In this article, you can learn how to create Announcement Posts for important messages.
Note: Announcement Posts can be made by admins, channel owners, and editors.
Announcement posts are your go-to for making sure important information gets noticed. Unlike regular posts that can quickly get buried, announcements automatically pin to the top of a channel, guaranteeing everyone sees them. This means critical updates, company-wide news, or urgent directives are immediately visible and easy to find, so nothing important gets missed in a busy feed.
You can also tailor announcement posts to fit your needs. For example, setting an expiry date keeps timely information prominent only when it's relevant, preventing clutter. Plus, adding a confirmation button like "Mark as read" is useful for compliance or accountability, letting you track who's acknowledged the announcement.
Ultimately, using announcements helps organizations communicate more efficiently, share crucial information effectively, and build a more informed and engaged team.
How to create an announcement
Want to make sure your important messages stand out? Here's how to create an announcement:
Create an announcement from a post
Simply start typing your message in the post field within a channel. As you type, the Post options menu will appear. Click on it, then select Set as announcement.
Create an announcement from an article
First, click Create article at the bottom of the post field within a channel. Begin typing anywhere in the article text field. As you type, a blue Publish button will appear at the bottom-right. Click the downward-pointing arrow next to Publish and select Set as announcement.
Customize an announcement
Once you've chosen to set your post as an announcement, you can customize its settings:
- Set an expiry date: Choose how long your announcement will be visible. Options range from 1 day to "never," or you can select a custom date (e.g., November 3rd).
- Add a confirmation button: Toggle this option to include a button that users can click to confirm they've read or actioned the request. When enabled, you can also customize the button text (e.g., "Mark as read").
- Set a banner color: Personalize your announcement with a banner color. You can choose from your brand's colors (set in Admin Settings), basic colors, or a custom color.
After configuring your settings, click Save.
You'll then see an indication at the top of your post stating, "This post will be published as an announcement." To make any changes to the announcement details, click the pencil icon in the top-right corner of the post.
Note: To change an announcement back into a regular post or to modify any of its attributes, click the pencil icon located to the right of the announcement. This will allow you to make the necessary changes.
How announcements appear to users
When you share a post as an announcement:
- It will be automatically pinned at the top of the respective channel feed for every user.
- If the announcement has a confirmation button, users can click it (e.g., "Mark as read") in the top-right corner of the announcement to confirm they've read it.
- The announcement will be unpinned for a user once they mark it as read.
Note: Announcements without a confirmation button will remain pinned at the top of a user’s Channel feed until the announcement expires.
Important notes
- You can turn any normal post or article into an announcement.
- When an announcement post expires, it will be unpinned, and users will no longer have the option to mark it as read.
Understanding announcement statistics and settings
As an admin, channel owner, or editor, you have access to detailed statistics and settings for your announcements. The following explains how to view who's read your announcements, manage settings, and export read lists.
Viewing announcement readership
To view who has read an announcement, click Show details on the right side of the announcement. This will take you to the Read tab, where you'll see:
-
Users who have read your announcement: This tab lists all participants and editors who have read the announcement, along with the date and time they read it. The number next to "Read" indicates the total count of these users.
- Note: If a confirmation button was enabled, a user is only marked as "read" once they click it.
- Users who have not read your announcement yet: The Unread tab displays users who haven't read the announcement. If a confirmation button was enabled, these users either haven't clicked it or have marked the announcement as unread.
Note: When the confirmation button isn't enabled, admins, channel owners, and editors can view the list of users who have and haven't read the announcement after it expires.
Announcement settings
You can adjust announcement settings by clicking Show details at the top-right of an announcement and then navigating to the Settings tab. Here, you can:
- Edit your announcement's expiry date.
- Export a read list to CSV.
- Change the announcement into a regular post.
Exporting a read list to CSV
Admins, channel owners, and editors can export a read list for an announcement. To do this:
- Click Show details at the top-right of the announcement.
- Navigate to the Settings tab.
- Select Export a read list.
The exported CSV file will include a list of all users who have read the announcement and when. It's important to note that the number of users in this report might differ from the number displayed on the announcement banner. The banner only shows users who have read the announcement and are still active participants in the channel, while the CSV file includes all users who have read the announcement, even if they have since left the channel.
Who can view announcement statistics?
Only admins, channel owners, and editors have access to announcement statistics and can view them by clicking "Show details" at the top-right of an announcement. Channel participants cannot view any announcement statistics; their only interaction with announcements is to click a confirmation button if that feature has been enabled.
FAQ
What gets top priority: an unread announcement or a pinned post?
When you have both an announcement and a pinned post, the announcement will always appear at the top if it's unread.
Here's a breakdown of the display priority:
- Unread announcements: These take precedence and will be displayed first.
- Pinned posts: If there's a pinned post, it will appear after any unread announcements.
- Read announcements: Once you've read all announcements, the pinned post will then move to the very top.
- Most recent content: If there are no unread announcements and no pinned posts, your content will be ordered by publication time, with the most recent items appearing first.
Are announcements available in the Happeo mobile app?
Yes, announcements are visible in the Happeo mobile app. However, you can only create announcements using the web version of Happeo.
Can I change the banner color after publishing?
No, you cannot change the banner color after publishing an announcement. The banner color can only be set and edited before the announcement is published.
What types of posts should be turned into announcements?
This functionality could be useful for time-sensitive, high-priority, or action-driven posts like policy changes, leadership updates, or urgent reminders.
How many posts can I set as announcements in one channel? Which one gets pinned?
There is no limit to the amount of announcements shown in a channel, but it is advised to use them sparingly so only one – or two maximum – are used at any given time within the same channel. This is because the posts will be pinned in chronological order of posting, so the more announcements you have, the further down the channel feed other non-announcement posts will show – which may impact their visibility.