Identification of new visitors is key for your marketing. Identification of any visitor, including those you already have details for, is also central to giving a personalized experience.
Data captures are often used for:
Identification of new visitors
Build your marketing lists for newsletters, offers, or campaigns. Sync new contact information directly to your email or SMS provider.
Identification of visitors during their session when they haven’t logged in
Ensure any personalized content is being fully utilized and future personalization can be optimized.
You can use Data Capture SmartBlocks to effectively target different kinds of visitor behavior:
Only show the data capture to visitors that haven’t been identified during the session.
When a visitor shows exit intent, offer a discount code if they sign up.
When a visitor has visited multiple pages, offer them a discount code if they sign up.
Show a popover which prevents usage of the website until dismissed or submitted.
Add as a data capture bar that sits at the bottom of the site, but doesn’t prevent browsing.
As with all SmartBlocks, Data Captures are HTML blocks that use real-time data but they can only be used on your website or app.
Data capture blocks aren’t designed for use in emails or SMS, because you already know the visitor’s contact details.
Create and edit a Data Capture SmartBlock
Go to Content > SmartBlocks.
Select the Data Capture tab.
Select CREATE SMARTBLOCK.
To edit a Data Capture SmartBlock:
Go to Content > SmartBlocks.
Select the Data Capture tab.
Find and select the SmartBlock, then select EDIT.
You can use the search, filter or sort features to help you locate the SmartBlock you want to edit.
You can then adjust any settings for that SmartBlock. Select SAVE to confirm your changes.
Data Capture tactics
Once you’ve created a Data Capture SmartBlock, you must first select a tactic:
Popover
Fully interrupts the visitor’s flow as a popover, they either have to submit or dismiss the SmartBlock, as the website is disabled behind it. Can be shown on exit intent or after the visitor has been on the website for a fixed time. It’s also possible to configure both of these together in a single SmartBlock.
We don’t recommend showing a popover as soon as a visitor lands on your site, as it is often dismissed quickly and results in a frustrated user.
Fixed Overlay
Overlays on the site, so the visitor can continue to use the website without interacting with the SmartBlock. Allows the visitor to decide when they want to sign up, giving them more control.
Page Content
Sits on a web page the same as any other content. Can be used on any page for visitors to sign up to Marketing emails when they choose to.
Data Capture layouts
Next, you must select which layout you want to use for your SmartBlock. Layouts define how you want the SmartBlock to look.
There are different layouts available for the different Tactics: Data Capture Popover, Data Capture Bar and Data Capture Page Content. The Popover and Bar can have their behavior adjusted to become a popover or overlay, but neither can become page content.
Once you’ve selected a layout, you’re prompted to enter a name and, optionally, a folder location for your new SmartBlock. Select Save to confirm your choices.
After saving the SmartBlock, the layout you’ve selected offers a range of settings on the Design tab that allows the customization of the SmartBlock. The selected layout might also have additional tabs with specific settings for that layout, for example, a Behavior tab to configure popover behavior.
If you’re unable to achieve what you want from the settings available within the SmartBlock, it’s possible to edit the SmartBlock’s code by selecting the </> icon. Alternatively, you can create a new coded Account-level layout as a template for future SmartBlocks.
Learn more in Introduction to SmartBlock layouts. You can also contact your Account Manager or our Services team who can help.
Data Capture links
You can configure a link for the Submitted page button, so when the user closes the window after submitting the form, they can be redirected to a specified URL.
By default this is empty, which returns the user to the page they were on.
You can also add UTM parameters to the link for tracking purposes, if you want to.
Data Capture behavior
The behavior defaults are configured based on the tactic chosen during creation of the SmartBlock.
When using a popover or fixed overlay template, you can switch the behavior between the two types, for example, change a popover to a fixed overlay and vice versa.
If using a page content template, you can’t switch this to a popover or fixed overlay. You must create a popover or fixed overlay Data Capture SmartBlock to change the behavior.
Popover behavior and animation can also be adjusted using the Behaviour tab.
Sending new contact data to third parties
To do this, you must have the Triggers Module.
The Custom Signal/Trigger option on the Behavior tab is used for setting up the sending of any new emails or phone numbers to your email or SMS provider.
A custom signal is used to create and fire a trigger program, and you can configure this to send details to your email or SMS provider for each data capture that’s submitted.
1. Edit the SmartBlock behavior
While editing your Data Capture SmartBlock, select the Behavior tab.
Under Custom Signal/Trigger, either:
Expand the drop-down menu and select an existing trigger.
orSelect the + icon to create a new trigger.
Recommended if it's your first Data Capture.
Select SAVE.
2. Edit the trigger
Go to Triggers in the left side menu.
Select the trigger you created in step 1.
Select the Add Trigger Program tab, and select CREATE.
If you only want to add the email or phone number details to your provider, and don’t want to trigger a message, select CREATE for the Set field, Add to list trigger program template.
If you want to also send a message, then select a template that includes the number of messages you want to send.
If you don’t have trigger programs available, check you have configured a messaging channel correctly. Learn more in Integrations > Messaging providers.
Enter a name for your trigger program.
Add the signal/trigger name to the Trigger Namespace field.
This is the same signal/trigger that’s specified in the Custom Signal/Trigger option on the Behavior tab of the SmartBlock.For Add to List, enter the list in your email or SMS provider that contact information from the data capture should be added to.
How to identify a list can vary based on your provider. Check the specific guidance for your messaging channel if you’re unsure.Adjust any other settings that you want to for the trigger program.
Learn more in Set up trigger programs.Select SAVE.
You‘re returned to the decision tree for the trigger.On the Add Trigger Program tab, the new program you just created is available. Drag the trigger program on to your tree.
Select SAVE.
If you want to, you can add rules and additional trigger programs to the tree.
For example, you could:
Add email or phone number details to different lists based on where you captured the information.
Send different follow up messages depending on where you collected the information.
Show different content if data capture is completed
If the visitor has submitted the Data Capture, you can show different content to them on your website. For example, you might have another Data Capture that sits on the site as page content, which you want to replace with a product discovery message if the visitor has submitted the Data Capture already.
This only works if the visitor is identified for the session; if they come to the website on a different device and don’t log in or identify themselves, they‘re shown content as if unidentified.
To show different content to visitors who’ve completed data capture:
1. Edit the SmartBlock behavior
While editing your Data Capture SmartBlock, select the Behavior tab.
Under Custom Signal/Trigger, either:
Expand the drop-down menu and select an existing trigger.
orSelect the + icon to create a new trigger.
Recommended if it's your first Data Capture.
Select SAVE.
2. Edit rules for the Slot or Experience
Within the Slot Rules or Experience Rules for the content that you want to show differently, add the Slot Rule called Recent Custom Signal and configure it against the Custom Signal/Trigger that you created in step 1.
You could also use the rule Identified, if you have multiple Data Captures and/or are identifying people in multiple ways, such as by importing person data.
Learn more in Use marketing rules.
If a visitor completes and submits the Data Capture, the Custom Signal you configured is fired, so this rule matches against that visitor.
Add to the rule tree the content or experiences you want to show to visitors who have completed the data capture, and those who haven’t.
Select SAVE.
Create a segment of data capture submissions
To create a segment, you must have the Behavioral and Social Targeting Module.
A segment, or list of email addresses, can be created from those that have completed the Data Capture within the last 45 days.
This is useful for in-app data analysis, or for transferring email addresses to other systems for external analysis or targeted campaigns.
To create a segment for data capture submissions:
1. Edit the SmartBlock behavior
While editing your Data Capture SmartBlock, select the Behavior tab.
Under Custom Signal/Trigger, either:
Expand the drop-down menu and select an existing trigger.
orSelect the + icon to create a new trigger.
Recommended if it's your first Data Capture.
Select SAVE.
2. Create a segment
Go to Data > Segments.
Select CREATE SEGMENT.
Select the Behavioral radio button, then select CREATE SEGMENT.
Expand the Person History section, add the Custom Signal rule to the decision tree and configure it as required.
This only works against the last 45 days or less.Configure any other elements of the segment on the Options and Post-build tabs.
Learn more in Segments overview.Select SAVE.
Embed a form from your messaging provider into a Data Capture
It’s not possible to embed a form from your messaging provider into our standard Data Capture SmartBlocks. If you have a requirement to do this, contact us to discuss.