How to preview and test Smart Content

Overview

Smart Content is personalised, so different visitors may see different content. Testing ensures that:

• The correct Smart Content is active
• The segment, rules, trigger, and frequency are working
• The Smart Content block is placed correctly
• The right Smart Content is selected when multiple items match

Testing helps you confirm that your content appears exactly as intended before customers see it.

Use the Preview step inside Smart Content

Each Smart Content item includes a built‑in preview screen.
This preview shows:

• Which visitors qualify
• Whether your segment matches
• Whether your rules and triggers are valid
• Whether any conflicts exist

Your screenshots show two preview states:

• A populated preview showing eligible visitors
• A message saying 'No Smart Content yet' when nothing qualifies

Example:
If the preview shows zero eligible visitors, your rules may be too narrow.

Confirm the Smart Content item is active

Inactive Smart Content will never appear on your storefront.

To check:

1. Open the Smart Content menu
2. Look at the status column
3. Make sure the item is toggled to 'Active'

Example:
If you created a new offer but forgot to activate it, the preview may work but the storefront will not show it.

Check that the Smart Content Block is added

Smart Content only appears through the Smart Content block.

To confirm:

1. Open Shopify admin
2. Go to Online Store → Themes
3. Click 'Edit theme'
4. Select the correct page template
5. Look for the 'Smart Content' block

If the block is missing, add it from the 'Apps' tab.

Example:
If you created Smart Content for the homepage but the block is only added to the product page, nothing will appear.

Test the Segment

Smart Content appears only if the visitor matches the selected segment.

To test:

1. Open an incognito window
2. Visit the site as a new visitor
3. Check whether the content appears
4. Perform actions that change your segment status

Example:
If the segment is 'Returning visitors', you must visit the site twice for the content to appear.

Test Display rules

Display rules decide where the content appears.
To test:

1. Visit the page that matches your rules
2. Confirm the page type is correct
3. Confirm the product or collection matches
4. Confirm the cart value matches any thresholds

Example:
If the rule is 'Show on cart page', the content will not appear on product pages.

Test Trigger and Frequency

Triggers and frequency can prevent Smart Content from appearing immediately.

Trigger testing

• Scroll if the trigger is 'After scroll'
• Wait if the trigger is 'After time on page'
• Add an item to cart if the trigger is 'After add to cart'

Frequency testing

• Open an incognito window to reset frequency
• Test again if the content did not appear previously

Example:
If the trigger is 'After 10 seconds', the content will not appear until the timer completes.

Test Priority when multiple items match

If multiple Smart Content items match the same visitor, only the highest priority item will appear.

To test:

1. Open the Smart Content menu
2. Review the priority column
3. Move your test item to the top
4. Refresh the storefront

Example:
A high priority welcome banner may override a lower priority offer.

Test in an Incognito Window

Incognito mode gives you a clean session with no cookies, no browsing history, and no previous interactions.

To test:

1. Open an incognito or private window
2. Visit the page where the block is placed
3. Perform any required actions (scroll, wait, add to cart)
4. Confirm whether the Smart Content appears

Example:
If frequency is set to once per session, incognito mode resets the session so you can see the content again.

Use a final testing checklist

Before going live, confirm:

• The Smart Content item is active
• The Smart Content block is added
• The block is on the correct template
• The segment matches your test visitor
• The display rules match the page
• The trigger has been activated
• The frequency allows it to appear
• No higher priority item is overriding it
• The preview shows eligible visitors