What are static vs dynamic personalization tokens?

Static personalization tokens perform straightforward text substitution. They ureplace a placeholder like {{first_name}} with a fixed value from your subscriber database. The value doesn't change based on context or conditions; it's simply a mail-merge operation that swaps the token for whatever data exists in that field. Common static tokens include first name, last name, company name, and location.

Dynamic personalization tokens go further by incorporating logic and conditions. Instead of merely replacing text, they can alter entire content blocks, images, or layouts based on subscriber attributes or behaviors. For example, a dynamic token might display a Men's collection hero image to male subscribers and a Women's collection to female subscribers, or show different product recommendations based on browsing history. Dynamic content requires your ESP to evaluate conditions at send time and render the appropriate variation.

The distinction matters for both complexity and testing. Static tokens are simple to implement but limited in scope. Dynamic tokens unlock true one-to-one personalization but demand rigorous QA to ensure every variation renders correctly. Start with static personalization to master the fundamentals, then graduate to dynamic content as your data and testing capabilities mature.