How to Add a Countdown Timer to an Email

Adding a countdown timer to your email is a great way to create urgency and drive engagement, especially during flash sales, special promotions, or holiday campaigns. While Ascent360 does not currently offer a built-in countdown timer feature, you can easily add one using an HTML content block and a third-party countdown timer service.

Why Use Countdown Timers?

Countdown timers help motivate your recipients to take action before a deadline. They visually emphasize urgency, making them especially effective for:

• Limited-time offers
• Flash sales
• Seasonal or holiday events
• Product launches

Step 1: Choose a Countdown Timer Generator

To get started, you’ll need to use a third-party countdown timer generator that provides HTML embed code. Some recommended providers include:

• Sentric
• MailTimers
• MotionMail

⚠️ Note: Most third-party countdown timer tools require a paid subscription or account to access full features.

Step 2: Create Your Timer

Once you’ve selected a provider:

1. Create an account with the third-party platform.
2. Create a new countdown timer.
3. Choose the event date and time you want the timer to count down to.
4. Customize the appearance (size, colors, font, etc.) to match your branding.
5. Click Save.
6. Copy the HTML embed code provided.

Sample timer:

Step 3: Add the Timer to Your Email

1. Open your email draft in the Ascent360 Email Editor.
2. Add an HTML content block to a row in your email layout.
3. Delete any existing code inside the block.
4. Paste the HTML code you copied from the timer generator.

You should now see a live preview of your countdown timer within your email.

Important Compatibility Notes

• Supported in most inboxes: Countdown timers are usually embedded as animated GIFs, which work in most modern email clients.
• Apple Mail caveat: Apple Mail may preload content before opening, which can cause the timer to display an incorrect time.
• Outlook limitations: Older versions of Outlook (2007, 2010, and 2013) do not support animated GIFs and will display only the first frame of the timer.

Final Tips

• Always send a test email to check how the timer renders in various inboxes.
• Use a clear call to action near the timer (e.g., “Shop Now Before Time Runs Out!”).
• Make sure your timer’s end time matches the actual deadline for your offer.

Need help inserting HTML or have additional questions? Reach out to our support team—we’re happy to help!