Using *|MERGETAGS|* To Personalize Your Campaigns
If you want to personalize your email campaigns with data from your database, just insert the corresponding *|MERGE|* tag for each column of your database.
For example, when you setup a managed list in MailChimp, you had to create a signup form.
That signup form had different fields, like "Email address" and "First Name" and "Last Name."
MailChimp looks at those fields that you created, and calls them, "*|EMAIL|* and *|FNAME|* and *|LNAME|*"
You can actually create up to 16 fields on your signup form, and each field gets its own *|MERGE|* tag that you can use in your email content. Below is an example of the fields we created for our own MonkeyWrench Newsletter signup form (see it in action here):
"How Do I Know What Tags I Can Use?"
There are two ways you can find out which *|MERGE|* tags you can insert into your MailChimp campaign.
While you're building a campaign and entering content, you'll notice links just above your workspace called "*|MERGETAG|* Cheatsheet." Click that link for a pop-up window that shows you the *|MERGE|* tags for the list you're sending to (note that your different lists might have different *|MERGE|* tags, depending on how you setup their different signup forms):
You can also find your list's *|MERGE|* tags by going into your list's settings page:
- Log in to MailChimp.
- Click on the "Lists" tab in the top navigation.
- Click the "Settings" icon next to the list you want to look at
- Click on the "Merge tags for personalization" link.
Using *|MERGETAGS|* for your To: field...
When you send an email campaign to someone, you should address it to their name if you have it in your database (instead of just addressing it to their email address). Spam filters are less likely to block you if you know the recipient's name.
So when you setup a campaign in MailChimp, check the box "Personalize the To: field" and then click the *|MERGETAGS|* link if you need a little help remembering the tags for your list's first name and last name. Fill in the form field with the appropritate tags, and you're set:
Quick Tip: Find your "PIPE" key
When you code a *|MERGE|* tag, make sure you use the "pipe" key on your keyboard, and not the [brackets]. The "pipe" key is usually just above your "enter/return" key.
