What is a mailing list? Email lists, listservs and newsletters explained
A mailing list is a list of people who have agreed to get emails from the same sender or group. You send one message, and everyone on the list gets a copy. Here is how the different kinds work, and how to start and look after one.
A mailing list (or email list) is a collection of email addresses that all receive the same messages. There are two main kinds. An announcement list, like a company newsletter, goes one way: one sender, many readers. A discussion list, often called a listserv, lets every member post to one address, and everyone gets the message. People join by opting in, and every list should let them unsubscribe easily.
See also: Starting from zero? See how to build an email list and email marketing tools for small businesses.
What a mailing list is
Before email, a "mailing list" was a list of postal addresses a business used to send catalogs and letters. The idea moved online almost unchanged. Today, when people say mailing list, they nearly always mean an email list.
Every mailing list has three parts:
- The list itself: the email addresses, often with names and the date each person joined.
- A way to join and leave: a sign-up form, a "subscribe" email, or an admin who adds people.
- A way to send: software that sends one message to everyone, one copy per person.
That last part matters. A mailing list is not the same as putting 200 people in the To line. Good list software sends each person their own copy, keeps addresses private, and handles unsubscribes for you.
Mailing list vs newsletter vs listserv vs email list
These words overlap, and people use them loosely. Here is how they usually differ:
| Term | What it usually means | Who can send? | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email list | Any list of addresses you send to. The general term. | Depends | A shop's customer list |
| Mailing list | Same as email list. Also used for discussion groups. | Depends | A club's member list |
| Newsletter | A regular email sent to a list, such as weekly news or offers. | Only the publisher | "Friday Deals" from a store |
| Listserv | A discussion list where members email one address and everyone gets it. | Any member (if allowed) | A professional association forum |
Where "listserv" comes from: LISTSERV was the first mailing list software. Eric Thomas created it in 1986, and L-Soft says LISTSERV is a registered trademark licensed to L-Soft international. Because it was first, many people, especially at universities and nonprofits, still call any discussion list a "listserv," the way people say Kleenex for tissue.
How a mailing list works
Announcement list (one-to-many):
- People sign up, usually with a form on a website.
- The list owner writes an email in a newsletter tool.
- The tool sends a separate copy to each subscriber, with an unsubscribe link at the bottom.
- Replies go back to the sender only, not to the whole list.
Discussion list (many-to-many):
- The list has one address, such as
members@yourclub.org. - A member sends an email to that address.
- The list software copies it to every member.
- Replies go back to the list, so the whole group sees the conversation.
A moderator can approve posts first. That keeps out spam and off-topic messages, which matters once a list has more than a few dozen people.
Opt-in and unsubscribe: the rules that matter
Opt-in means people asked to be on the list. The best lists use double opt-in: after signing up, the person clicks a link in a confirmation email. That proves the address is real and that its owner wants your mail.
In the US, commercial email falls under the CAN-SPAM Act. The FTC's guide for businesses says each marketing email must:
- not use false or misleading header information or deceptive subject lines,
- include a valid physical postal address,
- clearly explain how to opt out, and
- honor opt-out requests within 10 business days.
The FTC says each separate email that breaks the law can bring a penalty of up to $53,088.
Big mailbox providers have their own rules too. Since February 1, 2024, Google requires anyone sending more than 5,000 messages a day to Gmail accounts to support one-click unsubscribe in marketing messages and to keep spam complaints low. Even small senders benefit from the same habits.
This is general information, not legal advice. Other countries have stricter consent rules.
How to start a mailing list
For a small group (club, class, team): a free Google Group works well. Google's help says you sign in at groups.google.com, click Create group, pick a name and settings, and the group gets its own email address that members can write to. See our guide to group email in Gmail for the steps, or contact groups in Outlook if everyone just needs your updates.
For a newsletter or customer list: use an email marketing service. Most have free plans for small lists. They give you a sign-up form, handle unsubscribes, add your postal address, and send each person their own copy.
A simple launch plan:
- Decide what you will send and how often. "One tip every Tuesday" is a promise people can sign up for.
- Add a sign-up form to your website, with one line on what they will get.
- Turn on double opt-in.
- Send a welcome email right away, while people remember signing up.
- Stick to your schedule. Lists that go quiet for months get more spam complaints when they restart.
Don't buy lists or copy addresses from websites. Those people never opted in, and many of the addresses are old or traps that hurt your sender reputation.
Moving an existing list into a new service
If you already have contacts in a spreadsheet or CRM, clean the file before you import it: remove duplicates, fix typos and make sure every row has one valid address. Bring your unsubscribes with you, and import them as unsubscribed, never as subscribers. Our guides cover preparing a CSV for import, merging several lists and cleaning a list before you switch platforms.
Keeping a mailing list clean
Every list decays. People change jobs, abandon old inboxes and make typos when they sign up. If you keep emailing dead addresses, your messages bounce, and mailbox providers start sending your mail to spam.
- Remove hard bounces after every send. An address that doesn't exist won't start working.
- Fix obvious typos such as
gmial.comoryaho.com. - Take out people who never open after a reasonable time, or send them one "still want these?" email first.
- Check the whole list before a big send, or after a long gap.
Our step-by-step guide on how to clean an email list covers each step, and email list hygiene best practices explains how often to do it.
Questions people ask
- What is a mailing list in email?
- A list of email addresses that all receive the same messages from one sender or group. You send once and each person gets their own copy.
- What is the difference between a mailing list and a newsletter?
- A newsletter is a kind of message. A mailing list is the group of people who receive it. A newsletter is sent to a mailing list.
- What is an email listserv?
- A discussion-style mailing list where members send to one address and everyone on the list gets the message. LISTSERV was the first such software, and the name stuck.
- Can I use Gmail for a mailing list?
- For a handful of friends, yes. For a business newsletter, use an email marketing service instead. Gmail has daily sending limits and no unsubscribe handling, and large BCC sends are more likely to be marked as spam. See sending limits and splitting a list.
- Is it legal to add people to my mailing list without asking?
- US law (CAN-SPAM) is based on opting out, but adding people who never asked leads to spam complaints and poor delivery. Ask first, and always include a working unsubscribe link.
- How do I make a free mailing list?
- For a small group, create a Google Group at groups.google.com. For a newsletter, most email marketing services have a free plan for small lists.
- How often should I clean my mailing list?
- Remove hard bounces after every send, and check the whole list before big sends or after a few months without mailing.