Email Blast vs Drip Campaign: When to Use Each
Understanding the difference between email blasts and drip campaigns, and when to use each for maximum impact.
Email blasts and drip campaigns are both forms of email marketing, but they serve different purposes. Understanding when to use each can significantly improve your email strategy.
What is an Email Blast?
An email blast (also called a broadcast) is a one-time email sent to your entire list or a segment at the same time. Everyone receives the same message simultaneously.
Common uses for email blasts:
- Newsletters with timely content
- Product announcements
- Flash sales and promotions
- Company news and updates
- Event invitations
What is a Drip Campaign?
A drip campaign is a series of automated emails sent over time, triggered by specific actions or time intervals. Each subscriber receives emails based on when they entered the sequence.
Common uses for drip campaigns:
- Onboarding sequences for new users
- Trial conversion sequences
- Educational email courses
- Re-engagement sequences for inactive users
- Post-purchase follow-ups
Key Differences
| Aspect | Email Blast | Drip Campaign |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Everyone at once | Individualized timing |
| Trigger | Manual send | Automated trigger |
| Content | Timely, one-off | Evergreen, sequential |
| Setup | Quick, per-send | Upfront, then automatic |
| Personalization | Segment-based | Behavior-based |
When to Use Email Blasts
Time-Sensitive Content
When information is relevant now and loses value over time, use a blast. A flash sale ending tomorrow, a major product announcement, or breaking industry news should reach everyone immediately.
Regular Communications
Weekly newsletters, monthly updates, and regular content digests work well as blasts. Subscribers expect these at consistent intervals.
Broad Announcements
Company news, policy changes, or important updates that affect all subscribers should be broadcast simultaneously.
When to Use Drip Campaigns
Onboarding New Users
New subscribers or users need education about your product or service. A drip sequence delivers the right information at the right time, regardless of when they signed up.
Nurturing Leads
Moving potential customers from awareness to purchase works better with carefully timed, progressive messaging than a single email.
Behavioral Triggers
When specific actions (abandoned cart, feature not used, trial expiring) should trigger specific responses, drip campaigns automate this personalized outreach.
Combining Both Strategies
Most effective email strategies use both. A typical approach:
- Drip campaigns for onboarding, trial conversion, and re-engagement
- Email blasts for newsletters, announcements, and promotions
The drip campaigns run continuously in the background. Blasts supplement them with timely, relevant content.
Measuring Success
Email Blast Metrics
- Open rate and click rate for that specific send
- Immediate conversions or actions
- Revenue generated from the campaign
Drip Campaign Metrics
- Overall sequence completion rate
- Conversion rate from start to goal
- Drop-off points between emails
- Long-term revenue attribution
Tools for Both
Most modern email broadcast services support both blasts and drip campaigns. Sequenzy handles both with native billing integration for revenue tracking. Mailchimp, Beehiiv, and ConvertKit also offer automation alongside broadcasts.
Simpler tools like Buttondown and Substack focus primarily on broadcasts with minimal automation.
The Bottom Line
Email blasts and drip campaigns are not either/or. They serve different purposes and work best together.
Use blasts for timely, one-off communications. Use drip campaigns for automated, behavior-based sequences. A balanced strategy leverages both to engage subscribers throughout their journey.
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