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Countdown Timers

Countdown Timers

Section titled “Countdown Timers”

Countdown timers build anticipation and urgency by displaying time remaining until important events. Perfect for sales, launches, holidays, and deadlines.

Creating a Countdown

Section titled “Creating a Countdown”

Step 1: Add Countdown Content

Section titled “Step 1: Add Countdown Content”
  1. Go to Content in the sidebar.
  2. Click Add New and select the Time category.
  3. Choose Countdown as the source.
  4. Click Configure to set up the countdown.

Step 2: Name your countdown

Section titled “Step 2: Name your countdown”

Enter a Name (required) and an optional Description.

Step 3: Configure Display Options

Section titled “Step 3: Configure Display Options”
Setting Description
Display Format Date Only — shows days remaining; Date & Time — shows full countdown (days, hours, minutes, seconds)
Unit Label Custom label for the countdown unit (e.g., “Days”, “Nights”, “Sleeps”)
Target Date The date to count down to (Date Only mode)
Target Date & Time The exact date and time to count down to (Date & Time mode)
Countdown Header Optional text displayed above the numbers (e.g., “Countdown to Vacation”)
Show Seconds Show seconds ticking (Date & Time mode only)
Timezone Enter an IANA timezone string (e.g., America/New_York) or local to use the display device’s timezone

Display Formats

Section titled “Display Formats”

Date Only

Section titled “Date Only”

Shows days remaining with a custom unit label:

Countdown to Vacation
14 Days

Best for: Long countdowns where a simple day count is enough.

Date & Time

Section titled “Date & Time”

Shows the full breakdown:

Countdown to Vacation
14 Days  8 Hours  32 Minutes  45 Seconds

Best for: Countdowns where the exact time matters, such as a sale start or event kickoff.

Countdown Ideas

Section titled “Countdown Ideas”

Retail & Business

Section titled “Retail & Business”
Event Example Header
Store opening “Grand Opening In:”
Sale start “Black Friday Starts In:”
Sale ending “Sale Ends In:”
Product launch “New Arrivals Drop In:”
Event “Holiday Party In:”
Season “Summer Season Begins:”
Deadline “Order By:”

Multiple Countdowns

Section titled “Multiple Countdowns”
  1. Create individual countdown content items.
  2. Add all to a playlist.
  3. They rotate, each showing in turn.

Countdown Best Practices

Section titled “Countdown Best Practices”

Timing

Section titled “Timing”
  • Start countdowns at an appropriate lead time — too far in advance loses urgency.
  • Remove or replace the content promptly after the event.
Event Type Start Showing
Major sale 1–2 weeks before
Store event 3–7 days before
Daily special Morning of
Deadline 24–48 hours before

Messaging

Section titled “Messaging”
  • Keep the header text short and action-oriented.
  • Match the tone to your brand.

Troubleshooting Countdowns

Section titled “Troubleshooting Countdowns”

Wrong Time Displayed

Section titled “Wrong Time Displayed”
  1. Check the target date and time settings.
  2. Verify the Timezone setting — use an IANA timezone string (e.g., America/New_York) or local for the device’s timezone.

Countdown Shows Negative or Already Expired

Section titled “Countdown Shows Negative or Already Expired”
  1. The event has already occurred — update to a new target date.
  2. Remove the content from the layout or playlist once the event passes.

What’s Next?

Section titled “What’s Next?”