Prepare Your Consumer Lists for Import

Lists that you import need to both have the data required for Versium REACH to create the audience you want, and be in a format that Versium REACH accepts. Currently, Versium REACH only accepts Comma Separated Value (.csv) and Tab Separated Value files (these may have .txt or .tsv extension). You can modify an existing list, or create a new list from the .csv template files in Templates. Each type of audience requires different data in the input list. You can also Import a List from HubSpot.

If you plan to use Hashed Data in your lists, please refer to Hashed Data Support for best practices on how to prepare your data.

To prepare a file for import, you need to:

1. Make sure you have the required columns
2. Save the file in .csv format.
3. Import your file and map the headers to Versium REACH inputs

1. Make sure your list has the required columns

To add or create audiences, Versium REACH needs enough information in your input lists to positively identify the people on the list. Here are the combinations of inputs that work for List Insights, and each type of audience. For a template that works for all (but may contain more inputs than required for some audiences, see Input File Template

List Insights

List Insights give you a visual view into the demographics and firmographics of the people on an input list. For List Insights, your input list needs to include any of the following combinations of inputs:

• Email Address
• Phone* Postal Address, City, State, ZIP
• First Name, Last Name, ZIP
• First Name, Last Name, City, State

For example, two input lists that work would be a list with just a Email Address, and a list with the First Name, Last Name, ZIP.

Contact Append

Contact Append allows you to append Postal Address, Email Address and Phone Numbers to your original uploaded list. For Versium REACH to search and find the correct record, your input list needs to include any of the following combinations of inputs:

• Email Address
• Phone
• Postal Address, City, State, ZIP
• First Name, Last Name, City, State
• First Name, Last Name, ZIP

For example, two input lists that work would be a list with just a Email Address, and a list with the First Name, Last Name, ZIP.

Demographic Append

Demographic Append allows you to append Basic Demographics, Household Financial & Auto, Lifestyle & Interests and Political & Donor data to your original uploaded list. For Versium REACH to search and find the correct record, your input list needs to include any of the following combinations of inputs:

• Email Address
• Phone
• Postal Address, City, State, ZIP
• First Name, Last Name, City, State
• First Name, Last Name, ZIP

For example, two input lists that work would be a list with just a Email Address, and a list with the First Name, Last Name, ZIP.

Online Audience

An Online audience gives you additional online contact points for the people on your list. For an Online audience, your input list needs to include these inputs:

• Email Address
• Phone
• Postal Address, City, State, ZIP
• First Name, Last Name, City, State
• First Name, Last Name, ZIP

For example, two input lists that work would be a list with just a Email Address, and a list with the First Name, Last Name, ZIP. Your Online audience will contain additional online contact information for the people on your list, in a hashed format for upload to Facebook and other online marketing platforms.

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What does hashed mean?

Hashed means the data has been encrypted in a way that is supported by the online ad service you’re importing it to. So, if you look at the file, it’ll look like code. In this way, people’s personally-identifiable information (PII) is respected, while enabling online targeting.

2. Save the file in .csv format

To upload into Versium REACH, your file needs to be a comma-separated values (.csv) file with one header row. Microsoft Excel, online CRMs, and many other programs and services can export your customer information in this format.

You can also have additional columns in your file, which you can map to optional Versium inputs or just ignore.

Example .csv file

Here’s what a simple .csv input list for an account-based audience looks like, with the required column (domain) and one optional column (Company name):

FirstName,LastName,Zip
John,Smith,98052
Leslie,OConner,98033

Note that the header row doesn’t need to match. If your .csv file uses “Name” instead of “FirstName,” it will still work.

You can also use the Consumer Input List Template to create an input list that works for List Insights and all audiences that require an input list.

3. Import your file and map the headers

When you import your list, you’ll have the opportunity to map the columns in your input list to the data types recognized by Versium REACH. You also can ignore columns in your input list. The header names for your columns don’t need to exactly match — Versium REACH is good at guessing what your data is, and you’ll have the opportunity to check and correct how your input list columns are mapped to Versium REACH data.

What's Next

• Add Consumer Contact data to your list Create a Look-alike Audience
• Add Demographic data to your list
• Create and Online Audience