# Timers & Countdowns

Add urgency and excitement to your videos with timers and countdowns. Create time-limited offers, build anticipation, and drive immediate action with time-based elements.

## Types of Timers

### Countdown Timers

Display a countdown to a specific event or deadline:

**Examples:**

* "Limited time offer expires in: 24:00:00"
* "Webinar starts in: 02:15:30"
* "Flash sale ends in: 00:45:12"

### Progress Timers

Show elapsed time or progress through content:

**Examples:**

* "Time remaining: 3:45"
* "Progress: 60% complete"
* "Question 3 of 5 (2:30 remaining)"

### Auto-Advance Timers

Automatically move to the next scene after a set time:

**Examples:**

* Auto-advance after 10 seconds
* Show next question after 30 seconds
* Transition to results after 2 minutes

## Creating Urgency

### Limited-Time Offers

```
"Special discount available for the next 24 hours!"
Countdown: 23:59:59 → 23:59:58 → 23:59:57...
Action: "Claim Now" button becomes unavailable after countdown
```

### Flash Sales

```
"Flash Sale: 50% off everything!"
Countdown: 00:59:59 → 00:59:58 → 00:59:57...
Dynamic pricing: Price increases every 10 minutes
```

### Event Countdowns

```
"Product Launch in:"
Countdown: 05:23:45 → 05:23:44 → 05:23:43...
Action: "Notify Me" button until launch, then "Buy Now"
```

## Time-Based Branching

### Conditional Actions Based on Time

```
IF time_remaining > 1_hour THEN show "Early Bird" pricing
IF time_remaining > 30_minutes THEN show "Regular" pricing  
IF time_remaining > 0 THEN show "Last Chance" pricing
ELSE show "Sale Ended" message
```

### Dynamic Content Based on Countdown

```
IF countdown > 24_hours THEN show "Coming Soon" message
IF countdown > 1_hour THEN show "Limited Time" offer
IF countdown > 10_minutes THEN show "Final Hours" warning
IF countdown = 0 THEN show "Expired" message
```

## Real-World Examples

### E-commerce Flash Sale

```
Countdown: 00:59:59
Message: "Flash Sale: 50% off everything!"
Dynamic elements:
- Price updates every 10 minutes
- Stock levels decrease
- "Hurry, only X left!" messages
```

### Webinar Registration

```
Countdown: 02:15:30
Message: "Live Webinar: Advanced Features"
Dynamic elements:
- Registration closes 1 hour before
- Reminder emails sent at 24h, 1h, 15min
- "Join Now" button becomes "Watch Recording" after start
```

### Product Launch

```
Countdown: 05:23:45
Message: "New Product Launch"
Dynamic elements:
- Pre-order available until launch
- Early access for VIP customers
- Launch day special pricing
```

## Timer Configuration

### Display Options

* **Digital countdown** — 24:00:00 format
* **Text countdown** — "2 days, 3 hours, 45 minutes"
* **Progress bar** — Visual representation of time remaining
* **Hidden timer** — Timer runs in background without display

### Styling

* **Colors** — Red for urgency, green for plenty of time
* **Font size** — Large for emphasis, small for subtlety
* **Animation** — Pulsing, flashing, or smooth transitions
* **Position** — Top, bottom, corner, or center of screen

## Best Practices

* **Be realistic** — Don't create false urgency with unrealistic deadlines
* **Provide value** — Ensure time-limited offers are genuinely valuable
* **Test thoroughly** — Preview timer behavior across different scenarios
* **Include fallbacks** — Always have a plan for when timers expire
* **Respect time zones** — Consider global audiences when setting deadlines

## Common Use Cases

* **Flash sales and promotions**
* **Event registrations and reminders**
* **Product launches and pre-orders**
* **Limited-time content access**
* **Quiz time limits**
* **Auction-style bidding**

***

**Ready to make your videos interactive?** Learn about [interactive elements](/workflows-branching-logic/interactive-elements.md) like buttons and forms.


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