What this is
When uploading contacts into Propensity, the format of your data affects how contacts are matched and added to your audience.
Different combinations of fields (such as email, LinkedIn URL, or company information) lead to different levels of match accuracy and coverage.
When to use this
Use this guide when you want to:
- Understand why match rates vary after uploading contacts
- Choose the best upload format for your data
- Improve match quality and audience accuracy
How contact matching works
When you upload contacts, Propensity uses the available fields to match each person to a record in its database.
Some formats prioritize:
- Accuracy (confidence) → fewer but more precise matches
- Coverage (volume) → more matches, but potentially less precise
The structure of your upload determines which of these is prioritized.
Upload formats and when to use them
1. Website + Email
Use this format when:
- You are uploading current employees
- You trust both the company and email data
This is typically one of the most reliable formats because:
- The website identifies the company
- The email identifies the individual
This format generally results in:
- High-confidence matches
- Strong alignment with the intended company
However, match rates may be lower if:
- The contact has changed jobs
- The company information is outdated
Matching behavior may vary depending on your email matching settings (for example, matching only current emails vs. including historical emails).
2. Website + LinkedIn URL
Use this format when:
- Both the LinkedIn profile and company are accurate and current
- You want a highly specific match
This format attempts to match both:
- The person (via LinkedIn)
- The company (via website)
It can be highly precise when data is aligned. If the LinkedIn profile is accurate but the company data is outdated or incorrect, this format may reduce matches compared to using LinkedIn alone.
However, match rates may decrease if:
- The person has changed companies
- The LinkedIn profile and company information do not match
3. First Name + Last Name + Company Name
Use this format when:
- You do not have email or LinkedIn data
- You need a fallback identification method
This approach relies on:
- Name matching
- Company association
Because names are not unique, this format is generally less precise.
Match quality depends on:
- Correct spelling
- Accurate company name
- Current employment data
4. First Name + Last Name + Website + Email
Required for "Add contacts to Propensity": If you want to use the option to add unmatched contacts to Propensity, your upload must include First Name, Last Name, Website, and Email. Uploads in other formats will not have this option available.
Use this format when:
- You want to maximize match coverage while still maintaining strong company and contact identification
- You are working with CRM data that may include incomplete or unmatched records
This format combines:
- The website to identify the company
- The email to identify the individual
- The name fields as additional supporting information
It follows a similar matching approach to Website + Email, but provides more flexibility when data is incomplete or does not fully match existing records.
This format is currently the only way to enable the option to add unmatched contacts to Propensity. You can add them by accessing your account list -> "..." (next to the Edit button) -> View Upload Match Rates -> add additional contacts to propensity
Note: The option "add additional contacts to propensity" is only available when your upload includes First Name, Last Name, Website, and Email.
Note: Unmatched contacts are contacts from your upload that could not be matched to an existing record in Propensity’s database. This usually occurs when the provided data (such as email, LinkedIn URL, or company information) is missing, incomplete, or does not align with known records.
This approach generally results in:
- Strong company alignment
- High match confidence when data is accurate
- The ability to include contacts that are not already matched in the system
However, results may be affected if:
- The email or company data is outdated
- Name fields do not match expected formats
- The contact is not currently associated with the company
5. LinkedIn URL only
Use this format when:
- Company data may be unreliable
- The person may have changed jobs
- The contact is not tied to a single company (e.g. advisors, board members)
This format focuses on identifying the individual first, regardless of company.
It can be one of the most effective approaches when:
- The LinkedIn URL is valid and current
However, results depend heavily on:
- Clean formatting
- Correct and active LinkedIn profiles
- Using a standard LinkedIn profile URL (Sales Navigator or improperly formatted URLs may not match correctly)
Why adding more fields can reduce matches
Including more fields does not always improve results.
In some cases, additional fields may also prevent otherwise valid matches if the data does not fully align.
For example:
- A LinkedIn URL alone may successfully match a person
- Adding company information may prevent the match if the company data is outdated
Because of this, more data can sometimes reduce match rates.
How to choose the right format
Choose your upload format based on your data quality and goals:
- Use Website + Email for the most reliable company-based matching
- Use Website + LinkedIn URL for precise matching when both fields are accurate
- Use Name + Company when other identifiers are not available
- Use First Name + Last Name + Website + Email when you want to add unmatched contacts to propensity
- Use LinkedIn only when company data is unreliable or the contact may not be a current employee
Important notes
- Match rates vary depending on data quality and format
- Lower match rates do not necessarily indicate an issue, they may reflect stricter matching criteria
- Clean and up-to-date data will significantly improve results
- Formatting issues (especially with LinkedIn URLs) can prevent matches