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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.fanaura.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Your fan database in Fanaura grows automatically as fans interact with your smart links, text your number, buy your merch, and engage with your content. But sometimes you need to bring in fans from other sources — an existing email list, a spreadsheet from a venue, or a single contact you met at a show. This guide covers every way to add fans to your database, whether you are importing 10,000 contacts from Mailchimp or adding one person by hand.

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Automatic Fan Collection

Most of your fans will enter Fanaura automatically through your marketing touchpoints. No manual work required.

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Manual Fan Entry

Sometimes you need to add a fan by hand — someone you met at a show, a contact from your phone, or a VIP you want to onboard personally.
1

Go to the Directory

Navigate to Fans → Directory.
2

Open the Add Fan modal

Click the Add Fan button in the top-right corner.
3

Fill in the fan's details

FieldRequired?Notes
First NameYesThe fan’s first name.
Last NameNoOptional.
EmailNoStrongly recommended. This is the primary identifier for deduplication.
PhoneNoMust be in a valid format. Include country code for international numbers.
CityNoWill be used for Heatmap placement and geographic lists.
StateNoFull state name or abbreviation.
CountryNoDefaults to “US” if not provided.
4

Save the fan

Fill in what you know and click Save.
What happens next:
  • The fan record is created with Source: Manual and Status: Lead.
  • They appear in your Directory immediately.
  • If you entered an email, they can be targeted in email blasts.
  • If you entered a phone number, they can be targeted in SMS blasts (once they opt in).
  • Their status changes to Verified when they confirm their email or phone.
Even if you only have a first name and an email, add them. You can always fill in more details later by editing their profile. A partial record is better than no record.

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CSV Import

The CSV import is the most common way to bring in a large number of fans at once — from a Mailchimp export, a venue’s guest list, a festival’s attendee data, or any other spreadsheet.

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Preparing Your CSV

Before importing, make sure your CSV file is properly formatted. Improperly formatted files will cause import errors. Save as .csv (not .xlsx or .xls), use column headers in the first row, and ensure UTF-8 encoding for international characters.
Supported columns:
Column NameDescriptionExample
first_nameFan’s first nameSarah
last_nameFan’s last nameJohnson
emailEmail addresssarah@example.com
phonePhone number (any format)(615) 729-6291
cityCity nameNashville
stateState or provinceTN
countryCountry name or codeUS
Your CSV does not need to have all of these columns. At minimum, include email (for deduplication) and at least one name field. Formatting tips:
  • Phone numbers can be in any format — Fanaura normalizes them to E.164 format automatically.
  • Remove any completely blank rows.

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Import Process

1

Go to the Directory

Navigate to Fans → Directory.
2

Upload your file

Click Import (upload icon) in the top-right area. Drag and drop your CSV, or click to browse your computer.
3

Map your columns

Fanaura will try to auto-detect your columns. Review and adjust:
  • Each column from your CSV is shown on the left.
  • A dropdown on the right lets you map it to a Fanaura field.
  • If a column does not match anything, you can skip it or create a new custom field.
  • If your CSV has columns like “Full Name,” Fanaura will attempt to split it into first and last name.
4

Preview your data

Fanaura shows you a preview of the first 10 rows as they will be imported. Check that the data looks correct in the right columns.
5

Choose duplicate handling

Choose how to handle fans who already exist in your database (matched by email):
  • Skip duplicates — Do not update existing records. Only import new fans.
  • Update duplicates — Overwrite existing records with data from the CSV.
  • Merge duplicates — Only fill in empty fields on existing records. Do not overwrite data that is already there.
6

Run the import

Click Import. The import begins processing.
Use “Merge duplicates” for the safest import. The merge option fills in gaps without overwriting existing data. It is the safest choice if you are not sure whether the CSV or your database has better data.

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What Happens During Import

  • Fanaura processes each row, creating or updating fan records.
  • Phone numbers are normalized to E.164 format.
  • Locations are geocoded for heatmap placement.
  • All imported fans are tagged with Source: Manual (or you can set a custom source tag before importing).
  • All imported fans start as Status: Lead until they verify their email or phone.
  • All imported fans start at the Bronze VIP tier with 0 tokens.

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After the Import

You will see a summary:
  • Total rows processed: How many rows were in the CSV
  • New fans created: How many new records were added
  • Duplicates found: How many rows matched existing fans
  • Duplicates updated/skipped: Based on your duplicate handling choice
  • Errors: Any rows that could not be imported (with reasons)
If you see a lot of errors, download the error report to see which rows failed and why. Common issues include malformed email addresses, invalid phone numbers, or missing required fields.

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Importing Custom Field Data

If your CSV has columns that correspond to your custom fields, you can map them during the import:
  1. During the column mapping step, select the custom field from the dropdown.
  2. If the column does not match an existing custom field, click Create New Field to make one on the spot.
This is great for bringing in rich data — if your old platform tracked t-shirt sizes, birthday, or genre preferences, you can bring all of that into Fanaura.

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Import from Other Platforms

1

Export from Mailchimp

In Mailchimp, go to Audience → All Contacts → Export Audience. Download the CSV.
2

Upload to Fanaura

In Fanaura, start a CSV import and upload the Mailchimp export.
3

Map columns

Map Mailchimp columns to Fanaura fields:
  • Email Address → email
  • First Name → first_name
  • Last Name → last_name
  • Phone Number → phone
  • Address fields → city, state, country
4

Import

Review and click Import.

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Deduplication

Fanaura uses email as the primary identifier for deduplication. Here is how it works:

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Automatic Deduplication on Import

When you import a CSV, Fanaura checks each email against your existing database:
  • If the email exists → the row is treated as a duplicate (handled based on your choice)
  • If the email does not exist → a new fan record is created

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Cross-Source Deduplication

When a fan enters through multiple channels (e.g., pre-saves with their email, then later texts your number), Fanaura checks if the email matches an existing record. If it does, the phone number is added to the existing profile rather than creating a duplicate.

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Manual Merging

If you notice duplicate fan records (e.g., same person with two different emails), you can merge them:
1

Open one of the fan profiles

Navigate to one of the duplicate fan profiles.
2

Start the merge

Click Actions → Merge with Another Fan.
3

Find the duplicate

Search for the duplicate record.
4

Review and confirm

Review the merge preview (which data will be kept) and confirm the merge.
The merged profile retains all activity history, conversations, and tokens from both records. No data is lost in the merge.

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Tips & Best Practices

The sooner your fans are in Fanaura, the sooner you can start tracking engagement and building VIP tiers. Do not wait for a “perfect” database — import what you have and improve over time.
Email is the deduplication key. Without it, Fanaura cannot detect duplicates, and you risk creating multiple records for the same fan.
Remove obviously bad data (test entries, competitors, etc.) before importing. It is easier to clean a spreadsheet than to clean your database after the fact.
Before importing, consider tagging the batch with a meaningful source like “Mailchimp Migration March 2026” or “SXSW Guest List.” This helps you track where groups of fans came from.
Importing fans who did not opt in to hear from you will hurt your deliverability, damage your reputation, and potentially violate regulations. Only import people who have a real relationship with your music.
Never import purchased email or phone lists. Sending to people who did not opt in violates TCPA and CAN-SPAM regulations and can result in fines of 500−500-1,500 per message. Only import fans who have a genuine relationship with your music.

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What’s Next

Fan Directory

View and manage your imported fans.

Fan Lists

Organize imported fans into segments.

Opt-In & Consent

Understand consent requirements for marketing.

Integrations

Connect Shopify, Instagram, and more for automatic fan collection.