How to insert template tags and variables into text blocks (new editor)

You will learn

Learn how to add template tags and variables to email templates. You can add these tags to your templates by typing them directly into a text field, copying them from the email preview modal, or by using the Add personalization menu in a text block. Use these tags and variables to include things like a recipient’s first name, custom properties, an unsubscribe link, and more. 

Before you begin

Before you get started, it’s helpful to understand how variables work within Klaviyo. The variables available in your account are different from the variables in anyone else’s Klaviyo account, and are dependent on the data you store in Klaviyo. 

You can store and use a small handful of default Klaviyo properties (like first and last name), along with an unlimited number of custom profile properties and dynamic event data. To see all of the tags available in your own account, follow the steps for adding variables through the personalization menu or the preview modal below. 

Add tags using the add personalization menu

To add a template tag or personalization variable without copying, pasting, or typing anything, use the Add personalization menu. 

Open a text block and click the profile icon. A searchable dropdown menu will appear with a list of template tags and profile properties. Scroll through the tags or search to find the one you’d like to add, then click it to add it to your template. 

Add variables from the preview modal

You can add profile property and event variables by copying them from the preview modal and pasting them into your message. 

Adding profile property variables

To add a profile property variable from the preview modal: 

1. Click Preview and test from the template editor 
2. Click Search for a profile and enter the email of a profile that includes the variable you’d like to add; note that you’ll only copy the variable name from the sample user’s profile, and each recipient of the email will see information from their own profile 
3. Scroll through their Profile properties and Custom properties until you find the variable you’d like to use
4. Hover over the variable’s name until you see the message Copy {{ person.variable_name }} variable, then click to copy it
5. Click Done
6. Paste the variable into a block in your template

Adding event variables

To add an event variable from the preview modal:

1. Click Preview and test from the template editor 
2. Under Preview data source, click Event
3. Select an event from the dropdown
4. Scroll through the Event properties until you find the variable you’d like to use; if you don’t see the variable you need, use the arrows to the right of Previewing with recent event: to select a different instance of the event
5. Hover over the variable’s name until you see the message Copy {{ event.variable_name }} variable, then click to copy it
6. Click Done
7. Paste the variable into a block in your template

Manually adding variables

If you know a variable’s name, you can add it by typing it into a text field directly. Klaviyo variables use the following structures: 

Variable type	Sample Format
Profile properties (no spaces or special characters)	{{ person.variable_name }}
Profile properties (any)	{{ person|lookup:'variable name')
Event properties (no spaces or special characters)	{{ event.variable_name }}
Event properties (any)	{{ event|lookup:'variable name' }}

Setting a default value

You may not always have complete information for every email recipient you contact. For example, you might have some subscribers’ first names, but not others. To avoid blank spaces in your emails for those recipients with incomplete data, use the default filter to set a backup. 

To add the default filter, add the following after your variable name: |default:''

Then, add your default variable between the single quotes. In an email, this might look like: 

Hey {{ first_name|default:'friend' }}!

When the message is sent, any recipients whose names are not stored in your database will see this message: 

Hey friend!

Learn more about using filters to customize your variables. 

Learn more about template tags and variables

To take a deep dive into how template tags and variables work in Klaviyo, head to our guide to template tags and variable syntax. 

Additional resources

• Template tags and variable syntax reference
• Guide to the email template editor
• Course: Getting started with email design