How is dynamic content different from basic personalization?

Basic personalization uses merge tags to insert individual data points such as a first name, company name, or account number into fixed content. The structure and flow of the email remain the same for everyone. You are filling in blanks rather than changing the message.

Dynamic content changes entire sections of the email based on conditional logic. Different subscribers see different headlines, images, product lists, or paragraphs depending on their attributes or behavior. The email structure itself adapts, not just the data within it.

Basic personalization is simpler to implement and requires only merge fields supported by nearly every ESP. Dynamic content requires more sophisticated tools and logic rules. Basic personalization says Hello, Sarah. Dynamic content says Here are three products we selected for Sarah based on her browsing history, location, and purchase preferences, and those three products are different from what Tom sees. Basic personalization adds a name to a letter. Dynamic content rewrites the letter based on who is reading it.