Drip
Delivered a little at a time, on purpose — the automated message series that keeps you present without overwhelming. And the verb for releasing gradually.
- Term
- Drip
- Is
- An automated series released gradually over time
- Common in
- Email, lifecycle, nurture marketing
- Read with
- Drip campaign, sequence, nurture, automation
Parts of speech & senses
- An automated series of messages released gradually over time on a schedule or trigger — a drip campaign or drip marketing. "The drip sends one tip a week for eight weeks."
- Something released or supplied in small amounts over time.
- To release, deliver, or supply something gradually rather than all at once. "They dripped the content out over the launch month."
Forms, tenses & usage
What a drip is
In marketing, a drip is an automated series of messages delivered gradually over time — 'drip marketing,' usually run as email but also SMS or in-app. Rather than one big send, a drip releases a steady trickle: a welcome drip over the first weeks, an educational drip that teaches one idea at a time, a re-engagement drip that gently brings lapsed users back. The name comes from drip irrigation — a small, steady supply rather than a flood.
Drips work because spacing beats dumping. Delivering value in small, well-timed pieces keeps a brand present without overwhelming the recipient, and lets each message do one job. A drip is closely related to a sequence; the emphasis of 'drip' is the gradual, steady cadence over time.
How drips are used
Drips power most lifecycle automation: onboarding drips that activate new users step by step, nurture drips that build trust with leads until they're sales-ready, post-purchase drips that drive the second order, and win-back drips for the dormant. Because they run automatically once triggered, a well-built drip delivers timely, relevant touches to thousands of people without manual effort.
The discipline is the same as for any automated series: design around the recipient's state and goal, not just a calendar. Drips fail when they keep trickling after the goal is met, when the cadence is too fast (annoying) or too slow (forgotten), or when they ignore what the recipient has already done. A good drip adapts to behavior and stops when it should.
Drip as a verb and usage
As a verb, to drip is to release something gradually rather than all at once — 'drip the content out over the launch,' 'drip-feed the announcements.' It names the deliberate, paced release.
The everyday sense (liquid falling in drops) and the marketing sense share the core image: a small, steady release over time rather than a single flood. (The slang sense of 'drip' meaning stylish attire is unrelated.)
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin & history
"Drip" comes from the Old English dryppan, "to fall in drops." Marketing borrowed the image from drip irrigation — a small, steady supply over time — to name a message series delivered gradually rather than all at once.
Etymology: source.
Usage trends
Search interest for this term over the last five years:
Common questions
- What is a drip in marketing?
- An automated series of messages released gradually over time on a schedule or trigger — a drip campaign. The name comes from drip irrigation: a small, steady supply rather than a flood.
- Is drip a noun or a verb?
- Both. As a noun it is the automated gradual series (a drip campaign). As a verb, to drip is to release or supply something gradually rather than all at once.
- How is a drip different from a sequence?
- They overlap closely. Both are automated message series; 'drip' emphasizes the steady, gradual cadence over time, while 'sequence' emphasizes the ordered set of steps. In practice the terms are often used interchangeably.
Resources & people to follow
- referenceRGM analysis — definitions, senses, and usage verified per term
Curated, non-competitor resources verified per term.
Related training
Disciplines
Areas of marketing where drip is a core concern: