> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.retainful.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Lists

> Create static groups of contacts for organizing and targeting your audience.

A list is a named group of contacts. Unlike [segments](/audience/segments), lists don't change on their own — contacts join when you (or they) add them, and leave when removed.

## When to use a list

Lists work best for things people **opt into**:

* Newsletter subscribers
* Customers who asked for restock alerts
* Attendees of an event or promotion
* Subscribers imported from your previous email platform

## Create a list

1. Go to **Audience → Lists** and click **Create list**.
2. Give it a clear name and an optional description.
3. Add contacts — from the contact directory, an import, a signup form, or an automation.

## How contacts get into lists

| Source           | How it works                                                                                        |
| ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Signup forms** | Each form can add new subscribers to a list of your choice.                                         |
| **Imports**      | The import wizard asks which list the file's contacts should join.                                  |
| **Manual**       | Select contacts in the directory and use **Add to list**.                                           |
| **Automations**  | The **List Update** step adds or removes contacts as part of a flow.                                |
| **API**          | Your own systems can manage list membership through the [REST API](/developers/api/contact-groups). |

## List analytics

Open any list to see:

* **Membership stats** — how many contacts are in the list and their subscription breakdown.
* **Growth** — how the list has grown (or shrunk) over time.
* **Engagement** — how actively the list's members open and click your emails, including an engagement distribution so you can spot how much of the list is highly engaged versus dormant.

<Tip>
  A shrinking open rate on a list usually means it's aging — consider a re-engagement campaign for inactive members, and remove contacts who never respond. Smaller, engaged lists outperform big, stale ones.
</Tip>

## Merge and clean up

* **Merge** two lists into one when you've ended up with duplicates (for example, after several imports).
* **Delete** lists you no longer need — deleting a list never deletes the contacts in it.