> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.outpost.pub/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Promotions
> Outpost's own offer system — works for existing paid subscribers, supports trial periods and subscription schedules, and checks out on an Outpost-hosted page instead of Ghost Portal.
Go to **Subscriptions → Outpost Promotions** to manage your promotions.
## Why promotions exist
Ghost Offers only work for free or unknown visitors — they can't be used by existing paid or complimentary subscribers. Outpost Promotions fill that gap. They route checkout through Stripe directly (bypassing Ghost Portal), which lets them do things Ghost Offers can't:
* **Work for any member type** — free, paid, complimentary, or unknown visitors
* **Trial periods** — offer a free trial before billing starts without having to set that as the default for a tier
* **Subscription schedules** — set an intro rate that transitions to standard pricing (e.g., 3 months at a discounted rate, then annual renewal)
* **Custom checkout pages** — branded landing pages with your own headline and description
Outpost automatically uses promotions in situations where a Ghost offer would not work, such as retention flows and upgrade offers for existing subscribers.
## Creating a promotion
Go to **Subscriptions → Outpost Promotions** and click **New Promotion**. The promotion form is the same form used to create offers. Configure:
| Field | Description |
| ------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Name** | Internal name for the promotion |
| **Offer Headline** | Headline shown on the promotion's sales/checkout page |
| **Description** | Supporting copy shown on the sales/checkout page |
| **Membership Tier** | Which tier the promotion applies to |
| **Billing Period** | Monthly, Yearly, Every 3 Months, or Every 6 Months |
| **Default Amount** | The default amount selected at checkout |
| **Discount / Trial tabs** | Switch between configuring a discount or a free trial |
| **Discount Duration** | One-time, recurring, or for a set number of months |
| **Discount %** or **Discount Amount** | Percent off or fixed currency amount off |
| **Trial Duration** | For trial promotions: the length of the free trial |
| **Add Member Labels** | Optional labels applied to members who sign up via this promotion |
| **Max Members** | Optional cap on total redemptions |
| **Expiration Date** | Optional date after which the promotion URL stops working. Expires at **11:59 PM in your site's timezone** on the selected date. |
Each promotion automatically generates a unique URL that you can share anywhere — in emails, on social media, or in [CTAs](/features/ctas).
**Billing Period vs. intro-then-renew pricing.** Setting **Billing Period** to **Every 3 Months** or **Every 6 Months** charges the same amount every three or six months indefinitely. If you want an intro rate that lasts for the first 3 or 6 months and then *transitions* to an annual renewal at a different price, use a [Subscription Schedule](/features/subscription-schedules) instead — that's the tool for two-phase pricing.
## Promotion URL
Each promotion has a unique URL like:
```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark"}}
https://outpostdemo.outpost.pub/public/promo-subscription/beb83809b7f680d8d76
```
When someone clicks this URL, they see the promotion's headline and description, then proceed to checkout for the linked plan.
## Managing promotions
| Action | Description |
| ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Edit** | Update the name, headline, description, or linked plan (once a plan has been used by one person, options are limited here). |
| **Archive** | Deactivate the promotion (URL stops working for new signups) |
| **Unarchive** | Reactivate an archived promotion |
| **Delete** | Permanently remove the promotion |
Archived promotions are hidden from the main list but can be viewed by filtering for archived promotions.
## Tracking redemptions
The promotions list shows how many members have subscribed through each promotion URL.
***
## Frequently asked questions
Use a **Ghost Offer** for straightforward discounts targeting free or unknown visitors — they check out through Ghost Portal and stay in sync with Ghost automatically. Use a **Promotion** when you need more flexibility: offering discounts to existing paid subscribers, adding trial periods, or setting up subscription schedules with intro pricing. See [Ghost Offers vs Outpost Promotions](/features/offers-and-discounts#ghost-offers-vs-outpost-promotions) for a full comparison.
No. Outpost automatically picks the right type for the situation. For example, if an autoresponder email targets existing paid subscribers, Outpost will use a promotion instead of a Ghost offer, since Ghost offers don't work for paid members. You can also choose manually when setting up [autoresponder actions](/features/basic-autoresponder).
The promotion URL stops working for new signups. Existing subscribers who signed up through the promotion are unaffected — their subscriptions continue normally. The promotion expires at 11:59 PM in your site's configured timezone on the expiration date, so it remains active for the full day you specify.
No. Each promotion gets a unique, auto-generated URL. If you archive and create a new promotion, it will have a different URL.
***
## Related features
How an upgrade offer checks out for someone who already has a subscription
Ghost Offers and how they compare to Outpost Promotions
Intro pricing that transitions to standard rates
Attach offers and promotions to automated emails
The subscription products that promotions link to