In today’s crowded e-commerce landscape, every marketing dollar needs to pull its weight. While flashy channels come and go, email marketing remains the clear ROI winner—averaging $42 for every $1 spent.

But great results don’t just happen. They come from smart strategy, timely execution, and the right platform.

That’s where Klaviyo comes in.

Built specifically for e-commerce, Klaviyo helps brands turn customer data into meaningful revenue. With powerful targeting and automation tools, it’s designed to convert casual browsers into loyal buyers.

Whether you’re new to Klaviyo or ready to refine your strategy, this guide will show you how to build email campaigns that drive real results.

Understanding Klaviyo Email Campaigns

Before diving into the technical setup, it’s important to understand what makes Klaviyo campaigns unique and how they fit into your overall marketing strategy.

In Klaviyo, campaigns are one-time sends to pre-established groups of contacts. Think monthly newsletters, flash sale announcements, product launches, or seasonal promotions. Unlike flows (which are triggered automatically based on customer behaviors), campaigns are manually created and scheduled, giving you complete control over timing and audience selection.

What makes campaigns particularly valuable for e-commerce businesses is their versatility. They allow you to:

• Announce new products or collections to your entire customer base
• Promote limited-time offers to drive immediate sales
• Share valuable content that positions your brand as an industry authority
• Re-engage dormant customers who haven’t purchased recently
• Highlight customer stories and social proof to build trust
• Communicate important updates about your business

The strategic advantage of campaigns lies in their ability to create timely touchpoints with your audience, complementing the automated nature of flows. While flows handle predictable customer journey moments (welcome series, abandoned carts, post-purchase), campaigns allow you to be proactive and responsive to business needs and market opportunities.

Understanding Klaviyo Email Campaigns

Before diving into the technical setup, it’s important to understand what makes Klaviyo campaigns unique and how they fit into your overall marketing strategy.

In Klaviyo, campaigns are one-time sends to pre-established groups of contacts. Think monthly newsletters, flash sale announcements, product launches, or seasonal promotions. Unlike flows (which are triggered automatically based on customer behaviors), campaigns are manually created and scheduled, giving you complete control over timing and audience selection.

What makes campaigns particularly valuable for e-commerce businesses is their versatility. They allow you to:

• Announce new products or collections to your entire customer base
• Promote limited-time offers to drive immediate sales
• Share valuable content that positions your brand as an industry authority
• Re-engage dormant customers who haven’t purchased recently
• Highlight customer stories and social proof to build trust
• Communicate important updates about your business

The strategic advantage of campaigns lies in their ability to create timely touchpoints with your audience, complementing the automated nature of flows. While flows handle predictable customer journey moments (welcome series, abandoned carts, post-purchase), campaigns allow you to be proactive and responsive to business needs and market opportunities.

Preparing for Your First Klaviyo Campaign

Success with Klaviyo campaigns starts long before you hit the “send” button. Proper preparation ensures your campaigns reach the right people with messages that resonate and drive action.

Setting Up Your Klaviyo Account Correctly

If you haven’t already, you’ll need to create a Klaviyo account and connect it to your e-commerce platform. Klaviyo offers seamless integrations with major platforms like Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce, allowing for automatic syncing of customer data, purchase history, and product information.

During setup, pay special attention to:

• Verifying your sending domain to improve deliverability
• Setting up proper tracking to accurately attribute revenue
• Configuring your account settings to reflect your brand identity
• Establishing default sender information that recipients will recognize

These foundational elements ensure that when you start sending campaigns, they’ll be properly tracked and aligned with your brand standards.

Building and Organizing Your Subscriber Lists

The quality of your email list directly impacts campaign performance. In Klaviyo, you can create and manage lists in several ways:

First, you can import existing subscribers from your e-commerce platform or previous email service provider. When doing this, ensure you’re only importing contacts who have explicitly opted in to receive marketing communications—sending to unengaged or non-consenting subscribers can harm your sender reputation.

Second, you can set up signup forms on your website to capture new subscribers. Klaviyo offers various form types, including popups, flyouts, and embedded forms. Consider offering an incentive (like a discount code or free resource) to encourage signups.

Finally, you can leverage Klaviyo’s integration with your e-commerce platform to automatically add customers to appropriate lists based on their purchase behavior.

Remember that in email marketing, quality trumps quantity. A smaller list of engaged subscribers will outperform a larger list of uninterested contacts every time.

Creating Segments for Targeted Campaigns

One of Klaviyo’s most powerful features is its segmentation capabilities. Segments allow you to target specific groups of subscribers based on their behaviors, preferences, and characteristics.

Some valuable segments to create include:

• Engaged subscribers who have opened or clicked emails recently
• VIP customers who have spent above a certain threshold
• First-time customers who haven’t made a second purchase
• Customers who have purchased specific product categories
• Subscribers who haven’t purchased yet
• Customers due for replenishment of consumable products

By creating these segments in advance, you’ll be ready to send highly targeted campaigns that speak directly to each group’s unique needs and interests.

Establishing Brand Guidelines and Email Templates

Before creating your first campaign, establish clear brand guidelines for your emails. This includes:

• Visual elements like logo usage, color palette, and typography
• Voice and tone guidelines for copywriting
• Standard layouts for different types of emails
• Image style and quality standards

With these guidelines in place, create a set of base templates in Klaviyo that you can quickly customize for different campaign types. This approach ensures brand consistency while saving significant time on design for each new campaign.

Step-by-Step Campaign Creation Process

Now that you’ve laid the groundwork, let’s walk through the process of creating a campaign in Klaviyo.

Navigating to the Campaigns Tab

To begin, log into your Klaviyo account and navigate to the “Campaigns” tab in the main navigation menu. This will take you to a dashboard showing all your previous campaigns and their performance metrics.

Choosing Between Create and Library Options

When you’re ready to create a new campaign, you’ll have two options:

1. Create: This option allows you to define all campaign details yourself, giving you complete control over every aspect of the campaign.
2. Library: This option provides access to pre-built campaign drafts tailored to specific goals, helping you launch campaigns more quickly.

For your first few campaigns, the Create option offers a valuable learning experience, allowing you to understand each step of the process.

Setting Up Campaign Details

After selecting “Create” and choosing “Email” as your campaign type, you’ll need to provide some basic information:

• Campaign name: While this is only visible internally, use descriptive names that help you identify campaigns later (e.g., “May 2025 – Summer Collection Launch”).
• Type: Confirm “Email” is selected (Klaviyo also supports SMS and push notifications).
• Tags: Optional labels that help organize your campaigns by purpose, season, or product line.

These details help keep your campaigns organized as your email program grows.

Selecting and Refining Your Recipient List

The next step is defining who will receive your campaign. This is where your pre-built segments become valuable.

Select the list or segment that best aligns with your campaign goals. Klaviyo will display an estimated recipient count, which removes duplicates, excluded profiles, and suppressed contacts.

Consider these additional targeting options:

• Exclusion segments: Specify groups that should not receive this campaign, even if they’re in your target segment.
• Smart Sending: Enable this feature to skip profiles who have recently received another email from you, preventing inbox fatigue.
• UTM tracking: Configure tracking parameters to monitor campaign performance in Google Analytics or other analytics platforms.

Remember that sending to engaged subscribers is crucial for maintaining good deliverability. Regularly targeting unengaged contacts can lead to increased spam complaints and decreased inbox placement.

Creating Compelling Email Content

The content creation step is where your campaign truly comes to life. Klaviyo offers several approaches:

• Saved templates: Use one of your pre-designed templates.
• Email library: Browse Klaviyo’s library of drag-and-drop template options.
• Text only: Create a simple text email that looks like it came directly from you.
• HTML: Import or code a custom HTML template.
• Create a blank email: Start from scratch with the drag-and-drop editor.

Whichever option you choose, pay special attention to these elements:

Subject Line Best Practices

Your subject line is the gateway to your email—if it doesn’t compel recipients to open, nothing else matters. Effective subject lines:

• Create curiosity or communicate clear value
• Keep length under 50 characters when possible
• Avoid spam trigger words and excessive punctuation
• Include personalization when relevant
• Create a sense of urgency or timeliness without being manipulative

Consider A/B testing different subject lines to learn what resonates with your audience.

Sender Name and Email Considerations

The “From” information significantly impacts open rates and trust. Use a recognizable sender name, typically your brand name or a combination of brand and individual name (e.g., “Sarah from Brand”). Ensure your sender email address matches your domain and appears professional.

Template Selection and Customization

Select a template that matches your campaign’s purpose. Product-focused campaigns benefit from image-heavy layouts, while informational content might work better with a text-focused design.

When customizing your template:

• Maintain adequate white space for readability
• Ensure your branding is consistent and prominent
• Keep the most important content “above the fold”
• Make CTAs stand out visually
• Optimize for mobile viewing

Content Creation Tips for E-commerce

When writing and designing your email content:

• Lead with your most compelling offer or information
• Focus on benefits rather than features
• Use high-quality product images from multiple angles
• Include social proof like reviews or testimonials
• Create a clear path to purchase with prominent buttons
• Keep copy concise and scannable
• Personalize content based on available customer data

Remember that every element should support your primary goal, whether that’s driving sales, encouraging engagement, or building brand awareness.

Scheduling and Sending Options

The final step is determining when your campaign will reach your audience. Klaviyo offers flexible scheduling options:

• Send immediately: Launch your campaign as soon as you complete the setup.
• Schedule for later: Set a specific date and time for your campaign to send.
• Smart sending: Optimize send times based on when individual recipients are most likely to engage.

When choosing a send time, consider:

• Your audience’s typical behavior patterns
• Time zones where most of your customers are located
• Industry benchmarks for optimal send times
• Avoiding times when your email might get buried in a flood of other messages

Once you’ve made your selection, review all campaign elements one final time before scheduling or sending.

Advanced Campaign Strategies

As you become more comfortable with Klaviyo’s basic campaign functionality, you can implement these advanced strategies to drive even better results.

A/B Testing Your Campaigns

A/B testing (or split testing) allows you to compare two versions of your email to see which performs better. In Klaviyo, you can test:

• Subject lines
• Sender information
• Email content
• Send times

To run an effective A/B test:

1. Change only one element at a time
2. Use a large enough sample size for statistical significance
3. Determine your success metric in advance (opens, clicks, conversions)
4. Apply learnings to future campaigns

Consistent testing leads to continuous improvement in your email performance.

Personalization Techniques That Drive Conversions

Personalization goes far beyond including a subscriber’s first name. Klaviyo’s rich data capabilities enable sophisticated personalization like:

• Product recommendations based on browsing or purchase history
• Dynamic content blocks that change based on subscriber attributes
• Personalized offers based on loyalty status or lifetime value
• Location-specific content or promotions
• Behavior-based messaging that references specific actions

Research shows that personalized emails deliver 6x higher transaction rates, making this a high-impact strategy for e-commerce businesses.

Using Dynamic Content Blocks

Dynamic content allows different subscribers to see different versions of the same email based on their data. For example:

• Show different featured products based on previous purchase categories
• Display location-specific shipping information or store details
• Adjust messaging based on customer lifecycle stage
• Present different offers based on loyalty tier

This approach creates more relevant experiences without the need to create entirely separate campaigns.

Product Recommendation Strategies

Klaviyo’s product recommendation blocks can significantly boost campaign performance. Consider these approaches:

• Recently viewed items to recapture browsing interest
• Complementary products based on past purchases
• Best-selling items in categories of interest
• New arrivals in preferred product types
• “Back in stock” notifications for previously viewed out-of-stock items

Effective product recommendations can increase average order value and conversion rates by showing subscribers exactly what they’re most likely to purchase.

Optimizing for Mobile Users

With over 60% of email opens occurring on mobile devices, mobile optimization is non-negotiable. Ensure your campaigns:

• Use responsive templates that adapt to screen size
• Feature large, tappable buttons (minimum 44×44 pixels)
• Employ readable font sizes (minimum 14px)
• Keep subject lines visible on mobile screens
• Load quickly with optimized images
• Pass the “thumb test” for easy navigation

Regularly test your emails on various devices to ensure a consistent experience across platforms.

Measuring Campaign Performance and ROI

The true power of Klaviyo lies in its robust analytics capabilities, which allow you to measure performance and calculate ROI with precision.

Essential Klaviyo Metrics to Track

While there are dozens of metrics available, these are particularly valuable for e-commerce businesses:

Click Rate

Click rate measures the percentage of delivered emails that received at least one click. It’s a comprehensive engagement metric that reflects deliverability, open rates, and content quality. According to Klaviyo’s benchmarks, good click rates typically range from 2-5% depending on your industry.

To improve click rates:

• Segment your audience for more relevant content
• Create compelling calls-to-action
• Test different button designs and placements
• Ensure your content delivers on the promise of your subject line

Active on Site

This metric tracks what happens after someone clicks through your email, including time spent on your website and pages browsed. It reveals buying intent and product interest with more granularity than simple clicks.

To improve active on site metrics:

• Ensure landing pages are relevant to email content
• Optimize page load speed
• Create intuitive navigation paths
• Implement product recommendation engines

Conversion Rate

Conversion rate measures the percentage of email recipients who completed a desired action—typically making a purchase. It’s the most direct indicator of campaign effectiveness.

To improve conversion rates:

• Create a seamless path from email to checkout
• Include compelling offers or incentives
• Address common objections in your email content
• Use urgency or scarcity when appropriate and authentic
• Ensure mobile checkout experience is frictionless

Revenue Per Recipient

This metric divides the total revenue generated by the number of recipients, giving you a clear picture of each campaign’s monetary value. It helps compare campaigns regardless of list size differences.

For a deeper dive into tracking and optimizing ROI from your Klaviyo campaigns, check out our detailed guide on How to Track ROI from Klaviyo Campaigns.

Setting Up Custom Metrics for Your Business Goals

Beyond standard metrics, Klaviyo allows you to create custom metrics tailored to your specific business objectives. These might include:

• New customer acquisition cost
• Repeat purchase rate from campaign recipients
• Average order value compared to site average
• Product category affinity development
• Customer lifetime value impact

Custom metrics help you measure what matters most to your unique business model and growth strategy.

Using Klaviyo’s Analytics to Inform Future Campaigns

The real value of analytics comes from applying insights to improve future performance. After each campaign:

1. Compare results against your historical averages and industry benchmarks
2. Identify segments that responded particularly well or poorly
3. Note which content elements drove the most engagement
4. Analyze purchase patterns resulting from the campaign
5. Document learnings in a central location for team reference

This continuous improvement cycle ensures each campaign builds on the success of previous efforts.

Calculating True ROI Beyond Direct Revenue

While direct revenue is the most obvious measure of campaign success, calculating true ROI requires considering additional factors:

• Cost of campaign creation (time, resources, agency fees)
• Klaviyo subscription costs
• Impact on customer lifetime value
• Influence on repeat purchase behavior
• Effect on brand perception and loyalty

A comprehensive ROI calculation helps justify email marketing investments and secure resources for program expansion.

Common Campaign Types for E-commerce Success

Different business objectives call for different campaign approaches. Here are seven campaign types every e-commerce business should consider implementing:

Welcome Series

While technically a flow, welcome campaigns can also be sent as one-time campaigns to new subscriber segments. These campaigns:

• Introduce new subscribers to your brand story and values
• Set expectations for email frequency and content
• Provide an incentive for first purchase
• Highlight best-selling products or categories
• Invite social media follows or app downloads

Welcome campaigns typically see higher engagement than standard promotional emails, making them an excellent opportunity to make a strong first impression.

Promotional Campaigns

Sales and promotions drive immediate revenue and can help clear inventory or boost cash flow during slower periods. Effective promotional campaigns:

• Clearly communicate the offer and its value
• Create urgency with legitimate time constraints
• Segment audiences to provide relevant offers
• Use compelling visuals that showcase products on sale
• Include prominent, action-oriented CTAs

While promotions can drive significant short-term revenue, balance them with value-focused content to avoid training customers to only purchase during sales.

New Product Announcements

Product launches deserve dedicated campaign attention. These emails should:

• Build anticipation before launch
• Explain what makes the new product special
• Show the product in action through images or video
• Address potential questions or objections
• Make the purchase path frictionless

Consider segmenting your audience to target those most likely to be interested based on past purchase behavior.

Seasonal and Holiday Campaigns

Seasonal campaigns capitalize on predictable buying patterns throughout the year. Plan these campaigns well in advance, considering:

• Major holidays relevant to your audience
• Industry-specific seasonal opportunities
• Lead time required for shipping and delivery
• Competitive promotional landscape
• Creative themes that stand out in crowded inboxes

A comprehensive holiday calendar helps ensure you never miss an opportunity to connect seasonal interests with your product offerings.

Re-engagement Campaigns

Re-engagement campaigns target subscribers who haven’t opened or clicked emails in a defined period (typically 3-6 months). These campaigns:

• Acknowledge the subscriber’s inactivity
• Provide compelling reasons to re-engage
• Often include special offers or incentives
• Ask directly if they want to continue receiving emails
• Include an easy unsubscribe option

While it may seem counterintuitive to encourage unsubscribes, removing truly uninterested subscribers improves overall engagement metrics and deliverability.

Post-Purchase Follow-Ups

Post-purchase campaigns build on the momentum of a recent transaction. They can:

• Thank customers for their purchase
• Provide usage tips or assembly instructions
• Suggest complementary products
• Request reviews or feedback
• Offer incentives for referring friends

These campaigns help reduce buyer’s remorse, increase product satisfaction, and set the stage for repeat purchases.

VIP and Loyalty Campaigns

Recognizing and rewarding your best customers builds loyalty and increases lifetime value. VIP campaigns might:

• Provide early access to new products or sales
• Offer exclusive discounts or perks
• Recognize purchase milestones or anniversaries
• Invite participation in product development
• Simply express appreciation for their business

The personal touch in these campaigns makes high-value customers feel recognized and appreciated, encouraging continued loyalty.

Troubleshooting and Optimization

Even well-planned campaigns sometimes underperform. When issues arise, these troubleshooting approaches can help identify and resolve problems.

Addressing Deliverability Issues

If your emails aren’t reaching inboxes, consider these potential solutions:

• Verify your sending domain if not already done
• Warm up your sending reputation gradually
• Remove chronically unengaged subscribers
• Ensure compliance with anti-spam regulations
• Check that authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are properly configured
• Review content for spam trigger words or excessive promotional language

Deliverability issues can significantly impact campaign performance, so address them promptly when detected.

Improving Low Open or Click Rates

If subscribers receive but don’t engage with your emails:

• Test different subject lines and preview text
• Adjust send times to match audience activity patterns
• Increase personalization and relevance
• Improve segmentation for better targeting
• Refresh your email design for better visual appeal
• Ensure your value proposition is clear and compelling

Small improvements in open and click rates can translate to significant revenue gains over time.

Reducing Unsubscribe Rates

High unsubscribe rates indicate a mismatch between subscriber expectations and email reality. To address this:

• Review your signup process to ensure proper expectation setting
• Adjust email frequency if sending too often
• Improve content quality and relevance
• Offer preference center options instead of full unsubscribe
• Segment more effectively to increase relevance
• Consider a sunset policy for chronically unengaged subscribers

Some unsubscribes are inevitable, but rates consistently above 0.2% warrant investigation.

Optimizing for Different Devices and Email Clients

Email rendering varies across devices and email clients. To ensure consistent experiences:

• Use Klaviyo’s preview functionality to test across platforms
• Implement responsive design principles
• Use web-safe fonts or proper fallbacks
• Avoid relying solely on images to communicate key messages
• Include plain-text versions of all emails
• Test regularly on popular devices and email clients

Technical rendering issues can undermine otherwise excellent campaign content.

Testing and Refining Your Approach

Continuous improvement comes through systematic testing:

• Develop a testing calendar that explores different variables
• Document all test hypotheses and results
• Implement learnings across campaigns
• Balance testing with proven approaches
• Share insights across your marketing team
• Benchmark against industry standards and your historical performance

A culture of testing leads to incremental gains that compound over time.

Wrapping Up: Success with Klaviyo Campaigns

Running successful campaigns in Klaviyo doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right foundation—clear goals, thoughtful segmentation, and consistent branding—you’re already ahead of the curve.

Email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools in e-commerce, but it only works when you’re intentional. Klaviyo gives you the tools. It’s up to you to make them work for your business.

Start small. Test often. Learn what your audience responds to.

Over time, you’ll build campaigns that don’t just sell—but connect, engage, and bring customers back again and again.

And that’s when the real magic happens.

Additional Resources

To further enhance your Klaviyo email marketing efforts, explore these valuable resources:

• How to Track ROI from Klaviyo Campaigns – Our detailed guide on measuring and optimizing campaign performance
• Retail Email Marketing: The Ultimate Guide to Boosting Sales and Customer Loyalty in 2025 – Comprehensive strategies for retail businesses
• Klaviyo’s Official Help Center – Technical documentation and best practices
• Klaviyo Academy – Free courses and certification programs
• Email Marketing Benchmarks by Industry – Compare your performance against industry standards