How do you build Iterable lifecycle campaigns in 2026?
Quick Answer: As of April 2026, Iterable lifecycle campaigns are built using Iterable Journeys: a visual canvas where users enter from a list, event, or segment trigger, then move through email, SMS, push, and in-app messages with branching logic and wait nodes. Journeys support A/B tests, holdouts, and Catalog-driven content for personalization.
Building Iterable Lifecycle Campaigns
Iterable is a cross-channel growth marketing platform. Lifecycle campaigns are built in Iterable Journeys, the visual orchestration canvas.
Step 1 — Define the Audience and Entry
A Journey starts with an Entry node. Three trigger types are supported:
- Event-triggered — User performs a tracked event (e.g.,
user_signup) - List-triggered — User joins a static list
- Segment-triggered — User matches a dynamic segment (filter on user fields plus events)
Configure entry rules to limit re-entry (e.g., once per user, or once per 30 days).
Step 2 — Add Channel Steps
Drag email, SMS, push, in-app, or webhook nodes onto the canvas. Each node references a saved Template. Iterable supports Handlebars-style merge fields and Catalog lookups for product personalization.
Step 3 — Add Logic
Common patterns:
- Wait — Delay (e.g., 3 days) between messages
- Conditional Split — Route based on user fields or events (e.g., "did purchase in last 7 days?")
- Wait Until — Pause until a specific event fires or a deadline elapses
- A/B Split — Random allocation across variants
Step 4 — Test and Launch
Use Journey Test Mode to dry-run with a single user. For launch, configure a holdout (5-10%) so impact can be measured against an unmessaged control. Monitor the Journey dashboard for entry, conversion, and unsubscribe rates and iterate based on the cohort comparison report.