01. The Organizer's Megaphone
Every group has information that everyone needs to see — schedule changes, new rules, event reminders, or important updates. Without a dedicated channel, these messages get buried in group chats or lost across multiple Plan Chat threads. Announcements give organizers a direct line to every member.
02. Pin What Matters
Pin critical messages to the top of the announcements panel. New members joining the jar immediately see pinned announcements — welcome messages, group rules, recurring schedules, or links to shared resources. Unpin when the information is no longer relevant.
03. Push-Powered Reach
Unlike group chats where messages can be muted or missed, announcements leverage Spin the Jar's push notification infrastructure. Every announcement triggers an instant notification to all jar members, ensuring time-sensitive information reaches everyone. Members see an unread badge on the announcements icon until they've read the latest posts.
04. Built for Group Leaders
Announcements complete the organizer toolkit: use RSVP to track attendance, Recurring Events to maintain schedules, and Announcements to keep everyone informed. Together, these features make running a group feel effortless — no more herding cats across 5 different apps.
Common Questions
Who can post announcements?
Only jar owners and admins can create announcements. This ensures the channel stays focused on important group communications, not general chatter.
Do members get notified?
Yes! Every announcement triggers a push notification to all jar members (if they have notifications enabled). This guarantees visibility without requiring members to check the app.
What is message pinning?
Admins can pin important announcements to the top of the panel. Pinned messages stay visible regardless of how many new announcements are posted — perfect for rules, schedules, or evergreen info.
How is this different from Plan Chat?
Plan Chat is linked to a specific activity and is for collaborative discussion. Announcements are jar-wide broadcasts for important admin messages — think of it as the group's bulletin board vs. a conversation about dinner plans.