Timed Actions for Giveaways.
Ensure Real Engagement, Not Click-Throughs.
Timed Actions add a countdown timer to the Create Your Own Entry method. Define any custom action, like "Read our whitepaper" or "Watch our product demo," and participants must wait for the timer to expire before confirming. They actually spend time on your content instead of clicking through in two seconds.
How Timed Actions Work
Timed Actions is a modifier you can add to the Create Your Own Entry method in your SweepWidget giveaway. When enabled, a countdown timer appears in the widget. The participant cannot confirm the entry until the timer reaches zero. You control the duration, from a few seconds for quick tasks to several minutes for longer content.
This is not a standalone entry method. It layers on top of Create Your Own Entry, which lets you define any custom action you want participants to complete. "Visit our product page," "Watch our demo video," "Read our blog post" - you write the instruction, and the timer ensures participants spend real time on it instead of immediately clicking "done."
A visible countdown appears inside the widget once the participant starts the action. They see the seconds ticking down and know exactly when they can confirm. The confirm button stays disabled until the timer reaches zero.
Set the timer to any duration you need. 15 seconds for a quick page visit. 30 seconds for a short video. 2-5 minutes for a longer article or video. Match the timer to the content length so participants have enough time to actually consume it.
Timed Actions work with the Create Your Own Entry method. Define any custom action - visit a page, watch a video, read a blog post - and the timer ensures participants spend real time on it before confirming.
Timed Actions function as an engagement verification layer. While they do not guarantee the participant read every word or watched every second, they make it impossible to complete the entry in under a second. The quality gap between a 0-second visit and a 30-second visit is significant.
How to Set Up Timed Actions
Adding a timer to a Create Your Own Entry method takes about 30 seconds in the SweepWidget builder. Here is the process.
In the giveaway builder, go to Ways Users Can Enter and add a Create Your Own Entry method. Define the action you want participants to complete.
Check the Timer checkbox in the entry method settings. This activates the countdown feature for that specific action.
Set the timer duration in seconds or minutes. Match it to the content length. A 30-second timer works well for landing page visits. 2-3 minutes is better for video content.
Publish the giveaway. When participants click the action, the countdown starts automatically. The confirm button stays disabled until the timer finishes.
Because Create Your Own Entry lets you define any action, Timed Actions are incredibly flexible. Drive traffic to product pages, have participants watch videos, read articles, explore your app - then set a timer to ensure they actually spend time doing it.
The Problem Timed Actions Solve
Every giveaway that uses content-based entry methods faces the same challenge. Participants learn they can click the link, immediately switch back, and confirm the action. The "entry" takes two seconds. Your content gets zero engagement. Timed Actions fix this by adding a mandatory wait period that forces actual time-on-content.
How the Countdown Works
Step 1: Participant Clicks the Action
The participant clicks on the entry method inside the widget. This opens the target content in a new tab (your landing page, video, article, etc.) and simultaneously starts the countdown timer inside the widget.
Step 2: Timer Counts Down
A visible countdown appears in the widget. The confirm button is disabled and stays grey during this period. The participant can see the seconds ticking down, so there is no confusion about when they can proceed. During this time, the content is open in the other tab.
Step 3: Timer Ends, Entry Confirmed
When the countdown reaches zero, the confirm button activates. The participant clicks it to complete the entry and earn their points. If they close the tab early, the timer still runs in the widget. They cannot bypass it.
What You Can Do with Timed Actions
Timed Actions pair with the Create Your Own Entry method, which lets you define any custom action. Here are the most common use cases.
Create an entry like "Visit our product page" or "Check out our pricing," link it to any URL, and add a 15-30 second timer. Participants actually look at the page instead of bouncing back immediately. Great for product launches, landing pages, and blog posts.
Set up "Watch our product demo" or "Watch our latest video" and set the timer to match the video length. If the video is 2 minutes, set a 120-second timer. Participants have to keep the video open for the full duration, driving real watch time instead of empty clicks.
Create entries like "Read our whitepaper," "Browse our product catalog," or "Read our latest blog post." A 45-90 second timer gives participants enough time to actually read or skim the content. This leads to real content engagement, not just page loads.
"Listen to our latest podcast episode" with a timer matching the episode length (or a portion of it). Participants keep the audio content open long enough to actually hear your message. Works with any audio platform you can link to.
Why Time-on-Content Matters
The value of a giveaway entry method depends on whether the participant actually engages with the content. A "Visit our product page" entry where someone bounces in under a second provides no value to your brand. The same entry with a 30-second timer means they saw your offer, read your copy, and became aware of what you sell.
Timed Actions shift the focus from entry quantity to entry quality. Fewer people might complete the action (some will skip entries that require waiting), but the ones who do are genuinely engaged. For marketers, these are the entries that matter - real exposure to your message, not just a number in a spreadsheet.
This is especially relevant when running giveaways with entry methods that drive traffic. If your goal is to get people to actually visit and explore your site (not just technically "visit" it for zero seconds), a timer makes the difference between valuable traffic and empty clicks.
Timed Actions vs. Untimed Actions
The Create Your Own Entry method can run with or without a timer. The choice depends on your campaign goals. Here is a direct comparison of both approaches and when each one makes sense.
Without Timer (Standard)
- Entry confirmed immediately after clicking the link
- Fastest completion time (under 2 seconds per entry)
- No guarantee participant viewed the content
- Higher completion rate, lower engagement quality
- Good for simple follow/subscribe actions
- Available on all plans
With Timer (Timed Actions)
- Entry only confirmed after countdown reaches zero
- Mandatory time-on-content (you set the duration)
- Participants spend real time with your content
- Lower completion rate, significantly higher engagement quality
- Best for custom actions requiring content consumption
- Available on Pro plans and above
When to Use Timed Actions
Not every entry method needs a timer. The decision depends on whether the action is about clicking or consuming.
The entry method directs participants to content you want them to consume. Product pages, blog posts, videos, podcasts, landing pages, whitepapers, or any content where time-on-page is the real goal. If a participant completing the entry in 2 seconds provides no value, add a timer.
The action is binary and does not involve content consumption. Following an Instagram account, joining a Discord server, subscribing to an email list. These are click-and-done actions where the value is in the action itself, not in time spent. A timer would just add friction without improving quality.
Real-World Scenarios
Here are three common giveaway setups where Timed Actions make a measurable difference in engagement quality.
Product Launch Campaign
You are launching a new product and want giveaway participants to actually see it. Add a Create Your Own Entry method with the instruction "Visit our product page" and link it to your product URL, then enable a 30-second timer. Every participant who completes this entry has spent at least 30 seconds looking at your product. Compared to untimed entries where participants bounce in under a second, you are getting real product awareness from every single entry.
Timer recommendation: 20-30 seconds. Long enough for participants to see the product images, read the headline, and scan the key features. Short enough that it does not feel like a burden.
Video Promotion
You published a new video and want real watch time, not just clicks to your channel. Create a custom entry like "Watch our latest video" and link it to the video URL. Set the timer to match the video length. If the video is 3 minutes, set a 180-second timer. Participants keep the video open for the full duration. This does not guarantee they watch every second, but it guarantees they cannot complete the entry without giving the video enough time to play.
Timer recommendation: Match 75-100% of the video length. For a 2-minute video, set 90-120 seconds. For longer videos (5+ minutes), setting the timer to 75% of the length keeps the entry achievable while still ensuring meaningful watch time.
Content Marketing and Blog Traffic
You want giveaway participants to read your latest blog post, not just load the page and leave. Create a custom entry like "Read our latest article" and link it to the blog post with a 60-90 second timer. Participants have to keep the article open long enough to actually read it (or at least skim it). This generates real pageview time and can even help with SEO signals if the post is on your own domain.
Timer recommendation: 45-90 seconds for a standard blog post. For longer-form content like guides or whitepapers, 2-3 minutes is reasonable. Avoid timers over 5 minutes for a single entry, as completion rates drop significantly.
Combine Timed Actions with Other SweepWidget Features
Timed Actions become even more powerful when combined with other features in SweepWidget. Here are three combinations that work well together.
Timed Actions + Required Entry Gating
Make a timed entry the required first action. Participants must complete the timed visit before they can access any other entry methods. This guarantees that every participant in your giveaway has spent time with your key content. Combine this with unlock rewards for a layered progression system.
Timed Actions + Daily Re-Entry
Create Your Own Entry supports daily re-entry. Combine this with a timer and participants complete your custom action every day and spend real time on it each visit. Great for product pages you update regularly, ongoing promotions, or content series where you want repeat exposure.
Timed Actions + Leaderboard
When timed entries feed into a leaderboard, participants are motivated to complete them because each one earns points toward their ranking. The timer ensures the engagement is real, and the leaderboard ensures participants keep coming back to complete more timed actions. This combination is ideal for campaigns where content consumption is the primary goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Timed Actions in a giveaway?
Timed Actions add a countdown timer to the Create Your Own Entry method in your SweepWidget giveaway. When a participant clicks a custom entry with a timer enabled, a countdown begins. They cannot confirm the entry until the timer reaches zero. This ensures participants spend real time on the target content (visiting a page, watching a video, reading an article) instead of immediately clicking through.
What SweepWidget plan do I need for Timed Actions?
Timed Actions are available on Pro plans and above. The timer can be added to the Create Your Own Entry method. Pro plans include up to 40 entry methods per contest, with higher limits on Business, Premium, and Enterprise plans.
Which entry methods support Timed Actions?
Timed Actions work with the Create Your Own Entry method. This lets you define any custom action (visit a page, watch a video, read an article, listen to a podcast) and add a countdown timer to ensure participants spend real time completing it.
Can participants bypass the timer?
No. The countdown runs inside the SweepWidget widget and the confirm button stays disabled until the timer reaches zero. Closing the content tab does not stop or reset the timer. The participant must wait for the full countdown to complete before they can confirm the entry.
How long should I set the timer?
Match the timer to the content length. For product pages and landing pages, 15-30 seconds works well. For short videos, match the video length (60-120 seconds). For blog posts and articles, 45-90 seconds gives participants time to read or skim. Avoid setting timers longer than 5 minutes for a single entry, as this can cause participants to skip the action entirely.
Do Timed Actions reduce entry completion rates?
Yes, slightly. Some participants will skip entry methods that require waiting. However, the participants who do complete timed entries have genuinely engaged with your content. If your goal is pure entry count, skip the timer. If your goal is real engagement and content exposure, the trade-off is worth it.
Can I use Timed Actions with daily re-entry?
Yes. Create Your Own Entry supports daily re-entry. When combined with a timer, participants complete the custom action every day and spend real time on it each time. This is useful for ongoing promotions, content you update frequently, or content series.
Can I add timers to multiple entry methods in the same giveaway?
Yes. You can add multiple Create Your Own Entry methods to the same giveaway, each with its own timer duration. For example, you might add a "Visit our product page" entry with a 30-second timer and a "Watch our demo video" entry with a 120-second timer, while leaving your Instagram Follow and other entry methods untimed. This lets you target timers precisely where content consumption matters.
Ensure Real Engagement in Your Giveaway
Add countdown timers to your custom entry methods and make sure participants actually see your content. Available on Pro plans and above.
Create Timed Actions Giveaway