Getting Started with Merge Tags
Use merge tags to insert dynamic content, like names or titles, in your marketing content. Learn about merge tags, where to access them, and how to create new ones.
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When you send an email, your recipients see the subject line, preview text, From name, and From email address first. It's important for these details to be recognizable and consistent, so recipients are more likely to open your emails. When and how you edit this information depends on the type of email you're working with.
In this article, you'll learn how to edit your subject line, preview text, From name, or From email address in different types of emails.
Here are some things to know before you begin this process.
You can edit any part of a regular email while it’s in draft status. You’ll edit the From name and From email address in the From section of the email builder, and the subject line and preview text in the Subject section. After you send, you won’t be able to change these details.
To edit the From name, From email address, subject line, or preview text of a regular email, follow these steps.
To edit a draft customer journey email, follow these steps.
Classic Automations are only available to accounts that have previously created a classic automation. To edit the subject line, preview text, From From name, or From email address for a specific email in a classic automation, check out the Edit Settings section in the Create a Classic Automation article.
RSS campaigns are available only in the classic builder. To edit the subject line, preview text, From name, or From email address for an RSS campaign, follow these steps.
To edit an RSS campaign that has already started, you'll first need to pause it.
Certain automated emails have their own unique builder. Take a look at our step-by-step instructions on how to create and edit abandoned cart messages, order notifications, and product retargeting emails.
When you custom code your email, you’ll set your From name, From email, and subject like you normally would, depending on the type of email you’re working with. However, if you want to set preview text, you’ll need to add some special CSS and HTML code that includes the *|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*
merge tag. This code will automatically pull in the text that you save in the Preview text field.
To add preview text to your custom-coded email, follow these steps.
<style type="text/css"> </style>
tags and add this code to the "style type" value:.mcnPreviewText{display: none !important;}
<body>
tag in your HTML: <!--*|IF:MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*-->
<!--[if !gte mso 9]><!----><span class="mcnPreviewText" style="display:none; font-size:0px; line-height:0px; max-height:0px; max-width:0px; opacity:0; overflow:hidden; visibility:hidden; mso-hide:all;">*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*</span><!--<![endif]-->
<!--*|END:IF|*-->
The IF:MC_PREVIEW_TEXT conditional tag looks to see whether you’ve set your preview text in the builder. The if !lgte mso 9 tag helps ensure your preview text displays properly in Outlook. And the span tags ensure that your preview text isn’t visible in the body of your email.
Customers with a Standard plan or higher can update the subject line and content in their regular email or customer journey using Write with AI. Write with AI is a generative AI tool that helps you create on-brand content with speed and efficiency based on prompts that you provide.
To learn more about this feature, check out Use Write with AI to Create Content.
Our guides and tutorials contain additional resources to help you build your email campaigns. After you’ve learned how to edit your subject line, preview text, From name, and From email address, you may want to try some of these tasks.
Design an Email with the New Builder
Design an Email with the Classic Builder
Preview and Test Your Email
Tips for Sending Emails
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Use merge tags to insert dynamic content, like names or titles, in your marketing content. Learn about merge tags, where to access them, and how to create new ones.
Learn how to create a regular email in Mailchimp.
Use Inbox Preview to see what your campaign will look like in different email clients and mobile devices, without ever leaving the Campaign Builder.
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