What are merge tags?
In the email editor, you'll notice that when you go to edit text, there is a dropdown called "Merge Tags"
So what is a merge tag?
A merge tag is small piece of code that you can add to your emails to make them dynamically display certain information each time it sends.
For example, using the "First Name" merge tag can allow you to display the email recipient's First Name in the email. This allows your emails to be more personalized for each recipient they are sent to.
Other merge tags, like "Brand Email", can allow you to show each recipient your brand's email address so that you don't have to type it in manually every time you want it to be included. Just simply click to add the merge tag and the correct email address will automatically display in its place when the email is sent.
What is the merge tag format?
In your email editor, the merge tag will appear as two brackets on either side, and a tag identifier in the middle. For example, the First Name merge tag appears as {{first_name}}.
Once a merge tag is added, the format should not be edited. If any of the four brackets are removed, the tag identifier is edited, or anything at all is altered about the format (even just something as simple as a space being added), the merge tag will not work. Please be careful not to edit the merge tag format in any way.
What information do the merge tags display?
You'll see that there are four merge tags to choose from: Brand Address, Brand Email, Brand Name, and First Name. Below we'll cover them one-by-one.
Brand Address / {{brand_address}}
The Brand Address tag is a way to display your store's address in your emails without having to type it in manually for each one. This can be as simple as just displaying your address in the footer of your emails for legal purposes, or you can use it if you need to inform your members of your address for returns or shipping purposes.
The Brand Address is pulled from the "Your Address" field in your Buzzbassador Settings (Settings > My Profile > Brand Settings). You can change this any time and the merge tags will automatically update to display the new address, no action needed.
If you do not have an address entered in this field in Buzzbassador, the merge tag will instead display the store address that is connected to your Shopify account.
Brand Email / {{brand_email}}
The Brand Email tag is an easy way to display your brand's contact email in your emails without having to type it in manually each time. This can be useful if you want to provide a way for your members to contact you.
The Brand Email is pulled from the email address on your Buzzbassador account. You can change this email any time from your Buzzbassador settings (Settings > My Account > Username) and the merge tags will automatically update to display the new email, no action needed.
Brand Name / {{brand_name}}
The Brand Name tag is an easy way to display your brand's name in your emails without having to type it in manually each time.
The Brand Name is pulled from the Brand Name field in your Buzzbassador settings (Settings > My Profile > Brand Settings > Brand Name). You can change this any time and the merge tags will automatically update to display the new name, no action needed.
First Name / {{first_name}}
The First Name tag is a great way to ensure that your emails are personalized for each member that receives them. You can use them to display the correct member's first name each time the email is sent, so they are seeing their actual name rather than a generic "Hey all" or "Hey there".
The First Name for each email is pulled from the member's first name on record in our system. If they have filled out an application - whether approved, declined, or pending - they have submitted a first name. Also, all imported members have a first name on record, as the "First Name" column is required during import. The merge tag will always display the first name on record for the correct recipient receiving the email.
NOTE: There is one exception to this, which is the one case where the recipient of the email would not have a first name on record: the "You're invited to apply" email. The recipients of this email would not have submitted an application and they would not have been imported, so there would be no way for Buzzbassador to know their first name. Because of this, we do not recommend using the {{first_name}} merge tag in the "You're invited to apply" email. More about that email here.
That's all you need to know about merge tags! If you need any help, send us an email or a chat from inside the app at the bottom right corner.