How to Add a Countdown Timer to Your Email

Cheri Tracy
Sep 30, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Oct 9, 2024

A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Urgency and Boosting Sales

Adding a countdown timer to your emails is a fantastic way to create a sense of urgency and encourage quick action from your customers. If you're using Klaviyo, the process is surprisingly simple. In this guide, I'll walk you through how to add a countdown timer to your email, step-by-step. Let’s get started...

Step 1: Create Your Countdown Timer

Before jumping into Klaviyo, you’ll need a countdown timer. There are various online tools you can use to generate one, such as Sendtric or CountdownMail. Here’s how you can create one:

Visit Sendtric (or any countdown generator of your choice).
Set up the countdown timer by selecting the date and time when you want the timer to end.
Customize the timer's colors, size, and style to match your branding.
Once the countdown timer is configured, copy the generated embed code.

Step 2: Go to Your Klaviyo Account

Log in to your Klaviyo account.
Navigate to the Campaigns or Flows section, depending on where you want to add the countdown timer.
Select the email template you want to edit or create a new one.

Step 3: Insert an Image Block

In the email editor, drag and drop an Image Block to where you want the countdown timer to appear.
Click on the Block to open the editing options.

Step 4: Add the Countdown Timer Embed Code

In the Image Block, click the Source option or the "Custom HTML" option, depending on the layout you’re using.
Paste the countdown timer embed code you copied earlier from the countdown generator site.

Pro Tip: If you want the timer to be responsive, make sure you adjust the width and height settings in the embed code to fit your email design.

Step 5: Preview and Test Your Email

After adding the countdown timer, click Preview to see how it looks in your email.
Send a test email to yourself to ensure the timer is displaying correctly and counts down to the right date.

Step 6: Schedule and Send!

Now that your countdown timer is set up and looking great, schedule your email campaign or save it in your flow to start building that sense of urgency!

Real-World Example: I used a countdown timer in my pre-holiday campaign and noticed a 20% increase in click-through rates. Customers loved the visual reminder of the time-limited offer, which created a sense of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). It was a game-changer in boosting those last-minute sales.