Using dynamic images for countdown timers and personalized content
This article applies to both versions of the builder in all BEE Pro plans.
Overview
Dynamic images change depending on one or more values. These values are "passed" to the system that delivers them.
Image courtesy of NiftyImages
The link to the image is no longer a static URL like this one...
https://beefree.io/images/bee-logo-white.png
... but rather a URL that contains some variables, such as an email, a customer ID, a date, etc.
https://beefree.io/images/?imageBanner={{customer_ID}}
Merge tags act as variables in the URL. When the recipient views the design, personalized values (e.g., a customer name or ID) replace the merge tags.
Goals
The main goals of this feature...
- Make it easy to use images as dynamic content
- Allow the designer to apply image settings as usual with any static image
- Allow the designer to work with a sample image in the builder for design and preview purposes
- Simplify the creation of a dynamic image by eliminating the need for external HTML code
Examples
Some cool examples of dynamic images include:
- personalized cards
- countdown timers
- dynamic ads
- product recommendations
- etc.
Let's take a look at a few examples.
Personalized birthday cards
How can you send a birthday email to your customers, each personalized for the recipient? With dynamic images, it's easy to do. Some services can generate personalized images "on the fly," such as Niftyimages.
Now that BEE provides support for dynamic images, this becomes a piece of cake for users of the builder.
The "placeholder" image URL uses a hardcoded name ("Allan"), whereas the Dynamic URL uses a variable ("{{firstname}}"). Your sending/marketing platform will replace the variable with your recipient's name.
Dynamic countdown timers
Another excellent application for dynamic images is countdown timers. Here you will be passing in the Dynamic URL the date of an event, the time of a new store's grand opening, or the date and time that promotion expires... you name it. The system you use will automatically generate a countdown timer as a GIF animation.
You can use a placeholder image in the URL while designing the email (or page). The placeholder enables you to know exactly how the end result will look.
There are many services that you can use for this purpose. Niftyimages again, but also Fresh Relevance, CountdownMail, and many others.
Before this feature launched, we used a different approach. You can find this in our Email Design Workshop blog, where we discuss ways to add a countdown timer to an email. That technique is still valid. Using dynamic images is just a simpler method. It allows you to avoid introducing external HTML as the BEE builder creates all the HTML.
Dynamic ads
You can also use dynamic images to turn your emails into revenue producers. This is possible if you have a large audience and are open to the idea of hosting third-party ads. Companies like LiveIntent provide a solution to monetize newsletters, blog digests, etc.
Typically you pass a few variables to LiveIntent, including the recipient's email. They will configure the Dynamic URL you enter into the corresponding field in BEE.
We covered dynamic ads in our blog post before this feature was available. You can read our post, "A Publisher's Guide to Email Advertising Best Practices". This workflow is easier than ever with the addition of dynamic images.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I add a Dynamic URL but leave the URL field empty?
The Dynamic URL field is only available after adding an image to the content block. In other words, the URL field cannot be empty.
What happens if I enable the dynamic image but leave the Dynamic URL field empty?
When BEE generates the HTML output of your design, it will use the static image instead. Without a Dynamic URL, the builder will ignore that you've enabled this field.
Can the Dynamic URL entirely be a text placeholder, like {{MyDynURL}} instead of https://someSite.com?someVariable={{MyDynURL}}?
There is no need to add a full URL if it's already provided by your sending platform. In many cases, though, you need to use the same base URL for all recipients. In many cases, though, you need to use the same base URL for all recipients. In that case, you can append variables to the end of your URL for personalization.
- Typical variables include email, name, date/time, customer ID, order ID, offer ID, etc.
- The syntax of those merge tags is entirely up to you. It's typically dependent on the system that will be sending out the email or serving the landing page. This is exactly the same as using any other merge tag in the BEE builder.
What syntax/characters can a Dynamic URL use?
BEE will not perform any validation on the provided syntax. You can use whatever syntax and/or characters you wish to use. Your sending platform may have guidelines around this.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Comments
6 comments
If you want to create countdown timers for email you can use MailTimers
Thank you for your feedback, Oliver.
Is there a video that explains this? very powerful, but I am having trouble understanding how to use this. If I have Google Sheet with public image URL's, can I use this feature? How? Thank you.
Hello Neil, check out this workshop-style article in our design blog. It contains some how-to instructions that should come in handy: How to add a countdown timer to an email
Hope this helps!
So, does this mean that we DON'T have to use Nifty Images anymore?
Hi Lance, yes you can use Nifty Images but if you're using a free account there will be some limitations (check their website here). Hope this helps.
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