New in Depost AI: Sales Navigator Import + CSV Import for Faster Targeted Feed Setup
You can now push leads straight from Sales Navigator into Depost AI, or upload a CSV with mapping review. What changed, which path to use, and what to do once the list is in.
· 5 min read · Updated
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If you build lead lists on LinkedIn, the slow part is rarely finding people. It is getting them into a workflow you can actually use.
That usually means copy-paste, spreadsheet cleanup, and a frustrating gap between “I found the right prospect” and “now I can track and engage this person properly.”
This release closes that gap with two faster ways to build your targeted feed: Sales Navigator import for searches you already trust, and CSV import for lists you already have somewhere else.
Why This Update Matters
Most LinkedIn workflows break at the handoff. You identify the right people in Sales Navigator, or you already have them in a CSV, and you know exactly which segment you want. Then everything slows down, because you still have to rebuild that list by hand before you can track anyone’s activity or comment with any context.
The point is not faster importing for its own sake. It is a shorter path from finding a prospect to engaging with them at a moment that makes sense.
What’s New in Depost AI
1. Sales Navigator Import
You can now select leads inside Sales Navigator and send them straight into a Depost AI list. No copy-paste from search results, and no building the same list twice.
This is the right path when your Sales Navigator filters already reflect your ICP: geography, industry, role, trigger, or buying criteria.
How it works
- Open your Sales Navigator lead search.
- Select one or more leads from the results page.
- Click Add to targeted feed in the toolbar.
- Choose an existing Depost AI list or create a new one.
- Start tracking those leads in your targeted feed.
2. CSV Import
If the list already exists outside LinkedIn, upload it directly. Depost AI suggests the column mapping, you review it, and the records go into the list you choose.
This is the better path when your team exports leads from another tool, when you are migrating an existing database, or when you want a batch import you can check before it lands.
How it works
- Open the CSV import page in Depost AI.
- Upload your file.
- Review the suggested column mapping.
- Confirm the identity fields, such as LinkedIn profile URL or an external ID.
- Import into an existing list or a new one.
When to Use Sales Navigator Import vs CSV Import
Both solve the same problem. The difference is where your list starts.
Sales Navigator import suits live research: you are building the list from LinkedIn search right now, your filters are refined, and you want to add people as you find them.
CSV import suits everything that already exists: an export from another tool, a database you are migrating, or a batch you want to review before processing.
Plenty of teams use both. Sales Navigator gives you the high-intent shortlist, the CSV gives you the wider batch, and after import they run through the same engagement workflow.
The Next Loop After Import
This is the part that actually matters. Import is the input, not the outcome.
1. Put people into the right list
Do not dump everyone into one bucket. Split by campaign, segment, buyer type, source, or use case. A targeted feed is only as useful as the list behind it, and a generic list produces generic engagement.
2. Read the targeted feed, not the random feed
Your next move after importing should not be a wave of cold DMs. Open the targeted feed and read, looking for posts that reveal timing: hiring signals, launches, changes, complaints, and themes that keep coming up.
That is where context comes from, and context is the entire reason this works.
3. Comment before you push outreach
The warmest outreach rarely starts with a DM. It starts with being familiar.
Comment thoughtfully on the right people, consistently, and your name stops being a stranger’s. The message you send afterwards lands in a completely different way.
4. Move warm leads into outreach
Once someone replies to your comments, engages with your posts, or keeps turning up in the same conversations, they are no longer a cold record in a list. That is the moment for a connection note or a first message, and it is a far better moment than the day you imported them.
5. Track follow-up, not just imports
The compounding does not come from how many people you import. It comes from knowing who became warm, who replied, who needs a nudge, who has stalled, and who is ready for the next step.
That distinction is the whole difference between list-building and pipeline-building.
What This Changes for Your Workflow
The loop is now:
- Find or collect the right people
- Import them into the right Depost AI list
- Watch their activity in your targeted feed
- Engage with context
- Move warm prospects into outreach and follow-up
Same workflow as before, with the manual setup taken out of the front of it.
Available Now
Sales Navigator import and CSV import are live in the latest release.
If you already run targeted feeds and outreach in Depost AI, this gets you to the engagement step with less setup. If you are new, it is the shortest route from scattered lead discovery to something structured.
FAQ
Does importing from Sales Navigator need my LinkedIn password?
No. The import reads a list you have already built in Sales Navigator and brings the people into your targeted feed. Depost AI publishes and reads analytics through LinkedIn’s official API, and it never sends automated connection requests, DMs, or comments on your behalf.
What columns does the CSV need?
A name and a LinkedIn profile URL are the two that matter. Anything else you include, such as company, title, or a note, is offered during the mapping review so you can decide what to keep. The review step runs before anything is saved, so a mismatched column is something you fix rather than undo.
Should I use the Sales Navigator import or the CSV?
Use the Sales Navigator import when the list already exists as a saved search or lead list, because it keeps the fields intact. Use the CSV when the list comes from somewhere else, such as a CRM export, an event attendee list, or a spreadsheet a colleague sent you.
What happens after the list is imported?
The people you imported become a targeted feed, so their posts surface in one place instead of being hunted for. That is the input to the outreach loop: comment on what they publish, watch for warm signals, and send a note that references something real. The five-step outreach workflow covers the loop in full.
Is there a limit on how many leads I can import?
Import is available on every plan. If you are moving a very large list, bring it in as a few smaller files so the mapping review stays quick to check, and so a single bad column does not affect the whole import.
