Dynamic Content

Dynamic Content

Dynamic content is a great way to bring personalized content into your emails. With dynamic content, you can show different versions of a content block dynamically based upon information you have about your constituents in your sending data extension.

Stage 1: Strategize

The first thing you need to do is decide what you’re trying to accomplish with dynamic content and what you’ll need. Here are some questions to ask yourself during this stage:

1. Does it improve the constituent experience to have multiple versions?
2. What data will I need to use to show different versions?
3. Is it possible for me to get that data?
4. Will that data be accurate at the time of send?
5. What will the default content look like if someone has a blank value for that data?
6. How many versions will I need? Should I combine any of these versions?
7. What are the differences between the versions?
8. What am I trying to achieve with multiple versions?

Stage 2: Get the data you need

If you decide to move forward with dynamic content, you’ll need to make sure there is data available to create the different versions. For example, if you want a different version for if a student has a hold on their account or not, you’ll need to make sure you can get accurate data that indicates if a student has a hold or not.

If you need data support, you can request data from the CX Marketing Team.

Stage 3: Create your content block versions

1. Open the email you’d like to add dynamic content to
2. Drag in and add content to Email Framework content blocks you’d like to use for each of your versions
   1. You can use the same content block for each version or use different content blocks for each version
3. Save each version of your content blocks (including a default version if applicable)
   1. Follow the steps for saving content blocks
   2. Create a specific folder to add all the blocks
   3. Name each content block clearly so you know which version is which
4. Once your content blocks are saved, you can delete them from the email (you’ll re-add them as dynamic content later)
5. If you need to edit your content block content, navigate to the folder you saved the content block and edit the block directly

Stage 4: Create your dynamic content logic

1. Drag in the Dynamic Content block from the Advanced Content blocks. This is one of the very few times you will ever grab a content block from the Blocks tab in Marketing Cloud and not from the Email Framework shared folder

2. Under Dynamic Block Options select the default “Keep content blocks up-to-date” option so if you edit a dynamic content block, that edit will be automatically reflected in the email.

3. Select your default content by clicking “Browse…”.
   1. The default is what will show up if there is a recipient who doesn’t have a data value in a field that maps to your dynamic content logic.
   2. If you don’t select a default content block, nothing will show up in that space for recipients who don’t match any of the dynamic content logic options. Sometimes, this is what is desired.
4. Specify the data for your dynamic content logic
   1. Click “Create Rule 1”
   2. Select “Data Extension or Audience”
   3. Click “OK”

5. Create your dynamic content logic
   1. Select the data extension you’re using for the send
   2. Click “OK”
   3. Drag in the field(s) you’re using for your first dynamic content logic option; you can use multiple fields combined with AND / OR statements

6. Select your content block for this dynamic logic
   1. Click “Select” at the top of the window to choose the desired content block for this version of the dynamic content
   2. Select the desired content block for this version
   3. Click “Save"

7. Review the content block and logic for your rule
8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 for each version you have

Stage 5: Test

Once your dynamic content versions are set up, you should do a preview and test send for each version. Make sure you map out all of the possible options from your data and send a test for each of them to ensure the right content is present for each version.

NOTE: Use caution with dynamic content blocks in journeys. If you’re using dynamic content in an email journey and a data value you’re using in dynamic content logic updates for a constituent while the journey is live, that constituent will still receive the dynamic content version for the original data value they had when the journey launched.