Create a content automation template

Connect a content source directly in Litmus Personalize and use it to build live images for your email! Create your content automation template to display custom products or information based on your content catalog and even customized based on a subscriber's ESP or CRM data!

Content Automation - Getting Started

IMPORTANT: Ensure you have a Content Source already connected to Litmus Personalize Pro.

In your account, navigate to Templates and then select Content Automation from the left sidebar. You can create a new template by selecting + New Template.

Add a name in the Lorem ipsum dolor field at the top left. Go ahead and check the High resolution checkbox for a crisp final preview.

Next, select the Connect content source button to connect your template to your feed. You should have already added at least one Content Source in the Content sources section of your account. If you haven't done that yet, complete that step before continuing on with your template.

content automation template with name field, high-resolution checkbox, and content source areas indicated

After selecting the Connect content source button, you'll see your library of options. If there are a few Content Sources connected, you can filter by type (JSON, XML or CSV) or by the Content Source’s name. Select the Done button after you've picked the one you want.

Content source library with arrow to done button in bottom right corner

Once you've connected your Content Source, you'll see the name in your right-hand menu. You can only choose one Content Source per template. Read these important steps if you need to delete or update a Content Source.

Content source Wonderblum official instagram showing as connected with green link icon

Connecting the content

Add a block for each piece of data or design element you want to include. Select the + Add Block button and you'll see a box appear on your canvas with Lorem ipsum text. Drag the box where you want it to display or use the Position & size coordinates in the right hand menu to adjust. Use the formatting menu at the top for additional customization.

To connect your data feed to a specific content block, click on the Connect Source icon that appears beside the block.

Add Block button and Connect Source icon indicated on template canvas

Select the Content Source option and then unpack the feed to find the field you want to display.

You have now connected the block with the data feed! Repeat for each field you want to pull in.

This template has one block for the media URL and one for the caption. These will be dynamic based on the data field.

Canvas showing two blocks - one with a flower image and one with a caption with hashtags

Additional options

You can add additional blocks with static text or images if you wish. To add a static image, first add a block on the left. Then change the Block Type to image in the Inspector menu on the right. Add your hosted image URL to the text box.

Within the Inspector, you'll also see additional options. Prefixes and suffixes can be added to blocks if you want to add text before or after a Content Source field (such as adding a dollar sign to prices being pulled in from the Content Source).

If you would like to use a background image, first select the canvas, and then use the Inspector in the right-hand panel to upload your image. The template will automatically resize to the size of the image however, if you would like to adjust the size, you can do so by changing the size in the layout boxes.

Preview your template

Use the eye icon to preview the template with the arrows allowing you to preview other positions within the feed:

Once you are happy with the template, click save. The template will now appear in the template library.

Add additional functionality or visibility rules or simply go straight to create a Content Automation Campaign for your next step.

Updating a Content Source

If you delete or disconnect a Content Source by selecting the X option beside the Content Source name, any blocks connected to that Content Source will be deleted as well.

If you want to update a Content Source and make sure that your existing blocks are not deleted, follow these steps:

Select the Connect content source button and choose a new Content Source from your library.
When you select the Done button, you'll first be asked if you want to change the datafeed for the template. Select OK.
Next, you'll be asked if you want to delete all connected blocks. Select Cancel.
On your template, you'll see your existing block is still showing the previous Content Source data. Select the Connect Source icon, delete the existing selected source and choose a new source from the feed options.
Your block is now updated to display data from the new Content Source

NOTE: If you have multiple feeds for different countries and currencies, perfect one template before duplicating and connecting the new templates to the other product feeds. Be sure to follow the steps above to update to a new content source without deleting the existing blocks.