At a glance
Align the sign-up process with the target list. First fulfil the sign-up promise, then provide guidance and address a genuine barrier to purchase. Analyse buyers, non-buyers and unsubscribers separately. The number and frequency of messages should be tailored to your product range.
The Welcome Flow begins with the sign-up promise
First, write down what the form promises. ‘News and product information’ requires different content to a specifically advertised welcome offer. The first message must fulfil this promise. A different code, a hidden condition or an inappropriate landing page disrupts the experience right from the start.
For a list-triggered Klaviyo welcome flow, the sign-up form and shop integration must point to the intended list. With double opt-in, the contact is added to the list after confirmation and can trigger the series. Klaviyo describes this process in the Guidance on the email welcome series. Check the actual path within your own account, including the confirmation page and language.
Separate the subscription confirmation from the actual series. Use separate test addresses for the various entry points. A new subscriber, an existing subscriber and a profile that has previously unsubscribed each require a controlled test; a standard editor preview does not demonstrate this process.
When importing existing contacts, additionally check whether new welcome messages are being triggered unintentionally. A long-standing customer should not receive an email welcoming them to the brand for the first time. Keep imported records, new sign-ups and test contacts separate in the audit log. Furthermore, the tool setting does not replace a check to verify which documented basis for sending applies to the respective sign-up method.
A three-message template with different tasks
The following sequence is a planning example. It does not prescribe an optimal number of emails or fixed sending times. The key point is that each message answers a further question and the landing page continues the narrative.
| Message | Content-related task | Appropriate next step |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Welcome | Fulfil sign-up promises, briefly position the brand and present the advertised benefit or content in a clear and understandable manner. | Navigate to the promised offer or a suitable selection. |
| 2. Orientation | Answer a key selection question: material, application, size or the difference between product groups. | Open a category or consultation suitable for your own needs. |
| 3. Decision-making guide | Address any outstanding barriers to purchase; for example, maintenance, compatibility, contents of the package or usage. | Check product details or ask a specific question. |
For a bed linen shop, the second message could explain how fabrics feel and which selection criteria are relevant. A technical retailer could explain compatibility and conditions of use. Use approved product information for this; a well-written text is no substitute for verified technical specifications.
The same guidelines apply to the subject line and preview text. A subject line such as ‘Find the right fabric’ sets the tone for a selection guide. ‘Today only’, on the other hand, requires an offer that actually expires. A sense of urgency should arise from the occasion. In the Topic planning guide We demonstrate how suitable content is created from the product range and customer enquiries.
An example of our own model: An outdoor equipment shop offers a packing list for day hikes. The welcome email provides the list, includes a brief note on planning for the weather and refers to a suitable selection of rucksacks. The product link complements the promised content. A large discount banner at the top would detract from the purpose and reduce the sign-up to an offer that wasn’t even advertised there.
Buyers and non-buyers need appropriate content
A person may sign up and make a purchase before receiving the second message. A general phrase such as ‘Discover us for the first time’ would then be rather inappropriate. You should therefore decide for each message whether it remains helpful for buyers, requires a different version, or should be omitted.
A buyer branch can offer usage guidance in place of a new-customer message. This should be coordinated with existing post-purchase flows. Check which messages actually arrive at the same time. The recipient cares more about the content order than the internal flow name.
Klaviyo distinguishes between trigger filters and profile filters; profile filters are re-checked before actions are taken. This helps to take account of changes in behaviour during the flow. The Filter documentation explains the technical checks. Record your decision alongside it in one sentence: ‘This message is intended for people who …’.
Plan timing and message volume together
Promised content should be accessible following the intended sign-up process. For subsequent messages, assess how much guidance the first email provides and how complex the product decision is. Plan the timing in conjunction with the campaign calendar. Anyone currently receiving the welcome series may simultaneously be part of a discount campaign and a checkout flow.
Smart Sending can skip a message if another message in the same channel was received recently. Skipped messages are not automatically sent later. Check how this setting affects each email and the planned sequence. It can explain a lower recipient count.
For an initial test, change one key decision where possible: for example, a selection guide rather than a simple product catalogue. If the target audience, offering and measurement criteria remain comparable, the difference can be assessed more meaningfully. Changing two subject lines simultaneously, introducing new products or varying time intervals will not provide clear evidence regarding a single change.
Test plan from the form to the final message
Test report for the first welcome series
- New registration: The form, confirmation, subscription and first message are consistent. The promised offer is available.
- Purchase during the flow: The order event appears in good time and the intended buyer branch or exclusion takes effect.
- Unsubscription: Any unsubscription during the waiting period will be taken into account before the next marketing message is sent.
- Missing information: If no first name is provided, use a clear form of address; if no relevant products are mentioned, do not leave a blank space.
- Display: A test email received is readable on both smartphones and desktops; images, the main link and the footer all function correctly.
- Overlap: A timely campaign will show whether the chosen contact settings alter the intended sequence.
- No confirmation: In the case of double opt-in, a registration without confirmation must not trigger any unexpected welcome communications.
Record the profile, event time, expected behaviour and observed result for each case. Check the content at the end of the flow too. Klaviyo’s Check before launching a flow provides an additional technical check. Real test mailings supplement the preview in the editor.
Evaluate the series based on its tasks
Consider deliveries, unique clicks, unsubscriptions and orders per message. The first email announcing a benefit serves a different purpose to the subsequent advisory email. Therefore, do not compare messages solely on the basis of a shared revenue figure. Check whether the selected landing pages are actually being used and where the flow is losing its recipients.
For context, see our email marketing metrics guide. We describe the technical implementation and ongoing improvements under Setting up and optimising Klaviyo flows. Anyone planning additional regular campaigns can continue the series with the Newsletter management to ensure consistent communication.
First, consider how many valid new sign-ups the first message reaches and why others are skipped. This is followed by unique clicks, orders and unsubscribes per message. Compare sign-up sources separately: a competition entry and a person with a specific interest in a product bring different expectations. A combined open rate masks these differences.
Sources and further documentation
Technical statements refer to the linked documentation. Examples and guidance are marked as such.