Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Lists vs. Data Extensions
There are two different ways to store and segment subscriber data within Salesforce Marketing Cloud – Lists and Data Extensions. When it comes to Lists, their function is much more limited, when compared to the full flexibility Data Extensions provide.
Let’s break down their advantages and disadvantages.
Lists
Lists are a compilation of subscribers that receive communications from your organization. There’s no limit to how many Lists can be created.
Lists are needed to segment subscribers to target communications. Lists store email address and a subscriber’s status: active, bounced, held, and unsubscribed.
Advantages of using a List:
You can configure a list to send a welcome email once a subscriber opts in
Lists can offer the option to enable double opt-ins for new subscribers, meaning, they’d receive an email containing a link to confirm their email address. Once the link is opened, their status is updated to active. Once they are marked active, they are enabled to receive messages sent to that List. The subscriber will remain unsubscribed until that link is open.
Disadvantages of a List:
When a recipient unsubscribes from any one of your organization’s Lists, they are inevitably unsubscribed from all your organization’s Lists.
Lists only allow the storing of first name, last name, email address, status, and subscriber key for each subscriber.
Data Extensions
Like Lists, Data Extensions are comprised of subscribers who receive your organization’s communications. Like Lists, you can create as many Data Extensions as needed to segment your subscribers to focus communications or to house relational data.
Advantages of using Data Extensions:
The ability to import and store data from an external system is a great advantage to Data Extensions.
Data Extensions can hold a variety of information collected, such as: address, affiliation, purchase history, email topic preferences, etc.
Data Extensions can link to other data Extensions holding more information, they’re known as “relational Data Extensions.”
Data Extensions are defined as Sendable and/or Testable. Sendable Data Extensions are used for sending emails, whereas Testable Data Extensions can be used for testing emails.
Disadvantages of using Data Extensions:
Data Extensions require more effort when setting up because they require more configuration and planning.
Data Extensions don’t send out welcome emails or double opt-in options.
Which One is Right for You?
Lists are typically recommended if a simple list made up of names and email addresses fulfills your organization’s needs. Data Extensions are recommended if your organization wants to store additional information about subscribes. Data Extensions are required if you want to use Publication Lists to manage unsubscribers as well.
Still not sure what approach would work best for your marketing efforts? Well we’ve got good news for you – we’re here to make the complicated as easy as ABC, so let’s chat: contact@abuiconsulting.com