What is the Primary Section in a template?
A primary section is a dynamic placeholder section that saves you time during the newsletter creation process. When creating a newsletter from a template with a primary section, you’ll be able to determine the products, collection, or blog post you want to use. The primary section will populate with your selected content when you create the newsletter.
On this page
- What primary sections are available?
- Primary sections in starter templates
- Creating a new template with a primary section
- Using the primary section in a newsletter
- Changing the primary section in a template
What primary sections are available?
Primary sections bring content from your integrated Shopify data for the following purposes:
| Primary section | Purpose |
| Featured products | Highlight specific products |
| Product list | Highlight a selection of products |
| Featured collection | Highlight a selection of products from a specific collection |
| Collection list | Highlight a selection of collections |
| Recent blog posts | Highlight your most recent blog post(s) |
| Featured blog posts | Highlight specific blog posts |
Primary sections in starter templates
Starter templates often pair primary sections along with placeholder images and text to give you a full email layout without having to design from a blank canvas.
These include:
| Starter template | Primary section |
| New collection | Featured collection |
| Collection overview | Featured collection |
| Collection features | Featured collection |
| New product | Product list |
| Product features | Product list |
| Product how-to | Product list |
| Behind the scenes | Featured collection |
| Featured blog post | Featured blog post |
| Shop celebration | Featured collection* |
| Sale announcement | Featured products* |
| Sale last chance | Product list* |
| Gift guide | Collection list |
| Shipping reminder | Featured products |
*templates include a discount call-out section that will not display until a discount is assigned to the newsletter.
Creating a template with a primary section
Start by selecting Create template from the Templates page. In the Create template modal, title your template and choose your primary section based on how you intend to use this template in the future.
This will add a single placeholder section to your template.
Note
Choosing None will result in a blank template.
Continue to customize your template by styling your primary section and adding more content. All the content you add to your template will be used when you create a newsletter. Once you've completed your new template, make sure to hit save.
Tip
Make sure that the content you add to your template is generic enough to be reusable, while still providing context for the message.
The next time you create a newsletter, you'll be able to select your new template as a starting point.
Using the primary section in a newsletter
When you’re ready to create a newsletter from your template, this is when you'll determine the product, collection, or blog post you want to use in the template's primary section. In our example, we’ll want to select the products that use our featured ingredient.
Selecting no primary section content will simply show placeholders in the newsletter. After newsletter creation, you may choose to modify the primary section content or delete the primary section entirely.
Changing the primary section in a template
While primary sections cannot be deleted from templates, duplicating the template with a new primary section is simple. To use a different primary section in a template, select the template Actions icon and choose Duplicate.
In the Duplicate template modal, enter your new template title and select the new primary section you wish to use. Your new primary section will replace the existing primary section in the template.
You may choose to archive the template you are no longer interested in using.