How to Create Your First Journey in Adobe Journey Optimizer?

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How to Create Your First Journey in Adobe Journey Optimizer
How to Create Your First Journey in Adobe Journey Optimizer

How to Create Your First Journey in Adobe Journey Optimizer (AJO)

⚠️ Screenshots shared in this post are for understanding of the AJO components used. Not the actual Abandoned cart scenario discussed here.

So far in this course series, we understood what Adobe Journey Optimizer (AJO) is and how profiles and events work. Now comes the most exciting part — building your first real customer journey.

Don’t worry — we’re not going into boring technical language. We’ll learn this like a real-life marketing story.

First, What is a “Journey” in Simple Words?

A journey is the path your customer follows after doing something.

Example:

  • A user signs up → gets a welcome email
  • User browses products → gets a reminder
  • User buys → gets a thank you message

Instead of sending messages manually, AJO does this automatically and smartly.

Real-Time Scenario We’ll Build

Let’s imagine you run an online fashion store.

Situation:

  • A customer adds a dress to cart
  • But leaves without buying

We will build a journey that:

  1. Sends a reminder email
  2. If no purchase → sends SMS after 1 day
  3. If purchased → sends Thank You email

This is called an Abandoned Cart Journey.

Step 1: Go to Journeys Section

  • Login to Adobe Journey Optimizer
  • Click Journey Management
  • Click Create Journey

Source: Adobe Journey Optimizer Documentation

Now you’ll see a big canvas — this is where your journey flow will be built.

AJO journey Canvas

Source: Adobe Journey Optimizer Documentation

Step 2: Add an Event (Trigger)

A journey always starts with a trigger.

In our example → "Add to Cart Event"

  • Drag the Event from the left panel
  • Select the event created earlier (Add to Cart)

Source: Adobe Journey Optimizer Documentation

This means: Journey starts the moment someone adds to cart.

Step 3: Add a Wait Condition

We don’t send a reminder immediately — maybe the customer is still browsing.

  • Drag Wait activity
  • Set time → 30 minutes

Now AJO waits 30 minutes before the next step.

Source: Adobe Journey Optimizer Documentation

Step 4: Add a Condition (Did they purchase?)

This is where AJO becomes smart.

  • Drag Condition
  • Check if Purchase Event occurred

Now we have 2 paths:

  • YES (Purchased)
  • NO (Didn’t purchase)

Source: Adobe Journey Optimizer Documentation

Step 5: Send Reminder Email (No Purchase Path)

  • Drag Email Action into the "No" path
  • Select or design an email like:
“Hey Sarah! You left this beautiful dress in your cart. Still thinking? It might sell out soon!”

This email is personalized using profile data.

Step 6: Add SMS After 1 Day

Source: Adobe Journey Optimizer Documentation

  • Add Wait → 1 Day
  • Then drag SMS Action

Example SMS:

“Your cart is waiting! Grab your dress before it’s gone 👗”

Step 7: Thank You Email (Purchase Path)

On the YES path:

  • Drag Email Action
  • Send a Thank You email
“Thank you for your purchase! Your order is on the way 🚚”

Step 8: Test the Journey

  • Use Test Profiles to simulate a real customer
  • Verify that personalization fields (name, product, price) are displaying properly

Source: Adobe Journey Optimizer Documentation

⚠️ Important: Always keep screenshots or logs of test sends. This acts as proof that the journey flow, personalization, and delivery are working before going live.

Testing prevents real customer mistakes and protects brand reputation.

Step 9: Publish the Journey

Once everything looks correct:

  • Click Publish

Your automated marketing journey is now live!

What You Just Built (In Marketing Terms)

  • Real-time triggered journey
  • Behavior-based targeting
  • Multi-channel communication
  • Personalized automation

Once you understand:

  • Events
  • Conditions
  • Wait steps
  • Actions

You can build powerful customer experiences.

This is how brands like Amazon, Myntra, and Flipkart increase conversions — automatically.

Your first journey may look simple, but this is the foundation of advanced marketing automation.

Next in the series: Personalization & Dynamic Content in AJO

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