AutoPromote

Tired of manually updating banners, announcement bars, and promotional content across your website every time you run a sale, launch a product, or make an announcement? AutoPromote provides a simple, centralized system to schedule and manage time-sensitive content effortlessly.

Define your promotional periods (like sales, events, or announcements) with specific start and end times. Add associated content like descriptions, promotional images, and even coupon details. Then, use simple shortcodes anywhere on your site (pages, posts, widgets, page builders) to automatically display the correct information for the currently active promotion.

When one promotion ends and another begins, your website content updates automatically. No more late-night edits or forgetting to remove expired sale banners! AutoPromote ensures your visitors always see the right message at the right time.

Core Features

• Centralized Promotion Management: Create, edit, schedule, and manage all your time-based promotions (sales, events, announcements) from one dedicated “AutoPromote” area in your WordPress admin.
• Precise Scheduling: Set specific start and end dates and times (down to the second!) for each promotion.
• Dynamic Content Shortcodes: Use simple shortcodes like [pixel_apfw_promotion_name] or [pixel_apfw_promotion_image] to display the active promotion’s details anywhere on your site. The content updates automatically based on your schedule.
• Standalone Coupon/Discount Details: Easily add a coupon code, discount amount, and discount type (e.g., “%” or “$”) directly to your promotion. Shortcodes can display this information.
• Promotional Images: Upload or select a unique promotional image for each campaign via the WordPress Media Library.
• Conflict Prevention: The system automatically prevents you from accidentally scheduling two promotions to run at the exact same time, ensuring clarity for your visitors.
• Global Fallback Content: Optionally define default text, image, and coupon details to show via shortcodes when no promotion is currently scheduled to be active.
• Shortcode Formatting Options: Control how dates, coupon codes (e.g., uppercase), and discount amounts are displayed through simple settings.

Available Shortcodes

Shortcodes automatically display content from the single promotion that is currently active based on its scheduled start and end date/time. If the Global Fallback setting is enabled and configured, fallback content will be displayed instead when no promotion is active.

• [pixel_apfw_promotion_name] – Displays the active promotion’s name (the title you entered).
• [pixel_apfw_promotion_description] – Displays the active promotion’s description/copy.
• [pixel_apfw_promotion_image size="full"] – Displays the active promotion’s promotional image. Accepts standard image sizes (thumbnail, medium, large, full) via the size attribute (optional, defaults to ‘full’).
• [pixel_apfw_promotion_coupon_code] – Displays the coupon code you entered manually for the active promotion. Format (e.g., uppercase) can be set in Settings.
• [pixel_apfw_promotion_discount_amount] – Displays the discount amount you entered manually for the active promotion. Format (e.g., “$10.00” vs “10”) can be set in Settings.
• [pixel_apfw_promotion_date type="start"] – Displays the active promotion’s start date/time.
• [pixel_apfw_promotion_date type="end"] – Displays the active promotion’s end date/time.
  • Note: The date/time format for [pixel_apfw_promotion_date] can be globally configured in AutoPromote > Settings, or overridden per-shortcode using the format attribute (e.g., format="F j, Y"). Uses standard PHP date format strings.

(Pro version adds integration to pull data directly from WooCommerce coupons, conditional display shortcodes ([pixel_apfw_show_if_active], [pixel_apfw_show_if_inactive]), promotion color options ([pixel_apfw_promotion_color]), PHP helper functions (pixel_apfw_get_promotion_color(), etc.), and a custom wrapper shortcode.)

Where to Use Shortcodes

Use these shortcodes in:
* Page/Post content
* Text Widgets
* Page builder elements (like text blocks or HTML modules)
* Website headers/footers (via theme options, hooks, or site editor blocks)
* Banner, announcement bar, or popup plugins that support shortcodes
* Anywhere else WordPress shortcodes are processed!

Getting Started

1. Go to AutoPromote -> Add New Promotion in your WordPress admin menu.
2. Enter a Title for your promotion (e.g., “Summer Kick-Off Sale”, “Website Maintenance Notice”). This is used by the [pixel_apfw_promotion_name] shortcode.
3. In the Promotion Details section below the main editor:
   • Select the Start Date/Time and End Date/Time using the calendar/time pickers. These are required.
   • Write the Description for your promotion using the editor provided. This is used by [pixel_apfw_promotion_description].
   • Click Select Image to upload or choose a Promotional Image from your Media Library. This is used by [pixel_apfw_promotion_image].
   • Optionally, enter the Coupon Code, Discount Amount, and select the Discount Type if this promotion involves a discount. This data is used by the [pixel_apfw_promotion_coupon_code] and [pixel_apfw_promotion_discount_amount] shortcodes.
4. Publish the promotion.
5. Go to AutoPromote -> All Promotions to see a list of your scheduled promotions, their status (Scheduled, Active, Finished), and their dates.
6. Go to AutoPromote -> Settings to configure global fallbacks (what shows when no promotion is active) and default formatting for dates and coupon details. You can also find a list of all available shortcodes here with copy buttons.
7. Place the desired shortcodes (e.g., [pixel_apfw_promotion_name], [pixel_apfw_promotion_image]) on your site’s pages, posts, widgets, etc., where you want the promotion information to appear dynamically.

1. Upload the plugin files to the /wp-content/plugins/autopromote directory, or install the plugin through the WordPress plugins screen directly (‘Plugins’ > ‘Add New’).
2. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ screen in WordPress.
3. Navigate to the AutoPromote menu in your WordPress admin sidebar.

1. 

   All Promotions table view showing status and dates.

2. 

   Promotion Editor screen.

3. 

   Settings page.

1.0

• Initial release