What Is a Robinson List
A Robinson list is a system-wide “do not contact” list in Mapp Engage. It prevents messages from being sent to specific email addresses, mobile numbers, or entire domains.
During sendout, Engage checks the Robinson list and skips any matching contacts. This ensures that restricted, opted-out, or protected contacts do not receive communications while their data remains available in the system.
When to Use a Robinson List
Use a Robinson list when you need to stop communication but retain contact information for reporting or future use.
Typical scenarios include:
Temporary opt-outs: A contact chooses to pause communications but may return later.
Shared exclusions: You manage multiple systems or brands and need consistent blocking rules.
Faster imports: Large contact files can be uploaded without real-time exclusion checks.
Central management: You prefer a system-wide list managed by Mapp rather than group-level control.
Automation triggers: Contacts are added automatically through event-based automation, such as Manage Robinson List (C).
How Robinson Lists Work in Mapp Engage
Access and Scope
You can find the Robinson list under Audience > Blacklist > Robinsonlist.
Your Mapp representative creates and maintains the list. It functions system-wide but can also be activated or deactivated for individual sendout groups. This flexibility allows you to apply exclusion rules globally while still tailoring communication for specific audiences.
In addition to your local system list, Mapp maintains a global Robinson list. This list prevents customers from sending messages to spam traps or to addresses that have previously generated bounces on other client systems. The global Robinson list is applied automatically to all Mapp Engage systems to help maintain sender reputation and deliverability.
Supported Entries
A Robinson list can include individual email addresses, mobile numbers, or entire email domains. This flexibility makes it useful both for targeted exclusions of specific contacts and for broader restrictions that apply to entire organizations or providers.
Sendout and Import Behavior
During sendout, Mapp Engage automatically checks every contact against the Robinson list. If an address, phone number, or domain matches an entry, that contact is skipped and recorded as a skip in message statistics.
When importing new contacts into the system, Engage does not check them against the Robinson list. This approach improves performance for large imports, since verification happens only at the time of sendout rather than during the file upload process.
Management and Automation
The Robinson list is generally administered by Mapp and cannot be edited directly in the Engage interface. However, you can use automation to manage entries dynamically. For example, an event-based automation such as Manage Robinson List (C) can add or remove contacts when certain criteria are met, ensuring that the list stays current without manual updates.
Public (National) Robinson Lists
Public Robinson lists are official national databases where consumers register to opt out of marketing messages.
These lists vary by country and may be legally binding for marketers. Contact your Mapp customer success manager to implement a national Robinson list within your Engage system.