How to create Lists in Salesforce Marketing Cloud

There are two different methods to store and segment subscriber data within Marketing Cloud: Lists and Data Extensions. Lists have limited functionality, whereas Data Extensions provide full flexibility to store and relate subscriber information.

In this blog we will cover the detail steps to create a List along with best practice and their advantages and disadvantages.

What is a Lists?
A list is a compilation of subscribers that receive your communications. You create as many lists as you want to segment your subscribers so that you can target your email communications.

Steps to Create a List:

Hover over Subscribers.

Click Lists.

Click Create.

Complete the Define Name & Location section:

Name -This name identifies the list when sending. 

Public - Selecting the public option results in this list being displayed in the Subscription Center. A subscriber can opt in or opt out of any public list.

External Key - Enter a unique identifier that can be used by developers in their API calls to access objects programmatically.

Campaign Association - Associate the list to a campaign. To start a new campaign click Create Campaign.

Click Next.

Optional, complete the Select Welcome Email section, as follows:

Select Send Welcome Email if you would like to welcome subscribers to this list.

Select the Welcome Email.

Click Finish. 

Advantages of using a List

A List can be configured to send a welcome email  when a new subscriber opts in.

Lists also give you the option to enable double opt-ins   for new subscribers to receive an email containing a link to confirm their email address. When the link is opened, their status changes to active and they receive messages sent to that List. The subscriber remains unsubscribed until the link is open.

Disadvantages of using a List

Lists can only store first name, last name, email address, status, and a subscriber key for each of your subscribers.

A Business Scenario for List

  Business has a spreadsheet of subscribers who have requested the monthly newsletter. They want to import the information into a new list in their account.
Solution:
They should click Create in the My Lists folder and enters a name and a description for the list and select the public checkbox so that subscribers can manage their membership in the list using the subscription center.
Then click on Select a Campaign to associate the list to a campaign created in the Marketing Cloud.Then click Next to proceed further.
Then select Send Welcome Email to welcome subscribers added via the Subscription Center or Web Collect and  click Save.
Going ahead  they should clicks on  Import from actions since they have a .csv file of subscribers.
Now they can use this list in an email send.

Also check Creation of Data Extension for the best practice and their advantages and disadvantages....