Personalize your email content and sending parameters (sender and subject) with contact attributes (first name, last name, email address, etc.) to engage your email recipients and improve metrics, such as open rates and response rates.

Good to know

• Contact attribute variables can be used in email templates and campaigns.
• We recommend you always double-check and test your personalization before sending your emails.
• Use filters to edit the formatting of your attributes by typing them manually into your email editors.
  ➡️ To learn more about filters, check our dedicated article Modify the output of a variable using filters.

❓How do contact attributes work?

Your Brevo contacts list contains contact attributes that refer to the information you store about each of your contacts. You can personalize your emails using contact attributes by inserting placeholders in your email templates and campaigns.

🎨 Insert contact attributes in your email design

Personalize your email content with your contact attributes, such as their first name or birthday date, for example, to create engagement:

• Insert contact attributes in a text
• Insert contact attributes in a button URL
• Insert a contact attribute under a link

Depending on the email editor you chose, the procedure to personalize your email design with contact attributes differs: 

➡️ To manually insert your contact attributes in your email design, check our dedicated section in the article [Manual] Personalize your messages with dynamic content (Brevo Template Language).

Insert contact attributes in a text

To insert contact attributes as text in your email design:

1. Create an email campaign or template, and access the Design step to choose the desired email editor.
2. Place your cursor where you want to insert your contact attribute. 
3. Click the { } Add variable icon in the top toolbar. 
4. Click Contact attributes and select the attribute you want to insert from the list. 
   

5. (Optional) Click the attribute to edit it:

   Basic settings Advanced settings

   In the Value if empty field, enter the content that will appear to your recipient if their contact attribute is not filled. You can also click the contact attribute and select a new one.

   Click Edit syntax to use filters to modify the output of your variable. To learn more, check our dedicated article Modify the output of a variable using filters.

Insert contact attributes in a button URL

To insert contact attributes in a button URL in your email design:

1. Create an email campaign or template, and access the Design step to choose the desired email editor.
2. Insert a Button content block in your email design and click it to open its settings. 

   

3. In the left sidebar, under Link, choose which type of link you want to add to your button.
4. Enter the URL of your link and click the { } Add variable icon next to it. 
5. Click Contact attributes and select the attribute you want to insert from the list. 

Insert a contact attribute under a link 

1. Create an email campaign or template, and access the Design step to choose the desired email editor.
2. Select the text under which you want to insert a link containing a contact attribute. 
3. Click the Add link icon in the top toolbar. The Insert/edit link menu displays. 

   

4. In the Type of link drop-down, choose an external link to add under your text.
5. Enter the URL of your link and click the { } Add variable icon next to it. 
6. Click Contact attributes and select the attribute you want to insert from the list. 
7. Click Insert.

⚙️ Insert contact attributes in your sender and recipient names, and subject line

Brevo also allows you to personalize the information that appears first in your recipients' inboxes before they even open it, which can increase your conversion rate. When creating an email campaign, you can personalize the elements that are visible in your recipients' inboxes:

• Personalize your sender name
• Personalize the 'To' field in your recipients' inboxes
• Personalize your subject line and preview text

Depending on the email editor you chose, the procedure to personalize your email settings with contact attributes differs: 

➡️ To manually insert your contact attributes in your email settings, check our dedicated section in the article [Manual] Personalize your messages with dynamic content (Brevo Template Language).

Personalize your sender name

The Sender name is what appears in your recipients’ inboxes to identify who the email is from. It helps build trust and can encourage more opens. By default, it’s set to your company name, but you can personalize it by displaying, for example, an assigned account manager’s name instead. 

➡️ To manually insert your contact attributes in your email settings, check our dedicated section in the article [Manual] Personalize your messages with dynamic content (Brevo Template Language).

Personalize the 'To' field in your recipients' inboxes

The 'To' field is the addressee information shown to recipients. Its default value is the recipient’s email address ([DEFAULT_TO]), but you can also customize it using contact attributes to better suit your audience.

1. Create an email campaign or template and access the Additional settings. 

2. Depending on whether you're creating a campaign or template, the procedure differs:

   Campaign Template

   1. In the Personalization section, check the Personalize the 'Send To' field box
   2. Click the { } Add variable icon.
      
   3. Click Contact attributes and select the attribute you want to insert from the list.

   1. Next to Recipient personalization, click the { } Add variable icon.
   2. Click Contact attributes and select the attribute you want to insert from the list.
      

3. (Optional) Click the attribute to edit it:

   Basic settings Advanced settings

   In the Value if empty field, enter the content that will appear to your recipient if their contact attribute is not filled. You can also click the contact attribute and select a new one.

   Click Edit syntax to use filters to modify the output of your variable. To learn more, check our dedicated article Modify the output of a variable using filters.

Personalize your subject line and preview text

A subject line is the short headline of an email that encourages recipients to open it, and preview text complements the subject line by giving a summary or adding context visible before the email is opened.

To personalize your subject line and preview text with contact attributes:

1. Create an email campaign or template.
2. In the Subject line or Preview text field, place your cursor where you want to insert your contact attribute. 
3. Click the { } Add variable icon. 
   
4. Click Contact attributes and select the attribute you want to insert from the list. 

5. (Optional) Click the attribute to edit it:

   Basic settings Advanced settings

   In the Value if empty field, enter the content that will appear to your recipient if their contact attribute is not filled. You can also click the contact attribute and select a new one.

   Click Edit syntax to use filters to modify the output of your variable. To learn more, check our dedicated article Modify the output of a variable using filters.

⏩ What's next?

• Modify the formatting of your placeholder with filters
• Test your emails personalized with Brevo Template Language
• Troubleshoot your emails personalized with Brevo Template Language

🤔 Have a question?

If you have a question, feel free to contact our support team by creating a ticket from your account. If you don't have an account yet, you can contact us here.

If you’re looking for help with a project using Brevo, we can match you with the right certified Brevo Agency partner.