--- title: Subscribers description: Subscribers are the individuals on your mailing lists—the people who will receive your campaigns. Each subscriber has a unique email address within your workspa --- # Subscribers ## What Are Subscribers? Subscribers are the individuals on your mailing lists—the people who will receive your campaigns. Each subscriber has a unique email address within your workspace, along with optional personal details like name and tags. Think of subscribers as your audience database: - **Email address** — Their unique identifier - **Personal info** — First/last name, custom fields - **Subscription status** — Subscribed, unsubscribed, or bounced - **Segments** — Grouping for targeted campaigns Every campaign you send is delivered to a subset of your subscribers based on targeting rules and segments you define. --- ## Accessing Your Subscribers ### View All Subscribers To see your complete subscriber list: 1. Click **Subscribers** in the sidebar 2. You'll see a paginated table of all subscribers in your workspace **Each row shows:** - Email address (clickable to view details) - First name (if available) - Last name (if available) - Subscription status - Segments (if assigned) --- ## Filtering and Searching Subscribers ### Quick Search Find subscribers using: **Search by email or name:** - Partial matches work (e.g., "john" finds "john@example.com" and "John Smith") - Case-insensitive search - Real-time results **Example searches:** - `user@example.com` — Exact email - `john` — Any subscriber with "john" in email or name - `smith` — Last names containing "smith" ### Filter by Subscription Status Narrow results by status: | Status | Meaning | Can Send To? | |--------|---------|------------| | **Subscribed** | Active subscriber | ✅ Yes | | **Unsubscribed** | Opted out or manually unsubscribed | ❌ No | | **Bounced** | Email provider rejected message | ❌ No | | **Pending** | Awaiting confirmation (double opt-in) | ❌ No | **Common filter scenarios:** - Show only **Subscribed** → To see active audience - Show only **Unsubscribed** → To review who opted out - Show only **Bounced** → To identify bad email addresses ### Combine Filters Use multiple filters together: - Search: "user@gmail.com" - Status: "Subscribed" - Result: That one subscriber, if they're subscribed --- ## Viewing a Subscriber Profile Click any subscriber's email address to see their complete profile: ### Subscriber Details Section **Basic Information:** - Email address - First name - Last name - Subscription status - Join date - Last updated date **Segment Membership:** - All segments this subscriber belongs to - Used to organize targeted campaigns ### Messages Section Complete history of emails sent to this subscriber: | Info | Meaning | |------|---------| | **Campaign** | Which campaign this email came from | | **Sent Date** | When the message was dispatched | | **Status** | Sent, Delivered, Opened, Clicked, Bounced, Failed | | **Actions** | View message, resend, or investigate | **Use this to:** - Track engagement with specific subscriber - Verify message delivery - Troubleshoot email issues - See if they opened/clicked campaigns ### Engagement Summary If tracking is enabled, see: - Total emails sent to this subscriber - How many they've opened - How many links they've clicked - Recent activity timeline --- ## Adding Subscribers ### Manual Addition (Single Subscriber) Add one subscriber at a time through the interface: 1. Go to **Subscribers** 2. Click **+ New Subscriber** 3. Fill in the form: - **Email** (required) — Must be unique in your workspace - **First Name** (optional) - **Last Name** (optional) - **Subscribe** — Toggle to set subscription status - **Segments** (optional) — Choose relevant segments 4. Click **Save** **Use this for:** - Adding a single person manually - Testing before importing bulk lists - Adding subscriber as they sign up ### CSV Import (Bulk) Import hundreds or thousands of subscribers at once: 1. Go to **Subscribers** 2. Click the **⋯** (menu) button 3. Click **Import Subscribers** 4. Prepare your CSV file (see format below) 5. Click **Browse** and select your file 6. Optionally assign segments to all imported subscribers 7. Click **Upload** #### CSV File Format Your CSV file must have: - **Header row** (first row) with column names - **Data rows** (one subscriber per row) - **Columns in this exact order:** | Column | Required? | Notes | |--------|-----------|-------| | `id` | No | Leave blank for new subscribers; required only when updating existing subscriber's email | | `email` | Yes | Must be unique in workspace; if email exists, first/last name will be updated | | `first_name` | No | Can be left empty | | `last_name` | No | Can be left empty | **Example CSV:** ```csv id,email,first_name,last_name ,john@example.com,John,Smith ,sarah@example.com,Sarah,Jones 42,mary@example.com,Mary,Wilson ``` **Explanation:** - Row 1: Headers (required, exact names and order) - Row 2: New subscriber John Smith - Row 3: New subscriber Sarah Jones - Row 4: Update existing subscriber (ID 42) with new email #### CSV Upload Steps 1. **Prepare your file:** - Use Excel, Google Sheets, or any text editor - Save as `.csv` format - Include header row with exact column names - Verify email addresses are valid 2. **Select file:** - Click **Browse** button - Choose your prepared CSV file 3. **Assign segments (optional):** - If you have segments created, choose which ones apply - **Note:** Segments apply to ALL subscribers in the import - To assign different segments to different subscribers, do separate imports 4. **Upload:** - Click **Upload** button - Wait for confirmation 5. **Review results:** - Successfully imported: How many subscribers added/updated - Errors: Any rows that failed (and why) - View import log for details #### CSV Import Behavior **Creating new subscribers:** - Email doesn't exist → New subscriber created with that email and names **Updating existing subscribers:** - Email already exists → First and last names are updated - **To update email address:** Must include `id` field (from export) **Duplicate prevention:** - Emails are unique per workspace - Importing same email twice in same file → Uses first occurrence, skips duplicates **Segment assignment:** - All subscribers in one import get same segments - To use different segments per subscriber, use API or do multiple imports #### Common CSV Issues **"Invalid CSV format"** - Header row missing - Column names don't match exactly (case-sensitive) - Columns in wrong order **"Duplicate email address"** - Two rows have same email in one file - Email already exists in workspace - Remove duplicates and retry **"Missing required field"** - Email column is empty - Check that all data rows have email addresses ### API Import (Programmatic) For advanced automation, use the API to create and update subscribers: ```php POST /api/subscribers \{ "email": "user@example.com", "first_name": "John", "last_name": "Doe", "subscribed": true, "segments": [1, 2, 3] \} ``` See the [Subscribers API documentation](/docs/features/subscribers) for full details. --- ## Updating Subscribers ### Edit Single Subscriber To change a subscriber's details: 1. Go to **Subscribers** 2. Click their email address to open profile 3. Click **Edit** button 4. Update any of: - First name - Last name - Subscription status (toggle Subscribe switch) - Segments 5. Click **Save** **What you can edit:** - ✅ Name, segments, status - ❌ Email (must delete and re-add to change) ### Bulk Update via CSV To update multiple subscribers at once: 1. **Export** current subscribers (see Exporting Subscribers below) 2. Edit the exported file with updates 3. Make sure `id` column is filled for updates 4. Upload the modified CSV 5. Existing emails will be updated; new emails will be created ### Update via API Programmatically update subscriber information: ```php PATCH /api/subscribers/\{id\} \{ "first_name": "Updated Name" \} ``` --- ## Exporting Subscribers Download your subscriber list for backup, analysis, or migration: 1. Go to **Subscribers** 2. Click the **⋯** (menu) button 3. Click **Export Subscribers** 4. File downloads as CSV **Exported file contains:** - `id` — Subscriber ID (needed for updates via CSV) - `email` — Email address - `first_name` — First name - `last_name` — Last name - `subscribed` — Subscription status (true/false) - `segments` — Segment IDs assigned **Uses for export:** - **Backup** — Save your list regularly - **Migration** — Move to another email platform - **Analysis** — Analyze data in Excel or Google Sheets - **Re-import** — Update multiple subscribers via CSV --- ## Segments Segments allow you to organize subscribers into groups for targeted campaigns. ### What Are Segments? Segments are tags or categories for your subscribers: - **Newsletter subscribers** — People who opted into newsletter - **Premium users** — Paid customers - **Inactive users** — Haven't opened email in 90 days - **Geographic regions** — USA, Europe, Asia, etc. A single subscriber can belong to multiple segments. ### Using Segments **When creating/editing subscriber:** - Check the segments that apply to this subscriber - One subscriber can have many segments **When creating campaign:** - Choose which segments to target - Only subscribers in selected segments receive campaign - Enables precise audience targeting **Example workflow:** 1. Create segments: "Newsletter", "Premium", "Trial" 2. Import subscribers and assign appropriate segments 3. Send newsletter to "Newsletter" segment only 4. Send product announcement to "Premium" segment See the [Tags documentation](/docs/features/tags) for detailed setup. --- ## Subscription Status Management ### Understanding Statuses **Subscribed** - Subscriber is active and able to receive campaigns - Default status for newly added subscribers - Can manually toggle to Unsubscribed **Unsubscribed** - Subscriber has opted out and will not receive campaigns - Set when subscriber clicks unsubscribe link - Can be manually changed back to Subscribed if they re-engage **Bounced** - Email provider rejected the message as undeliverable - Typically means email address is invalid or no longer exists - Should be cleaned up from your list **Pending** - Subscription awaiting confirmation (double opt-in) - Subscriber hasn't clicked confirmation link yet - Only used if double opt-in is enabled ### Manual Unsubscribing To manually unsubscribe a subscriber: 1. Go to **Subscribers** 2. Click the subscriber's email 3. Click **Edit** 4. Uncheck the **Subscribed** checkbox 5. Click **Save** The subscriber is now unsubscribed and won't receive future campaigns. --- ## Unsubscribe Links ### Automatic Unsubscribe Links Laravel Mail Platform can automatically inject unsubscribe links into your emails, allowing subscribers to opt out themselves. ### How Unsubscribe Works **1. Subscriber clicks unsubscribe link** - Link included in email footer **2. Confirmation page loads** - Subscriber sees: "Are you sure you want to unsubscribe?" - Two options: Confirm or Cancel **3. If they confirm:** - Subscription status changes to "Unsubscribed" - They see confirmation message - Offered option to resubscribe **4. If they cancel:** - Remain subscribed - Redirected to your website ### Setting Up Unsubscribe Links **In your email template:** Use the unsubscribe placeholder tag: ```html

Don't want these emails? Unsubscribe here

``` Or use a built-in template variable: ``` \{\\{unsubscribe_link\}\\} ``` The system automatically generates a unique unsubscribe link for each recipient. ### Best Practices for Unsubscribe ✅ **Do:** - Include unsubscribe link in every email (often required by law) - Place in footer where it's easy to find - Make the link text clear: "Unsubscribe" or "Manage Preferences" - Honor unsubscribe requests immediately - Keep a record of unsubscribe requests ❌ **Don't:** - Hide the unsubscribe link - Make it hard to find - Require login to unsubscribe - Ignore unsubscribe requests - Sell to or contact unsubscribed email addresses ### Compliance **CAN-SPAM Act (USA):** - Requires unsubscribe link in every marketing email - Must honor unsubscribe within 10 business days - Violators face fines up to $43,280 per email **GDPR (Europe):** - Subscribers must be able to withdraw consent - Unsubscribe must be as easy as subscribing - Must maintain record of unsubscribe requests --- ## Best Practices ### List Health **Keep your list clean:** - Remove hard bounces (invalid addresses) - Remove unsubscribed addresses - Monitor bounce rates (should be < 3%) - Re-engagement campaigns for inactive subscribers **Example workflow:** 1. Monthly: Check bounced messages 2. Monthly: Send engagement campaign to inactive users (no opens in 90 days) 3. Quarterly: Export list and validate email addresses 4. Quarterly: Remove unengaged subscribers ### Segment Strategy **Organize for success:** - Create segments based on source (website, event, partner) - Create segments based on engagement (active, inactive, high-value) - Create segments based on demographics (location, company size) - Create segments based on interests (newsletter, product updates) **Example segments:** ``` Website Subscribers ├─ Active ├─ Inactive └─ Bounced Paid Customers ├─ Premium ├─ Standard └─ Cancelled Engagement ├─ Opened Last 30 Days ├─ Clicked Last 60 Days └─ Haven't Engaged ``` ### Data Quality **When importing:** - Validate emails before uploading - Remove duplicates - Check for typos in names - Use consistent formatting - Segment during import, not after **Before campaigns:** - Preview with test subscriber - Check personalization (names appear correctly) - Verify links work - Test unsubscribe link ### Privacy & Compliance - **Collect consent** — Always get permission before adding to list - **Double opt-in** — Consider requiring email confirmation - **Document sources** — Know where each subscriber came from - **Honor preferences** — Respect segment choices and unsubscribe - **Data protection** — Use HTTPS for forms, secure exports - **Retention policy** — Delete data after reasonable period --- ## Troubleshooting ### "Email already exists" **Problem:** Can't add subscriber because email already in workspace **Solutions:** - Search for the email to find existing subscriber - Edit existing subscriber instead of creating new one - If needed to remove, delete existing subscriber first ### "Import failed - invalid CSV" **Problem:** CSV file rejected with format error **Check:** - [ ] First row is header row with exact column names: `id,email,first_name,last_name` - [ ] Column order is correct (id first, then email, then names) - [ ] All rows have email address (required field) - [ ] No extra blank rows at end of file - [ ] File is `.csv` format, not `.xlsx` or other ### "Unsubscribe link not working" **Problem:** Subscriber clicks unsubscribe but nothing happens **Troubleshoot:** - Check that `\{unsubscribe_link\}` or `\{\\{unsubscribe_link\}\\}` is in template - Verify preview shows working link (not broken HTML) - Test link before sending campaign - Check subscriber email isn't already unsubscribed ### "Subscriber doesn't receive emails" **Problem:** Subscriber on list but doesn't get campaigns **Check:** - [ ] Subscriber status is "Subscribed" (not unsubscribed) - [ ] Email address is correct (no typos) - [ ] Subscriber is in targeted segment (if filtering by segment) - [ ] Email wasn't bounced previously - [ ] Check spam folder (email provider filtering) --- ## Related Documentation - [Tags](/docs/features/tags) — Organize subscribers into groups - [Campaigns](/docs/features/campaigns) — Send campaigns to subscribers - [Messages](/docs/features/messages) — View individual emails sent - [Templates](/docs/features/template) — Create reusable email designs - [API: Subscribers](/docs/features/subscribers) — Programmatic subscriber management --- ## Quick Reference **Common Actions:** - **Add one subscriber** — Subscribers → New Subscriber - **Add many subscribers** — Subscribers → Import Subscribers (CSV) - **Update subscriber** — Click email → Edit → Save - **View history** — Click email → See Messages section - **Export list** — Subscribers → Export Subscribers - **Unsubscribe someone** — Click email → Edit → Uncheck Subscribed → Save **Subscriber Statuses:** - **Subscribed** — Active; will receive campaigns - **Unsubscribed** — Opted out; won't receive campaigns - **Bounced** — Invalid address; needs cleanup - **Pending** — Awaiting opt-in confirmation **Segments:** - Group subscribers by interests, source, or engagement - Use to target campaigns to specific audiences - One subscriber can belong to multiple segments **Unsubscribe:** - Add `\{\\{unsubscribe_link\}\\}` to templates - Subscriber clicks link to opt out - Confirmation required; can resubscribe if desired - Required by law (CAN-SPAM, GDPR)