What is personalization in email?

Email personalization is customizing content based on recipient data-making each email feel individually relevant rather than mass-broadcast. It ranges from simple (name insertion) to sophisticated (fully dynamic content blocks based on behavioral data).

Types of personalization: Basic merge fields-name, company, location. Segmented content-different messages for different groups. Dynamic content blocks-sections that change per recipient. Behavioral triggers-emails based on actions taken. Product recommendations-AI-driven suggestions. Real-time content-countdown timers, live inventory.

Personalization is relevance at scale. The ideal is an email that feels like it was written specifically for each recipient-addressing their needs, preferences, and context. Technology enables this at scale; strategy determines whether it's valuable or just technically impressive but hollow.