Glossary
Campaigns & Marketing

Drip Campaign

By: Alec Hollingsworth
Updated:  
July 2, 2025

Definition:

A drip campaign is an automated sequence of messages sent over time to engage, educate, or nurture supporters based on their actions or interests.
A drip campaign is an automated series of pre-scheduled marketing communications, such as emails or messages, delivered to contacts over time based on specific triggers or timelines. In nonprofit settings, drip campaigns can nurture donor relationships, onboard new volunteers, or promote upcoming events by delivering relevant content at each stage of engagement. These campaigns help maintain consistent communication without overwhelming recipients, making it easier to guide supporters along their journey with your organization. Drip campaigns are typically managed through digital marketing platforms and can be highly personalized based on user actions or interests, increasing their effectiveness in building long-term engagement.

Key Takeaways

  • Automates communication for efficiency and consistency
  • Improves engagement by sending timely, relevant content
  • Can be tailored to different supporter journeys
  • Ideal for donor stewardship, onboarding, or event promotion

Why It Matters

Drip campaigns increase engagement, nurture relationships, and save time through automation.

Real World Example

A nonprofit runs a drip campaign for new donors. After a donation, the donor receives a welcome email, followed a week later by a message showing the impact of their gift. Two weeks after that, the donor gets an invitation to a virtual event. Each email is automated and triggered by their initial donation, allowing the organization to build a relationship without manually sending individual messages. This keeps the donor engaged, informed, and more likely to give again in the future.

How Keela Helps

Keela enables nonprofits to create and manage drip campaigns easily through its integrated communications tools. With Keela, you can automate personalized email sequences for donors, volunteers, or event attendees, helping you stay connected and nurture relationships without manual effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main purpose of a drip campaign?

The main purpose is to automate communication, nurturing engagement with supporters over time through relevant, timely messages.

How can nonprofits use drip campaigns?

Nonprofits use them to onboard new donors or volunteers, promote events, and keep supporters informed without manual messaging.

Can I personalize drip campaigns in Keela?

Yes, Keela lets you tailor drip campaign content and timing based on supporter actions, interests, or other data.

Are drip campaigns only for emails?

While commonly used for emails, drip campaigns can also include text messages or other digital communications depending on the platform.

Do drip campaigns require technical expertise?

Modern tools like Keela simplify drip campaign creation, so you don't need advanced technical skills to set them up and run them.

Related Terms

A/B Test
Accessibility Compliance
Acknowledgement Letter
Address Verification
Affiliation
Archiving Historical Donor Data

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