School event countdowns that change on their own
A countdown only works if the number is right every time someone walks by. Schedule a short run of dated slides for the dance, the opener or the last day of school, and each one steps aside when its day is done.
Trusted by 1,500+ schools and organizations4.9/5 customer satisfaction
Schools and colleges that run on Rocket
Why it matters
Countdown posters go stale by the second day
A paper sign that says five days to go is wrong by Tuesday. Someone has to remember to change it, and on a busy week nobody does. The result is a sign people learn to ignore.
Ideas for Event Countdown
A slide for each day left
Make one slide per day with the number large and the event name under it. Five slides cover a school week.
Date, time and place every time
Repeat the basics on each countdown slide so a student who catches only one still knows where to be.
The ticket or sign-up deadline
Pair the countdown with the last day to buy tickets or turn in a form. That deadline is often the more urgent number.
A photo from last year’s event
A picture of last year’s crowd tells students what they’re counting down to faster than any headline.
A QR code for the details
Add a QR code slide with your logo and a title. Passersby can open the screen on their phone and keep reading.
A day-of slide that says tonight
Finish the run with a slide that says today or tonight, then let it leave the timeline once the event starts.
How it works with Digital Signage
Event Countdown, step by step.
Three steps
Build the run of slides
Make each countdown slide in Rocket Graphics, Google Slides or your usual design tool, then add them to the screen’s timeline.
Give each slide its own day
Set a start and an end for every slide so only the right number plays. Your demo confirms the best countdown setup for your screens.
Check it from the editor
Use the editor’s preview to see what the screen is showing right now. Copy the preview link so the event lead can check it too.
Setups vary by school; your demo confirms what yours will use.
Best practices
Tips to get it right.
Event Countdown tips
Start seven to ten days out
Longer countdowns lose their pull. A week or so builds interest without turning into wallpaper.
Make the number the biggest thing
Someone walking past should read the number first and the event name second.
Schedule the whole run at once
Set every date the day you build the slides. A countdown that depends on a daily edit tends to stall by Wednesday.
Have a plan if the date moves
If the event is postponed, hide the remaining slides instead of deleting them. Reset their dates once the new day is set.
Keep exploring
More Digital Signage use cases
Questions
Event Countdown questions
Yes, as a series of scheduled slides, one for each day, that start and stop on the dates you set. Your demo walks through building the run on your own screens.
Each screen plays a timeline in order, and every item can have its own start and end. That lets a countdown advance on schedule while the rest of the screen’s content keeps playing around it.
Pick the few the whole school cares about, like homecoming, prom, the musical’s opening night or the last day before break. If every event gets a countdown, none of them stand out.
A compatible screen, a staff member to own the content and the slides themselves. Signage is quoted for the screens and setup your school chooses, and a demo checks whether your current TVs can be used.
Your next step
Plan your Digital Signage.
We'll show how an announcement gets on screen and comes off again when the moment has passed.
