Countdown Timer redirection links let you control where contacts go, based on whether a timer is still active or has expired. You can combine Active and Expired Links with a timer's redirection link. This keeps buttons, images and other calls-to-action in line with whether the offer is still available. It's useful for limited-time offers, registration deadlines, appointment promotions and other campaigns where access should change automatically once the timer expires.

For example, a promotional email can use a Redirection Link on its Claim Offer button. While the timer is active, the button takes the contact to the offer page. After the timer expires, the same button can take the contact to an expired-offer or waitlist page.

Active and Expired Links set the destinations for the timer. The Redirection Link decides which of those destinations a contact reaches. Understanding how they fit together helps stop contacts from landing on expired offers through your campaign CTAs.

The Active Link is the destination used while the countdown is still running.

Common Active Link destinations include:

For example, if registration closes when the timer ends, the Active Link could point to the registration page.

The Expired Link is the destination used once the countdown has expired.

Common Expired Link destinations include:

Using an Expired Link stops contacts who come back after the deadline from reaching an offer that's no longer available.

The Redirection Link sits between the contact and the destinations you've set up.

When a contact clicks the Redirection Link:

The Redirection Link itself can stay the same, even though the final destination changes with the timer state.

ZipLeads gives you a few timer sharing options, and each does a different job. Which one you pick depends on whether you want to control where people go, or show the countdown itself.

Use a Redirection Link when a button, image or text CTA should send contacts to different destinations depending on the timer's current state.

Examples include:

Depending on the timer type and where you're using it, ZipLeads may offer a link action for the timer.

The link options available can vary by timer type and placement. When you're using a Dynamic Timer inside an email, use the timer settings in the Email Builder to get the right redirection link.

Copy Code is used to embed or show the countdown timer itself on supported external websites or platforms.

Copy Code and Redirection Links do different things:

Dynamic Timers can need extra values when embedded outside ZipLeads. Check the Copy Code documentation before setting them up externally.
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Redirection Links are most useful anywhere a call-to-action should follow the same deadline as its countdown. How you set it up can differ depending on whether the timer is in an email, funnel, website or another supported channel.

You can use Redirection Links on email calls-to-action such as:

A common approach is to place a countdown timer in the email and use the timer's Redirection Link on the main CTA.

For example:

Funnels and websites can use Countdown Timer elements directly on the page. You can then set up what happens when the timer expires as part of the page.

When you're pairing an email with a destination page, use the same timer set-up where supported. That way the deadline in the email and on the page stays in sync.

The timer on the page and a CTA Redirection Link are related, but do different jobs:

For full page set-up, see the Countdown Timers in Funnels documentation.

If you need to show a countdown outside ZipLeads, use the timer's Copy Code feature where supported.

If the external campaign also needs timer-aware CTA routing, make sure you use the right Redirection Link separately from the embed code.

Dynamic Timers create a countdown for each individual contact, so their links need to stay tied to that contact's timer state. This is especially important when the timer starts from an email interaction.

When using a Dynamic Timer in an email:

Don't confuse Dynamic Timer Redirection Links with the Copy Code option, which is used to embed Dynamic Timers externally.

Recurring Timers can cycle between active countdown periods and wait periods. This adds extra expiry behaviour to think about when you set up destinations and test campaign links.

During a Recurring Timer's wait state, contacts may be treated as if the timer has expired until the next countdown cycle starts.

Because of this:

For full wait-state behaviour, see the dedicated Recurring Timer Wait Time documentation.

Setting this up properly means your campaign CTAs keep sending contacts to the right place both before and after the countdown expires. Set up both destinations and test the Redirection Link before you launch the campaign.

Testing both timer states helps stop contacts from reaching offers that aren't available, or the wrong page. A timer can look perfect and still give a poor experience if its Active or Expired destination is set up incorrectly.

Before you publish or send a campaign, check that: