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The information banner allows you to display urgent messages or announcements at the top of every page on your public website. Use it to communicate time-sensitive information like office closures, emergency updates, or important deadlines to residents visiting your site.

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When to use a banner

The banner is designed for important, temporary communications:
  • Emergency alerts - Flood warnings, evacuation notices, or disaster updates
  • Office closures - Holiday hours, weather closures, or temporary shutdowns
  • Deadline reminders - Permit deadlines, grant application windows, or compliance dates
  • Service disruptions - System maintenance, processing delays, or contact changes
  • Important announcements - Policy changes, new services, or community updates
Keep banner content focused and timely. For permanent information, use your main community website or the public website’s standard content areas instead.

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Adding a banner

1

Open public website settings

Navigate to Settings > Account > Public Website.
2

Find the banner section

Scroll to the Information banner section.
3

Enable the banner

Check the Display banner checkbox to enable the banner on your public website.
4

Enter banner content

Type your message in the content editor. You can format text using the toolbar:
  • Bold for emphasis
  • Italic for secondary emphasis
  • Underline for additional highlighting
  • Bullet lists for multiple points
  • Numbered lists for sequential items
  • Links to direct residents to more information
5

Select a banner color

Choose a background color for your banner from the color picker. Colors are designed for accessibility with appropriate text contrast.
6

Save your changes

Click Update to publish the banner to your public website.
Your banner is now visible on all pages of your public website. Visit your public website to verify it appears correctly.
Choose a color that matches the tone of your message:
ColorSuggested use
RedUrgent alerts, emergencies, critical warnings
OrangeImportant notices, deadline reminders
GreenPositive announcements, service restorations
BlueGeneral information, updates
GrayNeutral announcements
Black/WhiteFormal communications
You can also use your account’s brand color for consistency with your community’s visual identity.
Text color (black or white) is automatically selected based on the background color to ensure readability.

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Formatting banner content

The banner editor supports markdown formatting:

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Text formatting

  • **Bold text** for emphasis
  • *Italic text* for secondary emphasis
  • Underline using the toolbar button

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Lists

Create bullet points or numbered lists for multiple items: 
- Office closed December 25-26
- Limited hours December 24 and 31
- Normal hours resume January 2
Add links to direct residents to more information: 
Visit our [emergency page](https://yourcity.gov/emergency) for updates.

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Best practices for content

  • Keep messages concise—aim for 1-2 sentences
  • Lead with the most important information
  • Include dates and times when relevant
  • Provide a link for more details when appropriate
  • Avoid jargon or technical terms

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How residents see the banner

When you enable a banner:
  • It appears at the top of every page on your public website
  • Residents can dismiss the banner by clicking the close button
  • Dismissed banners stay hidden for the browser session
  • The banner reappears if the resident returns in a new session or clears their browser data

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Long content

If your banner content is longer than two lines:
  • Content is initially truncated
  • A Read more link appears
  • Residents can expand to see the full message
Test your banner on both desktop and mobile to ensure it displays well on all devices.

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Updating a banner

To change an existing banner:
  1. Navigate to Settings > Account > Public Website
  2. Edit the banner content or color
  3. Click Update to save changes
Changes take effect immediately on your public website.

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Removing a banner

To remove a banner from your public website:
  1. Navigate to Settings > Account > Public Website
  2. Uncheck the Display banner checkbox
  3. Click Update to save
The banner is immediately removed from all pages. Your content and color settings are preserved, so you can quickly re-enable the banner later if needed.

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Examples

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Emergency closure

Our office is closed due to severe weather. We will reopen when conditions improve. For emergencies, call 555-123-4567.
Color: Red (urgent)

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Deadline reminder

Flood insurance renewal deadline: March 31. Contact your insurance agent to ensure continuous coverage. Learn more about flood insurance
Color: Orange (important notice)

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Service restoration

Online permit applications are back online. Thank you for your patience during maintenance. Submit your application
Color: Green (positive update)

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General announcement

New flood maps effective January 1, 2025. Check if your property’s flood zone has changed. Search your property
Color: Blue (informational)

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Troubleshooting

Common causes:
  • Banner content is empty (required when display is enabled)
  • No color selected (required when display is enabled)
Ensure both content and color are provided, then try saving again.
Banner dismissal is stored in the browser session. The banner will reappear if residents:
  • Close and reopen their browser
  • Clear browser data
  • Use a different device
This is expected behavior to ensure important messages reach residents.