Creating and managing countdown timers

To create and manage countdown timers, open the Optimizely Campaign menu and select More > Countdown Timer.

Image: Countdown timer

Creating countdown timers

Prerequisite: Prepared background image, see Preparing graphics.

  1. Click Create…. The Create Countdown Timer window opens.
  2. You can make the following settings:
    • Name. Enter a name for your countdown timer.
    • End Time. Enter the date (left part of box) and the time (right part of box) at which your countdown timer will end.
    • Format. Select the timer format and if your timer is animated or non-animated. See How it works.
    • Separator. Enter the separator you want to use between the counter digits. By default, the colon (:) is used. You can use a string of up to 5 characters. If you do not want to use a separator between digits, enter a space.
    • Background Color. Select a background color for the timer by entering a hexadecimal value or using the color selection tool. If you prepared graphics for the countdown timer, you do not need to enter a background color. The timer is then automatically set to have no background color for your background image.
    • Background Image for Running Countdown Timer. Upload a prepared background image (in JPEG, PNG, BMP or GIF format, with height and width values between 100 and 800 pixels) by clicking Upload and selecting an image. If you followed Preparing graphics, upload the second part of your top offer into the area you created for the timer. You will use the prepared product image/key visual later. Then, you will combine the product image/key visual and the finished countdown timer into a single graphic and insert it into your message (see Inserting a countdown timer into a message).

      Make sure to follow the design guidelines for background images.

    • Background Image for Finished Countdown Timer. To upload a background image (in JPEG, PNG, BMP or GIF format, with height and width values between 100 and 800 pixels) to be displayed in your messages when the countdown timer has run out. Click Upload and choose an image. If you do not, when the time runs out, the background image for running countdowns is displayed with digits set to zero.
    • Width (in Px). Enter the width of the timer background. If you uploaded a background image, its width is entered.
    • Height (in Px). Enter the height of the timer background. If you uploaded a background image, its width is entered.
    • Font. Select the font and the font style for the digits of the timer. If you followed the example in Preparing graphics, enter the font you used for the test timer in your image editing program.
    • Font Size. Enter the font size of the timer in pixels (px), at least 12 px. If you followed the example in Preparing graphics: enter the font size you used for the test timer in your image editing program.
    • Font Color. Enter the font color for the timer as a hexadecimal code or use the color selection tool. If you followed the example in Preparing graphics, enter the font color you used for the test timer in your image editing program.
    • Left Text Margin (in Px). Enter the distance between the timer and the left edge of the image. Use the preview to review the desired placement of the timer.
    • Top Text Margin (in Px). Enter the distance between the timer and the upper edge of the image. Use the preview to review the desired placement of the timer.
  3. Click Save.
  4. Click Close. The Countdown Timer window opens. If you select a created countdown timer from the list, a preview of the countdown timer is shown.

When you create a countdown timer, two field functions are generated that you can insert into your message:

  • Image tag field function. Default. Insert the image tag field function directly into the text.
  • Image URL field function. Alternative, in case the image tag field function is not rendered correctly. Insert the image URL field function into the source code as follows: <img src="{countdownImageUrl:0123456789}"/>.

Managing countdown timers

In the Countdown Timer window, you can edit, copy and delete countdown timers.

Option Action steps
Edit
  1. Select a countdown timer and click Edit….
  2. Edit the countdown timer as described under Creating a countdown timer.
  3. Click Save.
Copy
  1. Select a countdown timer and click Copy.
  2. Optional: Edit the countdown timer as described under Creating a countdown timer, and give it a new name.
  3. Click Save.
Delete

Do not delete countdown timers that are in use in ongoing mailings.

  1. Select a countdown timer and click Delete.
  2. Click Delete Countdown Timer