Overview
When importing contacts from another system or source, it’s critical to ensure you are only bringing in high-quality, permission-based contacts. On average, 25% of an email list becomes outdated every year, and in many cases the turnover rate is even higher.
| Important: Keap does not allow the import of purchased, borrowed, or shared contact lists.
This article outlines the steps you should take to prepare your list before importing it into Keap.
Step 1: Remove Unusable Contacts
Before importing, exclude any contacts who have previously:
Opted Out – Contacts who unsubscribed.
Hard Bounced – Emails that were permanently undeliverable.
Marked as Spam – Contacts who reported your emails as spam.
Non-Marketable Status – Contacts flagged as non-marketable in your previous system.
Removing these contacts protects your sender reputation and helps ensure higher deliverability.
Step 2: Review and Assess Engagement
After removing unusable contacts, evaluate the remaining contacts based on their engagement level.
Engagement includes:
Opening an email
Clicking a link
Submitting a form
Use the guidance below to determine how to treat each segment.
Engaged Contacts (Last 30–60 Days)
Contacts who have engaged within the last 60 days are considered active.
Recommended Actions:
Import these contacts into Keap.
Begin emailing them right away.
(Optional but encouraged) Send a double opt-in confirmation sequence to reaffirm their interest.
Unengaged Contacts (60–180 Days)
Contacts with no engagement in 60–180 days need additional cleanup.
Recommended Actions:
Use a list-cleaning service.
Import only the contacts flagged as “good.”
Send a double opt-in confirmation sequence to verify permission.
Opt-out any contacts who do not confirm.
This process helps ensure you only email contacts who still want to hear from you.
Cold Contacts (181+ Days No Engagement)
Contacts with more than 181 days of inactivity should not be imported into your Keap app.
Recommended Actions:
Retarget them through ad platforms such as Facebook or other social media channels.
Direct them to a new opt-in page to regain explicit email permission.
This approach minimizes deliverability risk while still providing a path to re-engage older contacts.
Summary
Following these best practices will help you:
Maintain a clean and healthy list
Improve your email deliverability
Maximize engagement and marketing results
Protect your long-term sender reputation
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