Inline content is content that is embedded within pages. It does not pop up or block a user’s work. Common formats include:
Banners
Empty states
Full pages
Content blocks
Navigation items
This article is about inline content. For overlays, product tours, or hotspots, see:
Inline content appears when and where it is relevant, without interrupting a task. You choose the exact spot where it renders, either above or below existing UI, or you can replace an element for everyone or for a specific audience.
Use inline content when the message is timely for that page but not urgent enough to interrupt a workflow. Examples:
A banner about advanced filters on a reports page
A helpful empty state that explains what to do next
A "Getting started" checklist on a new user’s dashboard
In this guide, we’ll walk through creating inline content, previewing and publishing it, and common use cases.
Creating Inline Content in Candu
To get started, navigate to Content on the left sidebar.
Click Create New Content and select content type Inline
Name your content (ex. “Feature Announcement Banner” or “Dashboard Empty State”)
Add a content section / category to keep things organized
Select an audience segment (or you can skip and refine targeting later)
Decide where the content will appear in your product:
Option 1: Grab a snapshot to place it precisely and preview it in context
Option 2: Skip this step and add a placement later
Building content
To start building content, drag Components from the Palette on the left.
Then, click the pencil icon to see customization options on the right panel, the Toolbox.
Not sure where to start? Use templates for design inspiration. We offer templates for banners, empty states, onboarding checklists, and more.
Preview and Publish Your Content
You can preview and test your in-app experiences in four ways: placing content with snapshots, using the share link, publishing to a test segment, or previewing with the Chrome Extension.
Placing content with snapshots
Snapshots let you capture a page layout so you can place and preview Candu content in the right spot. As we’ve seen, you can take a snapshot when creating a new piece of content or at any time within the toolbox.
Generate a public share link
You can preview content or share it with colleagues by turning on the public sharing link.
Want to see it in action?
Watch this short demo to see how the public preview works.
Publishing your content
When you’re ready to go live, click Publish. Make sure Candu is installed on the page where you want the content to show. And confirm:
Segments: You should have defined your audience by creating a segment. To double check your segment, go to the honeycomb icon on the top section of the editor.
URL: Confirm that the URL matches the right environment and page(s). Click Add Manually if you’d like to change the URL and rules, or click Use the above to continue.
And that’s it! Content can take up to five minutes to appear. If it does not show, see the troubleshooting guide.
When to Use Inline Content
Choosing between inline content and other content types (overlays, product tours, hotspots) depends on several factors. A best practice is to use inline content when the message is contextually relevant to what users are already doing, but not time-sensitive enough that you wish to interrupt their workflow. For example, a banner about advanced filtering options makes sense on a data table page.
New users often benefit from both inline and overlay content. Consider using product tours for initial orientation, then providing inline checklists and empty states they can reference as they explore.
✨ Moz transformed their product onboarding by embracing inline content. Learn more about Moz’s onboarding journey here.
Common Use Cases for Inline Content
Empty States
Turn empty screens into helpful guidance:
Explain what the feature does and how to get started
Link to docs or videos
Offer an upgrade splash for premium features
Good empty states help users find value sooner and navigate with confidence.
Well-designed empty states help users:
Start deriving value from your product quicker
Explore and engage with additional features
Navigate efficiently and achieve their goals faster
Banners
Use banners to inform without disruption:
Feature releases and announcements
Upgrade prompts and trial countdowns
Event and webinar promotions
Survey requests
Educational content promotion
Maintenance alerts
Payment notifications
Placement strategies
Top of page: Highly visible for urgent information like trial expiration or important announcements
Between UI components: Provides more space for rich content like images, GIFs, and multiple CTAs on dashboards or feature pages
✨ Learn more about how Salsify increased user research interview bookings by 200%, using in-app banners.
Full Pages and Getting Started Experiences
For complex products or multi-step processes, full-page inline experiences give users room to learn at their own pace. These work well for:
Comprehensive onboarding checklists
Help or resource hubs built directly into your product
Personalized dashboard experiences
Next Steps
Ready to create your first inline content?
Need more help? Reach out to us via chat or email us at [email protected].