> ## 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.

# Adding & Importing Fans

> Learn every way to add fans to your Fanaura database — manual entry, CSV import, Shopify sync, smart link collection, and more.

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.

***

## Automatic Fan Collection

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

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Smart Links">
    Every smart link you create — pre-save pages, landing pages, link-in-bio pages — automatically captures fan data when someone interacts with it.

    **What gets captured:**

    * Name (if the form includes a name field)
    * Email address (primary collection point)
    * Phone number (if the form includes a phone field)
    * Location (from form fields or IP geolocation)
    * Custom fields (any custom fields you added to the form)
    * Source: automatically tagged with the smart link name
    * UTM parameters (if present in the URL)

    **How it works:**

    1. A fan clicks your smart link.
    2. They see a form (which you configure in the Smart Link builder).
    3. They fill in their info and submit.
    4. Fanaura creates a fan record (or updates an existing one if the email already exists).
    5. The fan proceeds to the content (Spotify pre-save, RSVP confirmation, etc.).
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Pre-Save">
    Pre-save campaigns are one of the most powerful fan collection tools. When a fan pre-saves your upcoming release:

    * Their **email** is captured from the form.
    * Their **Spotify or Apple Music profile** is connected (if they authenticate).
    * A **Pre-Save** event is logged on their activity timeline.
    * They earn **50 tokens** toward their VIP tier.
    * They are tagged with Source: **Pre-Save**.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="RSVP">
    When a fan RSVPs to one of your events through a Fanaura event page:

    * Their **name and email** are captured.
    * The specific **event** is logged on their timeline.
    * They earn **30 tokens**.
    * They are tagged with Source: **RSVP**.
    * Their **location** (if provided) helps populate the Heatmap.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="SMS Opt-In">
    When a fan texts your artist phone number for the first time:

    * Their **phone number** is captured.
    * **SMS consent** is recorded with a timestamp.
    * They are tagged with Source: **SMS**.
    * They earn tokens for their first interaction.
    * Their messages appear in the Conversations view.

    <Tip>If you have a welcome flow set up for SMS, new fans will automatically enter it when they text your number for the first time.</Tip>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Shopify Sync">
    When you connect your Shopify store to Fanaura, customer data flows in automatically:

    * Every customer who makes a purchase gets a fan record.
    * **Name, email, phone, and shipping address** are captured.
    * **Purchase history** is synced (product name, price, date).
    * They are tagged with Source: **Shopify**.
    * Each purchase earns them **100 tokens**.

    <Info>The sync runs automatically whenever a new order is placed. You can also trigger a full historical sync from the Integrations page to import all existing customers.</Info>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Instagram DM">
    When a fan sends a DM to your connected Instagram account:

    * Their **Instagram handle** is captured.
    * A fan record is created (or linked to an existing one if the handle matches).
    * The DM conversation is logged.
    * They are tagged with Source: **Instagram**.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## 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.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to the Directory">
    Navigate to **Fans** → **Directory**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the Add Fan modal">
    Click the **Add Fan** button in the top-right corner.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fill in the fan's details">
    | Field          | Required? | Notes                                                                      |
    | -------------- | --------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | **First Name** | Yes       | The fan's first name.                                                      |
    | **Last Name**  | No        | Optional.                                                                  |
    | **Email**      | No        | Strongly recommended. This is the primary identifier for deduplication.    |
    | **Phone**      | No        | Must be in a valid format. Include country code for international numbers. |
    | **City**       | No        | Will be used for Heatmap placement and geographic lists.                   |
    | **State**      | No        | Full state name or abbreviation.                                           |
    | **Country**    | No        | Defaults to "US" if not provided.                                          |
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the fan">
    Fill in what you know and click **Save**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

**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.

<Tip>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.</Tip>

***

## 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.

### Preparing Your CSV

<Warning>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.</Warning>

**Supported columns:**

| Column Name  | Description               | Example                                       |
| ------------ | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- |
| `first_name` | Fan's first name          | Sarah                                         |
| `last_name`  | Fan's last name           | Johnson                                       |
| `email`      | Email address             | [sarah@example.com](mailto:sarah@example.com) |
| `phone`      | Phone number (any format) | (615) 729-6291                                |
| `city`       | City name                 | Nashville                                     |
| `state`      | State or province         | TN                                            |
| `country`    | Country name or code      | US                                            |

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.

### Import Process

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to the Directory">
    Navigate to **Fans** → **Directory**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload your file">
    Click **Import** (upload icon) in the top-right area. Drag and drop your CSV, or click to browse your computer.
  </Step>

  <Step title="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.
  </Step>

  <Step title="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.
  </Step>

  <Step title="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.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run the import">
    Click **Import**. The import begins processing.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>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.</Tip>

### 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.

### 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)

<Note>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.</Note>

### 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.

***

## Import from Other Platforms

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="From Mailchimp">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Export from Mailchimp">
        In Mailchimp, go to **Audience** → **All Contacts** → **Export Audience**. Download the CSV.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Upload to Fanaura">
        In Fanaura, start a CSV import and upload the Mailchimp export.
      </Step>

      <Step title="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`
      </Step>

      <Step title="Import">
        Review and click Import.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="From Website Builders">
    Most website builders (Bandzoogle, Squarespace, Wix, etc.) let you export contact forms or mailing lists as CSV. The process is the same: export the CSV from the platform, then import it into Fanaura with column mapping.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="From a Venue or Festival">
    If a venue or festival shares attendee data with you (with proper consent), it usually comes as a CSV or Excel file. Convert Excel to CSV if needed, then import normally.

    <Warning>Make sure you have the right to contact anyone you import. If the fans did not explicitly opt in to hear from you, do not send them marketing messages. You can import them as fans for data purposes, but hold off on blasts until they opt in through your own channels.</Warning>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## Deduplication

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

### 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

### 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.

### Manual Merging

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

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open one of the fan profiles">
    Navigate to one of the duplicate fan profiles.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start the merge">
    Click **Actions** → **Merge with Another Fan**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find the duplicate">
    Search for the duplicate record.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review and confirm">
    Review the merge preview (which data will be kept) and confirm the merge.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>The merged profile retains all activity history, conversations, and tokens from both records. No data is lost in the merge.</Info>

***

## Tips & Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Import early, import often">
    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.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Always include email">
    Email is the deduplication key. Without it, Fanaura cannot detect duplicates, and you risk creating multiple records for the same fan.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Clean your CSV before importing">
    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.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Set a custom source tag">
    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.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do not import purchased lists">
    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.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Warning>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-$1,500 per message. Only import fans who have a genuine relationship with your music.</Warning>

***

## What's Next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Fan Directory" icon="address-book" href="/fans/directory">
    View and manage your imported fans.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Fan Lists" icon="list" href="/fans/lists">
    Organize imported fans into segments.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Opt-In & Consent" icon="square-check" href="/fans/opt-in">
    Understand consent requirements for marketing.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Integrations" icon="plug" href="/integrations/">
    Connect Shopify, Instagram, and more for automatic fan collection.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>