Scheduling Links

Link scheduling is one of the most powerful features in Linked.Church. It allows you to prepare links in advance and have them automatically appear and disappear at the right times. No more forgetting to add event links or remove expired content!

Understanding Link Scheduling

Link scheduling lets you:

• Set links to appear at a future date/time
• Automatically hide links after they expire
• Prepare seasonal content in advance
• Create time-sensitive campaigns
• Manage event registrations efficiently

How Scheduling Works

The Basics

Every link can have:

• Start Date: When the link becomes visible
• End Date: When the link automatically hides
• No Dates: Link is always visible (default)
• Start Only: Link appears and stays visible
• End Only: Link is visible until expiration

Time Zone Considerations

• Scheduling uses your church's time zone
• Set in Account Settings
• All team members see the same zone
• Critical for multi-location churches
• Affects when links appear/disappear

Setting Up Scheduled Links

Step 1: Create or Edit a Link

1. Go to your Links dashboard
2. Click "Add New Link" or edit existing
3. Fill in standard link details

Step 2: Enable Scheduling

Look for the "Schedule Link" section:

1. Toggle "Schedule this link" to ON
2. Scheduling options appear
3. Choose your scheduling type

Step 3: Set Dates and Times

Start Date/Time

• Click the calendar icon
• Select the date
• Choose the time (optional)
• Link appears at this exact moment

End Date/Time

• Optional but recommended for events
• Link hides automatically
• Preserves analytics data
• Can be edited later

Step 4: Preview and Save

• Review the schedule summary
• Shows "Will be visible from X to Y"
• Save your scheduled link
• Dashboard shows schedule badge

Common Scheduling Scenarios

Event Registration

Scenario: VBS registration opens June 1, closes June 30

Title: Register for VBS 2024
URL: https://yourchurch.com/vbs-registration
Start: June 1, 2024 at 12:00 AM
End: June 30, 2024 at 11:59 PM

Benefits:

• Opens automatically at midnight
• Closes when registration ends
• No manual intervention needed
• Prevents late registrations

Seasonal Campaigns

Scenario: Christmas service schedule

Title: Christmas Eve Services
URL: https://yourchurch.com/christmas
Start: December 1, 2024
End: December 26, 2024

Benefits:

• Appears throughout advent
• Removes after Christmas
• Can prepare months ahead
• Consistent every year

Weekly Events

Scenario: Sunday live stream link

Title: Watch Live - Sunday Service
URL: https://youtube.com/live
Start: Every Sunday 8:30 AM
End: Every Sunday 1:00 PM

Note: Recurring schedules coming soon!

Limited-Time Offers

Scenario: Early bird camp discount

Title: Summer Camp - Save $50!
URL: https://yourchurch.com/camp
Start: March 1, 2024
End: April 15, 2024
Icon: 🏕️ (with highlight enabled)

Advanced Scheduling Features

Schedule Visibility Indicators

In your dashboard, scheduled links show:

• 📅 Scheduled: Future start date
• ⏰ Active: Currently visible (within schedule)
• ⌛ Expired: Past end date
• 🔄 Ongoing: Has start but no end date

Bulk Scheduling

Schedule multiple related links:

1. Select multiple links
2. Choose "Edit Schedule"
3. Apply same dates to all
4. Useful for event link groups

Schedule Templates

Save common schedules:

• "Sunday Service" (weekly)
• "Special Event" (one-time)
• "Seasonal" (annual)
• Apply templates to new links

Best Practices

Planning Ahead

Create a Content Calendar

• Map out annual events
• Note registration periods
• Plan seasonal content
• Schedule maintenance windows

Set Reminders

• Calendar alerts for content prep
• Review scheduled links monthly
• Check for conflicts
• Update as plans change

Smart Scheduling Tips

1. Buffer Time

   • Start links 15 minutes early
   • End 30 minutes after events
   • Account for time zones
   • Prevent user frustration

2. Test Schedules

   • Create test link with near schedule
   • Verify appears/disappears correctly
   • Check on multiple devices
   • Confirm time zone accuracy

3. Overlap Prevention

   • Avoid scheduling conflicts
   • Don't duplicate similar links
   • Stagger related content
   • Clear expired links regularly

Communication Strategy

Before Going Live

• Announce upcoming links
• Build anticipation
• Share schedule details
• Prepare congregation

While Active

• Promote scheduled content
• Send reminders
• Update descriptions
• Monitor performance

After Expiration

• Review analytics
• Archive successful links
• Note improvement areas
• Plan next iteration

Managing Scheduled Links

Viewing Scheduled Links

Dashboard Filters

• "All Links" - Everything
• "Active" - Currently visible
• "Scheduled" - Future links
• "Expired" - Past links

Schedule Timeline View

• Visual calendar display
• See overlapping schedules
• Identify gaps
• Plan coverage

Editing Schedules

Extend a Schedule

1. Find the scheduled link
2. Click Edit
3. Adjust end date/time
4. Save changes
5. Takes effect immediately

Cancel Scheduling

1. Edit the link
2. Toggle scheduling OFF
3. Link becomes always visible
4. Dates are preserved

Handling Expired Links

Options for expired links:

1. Delete: Remove completely
2. Archive: Hide but preserve
3. Reschedule: Set new dates
4. Convert: Make always visible

Troubleshooting

Link Not Appearing

Check these common issues:

• Verify current date/time
• Confirm time zone setting
• Check start date hasn't passed
• Ensure visibility is ON
• Clear browser cache

Link Still Visible After End Date

Possible causes:

• Time zone mismatch
• End date not saved
• Browser caching issue
• Schedule was cancelled

Schedule Changes Not Working

Solutions:

• Refresh dashboard
• Log out and back in
• Check for save errors
• Verify permissions
• Contact support

Pro Scheduling Strategies

Seasonal Rotation

Create link sets for each season:

Spring (March-May)

• Easter services
• Spring events
• VBS registration

Summer (June-August)

• Camp information
• Outdoor services
• Mission trips

Fall (September-November)

• Back to school
• Fall festival
• Thanksgiving

Winter (December-February)

• Christmas services
• Year-end giving
• Winter retreats

Event Lifecycle Management

Pre-Event (4 weeks before)

• Save the date
• Early registration
• Volunteer signup

Active Period (During registration)

• Register now
• Event details
• Payment links

Final Push (1 week before)

• Last chance
• Highlighted link
• Reminder info

Post-Event

• Thank you message
• Photos/videos
• Next event teaser

Future Features

Coming soon to scheduling:

Recurring Schedules

• Weekly patterns
• Monthly events
• Annual occasions
• Custom frequencies

Smart Scheduling

• AI-suggested times
• Conflict detection
• Optimal timing
• Performance-based

Advanced Rules

• Day-of-week rules
• Holiday awareness
• Capacity limits
• Conditional display

Next Steps

Master these scheduling techniques:

• Create compelling link titles
• Organize scheduled content
• Track scheduled link performance
• Highlight urgent links

Remember: Good scheduling makes your link page dynamic and always relevant!