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The Flow Builder is where your marketing strategy comes to life. It is a visual, drag-and-drop canvas where you design automation workflows that execute actions when fans trigger specific events. Think of it as a blueprint for every interaction between you and your fans — drawn out step by step, then set to run automatically.

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What Are Flows?

A flow is an automation workflow. It starts with a trigger (something a fan does), followed by a sequence of actions (things you do in response), connected by delays and conditions. Here is a simple example: 
Fan presaves your single
  |
Wait 1 minute
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Send email: "Thanks for presaving! Here's an exclusive snippet."
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Wait 3 days
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Check: Did they stream the song?
  |-- Yes -> Send SMS: "You're amazing. Share it with a friend?"
  |-- No  -> Send email: "Hey, the track just dropped. Give it a listen!"
That entire sequence runs automatically once you build it and toggle the flow on. No manual work, no remembering to send follow-ups, no fans slipping through the cracks.
Start with a simple flow — a trigger, one delay, and one action. You can always add complexity later once you see how fans respond.

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Explore the Flow Builder

Creating a Flow

Step-by-step guide to building your first automation.

Triggers

25+ trigger types that start your flows.

Actions

Send emails, SMS, DMs, and more.

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Building Blocks

Conditions

Yes/No branching logic for personalized journeys.

Delays

Time-based, fan-action, and date-based pauses.

Merge Tags

80+ dynamic placeholders for personalization.

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Channels

Send Email

Rich HTML emails with drag-and-drop design.

Send SMS

Text messages with 98% open rates.

Send Instagram DM

Personal direct messages on Instagram.

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Management

Settings

Enrollment rules, timezones, and time windows.

Enrollment

Track every fan moving through your flows.

Execution Logs

Debug with detailed action-by-action logs.

Toggling Flows

Activate, deactivate, and manage flow states safely.

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The Visual Canvas

The Flow Builder uses a ReactFlow-powered drag-and-drop canvas. Each step in your flow appears as a node on the canvas, connected by lines (edges) that show the order of execution.

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Node Types

NodeShapePurpose
TriggerRounded rectangleThe event that starts the flow
ActionRectangleSomething you do (send email, send SMS, etc.)
DelayRectangle with clock iconA pause before the next step
ConditionDiamondA Yes/No branch based on criteria

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Canvas Controls

  • Zoom: Scroll to zoom in and out, or use the zoom controls in the bottom-left corner
  • Pan: Click and drag on empty canvas space to move around
  • Select: Click any node to select it and view its settings
  • Connect: Drag from a node’s output handle to create a new connection
  • Delete: Select a node or edge and press Delete/Backspace
  • Undo/Redo: Standard keyboard shortcuts work on the canvas

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Flow Structure

Every flow follows a consistent structure:
1

Trigger (Required)

The trigger is always the first node. It defines what fan action starts this flow. Examples include a fan presaving your music, sending an Instagram DM, replying to an SMS, purchasing merch, and more.A flow can have one trigger or no trigger (triggerless flows are entered only via Go-to-Flow from another flow).
2

Actions

Actions are the things that happen in response to the trigger. Send an email, send an SMS, send an Instagram DM, add the fan to a list, tag their profile, or redirect them to another flow.Actions execute in sequence — one after the other, top to bottom.
3

Delays

Delays create pauses between actions. Wait 2 hours before the follow-up. Wait until release day. Wait for the fan to open your email.Delays are crucial for building natural-feeling sequences that do not bombard fans with everything at once.
4

Conditions

Conditions create branches — Yes/No splits based on criteria. “Did the fan presave?” “Is the fan a VIP?” “Did they open the last email?”Each branch can continue with its own actions, delays, and even more conditions. This is where flows get powerful — you can create different experiences for different fan behaviors.

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Where Flows Live

Flows belong to launches and are assigned to a specific cycle stage (Pre-Release, Release, or Post-Release). On the launch detail page, you will see flows organized under their respective stage sections.
Quick Automations — standalone flows not tied to a launch — live under the Automations tab on the Launches page.

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Flow Chaining with Go-to-Flow

Flows do not have to be standalone. The Go-to-Flow action lets you redirect a fan from one flow into another. This is incredibly useful for:
  • Modular design: Build reusable flows (like a “welcome sequence”) that multiple triggers can feed into
  • Complex journeys: Split a long sequence into manageable chunks
  • Cross-stage transitions: Move a fan from a Pre-Release flow into a Release flow when the time comes

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Real-Time Execution

When a fan triggers a flow, Fanaura executes it in real time using a reliable message queue. This means:
  • Guaranteed delivery: Messages are queued and retried if delivery fails
  • Scalable: Thousands of fans can trigger flows simultaneously without bottlenecks
  • Reliable delays: Time-based delays are handled by the message queue, so they fire exactly when scheduled — even if Fanaura is processing other tasks

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The Three Tabs

Every flow detail page has three tabs:
This is the visual builder where you design your flow. Add triggers, actions, delays, and conditions. Connect them together. This is where you spend most of your time.

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A Simple Flow, Start to Finish

Here is what building a flow looks like in practice:
1

Navigate to Your Launch

Go to the Launches page and click on your launch. Click “Add Flow” under the Pre-Release stage.
2

Name Your Flow

Name it something descriptive: “Presave Thank You Sequence”
3

Add a Trigger

The canvas opens with an empty workspace. Click the add button to add a trigger: “Fan pre-saves your music”
4

Add a Delay

Click the add button below the trigger to add a delay: “Wait 1 minute”
5

Add an Action

Add a Send Email action with your thank-you message.
6

Add Another Delay

Add a delay: “Wait 3 days”
7

Add a Condition

Add a condition: “Fan has streamed the song”
8

Build Both Branches

Build out the Yes and No branches with different follow-up actions.
9

Toggle Active

Toggle the flow active when you are ready.
That is it. Fans who presave will automatically receive your thank-you email, and three days later, they will get a personalized follow-up based on whether they have actually listened.

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Tips and Best Practices

Your first flow should be a trigger, a delay, and one action. Build complexity from there.
Use the “Send test” feature in email and SMS actions to verify your messages look right.
“IG DM Presave Responder” is better than “Flow 1.”
Fans appreciate breathing room between messages. A 1-day delay often outperforms a 1-hour delay.
A misconfig in a condition node can send fans down the wrong branch — always double-check the logic.
After activating a flow, check the logs within the first few hours to make sure everything is firing correctly.

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What Happens Next

Ready to build? Start with Creating a Flow to set up your first automation.