How Do I Add or Remove an Announcement Banner on My Website?

TL;DR

• To add or remove a banner, open the spot where your site’s banners live, make your change or delete the banner, and save. Many sites have two spots: a text bar across the top and image banners on key pages.
• How you change one depends on how it was added: your theme’s settings, a theme builder, a plugin, or a section on the page.
• Find where yours lives first. Then change the text, image, or link, and save.
• Rather not do it yourself? Send us the offer, the dates, and the link. We build it, get your approval, and post it.

Where Can an Announcement Go on My Website?

To add or remove an announcement, start by finding which spot it’s in. As Beth explained to one client, “Your site has two areas: the top bar promo area and an image banner ad that can be placed on pages.”

• The top bar is a short line of text across the top of your site. It’s good for a sale, a deadline, or a quick notice.
• An image banner is a graphic placed on key pages. Clicking it takes visitors where you want them to go.

How Was My Banner Added?

There’s no single spot for banners in WordPress. Yours lives wherever it was added:

• Your theme’s settings. Look under Appearance, then Customize, often in a Header or Top Bar section.
• A theme builder. If your site uses a page builder (a drag-and-drop design tool), the header may be a template made in its theme builder. Edit the header template there.
• A plugin. Announcement bar and popup plugins add their own section to your dashboard, usually named after the plugin.
• A section on the page. Image banners are often an image, a slider, or a page builder section on the page itself.

Not sure which one you have? Work down this list, starting with your theme’s settings. On our Webmaster Retainer, we’ll find it and make the change for you.

How Do I Change or Remove the Top Bar?

1. Open the spot where it was added: your theme’s settings, your theme builder’s header template, or the plugin’s section.
2. Change the text and the link.
3. To remove it, turn it off if there’s a setting for that, or delete it from the header template.
4. Save, Publish, or Update, then check your site. Clear your browser’s cache if you still see the old version.

How Do I Add or Replace an Image Banner?

1. Prepare the graphic. Banners are wide. Resize it before you upload. See How to Resize Images Before Uploading Them to Your Website
2. Go to Media and upload it. Click the image and type the offer in the Alternative Text box, so screen readers can share it too.
3. Open the spot where the banner lives: the page, the slider’s section, or the page builder section.
4. Select the current banner and replace it, or add a new image or slide where you want it.
5. Link it to your offer. If the link goes to another website, like a booking system, turn on “Open in new tab.” See How Do I Add or Change a Link on My Website?
6. Save, then check the live page.

To remove a banner, delete the image or slide, or swap your regular banner back in.

Rather Have Us Do It?

Send us the wording (including any fine print), the start and end dates, the link, and any graphic files you have. If you don’t have the original design files, we can create the graphic. Tell us if you also need a new page. As Beth asked one client, “Am I creating a page, or just the banner that links to the booking link you provided?”

When the promotion ends, we put your regular banner back. Some banner tools can unpublish on a set date. If yours can’t, we take the promotion down by hand on the end date. For more on sending requests, see How to Send Website Change Requests to Your Webmaster.

What Webmaster For Hire Recommends

• Send it early. Regular requests are done within 8 business days, so send banner details at least that far ahead of the start date.
• Plan the whole season at once. Map out when each banner goes up, changes, and comes down.
• Clear your cache to check it. Beth’s usual note: “The banner is up. You may need to clear your browser cache to see the changes.” Your cache is the saved copy of pages your browser keeps.

:: Common Questions ::

Can You Add Fine Print Saying Offers Can’t Be Combined?

Yes. On one offer, Beth added this line: “Not valid for consultations or combined with other offers.”

Can the Same Banner Go on Social Media?

It usually needs a second version. Website banners are long and wide. Social media posts work better with a taller image. Put the link in the post text, or in your profile on platforms where post links can’t be clicked.

Have a Promotion Coming Up?

See our Webmaster Retainer, or request a consultation.