Defining conditionals

Conditionals allow you to show different content to different recipients based on properties of the recipient. For example, a loyalty program might show different content to gold members, silver members, and everyone else.

Conditionals defined in the Dynamic Content menu are reusable. Define them once, then use them in any email.

Sometimes you only need a conditional as a one-off. In that case, use an inline conditional. Inline conditionals can also be saved as templates, so you can reuse one as a starting point in another email.

Type	Where it is defined	When to use it
Reusable conditional	Under Dynamic Content > Conditionals	When the same logic will be used across multiple emails or components
Inline conditional	Directly within the email editor	When the conditional is only needed for one email

How conditional definitions work

Both reusable and inline conditionals consist of branches and syntax.

Branches

Add a branch for each version of the content that you want to create. Give every branch a unique, descriptive label.

Syntax

Enter the syntax that your ESP uses to begin each branch, followed by the closing syntax. EmailShepherd adds this syntax around the corresponding branch content in the exported email.

For example, a Liquid conditional might use:

{% if membership == "gold" %}

Gold members branch content

{% elsif membership == "silver" %}

Silver members branch content

{% else %}

Everyone else branch content

{% endif %}

Note

The examples shown in the editor are Liquid-style placeholders. Your ESP may use a different template language, so use the syntax required by the platform you export to.

Dynamic Content Profiles

If your workspace has Dynamic Content Profiles, you can define different syntax for each profile. This lets the same conditional export correctly to ESPs that use different template languages or syntax.

Each profile uses the default syntax unless you provide an override for that profile.

Create a reusable conditional

Reusable conditionals are available throughout the workspace and can be updated centrally.

1. Navigate to Dynamic Content > Conditionals > Add conditional.
2. Enter a label, such as Membership tiers. This is the name that will appear in the email editor.
3. Add the branches and enter a label and branch key for each one. The branch key is the unique identifier of the branch within the conditional.

For example:

Branch label	Branch key
Gold members	gold_membership
Silver members	silver_membership
Everyone else	else

Caution

When editing a reusable conditional that is already used in emails, do not change the key of an existing branch. Changing it disconnects that branch from its existing content.

4. Enter the default syntax for each branch and the closing syntax.

5. If you use Dynamic Content Profiles, enter any profile-specific syntax.
6. If the conditional will be used in a subject or preheader, select Can be used in subject and preheader.
7. Save the conditional.

Tip

When using a conditional in a subject or preheader, include an else branch so recipients who do not match another branch still receive a subject or preheader.

Inline conditionals are defined while building an email. See Using conditionals in an email for the complete editor workflow.