How to do a mail merge in Gmail

Step 1: Prepare your contact list

Create a Google Sheet or CSV file with one row per recipient. Include columns for:

• Email – the recipient's email address (required)
• Name – first name, last name, or full name
• Company – organisation name
• Any other fields you want to personalise (job title, location, etc.)

Example Google Sheet:

Use descriptive column names (e.g., "name" not "col1"). These become your merge tags.

Step 2: Choose a mail merge tool

Gmail does not include a native mail merge feature. You'll need a third-party tool or add-on that:

• Connects to your Gmail account
• Reads data from Google Sheets or CSV
• Inserts merge fields into your email template
• Sends emails individually from your Gmail address

MailMerge is one option designed for the UK market with GDPR guidance built in. Other popular tools include Yet Another Mail Merge (YAMM) and Mailmeteor (both Google Workspace add-ons).

Step 3: Connect your Gmail account

Most mail merge tools use Google OAuth to request permission to send emails on your behalf. You'll see a consent screen listing the permissions requested. Review these carefully.

What to check:

• The tool should request "send email" permission only, not "read all email" unless tracking is offered.
• You're signing in to your real Google account, not a phishing site (check the URL).
• The tool is a verified Google app (look for the verified badge on the consent screen).

Step 4: Import your contact list

Upload your CSV file or paste the Google Sheets URL into the mail merge tool. The tool will read your column names and make them available as merge tags.

If your sheet has 100 rows, the tool will prepare 100 personalised emails (one per row).

Step 5: Write your email template

Compose a single email, using merge tags to insert personalised information. Merge tags are usually written as {{column_name}}.

Example template:

Subject: Quick question, {{name}}

Hi {{name}},

I came across {{company}} and was impressed by your recent work. I'd love to ask you a quick question about [topic].

Would you be open to a brief call next week?

Best regards,
[Your name]

Tips:

• Keep it concise – one or two short paragraphs.
• Use a clear, honest subject line.
• Avoid spam trigger words ("free money", "click here now").
• Include an unsubscribe option if you're emailing B2C contacts in the UK (PECR requirement).

Step 6: Preview personalised messages

Before sending, preview how each recipient's email will appear. Check that:

• Merge tags are replaced correctly (no empty {{}} brackets)
• Names and companies are spelled correctly
• Formatting looks correct (line breaks, links, punctuation)

Pro tip: Send a test email to yourself first. This catches merge tag errors before they reach real recipients.

Step 7: Send your campaign

Once you've reviewed the preview and tested the template, click "Send" or "Start campaign" (wording varies by tool). The mail merge tool will:

1. Read each row from your contact list
2. Replace merge tags with the recipient's data
3. Send the email from your Gmail account
4. Move to the next row and repeat

Each email is sent individually, so recipients see a personal message, not a mass BCC.

What happens after sending?

Sent emails appear in your Gmail "Sent" folder (depending on the tool's settings). Some mail merge tools offer tracking features that record opens, clicks, or replies.

Tracking and privacy: If the tool adds a tracking pixel to your emails, recipients' activity will be logged. This may require a privacy notice under UK GDPR. Check your tool's documentation and consider whether tracking is necessary for your use case.

Related guides

• What is mail merge? (Definition & examples)
• Mail merge from Google Sheets to Gmail
• Gmail sending limits explained
• UK GDPR and PECR for bulk email