When a contact is added to your suppression list, this means that you can no longer contact them through the suppressed channel, or channels, until the suppression is removed, either by the contact themselves, or by you.
It’s possible for a contact to become suppressed on one channel, while remaining subscribed on the other. This is a channel-level suppression.
It’s also possible for a contact to be suppressed across all channels that you hold data for - this is a contact-level suppression.
Where a contact is only suppressed on one channel, you can still contact them on their subscribed channel.
Learn more in Understand contact and channel suppressions.
Before you start
Things you need to know:
After suppressing a contact, you won't be able to communicate with them on the suppressed channel or channels.
Suppress a single contact
To suppress a contact:
Go to Audience > Suppressions.
Expand the SUPPRESS drop-down menu, then select Add manually.
Enter the email address or mobile number that you want to suppress.
Enter details for both channels to add a suppression at a contact level.
Select SUPPRESS CONTACT.
Suppress multiple contacts
Go to Audience > Suppressions.
Expand the SUPPRESS drop-down menu, then select Import from Excel or .csv.
On the Import suppression list screen, select CHOOSE FILE. Select and open the file from your computer.
If you mistakenly choose the wrong file, you can select CHANGE to choose a new one.
Optionally, you can enter an email address in the Email address to notify field. This email address receives a notification when the import is complete.
If you don’t want to receive a notification, you can leave the field empty.
Expand the Encoding type drop-down menu and select your encoding type.
UTF-8 is selected by default, and handles most languages.
Use the radio buttons to select your suppression method:
Suppress only in uploaded channels.
This option suppresses only the channels explicitly included in your import file.
For example, Contact A exists in your account with an email address and a mobile number. Your suppression import file only contains their email address, so their mobile number remains subscribed.
Suppress the contact in all associated channels.
This option suppresses all channels held for the contact associated with the channel identifier in your suppression import file.
For example, Contact B exists in your account with an email address and a mobile number. Your suppression import file only contains their email address, but their mobile number is also suppressed once the import is complete.
Select UPLOAD.
You see a confirmation message of your chosen suppression action. Select YES, SUPPRESS CONTACTS.
On the Map the data fields to your suppression list screen, use the Map to contact data field drop-down menus to map your file columns to data fields in your account.
Mobile numbers must be mapped to the
mobilenumberiddata field.Select FINISH.
You’re taken to the Suppressions in last 24 hours screen. To see details of your suppression import, select the Report icon.