What is dynamic content?


Dynamic content is any online message that automatically changes based on someone’s behaviors or personal preferences. With data funneled through customer relationship management (CRM) platforms and APIs, marketing message components can change in real time to align with what brands know about different segments of their audience.

For example, a brand may send a Black Friday promotion with the same basic message, but include automated product recommendations that differ depending on each recipient’s previous purchases. Subscriber A may see a promotion for lip gloss, subscriber B may see a promotion for mascara, and subscriber C may see a promotion for foundation.

Dynamic content like this is how you can automate the personalized delivery of these slightly but importantly different promotions.

Why dynamic content is important for B2C marketers 

Dynamic content is important for B2C marketers because it’s how you deliver the personalized customer experiences people have come to expect—without a lot of manual work. 

When content is personal, it’s also relevant. This is important, because the average consumer is overwhelmed by marketing messages every day. Dynamic content—and the data infrastructure that supports it—is a way to break through messaging fatigue with personalized content at a rate that scales.

The benefits of dynamic content in marketing

  • Personalized experiences that scale: Because dynamic content can generate automatically based on real audience interactions, it’s a way for smaller B2C brands to compete with large brands (like Amazon) without a ton of manual work.
  • Higher engagement rates: People are more likely to click on messages that contain content that reflects their own experiences, preferences, and actions.
  • More sales: Product recommendations and offers that reflect real actions taken by people online are a lot more likely to generate a sale. This is because dynamic content—those product recommendations and offers—leans into the preferences people already have rather than trying to guess what they might like. 
  • More repeat purchases: Product recommendations based on past purchases—whether they’re similar or complementary—are more likely to generate repeat purchases than generic ones.

Dynamic content vs. other content types

Dynamic content stands out because of its automated adaptability. When a brand gains a new piece of information about a subscriber or customer, that piece of information may be automatically attached to a certain piece of content. This is why dynamic content is the star of personalized customer experiences.

But you also need other types of content to run campaigns:

  • Static content: This is content that remains the same for all recipients, no matter their behaviors or preferences. Static content is the “default content” of a marketing message, and it’s still necessary for the vast majority of campaigns.
  • Conditional content: Similar to dynamic content, conditional content changes according to predefined rules or conditions. Where it’s slightly different is its lack of ability to adapt in real time on a user level. Dynamic content can pull in information about a customer and switch up content accordingly, whereas conditional content is dependent on a more rigid set of instructions.

Dynamic content examples for email and SMS marketing

  • Product recommendations: Use product browsing data and past purchases to send offers that highlight the products someone is most likely to buy.
  • Real-time stock updates: Especially useful for SMS, update people the moment an item is back in stock—and benefit from the instant impulse to buy.
  • Location-based offers: Send special promotions only to people who are within an X-mile radius of your physical stores.
  • Behavioral automations: Send emails and text messages that automatically follow an online interaction, like an abandoned cart reminder or an up-sell after a purchase.
  • Live order tracking: Improve your customer experience by sending an email or SMS update at every stage of the fulfillment process.
  • Feedback requests: Ask for feedback on the specific products someone purchased.

How Klaviyo supports dynamic content strategies

  • Data integration: Klaviyo integrates with multiple data sources, which ladder up to create a single customer view that adapts based on what you learn about your customers through online interactions across multiple channels.
  • Flexible personalization tools: Use segmentation, conditional logic, and personalization tags to create and manage dynamic content that adjusts in real time according to online interactions.
  • Comprehensive support and resources: Gain access to a wealth of resources, including guides, tutorials, and customer support, so you can improve and advance your dynamic content strategies.

Klaviyo has helped 157,000 businesses create personalized customer journeys with dynamic content. Sign up for Klaviyo and get started today.