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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: Basics > Placeholders - Personalizing Email Content |
"Placeholder" is a term used for a function enabling the user to dynamically generate content.
Instead of writing an email to each recipient you create an email template and use placeholders for all parts you want to personalize.
The recipient lists contains certain information for each recipient, e.g. name, title, email address, customer number.
SmartSerialMail uses template and recipient list to create an email for each recipient. All placeholders are replaced by information from the recipient list.
The most common use of placeholders is to personalize the content (HTML as well as text-only) of an email.
You can also use placeholder in HTML links, e.g. for link-tracking or providing personalized links to your website.
Placing placeholders in file names and paths of attachments will also enable you to attach individual offers or invoices to your email.
Placeholders can also be used for files and pictures. Depending on user profile or customer different company logos or product pictures can be embedded in your email.
Fields of the recipient list
The most common kind of placeholders are the columns of the recipient list.
Each column of the list can be used as placeholder. An email address is required for each recipient. Additional columns can be added and later used for personalization of emails. You can, for example, address your customers with their first and last names as well as their title.
See an example of use here: Example 1: "Use the recipient's name or other information in your email content"
Details from the sender profile
Different values of the sender profile can be used as placeholders.
A profile contains a display name, later shown as the email's sender. Instead of writing out your name in full in the email content, you can simply use the corresponding placeholder. This is especially useful if you use more than one profile and want to make sure that the correct name is used in each email.
See an example of use here: Example 8: "Create content depending on the selected profile"
Quick parts
A quick part can contain text or pictures.
This type of placeholder is mainly used to quickly and easily organize recurring content. You can, for example, create quick part for your sign-offs and your company logo and re-use it in different email contents.
See an example of use here: Example 2: "Use recurring content in different emails"
Functions and conditional placeholders
Use function and conditional placeholders to create more complex email personalizations.
You can, for instance, address the recipient by title or gender or insert content depending on the language your customer prefers to use.
A complete list of all placeholder functions can be found in "Content->Toolbar->Placeholder".
See an example of use here: Example 3: „Use an individual salutation" and here: Example 7: „Example 7: Automatically send content depending on language or category“
Alias placeholders
Alias placeholders enable you to create recurring texts for profiles and contents. You can, for example, enter the names of contact persons of the company address as alias placeholders in your profile and use them in different email contents.
Alias placeholders can also be used as placeholders for more complex functions and conditional salutations. Instead of entering the long placeholder in your email content you can create an alias for the complex function in the alias placeholder menu. If you want to use the complex placeholder in your email, simply enter the alias. This simplifies the HTML code of your email and enables you to easily re-use the placeholder.
Link shortcuts
Link shortcuts are used in combination with list management for registrations and cancellations as well as confirmation emails. Use there placeholders to enter links for registering or canceling a newsletter in your emails without having to create alias placeholders.
See an example of use here: Example 4: „Use individual links“