Salesforce Marketing Cloud Data Views: _ListSubscribers

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The _ListSubscribers data view in Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) gives you visibility into which subscribers belong to which lists. This is essential for list-based audience management, segmentation, and tracking opt-ins and opt-outs across lists.

In this blog, we’ll break down the fields in _ListSubscribers, explain its use cases, and share practical SQL examples to help you manage list-level subscriber insights more effectively.

What is the _ListSubscribers Data View?

The _ListSubscribers data view tracks which subscribers belong to which lists within your SFMC account. It also logs how they were added, their subscription status, and whether they’ve unsubscribed from specific lists. This view is especially useful in environments using traditional Lists instead of Data Extensions.

Key Benefits of _ListSubscribers Data View

  • Track List Membership: Identify who is on each list.
  • Audit Subscription Status: Monitor opt-ins and opt-outs at the list level.
  • Analyze Subscription Sources: Understand how subscribers were added.
  • List Health Monitoring: Keep tabs on subscriber status across all your lists.

Fields in _ListSubscribers Data View & Their Uses

FieldTypeDescription & Use Case
SubscriberIDNumberInternal unique ID for each subscriber. Used for joins with other data views.
SubscriberKeyText(254)External identifier for the subscriber. Usually an email address or contact ID.
AddedByNumberID of the user or process that added the subscriber to the list. Useful for tracking data origin.
AddMethodText(17)Method of subscription: e.g., WebCollect, API, Import, Segmentation, Salesforce, etc.
CreatedDateDateDate and time when the subscriber was added to the list. Used for new subscriber tracking.
DateUnsubscribedDateDate the subscriber unsubscribed from the list. Helps with opt-out analysis.
EmailAddressTextSubscriber’s email address. Core for targeting and lookup.
ListIDNumberID of the list. Can be used to group or filter records by list.
ListNameText(50)Name of the list. Makes it easier to understand without needing the ID.
ListTypeText(16)Indicates whether it is a standard list or a group.
StatusText(12)Subscription status on the list: Active, Held, Unsubscribed, Bounced.
SubscriberTypeText(100)Indicates if the subscriber is a contact, lead, or another custom type.

When and Why to Use _ListSubscribers Data View?

When to Use?

  • When working with All Subscribers List or custom subscriber lists.
  • To manage unsubscribes at the list level.
  • For auditing how subscribers were added to lists.
  • To track subscription trends across various sources.

Why Use It?

  • Ensure Compliance: Track opt-outs at a granular level.
  • Improve Targeting: Build lists dynamically based on subscription data.
  • Understand Source Attribution: See whether subscribers joined via import, API, or form.
  • Monitor List Growth and Decline: Detect spikes or drops in list sizes.

10 Example Scenarios and Queries

1. Retrieve All Active Subscribers on a Specific List

SELECT SubscriberKey, EmailAddress 
FROM _ListSubscribers 
WHERE ListName = 'Newsletter_Subscribers' AND Status = 'Active'

Use Case: Identify current members of a key marketing list.

2. Count of Subscribers by List

SELECT ListName, COUNT(*) AS SubscriberCount 
FROM _ListSubscribers 
GROUP BY ListName

Use Case: Monitor size of each subscriber list.

3. List of Subscribers Who Unsubscribed From a Specific List

SELECT SubscriberKey, DateUnsubscribed 
FROM _ListSubscribers 
WHERE ListName = 'Monthly_Promotions' AND Status = 'Unsubscribed'

Use Case: Analyze opt-outs for a promotional campaign.

4. Track Subscribers Added via API

SELECT SubscriberKey, EmailAddress, CreatedDate 
FROM _ListSubscribers 
WHERE AddMethod = 'API'

Use Case: Measure the impact of programmatic list additions.

5. New Subscribers in the Last 7 Days

SELECT SubscriberKey, CreatedDate 
FROM _ListSubscribers 
WHERE CreatedDate >= DATEADD(day, -7, GETDATE())

Use Case: Engage new subscribers with welcome journeys.

6. Subscribers by Add Method

SELECT AddMethod, COUNT(*) AS Total 
FROM _ListSubscribers 
GROUP BY AddMethod

Use Case: Understand how people are joining your lists.

7. Retrieve Bounced Subscribers on Any List

SELECT SubscriberKey, ListName, Status 
FROM _ListSubscribers 
WHERE Status = 'Bounced'

Use Case: Clean up bad contacts by list.

8. Subscribers with Multiple List Memberships

SELECT SubscriberKey, COUNT(DISTINCT ListID) AS ListCount 
FROM _ListSubscribers 
GROUP BY SubscriberKey 
HAVING COUNT(DISTINCT ListID) > 1

Use Case: Identify highly engaged users.

9. Compare List and Group Types

SELECT ListType, COUNT(*) AS Total 
FROM _ListSubscribers 
GROUP BY ListType

Use Case: Break down list membership by type.

10. Join with _Subscribers for Enhanced Data

SELECT ls.SubscriberKey, ls.ListName, s.Status AS GlobalStatus 
FROM _ListSubscribers ls 
JOIN _Subscribers s 
ON ls.SubscriberID = s.SubscriberID

Use Case: Compare list-specific and global subscription statuses.

Conclusion

The _ListSubscribers data view is a must-use for marketers managing audiences via Lists in Salesforce Marketing Cloud. Whether you’re analyzing opt-ins, segmenting subscribers by add method, or tracking list performance, this data view provides critical insights to power your list management strategies.

Pair it with _Subscribers, _Sent, and _Unsubscribe views to build full subscriber lifecycle reports.

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