Personalization

What it means

Platforms personalise with merge tags that insert stored fields (Mailchimp's cheat sheet starts with first name, last name and email address) and with conditional content. Relevant content helps engagement, which providers read as a sign the mail is wanted.

Personalisation does not make bulk mail one-to-one in the eyes of filters or regulators. M3AAWG's position on cold email notes that bulk cold emails often use personalisation (first name, title, company name) or AI-generated content to look uniquely related to the recipient, and treats that as part of a deceptive pattern when the aim is to avoid spam filters.

Check fallbacks for empty fields: a greeting with a blank name or a raw tag in the subject line marks a message as automated.