Set up Dynamic Content with if-structures
If-structures are text-based constructions that allow you to introduce dynamic content. The if-structures take your personalisation to another level. You can use them to only display certain content to your contacts if they pass predefined criteria. Actually, you use the data from the database as a condition for deciding whether or not to allow certain bits of text or images to be seen. You set up these conditions by means of “if-then” statements. Depending on place of residence, for example, or on previous purchases, a contact gets to see offers that are relevant for him. If a contact fulfils the condition that you have defined in your if-structure, then the content will be displayed.
Follow this article to discover several detailed examples of if-structures and get inspired how to use them in your messages.
Based on the contact database
Content of a contact field
One way to tailor the contents of your message to your contact is by checking the contents of a particular contact field.
{if ::language::=="FR"}
Des nouvelles locomotives pour améliorer la ponctualité
Neuf locomotives de « type 18 », construites par Siemens, ont obtenu une homologation provisoire. Après avoir réussi les tests techniques qui doivent confirmer l’homologation d’ici la fin août, l’opérateur SNCB effectue actuellement des tests en situation réelle, avec passagers, sur la ligne Eupen-Ostende.
{else}
St.-Emilion awarded a new rank.
For the sixth time, a jury of nine sommeliers reviewed a wide selection of Bordeaux wines in the historic Sofitel Amsterdam The Grand hotel. In total, as already reported yesterday, 112 burgundy wines were selected from the 335 bottles submitted in the price range of €5 to €25. Most of the wines are red, but this year the selection also included dry and sweet white plus rosé wine. A booklet will soon be published on the 112 selected wines.
{/if}
You can see in the previous example that the function {else} occurs. This allows you to specify an alternative if the contents of the contact field do not meet the condition.
Uppercase, lowercase, uppercaseFirst
Using the uppercase and lowercase functions, first the contents of the relevant contact fields are converted into uppercase or lowercase letters. If you don’t do this, your Dynamic Content is sensitive to upper case. You then run the risk that some contacts fall outside the condition because their language is noted in some other way.
{if uppercase(::language::)=="FR"}
Des nouvelles locomotives pour améliorer la ponctualité Neuf locomotives de « type 18 », construites par Siemens, ont obtenu une homologation provisoire. Après avoir réussi les tests techniques qui doivent confirmer l’homologation d’ici la fin août, l’opérateur SNCB effectue actuellement des tests en situation réelle, avec passagers, sur la ligne Eupen-Ostende.
{/if}
{if lowercase(::language::)=="nl"}
St.-Emilion mag nieuw klassement
Voor de zesde keer heeft een jury van negen wijnproevers zich gebogen over een brede selectie van Bordeauxwijnen in het historische Sofitel Amsterdam The Grand hotel. In totaal zijn, zoals gisteren al gemeld, 112 bordeauxwijnen geselecteerd uit de 335 ingezonden flessen in de prijscategorie € 5 tot € 25 . De meeste geselecteerde wijnen zijn rood, maar dit jaar zat er ook weer droog en zoet wit plus rosé bij. Over de 112 geselecteerde wijnen verschijnt binnenkort een boekje.
{/if}
Fallback
Using the “Fallback” condition, you can provide an alternative in your message, whenever a contact field contains no value. By providing the example below, my contacts are always addressed by their first name. If their first name is not known, it will be replaced by “Dear Customer”.
{fallback(::firstname::,"customer")}
Contains
In case you only want to check a part of a certain field, use the function "Contains".
{if contains(::firstname::,"Kevin")}
…
{else}
…
{/if}
Length
When the length of a certain field can provoke a different content, then you should use the function "length". Let's say you want to sell personalised keychains but the keychain is too small to engrave more than 7 characters on it.
{if length (::firstname::)<7}
Article about personalised keychains
{else}
…
{/if}