What Is a Drip Campaign?

A drip campaign is a sequence of messages delivered over time according to a schedule or progression. The term is often used broadly, so focus on the actual trigger and logic.

Updated September 2026

Time-based progression

A classic drip campaign sends message one, waits, sends message two and continues according to the designed cadence.

Where drip campaigns fit

They can support onboarding, education, lead nurturing or course-style delivery when the sequence should unfold predictably.

When behavior matters more

If different subscriber actions should create different next steps, a more flexible automation workflow may be more appropriate than a purely time-based drip.

Design from the subscriber's perspective

Choose delays based on how much time the person reasonably needs before the next message, not because a template prescribed a specific number of days.