Mailing list facts for kids

Some people and groups collect many addresses of different people. They use these addresses to send mail. In the postal system, these collections of addresses are called mailing lists. They help send mail, which can be things you want, like newspapers, or things you don't want, like advertising.

What Are Mailing Lists?

A mailing list is simply a list of names and addresses. These addresses can be physical, like for letters, or electronic, like for emails. People or organizations use these lists to send information to many people at once.

Electronic Mailing Lists

In the digital world, mailing lists work similarly. Sometimes, unwanted bulk emails, known as SPAM, are sent using these lists.

However, there are also helpful electronic mailing lists. People can choose to join these lists, which are often called "echo mailing lists." When someone sends an email to the list, that email is then sent to everyone else who has joined.

The Software that manages these lists often gives subscribers options. For example, instead of getting every single email as it's sent, you might choose to receive just one email per day. This single email contains all the messages from that day, and it's called a digest. The system can also handle emails from people on the list differently from those who are not subscribed.

Postal Mailing Lists

Postal mailing lists are used to reach specific groups of people through the Post office. These groups can be chosen based on different features. For instance, a list might include "people who buy from catalogs" or "business owners."

Lists can also be organized by location, like businesses or residents in a certain city or zip code. They can even be based on statistics, such as businesses with more than 20 employees, or households with a certain income.

Companies that want to advertise often buy these direct mail lists. By choosing a very specific group of people, direct mail becomes a smart way to market. It helps companies avoid wasting money on advertising to people who aren't interested.