imports through the admin panel. Upload the file, map the columns to your contact fields, and the system processes each row as a background job. Large files with thousands of rows are handled automatically without timeout issues because the import runs as a queued job rather than a single HTTP request.
How to Prepare Your CSV File
Your CSV should have a header row with column names, followed by one row per contact. Use standard CSV format: comma-separated values with double quotes around fields that contain commas. Save the file as UTF-8 encoding to handle international characters properly. Most spreadsheet applications (Excel, Google Sheets) export to CSV correctly by default.
At minimum, you need an email column. Recommended additional columns: first name, last name, phone number (if you also do SMS marketing), signup date, and source. You can include any custom fields your platform supports. Avoid including sensitive data like passwords or payment information in the CSV.
Remove duplicate email addresses (keep the most recent entry if there are duplicates). Delete rows with obviously invalid emails (missing @ sign, no domain, test@test.com). Remove any contacts you know have unsubscribed or complained in the past. Uploading dirty data hurts your sender reputation from the first send.
In the admin panel, go to the Email Broadcast app, select your contact list, and use the upload/import function. Select your CSV file, then map each column in the file to the corresponding field in your contact database. The system shows a preview of the first few rows so you can verify the mapping is correct before processing the full file.
After the import completes, check the total count of imported contacts against your file's row count. The system reports any rows that were skipped due to invalid email format or duplicates. Review a sample of imported contacts to confirm that names, phone numbers, and other fields mapped correctly.
Important Considerations
Consent and Compliance
Only import contacts who have given you permission to email them. Importing a purchased list, a scraped list, or contacts from a source without proper opt-in consent will result in high bounce rates, spam complaints, and potential blacklisting. Under CAN-SPAM and GDPR, you are responsible for proving that every contact on your list consented to receive your emails.
Deduplication
If some contacts in your CSV already exist in your subscriber database, the system should either skip duplicates or update existing records with the new data. AI Apps API handles this automatically, preventing the same email address from appearing twice in your contact list. The existing record is updated with any new fields from the import rather than creating a duplicate entry.
Warming Imported Lists
If you are importing a large list (5,000+ contacts) and sending for the first time from a new domain, do not blast the entire list immediately. Start by sending to your most engaged contacts first (those who signed up most recently or have the strongest relationship with your business), then gradually increase volume over 2 to 4 weeks. This domain warming process builds sender reputation with email providers and prevents your messages from being flagged as spam.
Import your existing contacts and start reaching your full subscriber list from one platform.
Get Started Free