How to build a smart content widget
Create personalized content blocks for any page in minutes
Overview
Widgets are the visual components that display personalized content on your storefront - from product recommendations to bundles and banners. This guide walks you through how to create a Smart Content Widget using Liva 7’s widget builder.
Step 1: Start from Targeting rules
Navigate to the Targeting Rules tab. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Manage Widgets. This will take you to the Widget Placements dashboard, where you can view, edit, or create widgets.
Click + Create Widget in the top-right corner to begin.
All widgets are created and managed from the Targeting Rules section - this ensures they’re aligned with your personalization logic.
Step 2: Choose a Widget type
In the Widget Type dropdown, select the kind of content you want to display:
- Product Recommendations
- Cart Recommendations
- Bundle Recommendations
- Home Recommendations
Each widget type is optimized for a specific page context and recommendation goal. For example, 'Cart Recommendations' are ideal for upsells.
Step 3: Select a Page Type
In the Page Type dropdown, choose where this widget will appear:
- Homepage
- Product Page
- Collection Page
- Cart Page
The page type determines the context in which the widget logic will run - and which signals and strategies are most effective.
Step 4: Choose a placement method
Decide how the widget will be added to your storefront:
- Theme Block (recommended): Manually place the widget using Shopify’s Theme Editor
- Auto-Inject: Let Liva 7 automatically insert the widget into a predefined location
- You can also use the Theme Customizer for advanced placement
Theme Block gives you full control over placement, while Auto-Inject is faster and easier to deploy.
Step 5: Pick a display style
Choose how the widget will visually appear:
- Grid Layout
- Carousel
- Table View
- Animated Slider
Choose a layout that fits your page design and content density. Carousels are great for compact displays; grids work well for showcasing multiple items.
Step 6: Select a recommendation strategy
In the Recommendation Strategy dropdown, choose how the widget will decide what to show:
- Use Page/Global Setting
- Hybrid (Recommended)
- Collaborative Filtering
- Content-Based
- Similar Products
- Trending
- Behavior-Based
Each strategy uses different data signals. Hybrid combines multiple approaches for balanced performance.
Step 7: Customize widget details
- Widget Title: Enter a title (e.g. 'You May Also Like')
- Products to Show: Set how many items to display (e.g. 5)
This title appears above the widget on your storefront. Keep it short, clear, and aligned with your brand voice.
Step 8: Save and deploy
Click Create Widget to finalize. Once created, you can:
- Place it using the Theme Editor (if Theme Block was selected)
- Preview it on your storefront
- Manage it from the Widget Placements dashboard
You can edit, reorder, or remove widgets anytime from the Widget Placements dashboard
Widgets are powerful
Smart Content Widgets are a powerful way to deliver personalized experiences across your storefront. With flexible placement, styling, and strategy options, you can tailor each widget to match your brand and business goals.
