How to Add Dynamic Text

[Note: This feature is available on the Pro / Agency / Scale and Maximize Plans. If you need this feature and you would like to upgrade to a different plan please contact us at support@convertri.com]

Video Tutorial:

Article:

Simply put, dynamic text is a way of changing the text on your page under conditions you set yourself - for example, by location or source.

Dynamic text works by displaying different text corresponding with query strings in the URL. Query strings are variables you set to trigger dynamic elements. For example, in Convertri, query strings are also used to populate form fields with text before a customer has entered their own details, or help run affiliate programs ( click here to find out how).

First, why use dynamic text? Targeted copy increases conversions. Let’s look at location: if you wanted to show a different welcome message to people from Glasgow, for example, in the past you would have to set up two different pages (one Glasgow, one non-Glasgow) and send different market segments to each one.

But, with dynamic text you only need one page and a query string parameter called ‘location’. Then, you’d just enter ‘Glasgow’ as the variable in your URL, like this: http://yourpage.convertri.com/?location=Glasgow

Share this URL with your Glasgow prospects (e.g. with location targeted Facebook ads), so that everyone who lived in that city (determined by Facebook) would see your welcome message (determined by your URL).

Here’s how to set up dynamic text:

1. In the Page Builder, click to add a text element. Enter the default message you want to show if a variable isn’t set (e.g. ‘Attention All Car Owners in the UK’).

2. Click inside the text element and select the text you want to change for different audiences (e.g. ‘the UK’).

   

3. Click the More dropdown in the Text toolbar, then click Add New under Dynamic Text.

   

4. Enter your parameter. This is what your dynamic text will be called: for example ‘location’, or ‘source’. Click Add, and your dynamic text will now be highlighted in green to show a dynamic parameter is active.

   

To see how dynamic text works, click Save, then Publish (if this is your first time, it’s a good idea to create a test page).

View your page, and your default message will be shown. Click the page’s URL, and add something like: ?parameter=YourLocation. (For example, if you set your parameter to ‘location’ and wanted to set your dynamic text to ‘Glasgow’, your URL will look something like this: http://yourpage.convertri.com/?location=Glasgow). This will replace your dynamic text with whatever comes after the = sign in the URL.

NOTE: Convertri does not sort, categorise or identify variables. So, even if you’ve set your parameter to be ‘location’, ‘source’ or any other specific type, your dynamic text will display any random word that is entered after the = sign in the URL.

Removing Dynamic Text

To remove one instance of dynamic text, but keep the parameter for other instances on the page:

1. Select the text you want to stop being dynamic.
2. Click the More dropdown in the Text toolbar.
3. Under Dynamic Text, toggle the parameter(s) you wish to remove OFF.

To remove a parameter and disable all instances of dynamic text connected to it:

1. Click inside any text element on the page.
2. Click the More dropdown in the Text toolbar.
3. Under Dynamic Text, click the trash can icon next to the parameter you want to delete.
4. A confirmation message will appear. Click Delete.

Applying a Parameter More than Once

Once you’ve created a parameter, you can apply it to more than one bit of text  on the page. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Select the text you want to make dynamic.
2. Click the More dropdown in the Text toolbar.
3. Under Dynamic Text, toggle ON the parameter you want to apply.

This will replace all instances of the parameter with any variable entered in the URL.

For example, if your welcome message says ‘Attention All Car Owners in the UK’ and you selected the word ‘Attention’ and applied the parameter ‘location’, then did the same with the phrase ‘the UK’, you could share a URL like this: http://yourpage.convertri.com/?location=Glasgow and that version of your page would display the welcome message ‘Glasgow All Car Owners in Glasgow’.

SEO

Google will only ever read your page’s default text. So, as far as search engines are concerned, your default text is what will show in search results. This means you won’t be able to use dynamic text to rank for multiple variables.

Using Multiple Parameters

You can add as many parameters as you want for a customised experience. Select the text you want to make dynamic, click the More dropdown in the Text toolbar and click Add New below your existing parameters.

To configure multiple terms, enter an ampersand between query strings in the URL. For example: http://yourpage.convertri.com/?location=Glasgow&source=Lovers

Issues and Troubleshooting

If your dynamic text is longer than your default text, it may be hidden beyond the boundaries of the text box and overlap other elements. To combat this, use enough whitespace in your design so long text strings have room to breathe.

It’s also a good idea to use transparent backgrounds to dynamic text elements, as the background will not grow beyond the element box to encompass long text strings.