Overview
Scheduling allows you to control exactly when your announcement bars are displayed to visitors. Set start and end dates, choose specific times, and configure recurring displays to match your promotions, events, and campaigns.
Enable/Disable Scheduling
Toggle scheduling on or off in your announcement bar settings. When disabled, the bar displays continuously according to its other visibility rules. When enabled, the bar only appears during scheduled time periods.
Start Date and Time
Date Picker
Select the date when the announcement bar should start appearing. Click the calendar icon to open a date picker, or type the date directly in your preferred format.
Time Picker
Set the specific time the announcement bar begins displaying. Configure:
- Hour: 0-23 (24-hour format)
- Minute: 0-59
- Second: 0-59 (optional)
Example: Set start time to 09:00 to begin showing the bar at 9:00 AM.
End Date and Time
Date Picker
Select the date when the announcement bar should stop appearing. The bar will not display after this date/time.
Time Picker
Set the specific time the announcement bar stops displaying:
- Hour: 0-23 (24-hour format)
- Minute: 0-59
- Second: 0-59 (optional)
Example: Set end time to 23:59 to show the bar until the last minute of the day.
Optional End Date
Leave the end date/time blank if you want the bar to display indefinitely after the start date. This is useful for ongoing announcements, sticky news, or permanent promotional bars.
Timezone Selection
Site Timezone
Uses your website's configured timezone. All scheduled times are based on your server's location.
- Best for: Single-region businesses, consistent global messaging
- Benefit: Simple management, all times consistent
Visitor Timezone
The announcement bar scheduling adjusts to each visitor's local timezone. This means the same calendar date/time appears personalized for users across different regions.
- Best for: International audiences, coordinated launches, global events
- How it works: The browser detects the visitor's timezone and adjusts the schedule accordingly
- Limitation: Relies on accurate system timezone settings on visitor devices
Pro Feature: Recurring days and time targeting are available exclusively on the Pro plan.
Recurring Days
Display your announcement bar on specific days of the week. This is ideal for recurring promotions, weekly announcements, or daily specials.
Day Selection
Choose which days of the week the bar should appear:
- ☐ Monday
- ☐ Tuesday
- ☐ Wednesday
- ☐ Thursday
- ☐ Friday
- ☐ Saturday
- ☐ Sunday
Availability
- Plan: Pro only
- Use: Works in combination with date/time settings and time targeting
Examples
- Weekday promotions: Select Monday-Friday for business day offers
- Weekend specials: Select Saturday-Sunday for weekend shoppers
- Monday motivation: Select Monday for motivational announcements
- Friday flash sales: Select Friday for end-of-week promotions
Time Targeting
Set daily time windows for when the announcement bar displays each day. Separate from the overall start/end dates, time targeting controls the specific hours of each day the bar appears.
Daily Start Time
The time each day when the bar begins displaying:
- Format: HH:MM (24-hour)
- Example: 09:00 (9:00 AM)
Daily End Time
The time each day when the bar stops displaying:
- Format: HH:MM (24-hour)
- Example: 17:00 (5:00 PM)
Availability
- Plan: Pro only
- Applies to: Every day the bar is scheduled to appear
Examples
- Business hours only: 09:00 - 17:00 for sales-related announcements
- Evening promotions: 18:00 - 23:00 for dinner/evening shoppers
- Morning deals: 06:00 - 12:00 for breakfast/morning traffic
- All day: 00:00 - 23:59 (or leave blank) for 24-hour displays
Combining Schedule Settings
Simple Schedule (Free Plan)
Set a start date and optional end date. The bar displays continuously during this period:
- Start: March 1, 2024 at 9:00 AM
- End: March 31, 2024 at 11:59 PM
- Result: Bar shows for the entire month of March
Advanced Schedule (Pro Plan)
Combine date range, recurring days, and time targeting for precise control:
- Start: March 1, 2024
- Recurring days: Monday - Friday only
- Time: 09:00 - 17:00
- Result: Bar shows weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM during March
Use Cases and Best Practices
Flash Sales
Announce limited-time offers for specific hours or days:
- Enable start and end dates/times for the specific sale window
- Use precise times (e.g., 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Friday only)
- Combine with a countdown timer for maximum impact
Seasonal Promotions
Display bars during holiday or seasonal shopping periods:
- Set start date to beginning of season/holiday period
- Set end date to end of promotional period
- No time targeting needed for all-day visibility
Weekly Announcements
Show recurring messages on specific days:
- Enable recurring days (e.g., Monday for weekly updates)
- Set time targeting to morning hours (e.g., 7:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
- Perfect for "Motivation Monday" or "Feature Friday" content
Business Hours Only
Display important announcements during business hours:
- Set time targeting to 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- Select weekdays (Monday-Friday)
- Ideal for support announcements, maintenance alerts, or service updates
Global Launch Events
Launch products or announcements simultaneously worldwide using visitor timezone:
- Select "Visitor Timezone" for all scheduling
- Set a single start date and time
- Each visitor sees the announcement launch at the same time in their timezone
Maintenance Windows
Notify visitors during system maintenance:
- Set specific start and end times for the maintenance window
- Use a notification-style message (not a promotional bar)
- Disable any call-to-action buttons
Testing and Staged Rollouts
Test new bars before full deployment:
- Create initial bar with short 1-day schedule
- Monitor performance metrics
- Extend schedule after validating results
Pro Tips
- Use 15-minute buffers: Set start times 15 minutes before your actual campaign to account for clock differences
- End slightly early: End times 15 minutes before the actual deadline ensures no stragglers miss cutoffs
- Test timezone logic: When using visitor timezone, test from different locations or use browser developer tools
- Monitor time zone changes: Be aware of daylight saving time transitions that might affect scheduling
- Schedule recurring bars first: Set up weekly/recurring announcements early to reduce last-minute configuration
- Document your schedule: Keep notes on important scheduled bars for future reference and team coordination
Related Documentation
- Countdown Timer - Add urgency to scheduled promotions
- Animations - Pair animations with scheduled appearances
- A/B Testing - Test different schedules for optimal engagement