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Batch schedule an email campaign

Send your email campaign in timed batches instead of all at once. Set the batch size, how often batches go out, which days and times to send, and who receives it.

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Written by Matt Phillips

Batch scheduling lets you send marketing emails in timed batches rather than all at once. This helps manage traffic to your websites or funnels and reduces load on your sending infrastructure. Use this guide to set up a batch schedule with the Email Builder's Batch Schedule option.

What is batch scheduling for email campaigns?

Batch scheduling (also called batch delivery or drip mode) spreads delivery across set intervals. Instead of sending to your whole audience at the same time, you control the batch quantity, timing and active days. This means delivery happens gradually and predictably.

Key benefits of batch scheduling email campaigns

  • Traffic management: Sends in timed batches to avoid sudden surges to your websites or funnels.

  • Server load control: Reduces potential strain on your server by pacing the send.

  • Flexible timing: Lets you choose the batch quantity, repeat frequency, days, and start and end times.

Before you start

Here are some things to know before you begin.

  • Make sure you've created an email template to send the campaign.

  • Make sure you've verified the domain you'll send the email from.

How to batch schedule an email campaign

Follow these steps in the Email Builder to create your campaign and set up batch delivery (drip mode).

Step 1: Create an email campaign

  1. Go to Marketing > Email > Campaigns.

  2. Create a New Campaign or Edit an Existing one.
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Step 2: Design the email

Note: To learn more about using the Email Builder and its Inline Editor, see our article How To Create An Email Template - Design Video.

  1. Build or select a template.

  2. Add your content, images and links.

  3. Use Preview and Test Email to check the layout on desktop and mobile.
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Step 3: Select the delivery option (Batch Schedule)

  1. Click the Send or Schedule button.
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  2. From the Sending Options, select Batch Schedule and complete the steps below:

    1. Add the Start date and time of the campaign.

    2. Add the Batch Quantity.

      • Note: Batch Quantity is the number of emails sent per batch, not the number of batches. For example, if you have 10,000 recipients and set the Batch Quantity to 1,000, the system sends them in 10 batches of 1,000 emails each.

    3. Add Repeat after (a number based on the frequency) and choose the frequency as days, hours, minutes, and seconds.
      ​If a saved draft previously used seconds, that field now clears automatically to prevent scheduling errors.

    4. Untick any days of the week when you don't want the batch campaign to send.

    5. Add the specific time for start and end.

      • Note: Validation (Batch Schedule)

        • If the End time is earlier than the Start time, an error appears under End time: End time can't be before start time.

        • If an End time is selected before the Start time, a prompt appears under Start time: Please enter a valid start time.

        • Send and Schedule stay disabled until you fix the errors.

        • Editing the Start time confirms with a single OK button.

        • Midnight (12:00 AM) boundaries are handled without false errors.
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  3. Add your name in the Sender Name section (optional).

  4. Choose or set up the Sender Domain.

  5. Add your email address in the Sender Email section.

  6. Add a Subject Line.

  7. Add your preview text in the Preview section (optional).

  8. Add your recipients in the To section by choosing email(s) or smart list(s).
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Note: Please check the execution date, time and time zone before scheduling!

You'll have the option to delete or reschedule the email campaign. To reschedule, click reschedule and set the new date and time for the campaign.

You can reschedule up to one hour before the campaign is due to send. For example, if the campaign is scheduled for 11 AM EST, you can reschedule it until 10 AM EST.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I'd like to edit the copy of my batch campaign. Is that possible without affecting the statistics?
Yes. You can edit the copy of an ongoing Batch Schedule campaign by clicking Update Email Content. Once you've edited the copy before the execution date, click save edits.

Note: The updated copy isn't guaranteed to go out, but we try to update it before the sending queue starts on the server.

Q: How can I reschedule an RSS email campaign?
You can reschedule Simple Schedule, Batch Schedule and RSS Schedule campaigns up to one hour (60 minutes) before the execution date and time.
Go to Marketing > Email and open the Email Campaign tab. You'll see a list of your Simple Schedule, RSS Schedule and Batch Schedule campaigns, which can be rescheduled up to one hour before they send.
In the action button, choose Reschedule Campaign. You can change the schedule details and the delivery model. Once you're done, mark it as the rescheduled campaign to save your settings.

Q: What are the rate limits for sending?

Add in drip mode:

  • Frequencies of 30 sec - 1 min: 1,000 messages per minute

  • Frequencies of 5 min: 4,999 messages per minute

  • Frequencies of 6 min - 10 min: 5,000 messages per minute

  • Frequencies of Above 10 min: 10,000 messages per minute

Add all at once & Add all at a scheduled time:

  • Less than 10k: we process 15k contacts per hour

  • More than 10k but less than 50k: we process 6k contacts per hour

  • More than 50k but less than 70k: we process 3k contacts per hour

  • More than 70k: we process 1.5k contacts per hour

The Repeat after interval dropdown doesn't include seconds. If you previously used a seconds-based interval, select 1 minute or higher.

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