Personalized Variables In Modules

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Create Reusable, Personalized Email Content with Module Variables

Reusable modules make email production faster and more consistent. Marketers can design a content block once, add it to multiple emails, and maintain a standardized customer experience across campaigns.

Previously, however, personalization within these reusable blocks was limited. Marketers could use system merge tags, but adding customer-specific content directly to a module was more challenging.

Personalized Variables in Modules, also known as Module Variables, make this possible. You can now add custom personalization variables to reusable modules and map them to customer data without losing the reusability that makes modules valuable. 

For example, a single Product Spotlight module can display a different product name, price, or offer for each recipient while the same module continues to be reused across different emails.

What Are Personalized Variables?

Personalized Variables are placeholders added directly to a module. When an email is delivered, each placeholder is replaced with an actual value from the recipient’s data.

Depending on the information available in your data source, a variable could represent:

• A customer’s first name
• A loyalty tier
• A recent purchase
• A product recommendation
• A customer attribute such as age or location
• A personalized offer

They work similarly to merge tags but are designed specifically for use inside modules. This allows the module to remain reusable across the email tasks and campaigns in which it is used.

How to Add Personalized Variables to a Module

The configuration involves two main activities: adding variables to the module and mapping those variables to customer data.

Step 1: Add a Variable

Add the required module from the module library to your email template. Within the module, open the appropriate content element and select the Merge Tags option. This is where you can define the personalization variable.

You can select a preloaded variable or create a custom variable by entering its name. You can also specify a default value that is displayed when customer data is unavailable for the selected variable.

Setting a meaningful default value is particularly important when the mapped customer attribute might not be populated for every recipient.

After defining the variable, select OK to add it to the module.

Step 2: Map the Variable to Customer Data

After adding a variable, connect it to the data attribute that should provide its value.

You can access this mapping through:

• The Personalization option in Email Designer

• The Personalization option in the email task view. The Personalization option in the task view is not available for a newly created email task.

If the email contains multiple modules, select the relevant module from the drop-down list. You can then use the merge tag option to map each module variable to an available data attribute.

Example : 

A module variable named Test_variable is mapped to an age attribute in Customer DataHub.

Preview the personalized output by entering test values in the Responsive Previews tab, the same way you'd preview any merge tag.

 

Go beyond simple field replacement

Module Variables are not limited to displaying text values. They can also be used inside conditional merge tags and display conditions.

This means a module can show different content or hide an entire section based on customer data. Instead of maintaining separate versions of a module for different audiences, you can place the required logic inside a single reusable module.

Conditional Personalization 

A conditional merge tag can evaluate a Module Variable and determine which value should appear. For example, a module could display one message when a customer meets a specified age condition and a different message when the condition is not met.

The below logic displays the text My age is 24 when the value of the Module Variable age is 24.

Display Conditions

Display conditions can control whether a content element is visible. For example, a promotional section could appear only when a mapped customer attribute meets the configured criteria.

By combining reusable design with conditional logic, marketers can create modules that adapt to customer data while keeping the underlying email-building process consistent.

Using Module Variables in Scheduled Journeys

In Scheduled Journey email tasks, personalization variables inside modules are automatically mapped to the corresponding journey variable. No additional mapping is required for this scenario.

This helps reusable modules work naturally within journey-based communications while preserving the personalization supplied by the journey.

Important Considerations

Before using Personalized Variables in your email strategy, keep the following requirements in mind:

• Personalized Variables work only inside modules. They are not available in standard, non-module content blocks.
• New variables cannot be added when updating a module that is already used in multiple email tasks, regardless of whether the module is synchronized.
• Variables must be mapped separately in every task where the module is used.
• Every variable across all modules in a task must be mapped before the task can be previewed, reviewed, or activated.
• If a module containing Personalized Variables is unlinked, it becomes a standard content block. The variables must then be removed and replaced with equivalent merge tags before the email is sent. 

Understanding these requirements early can make it easier to plan module structure, variable naming, default values, and task-level mappings.

Design Once, Personalize Everywhere

A module provides a reusable foundation for email content. Personalized Variables allow that same foundation to carry customer-specific information in different email tasks.

You can design the module once, reuse it across your emails, and define the appropriate personalization source separately for each task. To begin, open an email template that uses a module, select the merge tag option, and add your first Personalized Variable. 

The result is a more scalable approach to email creation. Teams can maintain design consistency and reuse established content while still delivering relevant experiences based on customer data.