How to Create a New Contact List on Brevo – 6 Easy Steps - MailerVerse – Explore the World’s Best Email Marketing Tools

Just getting started with Brevo? Want to keep your emails organized and effective? You’re in the right place!

Successful email marketing starts with a well-structured contact list. It helps you send the right message to the right people — at the right time. With organized contacts, your campaigns perform better and reach more customers easily.

In this quick guide, you’ll learn how to create your first contact list in Brevo. Step by step, we’ll walk you through the process — and it only takes a few minutes!

Whether you’re new to email marketing or moving from another platform, this guide makes everything simple. No tech skills needed — just follow along and get your list ready today!

What Is a Contact List in Brevo?

A contact list in Brevo is simply a collection of email addresses — your customers, leads, or subscribers. Think of it like your online address book, where all your email contacts are safely stored and organized.

These lists help you send targeted emails to the right audience. Instead of sending one email to everyone, you can segment your contacts by interests, location, or behavior. This makes your campaigns smarter and more effective.

With Brevo, managing contacts is easy. You can add, edit, or group contacts any way you like. Organized contact lists keep your email marketing clean, professional, and results-driven.

Why You Need Contact Lists

Creating contact lists gives you big advantages. Here’s what they do for you:

Send targeted emails – Reach specific groups of people
Stay organized – Keep your customers in one place
Grow your business – Build your email audience over time
Follow email laws – Keep records of who you contacted

Track better results – See what works with each group

Create a New Contact List on Brevo

Ready to build your contact list? Follow these simple steps below. You’ll have your first list ready in minutes!

Step 1: Log in to Your Brevo Account

First, open your web browser. Go to the Brevo website. Enter your email address. Type in your password. Click “Log In” now.

You should see your main dashboard. This is your control center. Everything you need is here.

Step 2: Find the Contacts Section

Look for “Contacts” in the left menu. Click on it. You’ll see different options appear. Find “Lists” and click there.

This takes you to all your contact lists. You can see the lists you made before. New users will see an empty page.

Step 3: Click the “Create List” Button

Look for a blue button. It says “Create a New List.” Click it right now. A form will pop up on your screen.

This form is where you enter details. It only takes a minute to fill out.

Step 4: Name Your Contact List

You need to give your list a name. Use a clear name here. Good names describe who’s on the list.

Here are some name ideas:

Newsletter Subscribers
Active Customers 2025
Blog Readers
Free Trial Users
Sales Leads January

Pick a name that makes sense to you. Avoid numbers and symbols.

Step 5: Select a Folder for the List

Now choose a folder to organize your list. Folders help keep everything neat. Think of folders like file cabinets for your lists.

You can create folders by category. Examples: “Sales,” “Marketing,” or “Newsletter.” Pick an existing folder or create a new one.

Organizing lists in folders saves time later. You’ll find the right list faster. This is especially helpful if you create many lists.

Step 6: Click on Create List

You’ve entered all the details now. Everything is ready to go. Look for the “Create List” button on your screen.

Click the “Create List” button to finish. This finalizes your new contact list in Brevo. The system processes everything instantly.

Also Read: How to Create an Email Campaign on Brevo: Simple Guide

How to Import Contacts On Brevo

Importing contacts on Brevo is simple and quick. You can upload your email lists to start sending campaigns immediately. Click on “Import Contacts”.

Import your data into Brevo

Select the Contacts option. This option allows you to create and update your contacts (leads, prospects, customers). You must import contacts first before importing companies, deals, or notes.

After selecting Contacts, click the Continue button at the bottom right. This will take you to the next step, where you can upload your contact data file.

Import contacts for bulk creation or updating

Choose the Import from a file option. This lets you upload your contacts from a CSV, XLSX, or TXT file.Make sure your file contains all the necessary columns like:

First Name
Last Name
Email Address
Phone Number
Company Name (if available)

This is faster for large groups. Most people use this method.

Alternative Options (Optional)

Copy-paste: You can paste contact data directly from a spreadsheet.
Import from another tool: If you already use another CRM or email tool, you can import contacts automatically from there.

Import Contacts From a File

Brevo lets you upload a spreadsheet. Use a CSV or Excel file. Put all your emails in one column.

Upload Your File

Once everything looks correct, click the Confirm your file button.
Brevo will then move to the next step, where you’ll map your columns (link your file data to Brevo contact fields).

Mapping Data

Once all columns are matched correctly, review everything one last time. Then click Confirm mapping or Continue (the button label may vary).

Select or Create a List

Select a List
After mapping your fields, Brevo will ask you to select a list where your contacts will be saved.
You can choose an existing list from your account (for example, “Newsletter Subscribers” or “Leads 2025”).

Create a New List (if needed)

If you don’t have a list yet, click on Create a list.
Give your new list a name — for example:
- “Email Marketing Contacts”
- “Website Leads”
- “Customer Database”

You can also organize your lists into folders for better management.

Confirm Your Selection

Once you’ve selected or created a list, you’ll see the list name highlighted.
Review your selection — make sure the right list is chosen.

Click on “Confirm your list”

When you’re ready, click Confirm your list at the bottom of the screen.

Brevo will then proceed to the final import step, where your contacts are added to the selected list.

Finalize Your Import

Contacts Management Options
- Before completing your import, Brevo gives you a few settings to control how your contacts are handled:
Update the attributes of existing contacts
- When ON: If a contact already exists, the new data from your import will overwrite the old data.
- When OFF: Existing contact information will stay unchanged.
Import empty fields to erase existing data
- When ON: If your file has empty fields, Brevo will erase existing data for those fields.
- When OFF: Empty fields will be ignored, and existing contact data will remain untouched.
(Tip: Keep this off unless you really want to clear old data.)
Blocklist Options
- You can choose to block imported contacts from receiving campaigns:
  - Blocklist the imported Email contacts
  - Blocklist the imported SMS contacts
- Only use this if you want these contacts to stop receiving messages.
Opt-in Agreement
- Brevo requires you to confirm that your contacts are compliant with their policy.
- Check the box to confirm the following:
  - Your contacts gave permission to receive emails or SMS within the last 2 years.
  - The contacts were not borrowed, purchased, or rented from any third party.
  - You understand that Brevo may suspend or cancel campaigns if these conditions are not met.
Confirm Your Import
- Once you have reviewed and agreed to the conditions, click Confirm your import.
- Brevo will now start uploading your contacts to the selected list.
Import Completion
- After the import is finished, you’ll see a confirmation message showing:
  - The total number of contacts imported
  - How many were new or updated
  - Any skipped or duplicate entries

Your contacts are now successfully imported into Brevo!
You can go to the Contacts tab to view, edit, or start sending campaigns to them.

Tips for Managing Your Contact Lists

Keep Lists Organized

Create lists for different groups. Don’t put everyone in one list. Separate lists get better results.

Examples: customers, leads, blog readers. Each group gets its own list.

Update Your Lists Regularly

Remove email addresses that bounce. Delete people who unsubscribe. Fresh lists send better emails.

Check your lists once a month. Remove old or wrong emails.

Name Lists Clearly

Use names that are easy to understand. Avoid short names like “List 1” or “Group A.” Use names like “March Newsletter” instead.

This saves time when you’re sending emails.

Use Segments Within Lists

You can split one list into smaller groups. Brevo calls these “segments.” Segments target specific people.

Example: You have 5,000 customers. Create a segment for customers in Texas. Send them special Texas offers.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mixing unrelated people. Don’t put leads and customers together. They need different emails.

Ignoring list hygiene. Remove bounced emails regularly. Bad emails hurt your sender score.

Using generic names. “Contacts” is too vague. Use specific names like “E-book Downloaders.”

Forgetting to update. Lists grow old and outdated. Update them every few weeks.

Final Thought

Creating a contact list on Brevo is your first step to success. You now have the knowledge to do it. Take action today and build your list!

Organized contacts are the foundation of great marketing. Clean, segmented lists get better results. Your customers will appreciate relevant emails. And your business will grow faster.

Don’t wait. Log in to Brevo right now. Create your contact list. Start connecting with your audience. Your email marketing journey begins today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Create Multiple Contact Lists?

Yes! You can create as many lists as you need—there’s no limit. Most businesses have 5-10 lists.

Can I Move Contacts Between Lists?

Absolutely. You can move contacts around. Brevo makes this easy. Just select the contact and choose a new list.

Will People Know They’re on My List?

No. Contact lists are private. People only know if you send them an email.

Can I Delete a Contact List?

Yes, you can delete lists anytime. Be careful, though. Deleting removes the whole list.

How Many Contacts Can I Add?

That depends on your Brevo plan. Free plans have limits, while paid plans let you add more. Check your plan details.