Wait steps are a powerful feature in Oracle Eloqua campaigns. They help control timing and pace communications and guide contacts through the right journey. However, when they are misused, they can slow campaigns, create bottlenecks, and negatively impact performance.
In this article, we’ll explore how to use wait steps effectively, so your campaigns stay fast, efficient, and effective.
What are Wait Steps in Eloqua?
Wait steps control when a contact moves to the next step in a campaign. Instead of moving immediately, contacts pause for a set time or until a condition is met. It is often used for follow-up emails, event reminders, or giving contacts time to respond.
There are two common types of wait steps:
- Time-based wait steps – Contacts wait for a specific period (for example, 3 days).
- Condition-based wait steps – Contacts wait until a rule is true (for example, “email opened” or “field updated”).
Why do campaigns slow down because of wait steps?
Campaigns can slow down when wait steps are not planned carefully. Common reasons include:
- Too many long wait periods that delay contact movement
- Stacking multiple wait steps one after another
- Using it for background data updates instead of programs
- Missing exit or timeout rules, causing contacts to get stuck
When this happens, contacts remain in campaigns longer than needed, and campaign results take longer to appear.
Best Practices for using Wait Steps Effectively:
To keep your campaigns moving smoothly, follow these best practices:
- Keep wait times short and purposeful
Only wait as long as needed to achieve the goal. - Use condition-based waits when possible
Let contacts move forward as soon as they meet the condition. - Always define exit paths
Make sure contacts know where to go after the wait step. - Add timeout rules
If a condition is not met within a set time, move contacts forward or exit them.
These steps prevent contacts from getting stuck and keep campaigns flowing.
When to use a Program instead of a Campaign Wait Step:
Not every wait belongs in a campaign.
Use the Program Canvas when:
- The wait period is long (weeks or months)
- You are updating data or managing background processes
- The logic needs to run continuously
Campaigns should focus on engagement, while programs handle data and long-term automation. Moving long waits into programs keeps campaigns lean and responsive.
How to design faster, more efficient campaign flows?
A well-designed campaign moves contacts with minimal friction. Here’s how to do that:
- Place decision rules before wait steps to reduce unnecessary waiting
- Avoid adding wait steps “just in case.”
- Use shared filters to keep logic clean and reusable
- Keep campaign paths simple and easy to understand
Simple campaigns are easier to manage, run faster, and optimize more easily.
Common mistakes to avoid:
Many campaign slowdowns come from small mistakes, such as:
- Overusing fixed time waits
- Forgetting to test wait logic before activating campaigns
- Editing wait steps in live campaigns without checking the impact
- Not reviewing wait steps after launch
Avoiding these mistakes can significantly improve campaign speed and reliability.
How to monitor and optimize Wait Steps?
Campaign optimization doesn’t stop at launch. You should:
- Regularly review how long contacts stay in each wait step
- Identify delays or bottlenecks in the campaign flow
- Adjust wait times based on engagement data
- Redesign campaigns that consistently move too slowly
Ongoing monitoring helps ensure wait steps support your goals rather than slow them down.
Conclusion:
Wait steps are essential in Eloqua, but they must be used carefully. When planned well, they improve timing and personalization. When overused, they slow campaigns and reduce impact.
By keeping wait steps short, using condition-based logic, and moving long waits into programs, you can build faster, smarter Eloqua campaigns that deliver results.
Struggling with slow or overcomplicated Eloqua campaigns?
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