Open-Time Email Recommendations Guide

A complete guide on how to generate and embed open-time email recommendations. Learn how to design dynamic widgets for invoices, newsletters, and cart abandonment emails that render personalized content in real-time when the message is opened.

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Technical Overview & Examples
Design & Algorithm
Templates, Logic & Fallback
User Recognition
Email, CRM or Product ID
Get Embed Code
Merge Tags & Installation
QA & Preview
Test with Real User ID
Performance Stats
Views, Clicks & Sales
Example: E-Commerce
Visitor to Purchase Flow
Example: Content
Visitor to Engagement Flow

How to Guide: Open-Time Email Recommendations

This guide explains how to generate an HTML snippet to embed open-time email recommendations into any third-party email provider. To begin, select one of these wizards from the dashboard: "Add Product Recommendations to 3rd Party Emails" or "Add Content Recommendations to 3rd Party Emails".

Technical Explanation: The code you receive is a block of HTML containing dynamic image links. These images are generated by Personyze servers at the moment of Open. Because emails cannot run JavaScript, we use the recipient's Email, CRM ID, or Product ID (passed via the image URL) to identify them and serve personalized images instantly.

Prerequisites

For this to work, you must have the following set up in Personyze:

  • Catalog Feed: A Product or Content feed must be synced.
  • Tracking Code: The Personyze tracker must be active on your website.
  • Interactions: You must be tracking events (View, Add to Cart, Purchase) so the AI has data to work with.
  • User Identification: Configure Personyze to capture the Email or CRM ID during web sessions (via login, URL parameters, or cookies) so their onsite history is linked to the email recipient.

Step-by-Step Summary

  1. Select Wizard: Choose the Product or Content wizard for 3rd party emails.
  2. Design: Style your recommendation cells (Fonts, Colors, Badges).
  3. Algorithm: Select your logic (e.g., "Cross-Sell") and a mandatory Fallback.
  4. Get Code: Copy the HTML snippet and replace the placeholder with your ESP's merge tag.
  5. Analyze: Track Views, Clicks, and Revenue in the Personyze dashboard.

Design & Algorithm Selection

First, design the look of your recommendation block using the WYSIWYG editor or AI tools.

Design & Layout

  • Templates: Choose from predefined layouts (Grid, List, Hero) in the "Design" step.
  • Styling: Adjust fonts, button colors, prices, and image sizes to match your brand.
  • Dynamic Badges: Overlay automatic labels to drive clicks:
    • "Low in Stock" (Inventory check at open)
    • "New Arrival"
    • "Discount %"
    • "50+ Bought" (Social Proof)

Algorithm Logic

Define the logic that determines *which* products appear.

  • Primary Algorithm: Choose based on goal (e.g., "Cross-Sells for Items in Cart", "User Affinity", "New in Stock").
  • Critical Fallback: Since the email code requests images dynamically, there are cases where Personyze may not recognize the user. You MUST select a fallback like "Best Seller" to ensure no broken images appear.

User Recognition Methods

To personalize the content, you need to tell Personyze WHO is opening the email. You configure this in the "Get Code" step.

Option A: Email / CRM ID (Personalized)

The best option for "Recommended for You" logic. You will insert your ESP's merge tag (e.g., *|EMAIL|* for Mailchimp) into the Personyze code.

  • Requirement: The user's Email or CRM ID must also be known to Personyze via Site Grab, CRM Sync, or prior login.

Option B: Product ID (Contextual)

Good for transactional emails. "You bought Item X (pass ID), here are accessories for X." No user history needed.

Option C: Non-Personal (Generic)

If no ID is passed, Personyze uses the Fallback logic (e.g., Most Popular) for everyone.

Get & Embed the Code

This step generates the HTML snippet you will paste into your email template.

1. The Code Structure

You will receive an HTML block (usually a <table> structure) containing <img> and <a> tags. These link to Personyze servers.

2. Populate Dynamic Variables

The code will contain placeholders like {INSERT EMAIL HERE}. You must replace this string with the dynamic Merge Tag from your Email Service Provider (ESP) so that every recipient gets a unique link.

Examples:
Mailchimp: Replace with *|EMAIL|*
Klaviyo: Replace with {{ email }}
Salesforce: Replace with %%emailaddr%%

3. Tracking Parameters

In the template editor, you can wrap every product link with unique UTM parameters (e.g., utm_source=personyze_email) to track clicks in Google Analytics.

QA & Preview

Before launching, verify exactly what specific users will see.

Simulation

  1. Go to the QA Step at the end of the wizard.
  2. Enter a real User Email or CRM ID from your database.
  3. Personyze will generate the recommendation images exactly as that user would see them based on their history.

Example Check: Does a user who bought "Cat Food" see "Cat Toys" recommendations?

Performance & Analytics

Measure the impact of your email widgets in the Personyze Dashboard.

Content Performance Metrics

  • Views: Total impressions (times the email images were loaded).
  • Clicks: Total clicks on recommended articles.
  • CTR (Click-Through Rate): The percentage of views that resulted in a click.
  • Time on Site: Average duration of the session for users who clicked through.
  • Goal Conversion Rate: The percentage of sessions where any defined goal (e.g., Newsletter Signup, PDF Download) was completed after the click.

Commerce Performance Metrics

  • Added to Cart: Number of users who added items to their cart after clicking.
  • Direct Purchase: Sales generated directly from clicking a specific product.
  • Assisted Revenue: Revenue from users who clicked the email but bought a different item.

Example: E-Commerce Journey

A complete walkthrough of how a visitor's site activity translates into a personalized email purchase.

Step 1: Visitor Activity

Visitor John Doe (john@example.com) lands on your site via a Google Ad for "Running Shoes".

  • View: He views the "Nike Air Zoom" product page.
  • Action: He adds "Nike Air Zoom" to his cart but abandons the site without purchasing.
  • Identification: Personyze identifies John because he logged in previously OR clicked a newsletter link in the past (Email captured via Site Grab).

Step 2: The Email Trigger

Two hours later, your ESP (e.g., Mailchimp) triggers an automated "Cart Abandonment" campaign to john@example.com.

Step 3: Open-Time Rendering

John opens the email. The embedded Personyze code sends a request to the server with his ID.

The Block Displays:
1. Main Item: "Nike Air Zoom" (The exact item left in cart).
2. Cross-Sell 1: "Nike Running Socks" (Algorithm: Accessories for Cart Items).
3. Cross-Sell 2: "Running Shorts" (Algorithm: Bought Together).

Step 4: Performance Metric

John clicks the "Running Socks" image in the email.

  • Metric: "Assisted Revenue" increases by $15 (Price of socks).
  • Metric: "Direct Purchase" increases if he also buys the shoes.

Example: Publisher Journey

How a news or content site drives engagement through personalized newsletters.

Step 1: Visitor Activity

Visitor Sarah Smith visits your Tech News portal.

  • Context: She reads 3 articles about "Artificial Intelligence" and 1 about "Cybersecurity".
  • Identification: Personyze tracks this interest profile under her CRM ID (captured when she signed up for the free newsletter).

Step 2: The Email Campaign

On Friday, you send your standard "Weekly Tech Digest" blast to all subscribers.

Step 3: Open-Time Rendering

Sarah opens the email on Saturday morning.

The Block Displays:
Instead of generic "Top News", Personyze renders a "Recommended for You" block:
1. "New AI Regulations Released" (Algorithm: User Affinity + New since last visit).
2. "Top 5 AI Tools for 2025" (Algorithm: Interest Match).

Step 4: Performance Metric

Sarah clicks the "AI Regulations" article.

  • Metric: CTR for the campaign increases.
  • Metric: "Time on Site" is tracked for her subsequent session (e.g., 5m 30s).
  • Metric: "Goal Conversion" triggers if she shares the article or upgrades to Premium.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do open-time recommendations work technically?
The code you embed is essentially HTML <img> tags. When the recipient opens the email, their mail client requests these images from Personyze servers. We generate the image in real-time based on the user's data and current inventory, ensuring the content is fresh at the moment of open, not when sent.
Does this work with my Email Service Provider (ESP)?
Yes. The generated code is standard HTML that works with virtually any ESP, including Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, HubSpot, and others. You simply need to replace the placeholder variables with your ESP's specific Merge Tags (e.g., *|EMAIL|*).
Can I use JavaScript inside the email?
No. Email clients (Gmail, Outlook, etc.) do not support JavaScript for security reasons. That is why Personyze uses dynamic images to deliver personalization, bypassing the need for scripts.
Why is a "Fallback" algorithm required?
A fallback is critical because there are instances where the user cannot be identified (e.g., opening on a new device with privacy protection). In these cases, Personyze must still return an image to avoid a broken layout. We typically display "Most Popular" or "Best Sellers" as the fallback.
What if I don't have the user's Email or CRM ID?
You can still show valuable recommendations! Use a Product ID to show contextual items (e.g., "People who bought Item X also bought Y"). If no ID is available at all, the system defaults to your Fallback (e.g., Trending Items), ensuring every email contains valid content.
Can I show "Items Left in Cart" in the email?
Yes. By selecting the Cart Abandonment algorithm, Personyze will check the specific user's session history and dynamically render the exact products they left behind, along with potential alternatives or cross-sells.
Do I need to upload my product catalog?
Yes. Personyze needs a synced Product or Content Feed (Google Merchant, XML, CSV) to know which images, titles, and prices to display in the email.
Does the content update if I open the email days later?
Yes. Since the image is generated at the moment of request, opening an email on Monday might show "5 items in stock," and opening the same email on Friday might show "Sold Out" or a completely different product recommendation if the original is out of stock.
Can I use this for Articles and Content?
Absolutely. You can use the "Add Content Recommendations" wizard to suggest news articles, blog posts, or videos. The logic works exactly the same way as products, using algorithms like "Recommended for You" based on reading history.
How do I create urgency in the email?
You can use Dynamic Badges or Live Timers. For example, add a badge that checks inventory at open time and stamps "Only 2 Left!" on the product image, or include a countdown timer GIF that ticks down to the end of a sale.
How do I track the performance of these emails?
Personyze provides a dashboard tracking Views (email opens), Clicks, and downstream metrics like Added to Cart, Direct Purchases, and Assisted Revenue generated from those clicks.
Can I preview what a specific user will see?
Yes. The wizard includes a QA Step where you can input a real User Email or CRM ID. Personyze will simulate the logic and generate the exact images that specific user would see, allowing you to verify personalization before sending.
Can I customize the look of the recommendations?
Yes. The Design Wizard offers a WYSIWYG editor where you can choose templates (Grid, List, Hero), adjust fonts and colors, and configure the layout to match your brand's email guidelines perfectly.
Is it possible to use social proof in emails?
Yes. You can overlay data-driven badges such as "🔥 50+ Bought This Week" or "⭐ Top Rated" directly onto the product images. These updates are real-time based on your site's live traffic data.
What is required to set this up?
You need three things: 1) A Catalog Feed synced to Personyze, 2) The Personyze Tracking Code on your website to capture user behavior, and 3) A method to identify users (e.g., capturing email during login or signup) to link their web history to their email address.