Dynamic Content In Spectra

Introduction

Transform static content into dynamic, data-driven experiences. Display live content from posts, custom fields, user information, and external sources – all automatically updated without manual editing.

What is Dynamic Content?

Dynamic Content automatically pulls live data into your blocks. Instead of manually typing “By John Smith” or “Posted on December 15”, the content updates automatically when posts or data change.

Perfect for:

• Blog templates – Author names, dates, categories update automatically
• Product pages – Prices, descriptions, images from custom fields
• User dashboards – Personalized “Welcome back, [Name]!” messages
• Archive pages – Category names, descriptions, counts

What You Can Make Dynamic

Replace Text

Turn static text like “By John Smith” into “By [Author Name]” that updates automatically.

Smart Links

Make buttons automatically link to the right post, category, or user profile.

Auto Images

Show featured images, user avatars, or custom field images that change with content.

Dynamic Text – Replace Static Text

What it does: Changes text like “Welcome, John!” to automatically show the current user’s name.

How to Set Up:

Step 1: In a Text or Button block, either:

• Select text to replace it with dynamic content, OR
• Place your cursor where you want to insert dynamic content

Step 2: Click the Dynamic Content button in the toolbar
Step 3: Pick what you want to show:

• Post title, date, author name
• Custom field values
• User information
• Site details

Step 4: Click Apply → Your text now updates automatically!

Pro Tip: You can insert multiple dynamic content pieces in the same block! Just place your cursor at different positions and repeat the process.

Quick Examples:

• "By [Author Name]" → “By Sarah Johnson”
• "Posted [Post Date]" → “Posted December 15, 2024”
• "Welcome, [User Name]!" → “Welcome, Mike!”
• "Price: [Custom Field]" → “Price: $29.99”

Multiple Dynamic Content in One Block:

"By [Author Name] on [Post Date] in [Post Terms]
Read time: [Custom Field: read_time] • [Comments Number] comments"

Result: “By Sarah Johnson on December 15, 2024 in Web Design
Read time: 5 min • 12 comments”

Extra Options:

Replace Full Content

• What it does: Replace entire block content instead of just selected text
• When to use: When you want the whole block to be dynamic

Enable Link

Turn your dynamic text into a clickable link:

• Post links: Link to the post, comments, or featured image
• Author links: Link to author profile or website

Advanced Settings

Click Advanced button for more options:

• Before Text: Add text before (like “By “)
• After Text: Add text after (like ” ago”)
• Character Limit: Cut long text and add “…”
• Fallback Text: Show backup text if data is missing

Smart Links – Auto-Link to the Right Place

What it does: Makes buttons automatically link to the current post, author page, or any dynamic destination.

For Buttons and Icons:

Step 1: Select your Button or Icon block
Step 2: Click Link in the toolbar
Step 3: Toggle “Dynamic Link” → ON
Step 4: Choose where to link:

• Current post → Post URL
• Author page → Author archive
• Custom field → External URL
• Category → Archive page

Step 5: Click Apply → Button now links automatically!

For Images:

Step 1: Select your Image block
Step 2: Click Dynamic Content in the toolbar
Step 3: Toggle “Dynamic Link” → ON
Step 4: Pick link destination
Step 5: Click Apply → Image is now clickable!

For Text:

Step 1: Set up dynamic text first
Step 2: Enable “Enable Link” in the settings
Step 3: Choose link destination

Popular Link Types:

• “Read More” buttons → Always link to the current post
• Author names → Link to author’s profile page
• Category tags → Link to category archives
• Product images → Link to external product pages

Auto Images – Show the Right Image

What it does: Automatically shows featured images, user avatars, or custom field images.

Core Images (Replace the Whole Image):

Step 1: Add an Image block
Step 2: Click Dynamic Content in the toolbar
Step 3: Toggle “Dynamic Image” → ON
Step 4: Choose image source:

• Post featured image
• User avatar
• Custom field image
• Site logo

Step 5: Set backup image (optional)
Step 6: Click Apply → Image updates automatically!

Note: You can also toggle “Dynamic Link” to make the image clickable!

Background Images (Container, Slider, Modal):

Step 1: Select Container, Slider, or Modal block
Step 2: Go to Style tab in the block settings
Step 3: Open the Background panel
Step 4: Set Background Type to Image
Step 5: In the Dynamic Image section, toggle Dynamic Image → ON
Step 6: Pick image source and set backup image
Step 7: Apply → Background changes automatically!

Great for:

• Author bio sections → Show author’s profile picture
• Product showcases → Display product images from custom fields
• Blog headers → Featured image backgrounds
• User dashboards → Personal avatar images

Where Your Content Comes From

Choose the right data source based on what type of dynamic content you’re creating:

For Text-Based Dynamic Content

Current Post

Perfect for blog posts, product pages, any single post

Post Information:

• Post Title – The title of the post
• Post Excerpt – Short summary of the post
• Post ID – The post’s unique number
• Post Terms – Categories, tags, or custom taxonomy terms
• Comments Number – Number of comments on the post
• Post Custom Field – Values from custom field plugins and native WordPress custom fields

Supported Custom Field Sources:

Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)

• Text Content: Text fields, Text areas, Numbers, Ranges, Email fields, URLs, Passwords, WYSIWYG editors, Dropdowns, Checkboxes, Radio buttons, True/False toggles, Date pickers, Time pickers, Date/Time pickers, Color pickers
• Image Content: Image upload fields
• Link Content: Text fields, Email fields, Image fields, File fields, Page link fields, URL fields, Link fields

Meta Box

• Text Content: Text fields, Email fields, Numbers, Text areas, Dropdowns, Radio buttons, Checkboxes, Checkbox lists, Autocomplete fields, Color pickers, Date fields, Date/Time fields, Time fields, Headings, Password fields, WYSIWYG editors, URL fields, Range sliders
• Image Content: Image upload fields, Advanced image fields, Image upload areas, Single image fields
• Link Content: URL fields, File upload fields, Advanced file fields, File input fields, File upload areas, All image field types

Pods

• Text Content: Text fields, Paragraph fields, WYSIWYG editors, Code fields, Date/Time fields, Date fields, Time fields, Number fields, Currency fields, Phone fields, Email fields, Password fields, Website fields, Color pickers, True/False fields, Comment fields
• Image Content: File upload fields
• Link Content: File upload fields, Website fields

WordPress Custom Fields (Core)

• Text Fields: All native WordPress custom fields (post_meta) – only for text-based dynamic content
• Automatic Detection: Automatically excludes private fields (starting with _) and system fields

Post Date & Time:

• Post Date with options: Published/Modified, various formats, “5 minutes ago”, Custom
• Post Time with options: Published/Modified, 12-hour/24-hour formats, Custom

Featured Image Text: When you select Featured Image, choose what text to show:

• Title – Image title
• Alt – Alt text for accessibility
• Caption – Image caption
• Description – Detailed description
• File URL – Direct link to image file
• Attachment URL – WordPress attachment page URL

Author Information:

• Name – Author’s full name
• First Name – Author’s first name
• Last Name – Author’s last name
• Display Name – Author’s public display name
• Username – Author’s login username
• Description – Author’s biographical info
• Nickname – Author’s nickname
• Bio – Author’s biographical info
• Email – Author’s email address
• User ID – Author’s unique ID number
• Website – Author’s personal website
• Avatar Image URL – Author’s profile picture URL
• Author Custom Field – Custom fields from author’s profile (supports ACF, Meta Box, Pods, and WordPress core user meta)

Post Type

Choose any specific post, page, or product

Setup: Choose Post Type → Select Specific Post → Pick Field Available Fields: Same as Current Post above Great for: Featuring specific products, linking to important pages, showcasing team members

Archive

Category, tag, author, and other archive pages

Available Fields:

• Archive Title – Archive name (like “Web Design” category)
• Archive Description – Archive description text
• Archive URL – URL of the archive page
• Archive Custom Field – Custom meta data for archives (supports ACF taxonomy fields)

Site

Your website’s basic info

Available Fields:

• Site Title – Your WordPress site title
• Site Tagline – Your site’s tagline/description
• Site URL – Your main website URL
• Admin Email – Administrator email address

Current User

Personalized content for logged-in users

Available Fields:

• Display Name – User’s public name
• Username – User’s login name
• Nickname – User’s nickname
• First Name – User’s first name
• Last Name – User’s last name
• Bio – User’s biographical info
• Email – User’s email address
• ID – User’s unique ID
• Website – User’s personal website URL
• Avatar Image URL – User’s profile picture URL
• Custom Input – Enter any custom user meta key manually (supports ACF, Meta Box, Pods, and WordPress core user meta)

Important: Only logged-in users see this content. Anonymous visitors see fallback text.

Request Parameter

Content from your page URL

Parameter Types:

• Get – URL parameters like ?search=keyword
• Post – Form submission data
• Query Var – WordPress query variables

Example: URL yoursite.com/page/?category=news → Parameter category → Shows “news”

Shortcode

Any WordPress shortcode output

Examples:

• [current_user_display_name] → Shows “John Smith”
• [site_visitor_count] → Shows “1,234 visitors”
• [custom_message id='123'] → Shows custom message

Tip: Use single quotes for attributes: [shortcode id='123']

For Link-Based Dynamic Content

Current Post

• Post Permalink – Link to the post
• Comments Area – Link to comments section
• Featured Image URL – Link to featured image file
• Post Custom Field – URL from custom field plugins and native WordPress custom fields

Supported Custom Field Sources for Links:

Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)

• Text fields, Email fields, Image fields, File fields, Page link fields, URL fields, Link fields

Meta Box

• URL fields, File upload fields, Advanced file fields, File input fields, File upload areas, All image field types

Pods

• File upload fields, Website fields

WordPress Custom Fields (Core)

• All native WordPress custom fields (post_meta) that contain URLs
• Author Archive – Author’s posts page
• Author Website – Author’s personal website
• First Term Archive – First category/tag page

Post Type

Same options as Current Post, but for your chosen specific post.

Archive

• Archive URL – Current archive page
• Archive Custom Field – URL from archive meta (supports ACF taxonomy fields that contain URLs)

Site

• Site URL – Main website URL
• Home URL – Homepage URL

Current User

• User Profile URL – User’s profile page
• User Website URL – User’s personal website
• User Custom Field – URL from user meta (supports ACF, Meta Box, Pods, and WordPress core user meta fields that contain URLs)

Request Parameters

• Parameter Value as URL – Use URL parameter as destination

Shortcodes

• Shortcode Output as URL – Use shortcode result as link

For Image-Based Dynamic Content

Current Post

• Featured Image – Post’s featured image
• Post Custom Field – Images from custom field plugins and native WordPress custom fields

Supported Custom Field Sources for Images:

Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)

• Image upload fields

Meta Box

• Image upload fields, Advanced image fields, Image upload areas, Single image fields

Pods

• File upload fields

WordPress Custom Fields (Core)

• Not supported for image content (images only work with plugin-based custom fields)

Post Type

• Featured Image – Specific post’s featured image
• Post Custom Field – Images from specific post’s custom fields

Archive

• Archive Custom Field – Images from archive custom fields/meta (supports ACF taxonomy image fields)

Site

• Site Logo URL – Site logo from WordPress Customizer

Real-World Examples

Complete Blog Post Header

Text-Based Dynamic Content with Advanced Settings:

"By [Author Display Name] on [Post Date] in [Post Terms]
[Post Excerpt]
Read time: [Custom Field: read_time] • [Comments Number] comments"

Advanced Settings:

• Before Text for Author: “Written by “
• After Text for Post Terms: ” category”
• Character Limit for Excerpt: 150 characters
• Fallback for Read Time: “5 min”

Result: “Written by Sarah Johnson on December 15, 2024 in Web Design category
Learn how to create stunning websites with these essential tips and tricks for beginners. From choosing the right colors to optimizing…
Read time: 8 min • 12 comments”

E-Commerce Product Showcase

Combined Text, Image, and Link Dynamic Content:

Product Title with Price:

"[Post Title] - $[Custom Field: price]"

Advanced Settings: Fallback for price: “Contact for pricing”

Dynamic Product Image:

• Source: ACF Image field “product_gallery”
• Fallback Image: Default product placeholder
• Dynamic Link: Custom Field “external_product_url”

Product Details:

"SKU: [Custom Field: product_sku]  
Stock: [Custom Field: stock_status]
Rating: [Custom Field: average_rating]/5 stars"

Buy Button with Dynamic Link:

• Button Text: “Buy Now for $[Custom Field: price]”
• Dynamic Link: Custom Field “affiliate_link”
• Fallback Link: Post Permalink

Personalized User Dashboard

User-Specific Content with Fallbacks:

"Welcome back, [User Display Name]!  
Account Level: [User Custom Field: membership_level]
Credits Remaining: [User Custom Field: credits]
Last Login: [User Custom Field: last_login_date]"

Advanced Settings:

• Fallback for User Name: “Valued Member”
• Fallback for Membership Level: “Standard”
• Before Text for Credits: “$”
• After Text for Last Login: ” ago”

Profile Avatar with Link:

• Dynamic Image: User Avatar Image URL
• Dynamic Link: User Profile URL
• Fallback Image: Default avatar

Dynamic Team Member Cards

ACF Fields Integration:

"[Post Title] - [Custom Field: job_title]
[Custom Field: bio_excerpt]
Experience: [Custom Field: years_experience] years
Email: [Author Email]"

Team Member Photo:

• Dynamic Image: ACF Image field “headshot”
• Dynamic Link: Author Website (if available) or Email

Social Links:

• LinkedIn Button: Custom Field “linkedin_url”
• Twitter Button: Custom Field “twitter_url”
• Portfolio Button: Custom Field “portfolio_url”

News Article with Advanced Features

Publication Details:

"[Post Date] | [Post Time] | By [Author Display Name]
[Post Title]
[Post Excerpt]"

Advanced Settings:

• Post Date Format: “F j, Y” (December 15, 2024)
• Post Time Format: “g:i A” (3:30 PM)
• Character Limit for Excerpt: 200
• Fallback Text: “Breaking news story”

Category Badge with Link:

• Text: “[Post Terms]”
• Dynamic Link: First Term Archive
• Before Text: “#”

Featured Image with Caption:

• Dynamic Image: Featured Image
• Dynamic Link: Featured Image URL (lightbox)
• Caption: Featured Image Alt text

Landing Page with URL Parameters

Personalized Content from URL:

URL: yoursite.com/welcome?name=John&plan=premium&source=email

Dynamic Welcome Message:

"Hello [Request Parameter: name]!  
Your [Request Parameter: plan] plan is ready.
Special offer from [Request Parameter: source]"

Result: “Hello John! Your premium plan is ready. Special offer from email”

Location-Based Store Finder

Archive Page for Store Locations:

"[Archive Title] Store Location
Address: [Archive Custom Field: store_address]
Phone: [Archive Custom Field: phone_number]  
Hours: [Archive Custom Field: business_hours]"

Store Image:

• Dynamic Image: Archive Custom Field “store_photo”
• Dynamic Link: Archive Custom Field “google_maps_url”

Special Offers:

• Dynamic Content: Archive Custom Field “current_promotions”
• Fallback: “Visit us for daily specials!”

Portfolio Showcase with Meta Box

Project Details:

"Project: [Post Title]
Client: [Custom Field: client_name]  
Completed: [Custom Field: completion_date]
Technologies: [Custom Field: tech_stack]"

Project Gallery:

• Dynamic Images: Meta Box Image Advanced field “project_gallery”
• Dynamic Links: Each image links to Custom Field “live_demo_url”

Client Testimonial:

"[Custom Field: testimonial_text]
- [Custom Field: client_name], [Custom Field: client_title]"

Event Listing with Pods

Event Information:

"[Post Title] on [Custom Field: event_date]
Location: [Custom Field: venue_name]
Time: [Custom Field: start_time] - [Custom Field: end_time]  
Price: [Custom Field: ticket_price]"

Advanced Settings:

• Event Date Format: “F j, Y”
• Before Text for Price: “$”
• Fallback for Price: “Free”

Registration Button:

• Button Text: “Register Now”
• Dynamic Link: Pods Website field “registration_url”
• Fallback Link: Post Permalink

Advanced Shortcode Integration

Custom Plugin Integration:

"Total Sales: [Shortcode: [woocommerce_sales total='true']]
Member Count: [Shortcode: [member_count type='active']]
Last Updated: [Post Date]"

Weather Widget:

"Current Weather: [Shortcode: [weather_widget location='[Request Parameter: city]']]
Location: [Request Parameter: city]"

Pro Tips

Advanced Feature Combinations

Dynamic Image + Dynamic Link

Combine both features on images:

• Image Block: Toggle both “Dynamic Image” and “Dynamic Link” ON
• Result: Featured image that automatically links to the post URL
• Great for: Product images linking to purchase pages, author photos linking to profiles

Advanced Text Formatting

Use the Advanced Settings for professional results:

• Before Text: “$” for currency → Result: “$299.99”
• After Text: ” ago” for time → Result: “2 hours ago”
• Character Limit: 150 characters with automatic “…” truncation
• Fallback Text: “Coming Soon” when custom fields are empty

Fallback Image Strategy

Set fallback images for professional appearance:

• Set Fallback Image in image settings for backup when dynamic content fails
• Perfect for: User avatars (fallback to default), product images (fallback to placeholder)

Best Practices

Always Set Fallbacks

Prevent empty content from breaking your design:

• Text Fallback: “Article” instead of empty post titles
• Image Fallback: Company logo when featured images missing
• User Content: “Visitor” when user not logged in

Character Limits for Design

Use Character Limit settings to maintain layout:

• Card layouts: 50-60 characters for titles
• Mobile responsive: 30-40 characters for small screens
• Excerpts: 150-200 characters with “…” ellipsis

URL Parameter Usage

Create personalized pages with URL parameters:

yoursite.com/welcome?name=John&source=email
Welcome message: "Hello [Request Parameter: name]!"
Result: "Hello John!"

Power User Techniques

Custom Field Plugin Flexibility

Mix different custom field plugins:

• Use ACF for images, Meta Box for structured data
• Access any plugin’s fields with “Custom Input” option
• Combine data from multiple field sources in one design

Shortcode Integration

Enhance dynamic content with shortcodes:

"Member since [Shortcode: [member_join_date]]
Posts written: [Shortcode: [author_post_count]]"

Archive Page Enhancement

Make category/tag pages dynamic:

• Archive Title: Auto-updates category names
• Archive Description: Pull category descriptions
• Archive Custom Field: Use ACF taxonomy fields for images/extra data

Request Parameter Personalization

Track marketing campaigns and personalize content:

• Email campaigns: ?source=newsletter&campaign=spring
• Social media: ?source=facebook&product=premium
• Then use: “Special offer from [Request Parameter: source]”

Quick Troubleshooting

Content Not Showing?

• Check if the field has data (custom fields, user info)
• Verify you’re on the right post type
• Set fallback text for empty fields

Links Not Working?

• Make sure the custom field contains a full URL (https://…)
• Check if the target post/page exists
• Test with different data sources

Images Not Appearing?

• Verify the post has a featured image
• Check custom field contains image URL or attachment ID
• Set a fallback image for safety

Need Help?

• Watch the demo video at the top
• Check the specific field sections above
• Contact support with specific examples