Announcement Bar
Add a slim promotional banner above (or below) your navigation bar with a custom message, call-to-action link, and an optional live countdown timer.
Enabling the bar
- Go to Menu Builder → Announcement.
- Toggle Enable announcement bar to on.
- Save settings.
The bar appears immediately on the front end, above the navigation by default.
Setting the message and link
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Message text | The text shown in the bar. Plain text only — HTML is not rendered. |
| Link URL | Optional. If set, the entire message text becomes a clickable link to this URL. |
| Open in new tab | Toggle to open the link in a new browser tab. |
Countdown timer
The countdown timer displays a live, ticking clock inside the announcement bar — useful for flash sales, event deadlines, or limited-time offers.
- In the Menu Builder → Announcement section, toggle Enable countdown.
- Set the End date and time using the date field. The timer counts down to this moment using the site's timezone (set under Settings → General → Timezone).
- Optionally enter an Expired message — the text shown when the countdown reaches zero instead of the digits.
- Save settings.
The target moment is calculated server-side, but the live ticking uses the visitor's browser clock. If a visitor's device clock is wrong, the displayed remaining time will be off for them. For auctions where exact timing is critical, use a dedicated countdown plugin in addition to this feature.
Timer display format
The timer shows Days · Hours · Minutes · Seconds. The days segment is hidden automatically when there is less than one day remaining. You can also set a countdown label (the text shown before the timer, default "Ends in:").
Styling the announcement bar
All style options are available in the Menu Builder → Announcement section:
- Background colour — solid colour chosen with the colour picker
- Text colour
- Font size — independent from the main menu font
- Vertical padding — controls the bar height
Position and dismissal
- Position — Above the nav bar (default) or below it.
- Dismissal — Toggle Allow dismissal to show a close (×) button. Once dismissed, the bar stays hidden for a configurable number of days (stored via cookie).