| Product Requirements |
 Privy Convert |
A countdown timer is a virtual clock set to expire at a given time, usually indicating the beginning or end of an offer. The display helps generate awareness while creating a sense of urgency and scarcity that encourages shoppers to expedite their purchase decision. Countdown timers are an essential component of any business' conversion rate optimization (CRO) strategy, as they leverage the innate power of FOMO (fear of missing out) to generate more conversions.
The countdown timer bar play differs from the countdown timer with signup play in that its primary purpose is to generate awareness and increase conversions via checkout or other displays. The countdown timer bar cannot collect any visitor information on its own.
Create the display
To create a countdown timer:
- Navigate to the Plays dashboard via the main navigation, selecting Convert > All Displays and clicking the New display button.
- Locate the Countdown Timer Bar play, and select the Create button.
- Adjust the Start date, Start time, End date, and End time of your timer.
- Click Continue to start customizing the display's design.
Customize your display
To customize your new countdown timer bar:
- Select the headline or timer elements of the preview to customize the content, the font family, font size, font color, and alignment. Make sure to leave the {{ countdown }} merge tag in the timer element, as the display needs it to function correctly.
- To edit the display's background, click Edit Text Element to go back to the Displays menu.
- Under Display Styles, click Background color to select a new color for the countdown bar, or click Background image to set an image as your timer's background.
- When your design is complete, click Save in the upper-right.
Note: When selecting an image for your countdown timer background, Privy will also use it for your display's mobile and desktop versions. Please ensure that the image is appropriate for both uses.
Target the right audience
As with all Privy plays, a recommended target audience is already selected for your display. In this case, a countdown timer bar appears Immediately to All audiences (everyone). To change these default settings, click on the appropriate card and update the settings. For example, a common change is to show the timer to visitors in a specific region. To make this kind of change:
- In the Target step, select Who To Show It To > Add targeting condition.
- In the Property field, select Country, Region, Zip Code, etc.
- In the Operator field, select is.
- In the Value field, select the desired country, region, zip code, etc., and Save.
Launch the display
Select the Publish button to launch the display.
The countdown timer bar is now live and will appear to your qualifying visitors.
Review the results
After a display is published, you can dig into its performance by navigating to the All displays dashboard, selecting the display, and clicking the Results option.
