Overview
Personalization rules let you control which parts of a message are shown to each recipient based on defined conditions. Using InsertIf and InsertElse blocks, Mapp Engage evaluates recipient data at sendout and generates message variants so that each recipient sees only content relevant to them.
These rules can be applied to text, images, and links and used across message content, subject lines, headers, and footers. The goal is not to change the message layout itself, but to dynamically include or exclude content depending on recipient attributes.
Navigation Path
Audience > Segmentation > Personalization
Usage and Scope
Purpose
Use personalization rules to:
Show different content to different audience segments within a single message
Define fallback content when no conditions are met
Centralize and reuse conditional logic across campaigns
Where personalization rules can be used
Message content (HTML and text)
Subject lines
Message headers and footers
SMS and mobile push messages
How Personalization Rules Work
A personalization rule consists of one or more InsertIf blocks and optional InsertElse blocks. Each block defines a condition that is evaluated individually for every recipient during sendout.
If a condition evaluates to true, the content inside the block is inserted.
If it evaluates to false, the block is skipped, and the next condition is evaluated.
If no conditions are met, a default InsertElse block (if present) is used.
Evaluation always follows the order in which blocks are defined.
Supported Rule Structures
InsertIf block with a condition
An InsertIf block defines a condition that determines whether the enclosed content is shown. In code view, the block starts with an opening InsertIf tag and ends with a closing tag.
This structure is typically used to wrap existing message content so that it is only displayed when the condition is met.
InsertIf block with embedded content
In this structure, the content is defined directly within the InsertIf block. Because the content is part of the rule, this approach is mainly used when the personalization is created and reused as a complete unit (for example, a salutation).
This structure is less suitable for retrofitting existing message sections, but it works well for modular, reusable rules.
Multiple InsertIf and InsertElse blocks
You can chain multiple InsertIf and InsertElse blocks to define alternative outcomes. Each block is evaluated in sequence until a matching condition is found.
A default InsertElse block without a condition can be used as a fallback when none of the previous conditions apply.
Note:
The end of a personalization rule is defined implicitly by the next InsertIf block at the same level.
Nested rules
InsertIf and InsertElse blocks can be nested to create more granular logic. This allows you to first segment recipients by one attribute and then refine the output using additional conditions.
Nested rules are commonly used for scenarios such as:
Tiered loyalty logic
Regional variations with additional personalization per region
Conditional salutations based on multiple attributes
Creating Personalization Rules
Personalization rules can be created in different ways depending on complexity:
Personalization Builder (graphical interface): Recommended for most use cases, including nested rules and default blocks.
Manual creation (code view): Allows advanced logic and fine-grained control, but requires familiarity with expressions and functions.
Regardless of the creation method, the resulting behavior during sendout is identical.
For more information, see Creating a Personalization Rule.
Result and Outcome
During sendout, Mapp Engage evaluates personalization rules separately for each recipient. Based on the rule logic:
Only the content from the first matching block is inserted
Non-matching blocks are omitted entirely
The final message appears as a single, coherent version to the recipient
This approach ensures a consistent layout while enabling highly targeted messaging.
Best Practices
Keep conditions focused and readable; use nesting instead of overly complex single expressions
Always define a default InsertElse block when generic fallback content is required
Test rules with multiple recipient profiles to verify evaluation order and outcomes
Reuse saved personalization rules for common patterns, such as salutations