About Publication Lists

Using a publication list is required when sending emails with data extensions. If you don't use one when sending your email, anyone who unsubscribes will never be able to receive an email from you again.

The primary role for a publication list is to store unsubscribes at the publication (topic) level rather than globally. It functions as a filter. When you send an email, anyone in your data extension is checked against the publication list and people who are unsubscribed get filtered out and won't receive your email.

Create a publication list for each topic, such as Student Newsletter. Once you create it, you should keep using the same publication list for each topic/type of email. Don’t create a new publication list each time you send an email within that topic, as using a new list would not keep track of past unsubscribes. This can be a poor constituent experience and can violate U.S. CAN-SPAM laws.

Creating a Publication List

1. In Email Studio, click on "Subscribers" and then "Publication Lists":

2. Click "Create":

3. Name the publication list with an appropriate category associated with your email ("Undergraduate Newsletter", for example).

4. Add a description if needed.

5. Leave "Public" unselected.

6. Click Save.