Web Channel enables you to connect your website to all your available customer information, including offline and multi-channel interactions, to give your customers exactly what they’re looking for, and to turn your anonymous visitors into loyal customers and increase your customer base and revenue.
This article contains recommendations and examples related to Web Channel that will help you make the right decisions when it comes to creating the right campaign for the right audience.
What are the benefits to my business?
Web Channel is natively built in the Emarsys Platform, as part of our omnichannel experience. Update your website by inserting or replacing content, or displaying overlays on entry or exit activities.
The benefit of applying Web Channel campaigns is that you can drive retention, repeat purchases and turn your anonymous Internet users into loyal customers by providing an individual treatment layer to your visitors.
Which Web Channel campaign format to use?
Using different Web Channel campaign formats you can edit HTML/JavaScript or image content on your site. Based on the activities of your visitors you can trigger personalized overlay messages. You can display Embedded Web Channel contents or apply a narrow ribbon that affects your visitors browsing experience minimally by being less intrusive for them.
The following campaign formats are supported:
For general information on creating and applying Web Channel campaigns, see Setting up the campaign.
Embedded
Your personalized message will replace a selected web page element on your website. You can target all your website visitors or specific customer segments by displaying HTML content on your website. You can freely insert your HTML source or a static image. You can set up for both desktop and mobile versions. For example, you can display different welcome images for different customer segments on your home page.
When inserting your static image, ensure the dimensions of the content fit the zone placement size. Images can be automatically scaled according to the defined zone to fit.
For detailed information on creating and applying Embedded Web Channel campaigns, see:
Overlay
Your personalized message will appear as an overlay above your normal website content. For example, you can offer a voucher for your inactive customers or a special offer for birthday customers.
For detailed information on creating and applying Overlay Web Channel campaigns, see Creating an Overlay Web Channel campaign.
Ribbon
Your personalized message will appear at the top or bottom of the page or follow your scrolling in a narrow ribbon. It affects your visitors’ browsing experience minimally, making it less intrusive.
For example, you can use this campaign type to:
- Remind your visitors about an ongoing offer.
- Share a personal voucher code that is about to expire.
- Display a general cookie notification.
For detailed information on creating and applying Ribbon Web Channel campaigns, see Creating a Ribbon Web Channel campaign.
Managing Web Channel domains
You can add new domains to Web Channel on your own. From Web Channel's main Dashboard, navigate to the Domains page and click Add Domain in the top right corner. Adding new domains is simple and it only takes less than a minute.
Multiple domains can be added to Web Channel, but the domains need to share the same Merchant ID header and the same Contact Identification via Web Extend. Make sure to implement Web Extend for the proper operation of a domain in Web Channel.
Note that when you are deleting a domain Emarsys will check its usage in the platform.
Web Channel campaigns using the domain and having the following statuses prevent the deletion of the domain:
- Ready (in design)
- Running
- Publishing
- Scheduled
The following statuses will allow deletion:
- Completed
- Deleted
Domains can be added again later.
If you cannot delete the selected domain, we recommend changing the domain or deleting the campaign.
Emarsys features with Web Channel
Features that work with Web Channel
- Custom HTML content with personalization
- Visual editor for inline editing
- Pre-built layout templates for a series of campaign tactics
- Overlay on entry and exit intent, or embedded content (e.g. banners)
- Target custom segments, all visitors, or only unidentified visitors
- Automation Center integration
- Fast-track campaign and Tactic creation for key use cases (e.g. contact acquisition)
- Reporting and performance Dashboard
- Real-time filtering capabilities
Features that do not work with Web Channel
- Cannot add Open Time Content (OTC) to a Web Channel campaign.
- Cannot add content via API. For reasons and information, see Data collection JavaScript API reference.
- Not possible to track Web Channel revenue on the Reporting page. We recommend using Google Analytics for these purposes.
How often does Web Channel refresh a segment?
In a segment-based Web Channel campaign, a segment is refreshed when the campaign is launched, and then in every hour. However, based on the segment size, a refresh can take more than one hour in some cases with a maximum of two hours. This means that contacts who have moved in, or out of a segment are still targeted until the next refresh.
How many CRM contacts (based on a Segment or Automation Center audience) can be targeted?
To ensure smooth performance, we have a limit of five million known contacts, which can be targeted in a single Web Channel campaign. We have no limits of contacts per account, only per campaign. There is no limit when targeting anonymous visitors.
Can I also use JavaScript in the HTML code of Overlays for desktop and for mobile?
Yes, you can. In the HTML editor you can edit the HTML source, you can freely insert your HTML code or a JavaScript or a static image. Make sure that you perform your HTML source changes for desktop and for mobile version, as well, otherwise your mobile version cannot be seen. If you use the HTML editor and leave the mobile version blank, the campaign will not be shown on mobile devices.
Can I use Web Channel to add an extra form to my website?
In case you already have a form in your website and you want to add an extra form by using Web Channel, you need to perform the following adjustments in the original form integrated in the website:
- Change the
nameattribute of the form toFooterProfileForm. - Change the
onsubmitattribute of theFooterCheckInputsfunction to that name you have already created.
Example:
<form action = "https://suite6.emarsys.net/u/register.php" method = "get"
name = "FooterProfileForm" id = "letterForm"
onsubmit = "return FooterCheckInputs ();" class = "newsletter__form"> arrange.