Tags

Unlike segments (which are dynamic and rule-based), tags are manual labels you apply directly. They're quick, flexible, and show up everywhere you need them.

How Tags Work

A tag is just a name. When you create one — say, “VIP” — Punchmail automatically generates a slug (vip) behind the scenes. You don't need to worry about the slug; it's handled for you.

Tags can be added and removed from subscribers at any time, and a subscriber can have as many tags as you like.

Adding Tags to a Subscriber

Open any subscriber's profile page. You'll see a Tags card that shows all tags currently assigned to that person.

To add a tag:

Type the tag name into the input field in the Tags card.
Press Enter or click Add.

That's it. If the tag already exists, Punchmail will assign it. If it's brand new, Punchmail will create the tag and assign it in one step — no need to set up tags ahead of time.

To remove a tag, just click the X on the tag badge. The tag is removed from that subscriber instantly.

Tags on the Subscriber List

When you browse your subscribers in the main subscriber table, tags appear as small gray pill badges next to each subscriber's information. This makes it easy to spot tagged subscribers at a glance while scrolling through your list.

Bulk Tagging

Need to tag (or untag) a bunch of subscribers at once? The subscriber index page supports bulk actions:

Select the subscribers you want using the checkboxes.
Open the Bulk Actions menu.
Choose Add Tag or Remove Tag.
Enter the tag name and confirm.

This is handy when you want to tag everyone who attended an event, flag a batch of subscribers for a special campaign, or clean up old tags in bulk.

Tagging During CSV Import

When you import subscribers from a CSV file, you can assign tags as part of the process. In Step 3: Import Options, you'll see the option to apply one or more tags to every subscriber being imported. This is a great way to mark the source of an import — for example, tagging everyone from a tradeshow list with “tradeshow-2026.”

Using Tags in Segments

Tags work hand-in-hand with Punchmail's segment builder. When creating a segment, you can add a Tag condition:

Has tag — Include subscribers who have a specific tag.
Does not have tag — Include subscribers who don't have a specific tag.

For example, you could build a segment for “Subscribers who have the tag 'VIP' AND do not have the tag 'churned'.” Combine tag conditions with other rules (list membership, engagement metrics, custom fields) for precise targeting.

Tags and Automations

Tags aren't just for organizing — they can trigger automations too. Punchmail fires events whenever a tag is added to or removed from a subscriber, which means you can use tags as automation triggers:

Tag Added — Start an automation when a specific tag is applied. For example, adding the tag “new-lead” could kick off a welcome email series.
Tag Removed — Start an automation when a tag is removed. For example, removing “trial-user” could trigger a post-trial follow-up.

This makes tags a lightweight but powerful way to connect manual actions (or import events) to automated workflows.

Tips

Keep tag names consistent. Decide on a naming convention and stick with it. “VIP” and “vip” will create two separate tags, so pick one style (lowercase with hyphens works well: vip, webinar-attendee, tradeshow-2026).
Use tags for things that don't change often. Tags are great for labels like “Lead Source: Facebook” or “Attended: Launch Event.” For things that change frequently (like engagement levels), segments with dynamic rules are a better fit.
Combine tags with segments. Tags on their own are useful, but they become really powerful when you use them as building blocks inside segment conditions.
Clean up unused tags. Over time you might accumulate tags that are no longer relevant. Periodically review and remove old tags to keep things tidy.