What are the steps to create a promotional ad using countdown customizers in Bing Ads?

Creating a promotional ad using countdown customizers in Bing Ads allows advertisers to create urgency and drive action by displaying a countdown timer that counts down to a specific date and time. This can be effective for promoting limited-time offers, sales events, or deadlines. Here are the steps to create a promotional ad using countdown customizers in Bing Ads:

### Steps to Create a Promotional Ad with Countdown Customizers

1. **Prepare Your Customizer Feed**:
   - Start by preparing a customizer feed (spreadsheet) that includes the countdown end date and time. Each row in the feed will represent a separate countdown event.
   - Example customizer feed structure:

     ```
     Event, EndDateTime
     Summer Sale, 2024/09/01 23:59:59
     Back-to-School Offer, 2024/08/15 23:59:59
     ```

   - Ensure the `EndDateTime` column is formatted correctly as YYYY/MM/DD HH:MM:SS.

2. **Upload the Feed to Bing Ads**:
   - Log in to your Bing Ads account and navigate to the Shared Library section.
   - Select "Business Data" and then "Customizers" to access the customizers management interface.
   - Upload your customizer feed (spreadsheet) containing the countdown end dates. Bing Ads will validate the feed and allow you to map the columns to the corresponding attributes.

3. **Implement Countdown Customizers in Ad Copy**:
   - Use the following syntax to insert countdown customizers into your ad copy:
   - Example: `{=Countdown(EndDateTime):default text}`

     ```
     Hurry, sale ends in {=Countdown(EndDateTime):Sale ends soon!}
     ```

   - Replace `default text` with fallback text that will display before the countdown starts or if there are any issues retrieving the countdown data.

4. **Set Up Your Campaign or Ad Group**:
   - Create a new campaign or ad group (or use an existing one) where you want to display the promotional ads with countdown customizers.
   - Ensure that the campaign or ad group is targeted to the appropriate audience and aligned with your promotion's goals.

5. **Test and Preview**:
   - Use Bing Ads' ad preview tool to preview how your ads appear with countdown customizers. Verify that the countdown timer dynamically updates based on the end date and time specified in your customizer feed.
   - Check for accuracy and ensure that the countdown timer reflects the correct time remaining until the promotion ends.

### Example Scenario:

Suppose you're running a summer sale promotion and want to create urgency with a countdown timer in your Bing Ads.

- **Customizer Feed Example** (CSV format):
 
  ```
  Event, EndDateTime
  Summer Sale, 2024/09/01 23:59:59
  ```

- **Ad Copy Example**:

  ```
  Don't miss out on our Summer Sale! Ends in {=Countdown(EndDateTime):Sale ends soon!}
  ```

In this example:
- `{=Countdown(EndDateTime):Sale ends soon!}` dynamically inserts a countdown timer that counts down to September 1, 2024, at 23:59:59.

### Best Practices for Using Countdown Customizers

- **Update Feeds Regularly**: Ensure your customizer feed is updated with accurate end dates and times to maintain the urgency of your promotions.
- **Monitor Performance**: Track performance metrics such as CTR and conversion rates to gauge the effectiveness of countdown customizers in driving user engagement and conversions.
- **Compliance**: Adhere to Bing Ads' policies regarding countdown timers and ensure transparency in your promotional messaging.

By following these steps and best practices, advertisers can effectively use countdown customizers in Bing Ads to create compelling promotional ads that drive urgency and encourage users to take action before time-sensitive offers expire.