Increase Order Value with a Countdown Timer Bar

A countdown timer is a virtual clock set to expire at a set 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 template differs from the countdown timer with signup template because 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 Template dashboard via the main navigation, select Convert > All Displays, and click 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 Bar to go to the Edit 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.

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 Settings 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 Audience Targeting, select Add targeting condition
• Make the desired changes 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.