• Introduction
• Supported Merge Tags by Email Templates
• How to Insert a Merge Tag into My Email Template
• Fallback Values

Introduction

A merge tag is a snippet of code that lets you include specific user details (like first name, last name, etc.) in emails. Essentially, merge tags enable you to add personalized or dynamic content to the campaigns you distribute.
Merge tags are mainly used by email campaigns apps such as MailKing and Auto Follow up for Gmail. However, even if you are not using these apps for mass emailing you can use merge tags with Email Templates.

Supported Merge Tags by Email Templates

Here are the merge tags supported by email templates. These merge tags are replaced when you load the template in your draft.

Recipient merge tags – Recipient merge tags are replaced with the recipient’s email information:

• *|EMAIL|* – Recipient email address
• *|NAME|* – Recipient name
• *|FIRST_NAME|* or *|FNAME|* – Recipient’s first name
• *|LAST_NAME|* or *|LNAME|* – Recipient’s last name

Unsubscribe merge tags:

• *|UNSUB|* or *|UNSUBSCRIBE|* – Unsubscribe link

Time-related merge tags:

• *|DAY_OF_WEEK|* – Day of the week
• *|TIME|* or *|CURRENT_TIME|* – Current time
• *|WEEK_OR_WEEKEND|* – Week or weekend
• *|CURRENT_DATE|* or *|DATE|* – Current date

Sender merge tags – Sender merge tags are replaced with the sender’s email address:

• *|MY_NAME|* – Sender’s name (your name)
• *|MY_FIRST_NAME|* – Sender’s first name
• *|MY_LAST_NAME|* – Sender’s last name
• *|BOOK_ME_LINK|* – Meeting scheduler link to schedule a meeting
• *|MY_EMAIL|* – Sender’s email address
• *|MY_DOMAIN|* – Sender’s domain

Custom merge tags – These can be changed via template dashboard (https://www.cloudhq.net/main_gmail_templates/dashboard_tags):

• *|USER:COMPANY|* – Your company
• *|USER:ADDRESS|* – Your address
• *|USER:PHONE|* – Your phone number
• *|USER:URL|* – Sender’s domain
• *|CUSTOM_1|* – Custom field 1
• *|CUSTOM_2|* – Custom field 2

How to Insert a Merge Tag into My Email Template

To include a dynamic merge tag inside your template, type the merge tag directly into the email template text or choose a merge tag from the Merge Tags drop-down menu.

Fallback Values

Knowing that personalization variables may be available for some email addresses but not for others, you can assign a fallback value to use when the personalization value is blank. For instance, incorporating *|FIRST_NAME|Friend|* in your message ensures that if FIRST_NAME is present, it will replace the tag; otherwise, Friend will appear. The fallback value syntax involves a pipe symbol and the fallback value, applicable to any personalization variable or merge tag.