Been running automated campaigns for months now and honestly questioning if all this data collection and trigger-based messaging is worth it.
Seems like we’re just bombarding users with more notifications. The metrics look good on paper but actual conversions feel flat.
Automation works but most people set it up wrong. Try fewer messages with better timing first.
Kill half your automations and see if revenue drops.
Had the same problem two years back with a travel app. Turns out we were measuring vanity metrics instead of actual user lifetime value.
The automation was working but we couldn’t see it because we only looked at immediate conversions. When I started tracking 30-day and 90-day revenue per user, the automated sequences were actually bringing in 23% more revenue than manual campaigns.
Most automation fails because the attribution window is too short. Users don’t convert right after getting a push notification. They convert three days later when they remember your app.
Try extending your conversion tracking to at least 7 days post-message. You might find your automation is working better than you think.
Most automation setups are broken from the start. You’re probably triggering messages based on weak signals or sending too many touches without clear goals. The real issue is usually segment quality. If you’re automating to your entire user base instead of specific behavior cohorts, you’re creating noise. Start with one simple automation. Cart abandoners getting a single follow-up email after 24 hours. Measure actual revenue per recipient, not open rates. If that works, add more triggers. If not, your targeting is off.
Your automations might be fighting each other if you have multiple campaigns hitting the same users.
I learned this the hard way when I had welcome sequences, behavior triggers, and promo campaigns all running at once. Users got confused and engagement dropped.
Now I map out the entire user journey first and make sure each automation has a clear purpose and doesn’t overlap with others.