Custom sections let you add your own content to any page or zone of the Nova customer portal without writing code, from a product video to a promotional banner.
This article covers the section types, click actions, display conditions and the rules that decide when a section appears.
Custom section types
Nova offers five custom section types. The Layout tab tags each one as Custom, so you can tell it apart from default sections.
Type | Use it for |
Image | A photo or banner with an optional link or click action. |
Video | A product demo, how-to, or brand video. |
Text banner | A rich text editor and images with up to two buttons. |
FAQ | Common questions in an expandable list. |
Custom section | Any other rich content. |
Adding a custom section
In the Layout tab, open the zone where you want the content.
Click + Add a section, then select a section type.
Fill in the section's fields.
You can reorder, hide per device, or delete a custom section.
Every custom section has an Internal section name that only you see, an HTML ID, and Show on desktop and Show on mobile toggles. Each section also supports variables. Use the { } button in any text field to insert variables such as {{customer_first_name}}.
Showing custom sections on desktop or mobile
Each custom section can show on desktop only, on mobile only or on both. For example, you could show a wide image banner on desktop and a shorter text banner with the same offer on mobile.
In the Layout tab, select the custom section.
Turn Show on desktop or Show on mobile on or off. You can also use the eye icon next to the section to hide it.
Click Save.
Device settings work together with display conditions: a section shows only on the devices you turned on, and only to subscribers who meet its conditions.
Picking a target audience
Display conditions decide which subscribers see a custom section. Without conditions, a section shows to every subscriber on the subscription details page.
Adding display conditions
Open the Nova theme editor, then select the custom section.
Click Edit under Target audience.
Add your conditions, then click Save.
Note that the subscription details page only has customer-related conditions available
How AND and OR conditions work
Display conditions follow the same logic as Flows.
AND between conditions: a subscriber must meet every condition for the section to show.
OR within a condition: a subscriber needs to match only one of the values inside a single condition. For example, "Products in subscription (any of): Glow Serum, Night Cream" matches subscribers who have either product.
Click actions for custom sections
Images and Text banner buttons can trigger an action when your customers click them.
Action | What happens | What you set up |
Don't do anything | Nothing; the content is display-only | — |
Open a link in new tab | Opens your URL in a new tab | The URL |
Trigger 'Order now' | Starts the Order now flow for that subscription | — |
Apply a discount | Applies a discount to the subscription | A Shopify discount code |
Add a product | Adds a product to the subscription | Product and purchase options |
Open upsell drawer | Opens the upsell drawer with the products of an upsell profile you choose | The upsell profile |
Open upgrade drawer | Opens the upgrade drawer with the offers of an upgrade profile you choose | The upgrade profile |
For example, a skincare brand could add an image banner to promote a new serum they have launched and set its click action to Add a product.
Adding a click action
Open the Nova theme editor, then select an image section or a text banner.
For a text banner, select the button you want to set up.
Under Click action, choose an action from the list.
Fill in what the action needs, such as a URL, a Shopify discount code, a product, or an upsell or upgrade profile.
Click Save.
When a custom section appears
A custom section appears in your subscriber's portal only when all three of these are true:
The section is visible for that device in the Layout tab, using the eye icon or the Show on desktop and Show on mobile toggles.
The subscriber meets the section's display conditions.
If an upgrade profile is added in the section, then the subscription must satisfy the minimum requirement for the upgrade to be visible:
Product variant must be eligible
Must be under the configured upgrade quantity (depending on the upgrade type)
Must match the 'old frequency' configured (depending on the upgrade type)
Considerations
Upsell profiles
When an upsell profile has a single product, the product drawer opens directly. If upsell loyalty is turned on for your store, subscribers see the list drawer first.
Smart recommendations upsell profiles aren't supported in custom sections yet. Use a profile with a list of specific items or best selling products instead.
If you deactivate a selected upsell profile, the upsell drawer shows no products. In the theme editor, the section shows Select a profile so you can choose a new one.
Upgrade profiles
An upgrade section shows only if the subscription has an eligible product: a recurring product, not a one-time add or part of a bundle, that matches the upgrade profile's product and its count and frequency where set.
Prepaid subscriptions never qualify for upgrades from a custom section, and subscriptions with more than one product support SKU upgrades only.
If you deactivate a selected upgrade profile, the upgrade section is hidden from subscribers. In the theme editor, the section shows Select a profile so you can choose a new one.
Conditions, previewing and tracking
Only the custom section's display conditions decide who sees it. The selected upsell or upgrade profile's own conditions aren't checked, so add any conditions you need under Target audience.
The theme editor preview always shows every custom section so you can design them. Display conditions apply only in the live customer portal.
Adds and upgrades from custom sections show as "via Customer Portal [Custom section]" in the subscription's activity log and count toward the respective upgrade/upsell profile's analytics.
FAQs
Can I promote more than one upsell profile in the same portal?
Yes, set a custom section's click action to Open upsell drawer and choose an upsell profile. Each section can open a different profile and target a different group of subscribers.
Do new subscribers need to be added to a list to see a targeted section?
No, display conditions are checked each time a subscriber opens the portal, so anyone who meets them sees the section automatically.
Can I combine more than one display condition on a section?
Yes, add as many conditions as you need.
Which conditions can I use on the subscription list page?
You can use customer conditions, such as customer tags, total orders and total spend. Subscription, product, customer, bundle & demographic conditions are available on the subscription details page.
Can a custom section apply a discount when clicked?
Yes, set the click action to Apply a discount and enter a Shopify discount code. The discount applies to that subscriber's subscription.
Can I show a custom section on mobile only?
Yes, turn off Show on desktop in the section's settings and keep Show on mobile on. The same works the other way round for a section you want on desktop only.
Need help?
No worries - we're here for you! If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to email us at [email protected] or chat with us using the support beacon at the bottom right of your screen.
Regards,
Loop subscriptions team 🙂