Campaign Operations
Part of Email testing before a send
Reviewing merge tags and fallback values
Check dynamic fields, missing-value fallbacks and conditional content with representative recipient records.
Locate every merge tag in the finished email and check what recipients will actually see. Preview records with varied data, then test any missing-value fallback through the platform’s normal send path. Correct syntax alone does not guarantee a readable sentence or a working link.
Inventory dynamic content
Check tags in the subject, preview text, sender details where supported, body, buttons, linked images and footer. Record the field or system value behind each tag, its data source and the intended result when the value is missing.
Confirm the tag belongs to the selected audience or list. Mailchimp's Merge Tags Cheat Sheet lists each merge tag and how to use it.
For Mailchimp, common tags include |FNAME|, |LNAME| and |EMAIL|. Check each one in the finished email against the field it should use.
Pay extra attention to values that affect a claim or action, such as a price, event location, renewal date or personalised destination. If the underlying data is unreliable, consider less specific copy rather than presenting a precise but potentially wrong value.
Reviewing merge tags and fallback values in Mailchimp
- Identify all merge tags in subject, preview text, sender details, body, buttons, images and footer
- Confirm each tag matches the correct audience field (e.g., *|FNAME|*, *|LNAME|*, *|EMAIL|*)
- Verify data source and intended fallback for missing values
- Check high-impact fields like prices, event locations, renewal dates or personalised links
Read each result as a sentence
Compare a greeting for a record with a first name and one without it. “Hi Sam,” may work for the first record, while a neutral “Hello,” may read better for the second.
Check punctuation and spacing around the tag. A missing field without a default can leave a blank space. Fallback syntax and settings vary by provider.
In Mailchimp, a First Name default of “friend” can turn “Hi |FNAME|,” into “Hi friend,” when the value is missing. Without a default, the tag may leave a blank where the name belongs.
Mailchimp conditional merge tags can show different copy for a present or missing first name: |IF:FNAME|Hi |TITLE:FNAME|,|ELSE:|Hi there,|END:IF|. A record with a first name renders “Hi Freddie,” and a record without one renders “Hi there,”.
Using default values vs. conditional logic in merge tags
- Pros of default values (e.g., 'friend')
- Cons of default values
- Pros of conditional merge tags (*|IF:FNAME|*...*|END:IF|*)
- Cons of conditional merge tags
Use representative records
Prepare controlled records with expected fields present, an optional field empty, an unusually long value and each material conditional branch. Add an unexpected value if imported data may contain one. Review the subject, body and linked actions together. Controlled records can also keep private details out of shared proofs.
Mailchimp calls its review process Preview and Test Your Email. Use it on the finished campaign and check the rendered result for each representative record, including the fallback shown when a value is missing.
Testing merge tags with representative records
- Create test records with expected data, empty optional fields, long values, and conditional branches
- Use Mailchimp’s Preview and Test Your Email feature to review rendered output
- Check fallbacks when values are missing or unexpected
Check defaults and conditions
Check how your platform handles default merge values for each field type. Certain audience field types, such as addresses and phone numbers, require a specific import format. For a personalised link, check the destination produced for the relevant record as well as the visible text.
In Mailchimp, set the First Name default in Audience Dashboard > View Contacts > Settings > Audience Fields and |MERGE| Tags. Set it to “friend” to provide the fallback shown in the greeting when First Name is missing.
Preview both the included and excluded result of each conditional section. Make sure either result works with the surrounding copy. After changing a tag, field mapping or fallback, repeat the affected checks on the final campaign version.
Mailchimp merge tag best practices summary
- Default value setting location
- Recommended default for First Name
- Preview and test feature name
- Common merge tags in Australia
