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Z-Blocks. Directions of the Efficient Use

Z-Blocks is an extremely useful and multipurpose extension, which suites to every Magento store.

The universal nature of the module originates from the diversity of configuration opportunities applicable to any situation or audience.

The Z-Blocks extension for Magento


The features of the extension allow you to create promotions perfectly developed in all destinations (what, where, when, how, etc.):

  • Use Z-Blocks both for text and image publications;

  • Employ Z-Blocks for multiple purposes, including promotions and notifications;

  • Target Z-Blocks to different customer groups;

  • Schedule your promotional campaigns;

  • Use different blocks on different product pages and My Account page;

  • Rotate independent items within each block;

  • Display an unlimited number of blocks within one position;

  • And much more...


Thus, you obtain almost unlimited opportunities to tune and target you messages and make them 100%-effective. Using the provided configuration options and some necessary knowledge you can turn z-blocks into real sales assistants on your site.

Z-Blocks Usage Tips and Tricks


What: Effective Images
90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, 3M Corporation and Zabisco

Z-Blocks allow you to create both image and text blocks for your promotions and notifications, but images are usually more attractive and provide greater impact. So, if you have an alternative, we would better recommend using of images and photos for any particular purpose.

In order to make images effective you should know some basic facts about web graphics on your site:

  • All images and photos should fit the ultimate goal and directly correspond to the style and content of your store. As promotional blocks perform only a supporting role, they should not distract or annoy visitors. So, don’t get carried away with prodigious visual effects, which can spoil the overall impression.

  • Try to use only small and mid-sized images, which do not overload the store without need.

  • Web graphics should highlight the main content of the page.

  • If you use some bright graphic pieces, do it only once and don’t multiply them throughout the site.

  • Do not use images for delivering textual information as it confuses users, loads server vainly, and excludes this piece of information from the internal search and search engines index.

  • Provide textual alternatives to graphic notifications. You can do it in the ALT and Title image attributes, at least, or on separate dedicated pages.




Where: Effective Positioning
In order to find out the most appropriate position of z-blocks on your site you should initially determine the importance of the information delivered by them. You can use the most eye-catching space of the site like top bars or, if the notification is not so important, you can place it somewhere aside.

As you possibly know, most people track new sites by the F-shape pattern revealed by Jakob Nielsen. So, if you want your z-block be certainly noticed, put it in menu-top or sidebar-left-top positions.
Most people track new sites by the F-shape pattern. Source: Jakob Nielsen

Moreover, people better react to visual elements (image or video) on the page and the first one grabs the most attention. So, embedding video into z-blocks is very effective for conversions.

It may sound surprising, but visiting new sites people tend to look for some familiar elements, for example links in blue instead of other colors, and feel confused when do not notice any of them. That’s why, being different in this case is less effective, which is applicable to not only links, but positioning, as well. Thus, try to use only familiar locations for promotional blocks and do not change their position very often.

When: Best Time for Promotions
The Z-Blocks extension allows you to schedule promotional campaigns on your site and duration of notifications. According to the LinkedIn investigation, people are accustomed and react better to promotions in January, June, and July. However, this trend is gradually flattened. This means that you should better choose the time for promotions based on your own data and experiments, as there is no any universal approach to this issue.

How: Efficient Segmentation
Segmented emails produce 30% more opens. Source: Monetate

Currently all online merchants try to stay close and provide very personal communications to their customers. But generally store owners sell to several customer groups with different purchasing behavior and should take into consideration these peculiarities in their promotions and notifications. So, segmentation is the smartest way to deliver personal messages to various customer groups.

Possible segmentation attributes are numerous and can be based on human traits, types of sold products, cultural peculiarities, etc. Here are the basic segmentation attributes:

  • Demographic attributes;

  • Socioeconomic attributes;

  • Brand affinity / Product usage attributes.


All other attributes are derived from them: psychographic, generation, geography, benefits sought, etc.

New companies, which have no significant customer databases usually rely on demographic and socioeconomic attributes. However, established companies explore their own shoppers, since customers from the same demographic group may often choose absolutely different products. Anyway, the purpose of any segmentation is to identify what customers exactly prefer in your shop.

When the user’s profile is determined, you can target your promotions and notifications using the default segmentation functionality of the Z-blocks extension or widen its opportunities using the Market Segmentation Suite integration.

You should remember that the ultimate purpose of any segmentation is to make you customers feel special.

What For: Employ Z-Blocks for Multiple Purposes
Depending on the purpose, you can use the Z-Blocks extension for direct promotions, service notifications, congratulations of customers, etc.; and you can explore  some corresponding descriptive use cases on the product page of the extension.

More Information about Z-Blocks



Hope our tips will be useful and help you improve the results of your promotional campaigns performed with the use of the Z-Blocks extensions.

If you have any questions about the Z-Blocks extension, share them in comments below.