On this page
Add attributes to your list
Store extra details about each contact - names, dates and more - to personalise emails and build segments.
Attributes are the extra pieces of information you store about each contact - first name, company, birthday, city, whatever's useful. They power two of the most valuable things you can do: personalising your emails with merge tags, and building segments to target the right people. This guide shows you how to add them.
Add an attribute
- Select Audience, then Contacts.
- Click the gear icon on the right of the page.
- Choose the list, give the attribute a name, and pick its type:
- String - any text field, like first name, last name, company, job title or city.
- Date-time - a date, like a birthday, anniversary or subscription date.
- Once added, the attribute appears in your contact list and on the list's subscription form. Click the ... next to a contact and choose Edit to set the value for that person.
What you can do with attributes
- Personalise emails with merge tags.
- Segment your audience into targeted groups.
- Collect the data through your subscription forms.
The pay-off is higher engagement, sharper targeting and a better experience for your subscribers, because the messages they get are actually relevant to them.
Troubleshooting
The attribute doesn't appear as a merge tag - confirm it saved, avoid special characters in the name, and check it's attached to the right list. A refresh or re-login helps.
Can't create a new attribute - check your plan's attribute limit, keep names unique within the list, avoid reserved names like "email" or "id", and trim stray spaces.
Date-time formatting issues - use the YYYY-MM-DD format, make sure the date is valid, and don't put a birth date in the future.
Attributes don't import correctly - your CSV headers must match the attribute names exactly, data types must line up (string vs date-time), and watch for stray spaces. Check the mapping step during import.
Can't delete or change an attribute - it may be in use by an active campaign, or you may need higher permissions. Clearing its data first can help.
If an attribute won't cooperate, open a support ticket.