Sitecore Rule Set Editor – Full list of conditions

Posted on 15/03/2017 by Dominic Hurst — Leave a comment

Sitecore Rules Set Editor

I thought it would be worth documenting the full set of conditions available in the Rule Set Editor. More often than not, like anything in life really, we all tend to focus on one or several rules to utilise for personalisation forgetting the vast list we have at our disposal.

Rule based personalisation is of course just one way personalise. Predictive is an option too, but that’s a different post for a different day.

Predefined Rules

where predefined rule is true

Campaigns

when current interaction’s campaign’s custom facet field is classified under the specified custom group

As per Sitecore documentation; a campaign is a promotion or advertising initiative designed to encourage people to visit your website. So this could be a link/ ad on a site (or even social media) or a link in an email. Campaigns are great to personalise with; in fact a must. Context is the key; for maximum conversion you need to ensure both the design and message match between the campaign and the landing page. Using several components on a page, you can really leverage personalisation per campaign from ultimately one landing page. This gives power to your Marketing team, so they can spin up a new landing page in seconds; more importantly you will generate more leads. See principle 2 of Conversion centred design for more information on context.

Channel

when the current interaction is on the specified channel
when the current interaction is on a channel in the specified channel group
when the current interaction is on a channel in the specified channel type

Channels are a subset of campaigns. They let you group campaigns together; so rather than personalise on an individual campaign, you might want to be a bit more generic and personalise on a Channel (think Source), or Channel group (think medium).

NB: Don’t get a Channel mixed up with traffic types (although you can map these together too). Channel is the descriptor, whilst type is a numeric value. Traffic types come below under visits. This is where you can personalise based on a referral site or a search keyword query.

Date

when the date has passed
when the current day of the month compares to number
when the current day is day of the week
when the current month is month

Often overlooked but you can personalise on a date. If used this might be in addition to another rule, maybe to personalise a timed campaign. Do note that Date is based on UTC time (ie the time on the user’s device). What would be good here is to add a Time rule, especially if you receive converting (or non converting) traffic at a certain time.

Device

where the device browser compares to specific value
where browser supports HTML 5 audio
where browser supports HTML 5 video
where browser supports JavaScript
where the device hardware model compares to specific value
where the device property compares to specific value
where the device operating system compares to specific value
where the device operating system vendor compares to specific value
where the device supports touch screen
where device type is value
where the device vendor compares to specific value
where the hardware screen height compares to number
where the hardware screen width compares to number

We live in an multichannel world; gone are the days for dominant browsers or dominant devices (anyone on IE on a 1024 x 768 desktop? No didn’t think so). Your users behave differently on different devices and that is why we need to adapt and personalise what is seen on each device type. So think content (long vs short); think tone of message; think not showing all content at all in the first place – remember less is more. You might also know a device type is a high/ low converter so you might want to offer them a discount to encourage conversions.

Obviously your site should be responsive in the first place, but utilising personalisation can further enhance this experience.

Fields

where the specific field compares to specific value
where the specific field is empty
where the item contains a field type that compares to specific

Fields are specific to a set of pages/ templates. So you might want to show content or a call to action for pages where a check box has been ticked. For example you can use personalisation to place an advert throughout a section of your site in an instant.

GeoIP

where the area code compares to specific value
where the business name compares to specific value
where the city compares to specific city
where the country compares to specific country
where the DNS address compares to specific value
where the IP address compares to specific value
where the ISP name compares to specific value
where the latitude compares to specific value
where the longitude compares to specific value
where the metro code compares to specific value
where the postal code compares to specific value
where the region compares to specific value

One of the most popular methods to personalise but you will need a look up provider first. Pre 8.1 you have to enable/ subscribe to MaxMind, post 8.1 you can subscribe to the Sitecore IP Geolocation service. Personalisation based on GeoIP opens up so many options. Logically if you are an International Organisation you can tailor your website to different global markets; but equally you can zone in and look at regional personalisation. A great example here is delivery costs. Why tell someone in Japan the cost of delivery for America? Why tell people local delivery costs when they aren’t local? Delivery costs (lack of them or clarity) are a major reason for cart abandonments; so why not detect where the user is and clearly state their delivery costs on your key landing pages?

Item Hierarchy

where the item is the specific item or one of its ancestors
where the item is the specific item or one of its descendants
where the level of the item compares to number
where the item path compares to path
where the parent name compares to value
where the parent template is specific template

Item Hierarchy is similar to Fields and Item Information; that being you can personalise a range of pages quickly. Hierarchy is good if you have a large site that is built upon a sound Information Architecture (IA). For example you are an event website and have grouped events into themes/ months. You could utilise personalisation to promote an additional offer or use cross selling for similar/ imminent events.

Item Information

where the item ID compares to value
where the item name compares to value
where the item template is specific template

Item Information is similar to Fields and Item Hierarchy; that being you can personalise a range of pages quickly. Item Information is probably the most popular of the three because it covers a template. Quite often sites will have a range of templates; for example a template for sales, a template for news and so on. So you already realise the need for a different experience by having templates so utilise personalisation to take this one step further.

Item Version

where the item language compares to value

Outcomes

where the current contact has registered the outcome during any interaction
where the current contact has registered the outcome during any interaction where monetary value compares to value

Security

where the current user is anonymous
where the current user domain name compares to value
where the user profile includes a valid email address
where the current user name compares to value
where the specific field in the user profile compares to value
where the specific field in the user profile is not empty
where the value in the specific numeric field in the user profile compares to number
where the current user is a member of the specific role

Sitecore Query

where the result of the expression query exists

Social

where the gender of the current contact is value
where the current contact is interested in value on any connected social network
where the current contact is connected to the specific social network
where the current contact’s Klout Score compares to number
where the network profile specific field compares to value

Knowing if someone is on a social network during or prior to visiting your site gives you some leverage to personalise off. In the case of Facebook you can personalise your site based of some very granular information such as liked items. Whilst this feature isn’t used too frequently, it’s something to consider if your user base is social.

System

Analytics has been enabled
where calling the specific script returns true
where a condition in the specific rule is true
when the Content Search feature is enabled
where the current domain name compares to value
when the Item Buckets feature is enabled
where true (actions always execute)

Tracking

Tracking is enabled

Venue

when the current interaction is at the specified venue
when the current interaction is at a venue in the specified venue group
when the current interaction is at a venue in the specified venue type

Venues relate to locations where offline interactions occurred (offline being not on the current website). So think a shop or even an app. You do something on them and next time you visit the website; it brings this information together for you to personalise. An example could be a purchase at a shop; loyalty card is scanned or QR code read. The next time you visit the site an offer for a free drink is presented to you for being a loyal user.

Visit

where the specific campaign was triggered during the current visit
where the specific campaign was triggered during a past or current interaction and
when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number
where the specific campaign was triggered during a past or current interaction and
when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number and the custom data compares to value
where a past or current interaction is on the specific Channel and when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number
where a past or current interaction is on the specific Channel and when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number and the custom data compares to value
where the number of engagement value points compares to number
where the specific goal was triggered during the current visit
where the specific goal was triggered during a past or current interaction and when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number
where the specific goal was triggered during a past or current interaction and when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number and the custom data compares to value
where the current visit matches the specific pattern card in the specific profile
where the specific outcome was registered during a past or current interaction and
when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number
where the specific outcome was registered during a past or current interaction and
when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number and the custom data compares to value
where the specific page event was triggered during a past or current interaction and
when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number
where the specific page event was triggered during a past or current interaction and
when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number and the custom data compares to value
where the page index compares to number
where the specific page has been visited during the current visit
where the value of the specific profile key in the interaction profile compares to specific value
where the search keywords compares to specific value
where the site name compares to value
where the traffic type compares to number
where a past or current interaction is on the specific venue and when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number
where a past or current interaction is on the specific venue and when the number of elapsed days compares to number and when the past number of interactions compares to number and the custom data compares to value
where the duration of the visit compares to seconds
where the Asset was downloaded
where the number of downloaded Assets compares to number
where the Language was language
where the Visit started at the Entry Page
where the Visit ended at the Exit Page
where start date compares to date
where the referrer compares to specific value
where the internal search keywords compares to specific value

Personalisation by visit; has a vast amount of options at your disposal. They focus on the current visit or previous visits (on the basis the cookie assigned on the first visit is still in play or that the user has signed in on both occasions). Using the current visit allows you to begin a user journey based on clicks, outcomes, time on page. You might want to offer a 10% discount code for users who are dwelling on a page, you might want to remove an in-page form for users who have already filled it in. You might even want to push more goal based components and users who have just converted. A great example of this is getting a user to signup to a mailing list or social channel once they have just converted (eg download/ purchase/ application). They are already engaged so it’s worth leveraging this.

Using a past visit to personalise a current visit is brilliant for reconnecting with a user. You might know a user still has an item in the shopping basket and now you want them to purchase; you might know someone started to fill in a form and now want them to finish the form.

Visitor

where the number of the contact’s current engagement value points compares to number
where the visit no. compares to number
where the specific tag of the visitor is not empty
where the ISP name compares to specific value
where the current contact matches the specific pattern card in the specific profile
where the value of the specific profile key in the contact behavior profile compares to specific value
where the value in the specific numeric field in the user profile compares to number
where the visitor identification compares to specific value
where the specific tag of the visitor compares to value

So rather than a generalisation of a visit (especially if cookies are removed), we can get a bit more engrained by using visitor to personalise. So we can look at the number of visits and personalise based on this. Depending on what you sell (eccommerce or not) people might be engaged on their first visit, but more often they engage after several repeat visits. Think of buying a holiday or vehicle. It’s very rare you buy there and then. Instead you come back several times; maybe to watch a promotional video or spec list or even reviews or social proof. So personalisation can really kick in here; if you know they watched a video (based on using a tag) show them a different video or other page component on the next visit.

Tags are a great way for personalising on what isn’t a key goal (macro conversion); more so a lesser goal (micro conversion). Think a newsletter registration or a download of a brochure. Something that is a positive sign of engagement; but not quite up there with a purchase.

We also have options based on patterns and profiles. Does you visitor match to a pattern or profiles you have set up in Sitecore? Patterns and profiles are great in segmenting your users and then personalising based on this segment. The true beauty of this feature is the anticipation of segmentation and Sitecore’s ability to know a visitor is in a segment based the user’s journey. This mapping and strategy takes time; but get it right and you can gain conversions from groups of users you might have even known.

Xdb

Xdb is enabled

So that’s the list (from 8.2). I will add more as they become available. If you have something to add or a great example to share then let me know. I want to challenge the #Sitecore community to help me elaborate on each one with examples of potential use and best practice. So comment, tweet, reply and send me your links. Credit will of course be given.

Tagged with: Personalisation, personalization, rules, rules set editor, Sitecore
Posted in Personalisation, Sitecore