Short answer
Always-on keeps a steady weekly presence; flighting runs in bursts with gaps; pulsing keeps a low base and adds bursts. For B2B, where only a small share of accounts buys at any time, a steady base for your account list plus bursts around launches, events and budget cycles usually works best. Use flights for activation lines with a clear moment, not for the brand presence that keeps you on the shortlist.
Three patterns
| Pattern | Shape | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Always-on | Same weekly spend all year | Steady memory; catches buyers whenever they enter the market | Lower weekly frequency for the same budget |
| Flighting | Bursts with dark weeks | High frequency when it matters | Invisible in the gaps, when some accounts start buying |
| Pulsing | Low base plus bursts | Presence and peaks | Needs more planning and creative |
Why B2B leans towards a steady base
The B2B Institute's 95:5 rule estimates only about 5% of B2B buyers are in market at once. You can't predict which 5%, so going dark means missing whoever starts buying in the gap. Binet and Field's B2B work also found the strongest growth with a large share of budget, about 46%, on brand building, which depends on steady reach.
A budget example
| Line (fictional, $240,000 a year) | Schedule | Share |
|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn and programmatic to the account list | Always-on base | 50% |
| ChatGPT ads on decision questions | Always-on; scales with question volume | 25% |
| Launch and event bursts | Three 4-week flights | 15% |
| Tests and new channels | Quarterly | 10% |
When a burst is right
- A product launch or major release, with a page and offer that only exist then.
- An event: two weeks before for registrations, one week after for follow-up.
- Budget season in your buyers' fiscal year.
- A cluster of target accounts showing in-market signals at once.
Pacing a burst
Bursts break platform learning and pacing. Start a few days early, front-load the budget slightly, and cap frequency so the higher spend widens reach rather than piling impressions on the same people. Check daily with the pacing calculator.
Questions
What is flighting in advertising?
Running a campaign in bursts with gaps between them, instead of continuously. It concentrates frequency in the active weeks.
What is pulsing?
A continuous low base with periodic bursts. It combines steady presence with peaks around key moments.
Is always-on more expensive?
Not per impression. It spreads the same budget over more weeks, which lowers weekly frequency. Check that the weekly level is still enough to be noticed.
When should B2B use bursts?
Around product launches, events, pricing changes, the start of budget cycles and in-market signals from target accounts.
Facts checked against the sources below on 19 October 2026. Ad platforms change quickly: if something here no longer matches what you see, tell us and we will update it.
