How to Personalize your PhantomBuster Outreach Messages with Placeholder Tags

Placeholder tags in PhantomBuster let you personalize outreach messages at scale by automatically replacing tags like #firstName# or #company# with real lead data from your input file. You can use system tags that PhantomBuster detects automatically from profile data, or create custom tags by adding columns to your Google Sheet. Tags are inserted in the Message content step of your automation setup and work with LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, Twitter, and Slack Phantoms.

What placeholder tags are and how they work

A placeholder tag is a label wrapped in # symbols. PhantomBuster replaces this label with real data (e.g. your lead's first name) from your input file when the automation runs.

You can use system tags that PhantomBuster provides automatically, or create your own custom tags based on the column names in your input spreadsheet.

For example:

If your message says:

Hi #firstName#, I saw you're working at #company#, looks exciting!

And your input file contains:

• firstName = Sophie
• company = PhantomBuster

The final message will be:

"Hi Sophie, I saw you're working at PhantomBuster, looks exciting!"

Why use placeholder tags

Placeholder tags let you personalize your outreach at scale. You can send hundreds of unique messages using one template, and PhantomBuster will fill in the right details automatically.

Benefits:

• Messages auto-fill with lead data from your input.
• Outreach feels tailored, not generic.
• One setup scales across all your leads.

Start your message with the lead's first name or job title to increase engagement.

Where placeholder tags can be used

Placeholder tags are most commonly used in LinkedIn Phantoms that support personalized outreach. 
This includes automations that:

• Send connection requests: LinkedIn Auto Connect, Sales Navigator Auto Connect, LinkedIn Outreach.
• Deliver custom messages or follow-ups: LinkedIn Message Sender, Sales Navigator Message Sender, LinkedIn Group Member Message Sender, LinkedIn New Connection Welcome Message, LinkedIn Auto Invitation Accepter (built-in placeholders only).

Placeholder tags are also supported in the Twitter Message Sender and the Slack Message Sender.

Instagram Phantoms don't currently support customizable messages.

How PhantomBuster reads placeholder tag values

PhantomBuster replaces each placeholder tag in your message with real data taken from your input source.

There are two types of tags you can use in your message:

1. System tags (automatically available)

• The LinkedIn Leads Database.
• A results file generated by another Phantom.
• Even a URL input, when the current Phantom (like LinkedIn Auto Connect) can extract profile details on its own.

PhantomBuster will automatically detect the available columns like firstName, jobTitle, or company, and turn them into placeholder tags (e.g. #firstName#, #jobTitle# or #company#).

→ These system tags are based on standard profile fields extracted by the Phantom.
→ In the Message content step, you'll see these suggested tags listed below the message box.

2. Custom tags (created by you)

If you're using:

• A Google Sheet you created manually.
• A modified results file with your own added columns.

Each column name in row 1 of your sheet becomes a usable placeholder tag.
To use one, match the tag exactly:
 

Tags are case-sensitive and can't include spaces or special characters (use customCity not Custom City).

How to add placeholder tags in your message

To insert a placeholder tag:

1. Log in to your PhantomBuster workspace and go to your Dashboard if you want to update one of your existing Phantoms. 
   → If you're setting up a new Phantom, the Message content step will appear in the left-hand menu during setup.
2. Go to the Message content step.
3. Select the placeholder tag(s) you would like to use from the suggestions at the bottom of the text box.
   → Click the Plus button to see the full list of available placeholder tags for your Phantom. Or type it manually, using the format #placeholderName#
   
4. Launch the Phantom and check your tag(s) was/were replaced correctly:
   → Go to the Results tab and look for the message column to see how your personalized message appears for each lead.
   
   → You can also download the results file to review the message content.

What happens if your placeholder tag doesn't work

• If the tag is correctly formatted (e.g. #customCity#) but the column doesn't exist or is empty, the tag will be replaced with an empty space in your message.
• If the tag is misspelled or not closed properly (e.g. #customCity or customCity#), it will appear as-is in your message.

Example:

1. Input file: 
   
2. Message content with placeholders: 
   
3. Final message sent on LinkedIn: 
   

Test your placeholders before sending

Before launching your outreach at scale, always test your message with one lead, or internally with a teammate, to make sure placeholder tags are pulling the right data.

You can check the test message in your Phantom's Results tab to confirm that each placeholder was replaced correctly.
Once everything looks good, you can safely run your full outreach.

LinkedIn character limit: Avoid "Message too long to be sent"

LinkedIn now enforces a 200-character limit on some invitation messages. If your message is too long, it won't be sent, even if placeholder tags are correctly set.

To avoid this issue:

• Keep messages short and direct.
• Use a character counter when writing your message.
• Remember that placeholder tags will be replaced with real data. 
  For example: #firstName# might become "Alexander," adding more characters.

If you see the error: "Message too long to be sent", your message likely exceeds the limit after placeholders are filled in.

How to create your own custom placeholder tags from a Google Sheet

You can also create your own custom placeholder tags by adding new columns to your input file.

To create a custom tag:

1. Open your input Google Sheet.
2. In row 1, add a new column with a unique name, for example: customCity
   → Use lowercase or camelCase, no spaces: customCity, not custom City
3. Fill in each row with the correct value for each lead.
   
4. In your Phantom's Message content step, select your tag from the suggestions, or type it manually: #customCity#
   
5. PhantomBuster will replace the tag with the value from the spreadsheet for each lead.
   

If your tag doesn't appear or isn't recognized:

• Double-check that the column name matches exactly.
• Make sure the column exists in the same sheet you're using as input.

Use data fields from the Phantom's "What you get" section

Each Phantom's Overview page includes a "What you get" section that lists the profile data it can extract. These fields can also be used as placeholder tags, as long as they're included in your input.

You can:

• Use a Leads list or results file that already contains those fields.
• Or add the field manually as a new column in your input Sheet.

Example:

If you add a column called city, you can use #city# in your message.

→ If both your input file and the Phantom's output contain the same column, PhantomBuster will prioritize the value from your input file.

Avoid placeholder tag conflicts

PhantomBuster uses your input file to personalize messages, but it also creates its own output file after running.

If both files can include columns with the same name, the Phantom may insert the wrong value, often the extracted version instead of your custom one.

For example:

• Your input file includes a column called jobTitle (you've cleaned or shortened it).
• The Phantom's output also includes jobTitle (which may be long, outdated, or contain extra formatting).
• Result: Your message may include the wrong job title.

How to fix it:

• Rename your input column to something unique, like: customJobTitle.
• Use that tag in your message: #customJobTitle#

You can still use #jobTitle# safely if:

• You've disabled the Scrape all available profile data setting in the Phantom.
• You're chaining Phantoms and managing your input/output structure carefully.

Frequently asked questions

What format do placeholder tags use in PhantomBuster?

Tags are wrapped in # symbols, like #firstName# or #company#. They're case-sensitive and can't include spaces or special characters. Use camelCase for custom tags (e.g. #customCity#, not #Custom City#).

What happens if a placeholder tag value is empty?

If the tag is correctly formatted but the column is empty or missing for a lead, the tag is replaced with an empty space in your message. If the tag is misspelled or not closed properly, it appears as-is in the sent message.

Which PhantomBuster automations support placeholder tags?

Placeholder tags work in LinkedIn Phantoms that send messages or connection requests (Auto Connect, Message Sender, Outreach, New Connection Welcome Message, etc.), as well as Sales Navigator, Twitter, and Slack message-sending Phantoms. Instagram Phantoms don't currently support customizable messages.

How do I avoid the "Message too long to be sent" error on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn enforces a 200-character limit on some invitation messages. Keep your message template short and account for the fact that placeholder tags will be replaced with real data: for example, #firstName# might become "Alexander," adding characters. Use a character counter before launching.

Why is my custom placeholder tag showing the wrong value?

If your input file and the Phantom's output both have a column with the same name (e.g. jobTitle), the Phantom may use the extracted version instead of yours. Rename your input column to something unique like #customJobTitle# to avoid conflicts. Also avoid using "message" as a column name, PhantomBuster reserves it for internal use.