Merge tags: personalize every email

Merge tags are placeholders that fill in per reader at send time:

• {{firstName}}—the reader's first name
• {{firstName|Reader}}—with a fallback: readers who never gave a name get "Reader" instead of an awkward blank
• {{email}}—the reader's address
• {{unsubscribeUrl}}—an unsubscribe link (one is added to the footer automatically; use this only if you want another in your own words)
• {{preferencesUrl}}—each reader's own email-preferences page (only fills in when you've set up the preference center in audience settings; the footer links it automatically)
• {{webVersionUrl}}—a "view this in your browser" link to the campaign's web version

Put a book IN an email—one click, no tags

The full presentation—cover, description, buy button—comes from the Insert a book section row under the campaign editor's formatting toolbar, not from tags: pick the book, choose the blurb or an excerpt (and, when the book has extra graphics attached, which one leads—the flat cover, a 3D render, a creative), pick where the button goes (Amazon, the book's hosted page, or Buy on NewsletterScriv when that title has a product in your catalog), and click Insert. It lands as regular editable text you can trim or reword. Amazon localizes each reader to their own store with your affiliate tag; a NewsletterScriv buy link is the same public checkout page for everyone.

The book tags—your own sentences and subject lines

Choose a book for personalization from your library and {{book.…}} tags fill in wherever the big block can't go—a subject line, the middle of your own sentence. Each one produces plain text or a link address, never a layout:

• {{book.title}}—the title, as text. "{{book.title}} is here!" works in a subject line
• {{book.description}}—the library description, as text
• {{book.amazonLink}}—a link address: each reader's own Amazon store (a UK reader gets amazon.co.uk), your affiliate tag carried automatically. Select any words, click Link, and paste this as the address—now "grab your copy" is a buy link
• {{book.page}}—a link address for the book's hosted page here, listing every retailer (the address of the page, not the page itself)
• {{book.buyLink.kobo}} and friends—a link address for any retailer link you saved
• {{book.excerpt1}}, {{book.excerpt2}}—excerpts you stored with the book, as text

If you type a tag that doesn't exist, it goes out exactly as typed—the composer warns about the common cases (like a {{book.…}} tag with no book chosen), and your test email shows the truth.