How to personalize a post using merge tags

Merge tags are a powerful tool that allow you to personalize your emails by using reserve fields or custom fields from your account. By incorporating merge tags, you can tailor content to each individual subscriber, making your communications more engaging and relevant.

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Using fallback values with merge tags

Once you’ve set up custom fields, you can use the custom fields to create merge tags to be used in your posts or automation emails that looks like this:

{{name of custom field | fallback value}}

A fallback value is a default text or value that is displayed when a merge tag doesn’t have a specific value to pull from. This means that if you use a merge tag to address subscribers by their first name but some subscribers don’t have a first name in your account, the fallback value ensures that the content still makes sense.

For example, if you want to greet your readers by their first name, you could use:

Welcome, {{first name | reader}}!

• If a subscriber has a first name saved in their subscriber profile (like "Claudia"), it will display as such in a welcome or automation email. 
  • Looks like: Welcome, Claudia!
• If they don’t have a first name, the fallback value "reader" will appear, ensuring that your message remains relevant and meaningful. 
  • Looks like: Welcome, reader!
• If no fallback value is set, it will just be blank. 
  • Looks like: Welcome,!

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Types of merge tags

You can create merge tags for any custom field in your account. Or use our list of reserved fields to customize merge tags as seen in the examples below. 

Subscriber count merge tag

Use the {{active_subscriber_count}} merge tag to pull in your current subscriber count and display it in your copy. 

Thanks for joining the movement, you’re our {{active_subscriber_count}} activist! 

Looks like: Thanks for joining the movement, you’re our 2,202 activist! 

 

Referral Program merge tags

Merge tags are a great way to enhance your Referral Program. Use the {{rp_refer_url}} merge tag to display the unique referral URL for each subscriber by adding it to the bottom of your posts.

Share your link: {{rp_refer_url}}

Looks like: Share your link: https://beehiiv.com/subscribe?ref=8KJcP

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Other creative ways to use merge tags

When drafting an email, it’s easy to add your custom fields or any of the reserved fields as merge tags directly to your content.

From the Compose page of the Post Editor, simply type the double curly brackets {{ in the content area to access a dropdown list of your available options, then select one. Or, type the forward slash / to access the editor menu and select Merge Tags.

Here are some merge tag examples:

• You can use a merge tag at the beginning of your post to welcome your audience back.

Welcome back, {{first name | friend}}!

Looks like:  Welcome back, Claudia!

Fallback value: Welcome back, friend!

 

• You can add a merge tag to the text of a button in a post.

Click here, {{first_name | reader}}

Looks like:  Click here, Claudia

Fallback value: Click here, reader