A recurring timer is a handy tool for promoting events, sales or activities that happen regularly. A fixed timer counts down to a single event. A recurring timer resets after each cycle, so it keeps reminding people about repeating events or deadlines.
What is a recurring timer?
One-time timers expire permanently. Recurring timers cycle through three states:
Wait: Before the active countdown starts
Active: The countdown is visible and running
Expired: The countdown ends and redirects or hides content
Key benefits of a recurring timer
A recurring timer keeps urgency alive without constant upkeep, so every promotion feels fresh and credible.
Automation: Resets itself on schedule. There's no need to rebuild or clone timers.
Consistent urgency: Visitors always see an active countdown, which encourages action.
Multi-channel reuse: The same timer can appear in funnels, emails and third-party sites.
Flexible loops: Choose a specific number of cycles for your timer to run.
Branded styling: Customise the design, including fonts and colours, to match your brand.
What are Loop Events?
Loop Events control how many times your recurring timer resets once it finishes a countdown. For example, if you set Loop Events to 3, your timer counts down and resets three times in total. That's the original countdown plus two more loops.
If you want your timer to restart weekly:
Set the Timer Start Date to the next start you want (for example, Monday at 8:00 AM)
Set the Countdown Duration to 7 days
Set Loop Events to the number of times you want the weekly cycle to repeat (for example, 4 for four weeks in a row)
Note: Each loop refreshes automatically once the previous countdown ends, based on your time zone settings. The loop doesn't reset daily unless your countdown duration is 1 day. It only refreshes after the full duration finishes.
How to create a recurring timer
Follow these steps to create a recurring timer:
Step 1: Go to Marketing
Select Marketing in the left-hand navigation bar
From the top navigation ribbon, select Countdown Timers
Step 2: Select a timer
To create a new timer, click the blue New button. Use a template to save time designing the new timer.
To edit an existing timer, click the Edit (Pencil) icon next to the timer.
Step 3: Choose the timer type
In the settings panel, under the General tab, set the Timer Type to Recurring.
Step 4: Set up the timer details
Define the timer settings:
Start Date/Time: When the first cycle begins
Loop Events: The number of resets or cycles
Countdown Duration: The length of each cycle (for example, 7 days)
Countdown Timer Waits For: Sites won't auto-redirect to the expired link if the wait state follows the active state. See the Wait time in recurring timers section below for more on this setting.
Hide Timer on Site in Wait State: If this is turned off, the timer shows a zero state on sites during the wait time.
Step 5: Add links
Active Link: The URL people are sent to while the timer is active
Expired Link: The URL people land on after the timer expires
Step 6: Customise and save
Adjust the timer's look, including colours, fonts, expiry image and time display format.
Give your timer a descriptive name.
Click the blue Save button to finish and activate your countdown timer.
Wait time in recurring timers
The Countdown Timer Waits For setting lets you set a pause between timer cycles that suits your campaign. Customising the wait time makes your recurring timers more flexible and supports tailored automation workflows. Here's how the wait time behaves in emails and funnels:
Emails
The timer shows a zero state.
Clicking the email link redirects to the expiry page.
Funnels
The timer can be hidden during the wait (if turned on).
If the timer moves from Active to Wait in the same session, the visitor stays on the page (no auto-redirect).
If the page is refreshed during the wait state, the visitor is redirected to the expiry page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is wait time, and why would I use it?
Wait time is an optional gap between cycles (for example, 24 hours between weekly sales). It stops a timer from restarting straight away, giving your team time to update offers or stock.
Q: Can I edit wait time or Loop Events after the timer is live?
Yes. Edit the timer under Marketing → Countdown Timers. Changes apply everywhere the timer is embedded.
Q: Does the timer adjust to the visitor's local time zone?
No. Recurring timers run in the time zone you choose during setup. All visitors see that same reference clock.
Q: Is there a limit to how many recurring timers I can have active?
ZipLeads doesn't cap the number, but each timer creates image assets on demand. Keep your list tidy and delete unused timers for the best performance.