Is automation “set and forget”?

Myth: Automation can be set up once and left alone.

Reality: Automation requires ongoing attention to remain effective.

What changes over time: Content relevance: Offers expire, products change, messaging evolves. Audience behavior: Engagement patterns shift. Business context: Strategy, products, and priorities change. Technical environment: Integrations, data sources, platforms evolve.

Required maintenance: Performance monitoring: Regular review of engagement and conversion. Content refresh: Updates to keep messaging current. Logic review: Verify conditions still make sense. Testing: Ongoing verification that automation functions correctly.

Recommended cadence: Weekly: Performance check. Monthly: Content review. Quarterly: Full automation audit. As needed: Response to issues or changes.

Automation runs without daily attention. But it cannot run forever without any attention.