Banner SmartBlocks can showcase promotional messages, critical information, location details, weather updates, all personalized to the visitor.
Banners are often used for:
A hero banner
To display a large image or promotional message on a website or email, which can be personalized to the visitor.
A piece of content on the page
To give information about a particular topic.
A critical messaging banner
Can be used to highlight a key piece of information, such as delivery messaging or sale ending soon.
Location information
Such as the nearest store to the visitor.
Weather information
For a visitor’s specific location.
You can combine banners with other SmartBlock types; for example, you could have a banner promoting winter coats alongside a Recommendation SmartBlock showing best-selling options.
Banner placement
When you create a Banner SmartBlock, you have to decide where you want to use it. The placement can be a website or email and this choice determines which tactics and layouts are effective and appropriate for your content.
Our layouts are optimised for their specific purposes, so it’s important to select the right placement.
Banner tactics
The Tactic options help you create a SmartBlock that best suits your needs, such as the shape and size of banner you require, or targeted information such as geotargeting or weather data. Depending on the tactic you select, you can use suitable layout options.
The Geotargeting tactic is only available for clients with the Geotargeting module enabled.
Banner layouts
Layouts define how you want the SmartBlock to look and behave.
A selection of default layouts is available for each tactic, for example, Hero Banner, Hero Banner with Header/Footer, and Popup Hero Banner for the Hero tactic.
After saving the SmartBlock, the selected layout offers a range of settings on the Design tab that allow the customization of the SmartBlock. A layout might also give other tabs with specific settings for that layout, such as a Behavior tab to configure popup behavior.
If you can’t achieve what you want from the settings available within the SmartBlock, you can edit the SmartBlock’s code using the </> icon in the SmartBlock editor.
Create a Banner SmartBlock
Go to Content > SmartBlocks.
Select the Banner tab, then select Create SmartBlock.
Select the placement for your SmartBlock; either Website or Email, then select the specific placement from the menu.
For example, Website > Home Page.You see relevant tactics for the placement you have selected. Select the tactic you want to use.
Select the ? icon to see a description of the tactic.Select the layout you want for your SmartBlock.
Hover over a layout to see its description.Enter a name for your Banner SmartBlock and expand the Folder drop-down menu to choose a location to store it.
Select Save.
After saving your SmartBlock, the Edit SmartBlock screen gives you a number of tabs to configure the design, properties, links, behavior, and more. The available configuration options depend on the tactic and layout selected.
SmartBlock links
All standard templates have the option to incorporate links. This might be through a call to action button or a link in an image, depending on the layout chosen.
You can configure where the links go and add any UTM tracking codes using the Links tab.
Geotargeting banners
This feature requires the Geotargeting module and loaded location set for your store locations.
Geotargeting banners can use a person’s location, for example, to display details of the nearest store to the visitor.
We recommend that the person’s location data has been imported to the platform.
Within the SmartBlock, you can then configure the settings under the Location tab to enable Geocode by IP, and select the relevant location set to find the closest location within a certain radius. You can also configure what is shown in the banner, for example, an image of the store, and its opening times and contact details.
Weather banners
Weather banners display weather information that could be based on either a merged in value, such as destination holiday locations, or personalized for the person’s location, if you have access to the Geotargeting module.
The default template can display a single or multiple day’s forecast, with a number of design options. You can set the location for which the weather forecast is being displayed using the Merge Parameters on the Properties tab. To preview different values that you might be merging in, use the Merges button on the preview panel.
If you have the Geotargeting module enabled on your account, you can access the settings on the Location tab, such as enabling Geocode by IP to pick up the location of the visitor, or finding their closest location from an uploaded location set.
If no exact matching location is found, you can set the radius value within a location set as a fallback. The default is 1500km from the location of the user. For example, if a UK Cities location set is used, and the visitor is located in London, they’re shown the weather for London. The same goes for any other UK city. It’s possible to add or create a location set for other countries, cities, airports, counties, and so on, and they return the weather for the closest area inside that particular location set.
The Location Source settings allow customers to control which order we use the visitor's location data in if they have multiple sources, for example, using their current location or imported data.
The order of location priority within the SmartBlock works as follows:
Merged data.
Nearest location from the specified set.
If you have Geotargeting module, the option is enabled and a set specified.Current location.
Based on IP, if you have Geotargeting module and the option is enabled.
Progress bar Banner SmartBlock
Add a Progress bar SmartBlock to your cart or checkout page to help increase average order value and reduce the risk of shoppers abandoning their cart with a visual incentive.
Before you start
Available for Website placement only.
Progress bar SmartBlocks are designed to be placed on the cart or checkout page, as they require access to live cart data to correctly display progress.
In Personalization, go to Content > SmartBlocks.
Select the Banner tab, then select Create SmartBlock.
For Placement, select Website, then select either Cart or Checkout.
For Tactic, select either Content blocks or Critical Messaging.
Select Progress bar.
Enter a name for your SmartBlock, and optionally expand the Select location drop-down menu to select a folder to store it in, then select Save.
Design your SmartBlock
The SmartBlock editor displays a number of tabs that you can use to design and configure your Progress bar SmartBlock.
Design
Configure text, colours, borders and other styling options.
Properties
Edit the name or storage location for the SmartBlock, or add merge parameters, tags or EasyEditor fields.
EasyEditor fields are only available for Dotdigital Marketing joint accounts.
Links
Add or edit link destinations.
App output
Configure fields and mappings for use in a mobile app.
Table lookup
Set up the link to a Custom data table.