What's the difference between flows and campaigns?
Nicklas Segatz Mortensen · Growth Hacker · Fractional CMO · Meta Ads Nerd · 8 July 2026 · 3 min.
Definition
A campaign is a single email or SMS sent to a segment at a set time. A flow is an automated sequence triggered by a customer's behavior (like a sign-up or a purchase) that runs on its own.
Also called: Flows vs campaigns, Automation vs broadcast, Triggered vs scheduled
Sådan virker det
En kampagne er én udsendelse til et segment på ét tidspunkt. Et flow er automatiseret: bygget én gang udløses det af kundens adfærd og kører i baggrunden døgnet rundt. Flows bærer typisk hovedparten af den e-mail-drevne omsætning.
01One gets sent; the other runs
Campaigns are manual moments — newsletters, launches, promos — sent to a list here and now. They create spikes, but demand ongoing work. Flows are built once and then run in the background, triggered by the individual customer's behavior at exactly the right moment.
Because flows reach the customer in their most purchase-ready moments — after a sign-up, an abandoned cart, a purchase — they're almost always the most profitable part of the email channel. For a well-run account, flows carry the bulk of automated revenue, while campaigns layer the spikes on top.
Frequently asked questions
Should I prioritize flows or campaigns?+
Build flows first. They reach the customer in their most purchase-ready moments and produce revenue automatically. Campaigns matter for launches and promos, but flows are the foundation that works around the clock.
How much of revenue should come from flows?+
It varies, but for well-run e-commerce brands, flows typically account for the bulk of email- and SMS-driven revenue — more than campaign broadcasts.
Related terms
Glossary
What is a welcome flow?
A welcome flow is an automated email/SMS sequence triggered when someone joins your list — typically a welcome, brand story and a nudge toward the first purchase.
Read the entry →Glossary
What is an abandoned checkout flow?
An abandoned checkout flow is triggered when a customer starts the purchase but doesn't complete it — reminding them to finish the order via email or SMS.
Read the entry →Guide
Klaviyo flows that pay the rent
Read the entry →Flows, campaigns and segmentation — we build them in Klaviyo as one connected engine.
See Klaviyo & Email →
Nicklas Segatz Mortensen
Growth Hacker · Fractional CMO · Meta Ads Nerd at Oaksmond
Growth hacker and fractional CMO with 10+ years' experience and hundreds of millions in managed ad spend behind him. Background from larger Danish and international scale-ups, and from the agency world.
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