Summary
Launching Klaviyo for a young company without prior email history involves a multi-faceted approach combining technical setup, strategic planning, and continuous optimization. Initial steps include connecting your e-commerce platform, verifying your sending domain, and setting up essential email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Experts advise warming up your IP address and volume gradually, while closely monitoring engagement metrics and deliverability. Email marketers recommend prioritizing sending campaigns to engaged subscribers, utilizing available customer data for personalization, and implementing automated flows like welcome series and abandoned cart reminders. Building your email list through attractive signup forms, regularly cleaning your list to remove inactive addresses, and A/B testing different email elements are crucial for sustained success. While a custom domain may not be immediately necessary, proper authentication is key to establishing trust and avoiding deliverability issues. Actively monitor feedback loops, bounce messages, and Google Postmaster Tools to address any deliverability challenges promptly.
Key findings
- Authentication is Essential: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for email authentication to improve deliverability and protect against spoofing.
- Gradual Warm-Up is Key: Warm up your IP address and sending volume gradually to establish a positive sender reputation.
- Engagement Drives Success: Prioritize sending emails to engaged subscribers to maintain a healthy sender reputation and improve deliverability.
- Data Powers Personalization: Collect and utilize customer data for personalized email marketing to improve engagement and conversion rates.
- Automation Saves Time: Set up automated email flows (welcome series, abandoned cart reminders, etc.) to nurture subscribers and drive sales.
- Integration Matters: Connect your e-commerce platform to Klaviyo to synchronize data and automate email marketing efforts.
- Traffic is Important: Ensure traffic is happening as soon as possible.
Key considerations
- Domain Age: Consider the age of your domain before setting up a dedicated sending domain; a young domain may initially benefit from a shared IP.
- List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive or invalid addresses and maintain a healthy sender reputation.
- Deliverability Challenges: Be prepared to address deliverability challenges due to the lack of a sender reputation and implement strategies to mitigate these issues.
- Compliance: Adhere to email marketing regulations and best practices to avoid spam complaints and maintain a positive sender reputation.
- Monitoring: Monitor feedback loops, bounce messages, and Google Postmaster Tools to address any deliverability issues proactively.
What email marketers say
15 marketer opinions
Launching Klaviyo for a young company with no email history involves several key steps. Focus on setting up flows quickly, utilizing available data to personalize emails, and segmenting lists based on engagement and purchase history. Sending campaigns early to generate traffic is crucial. Send emails to existing customers with a prominent opt-out. Integrate with your e-commerce platform and create a welcome email series and automate transaction emails, like abandoned cart reminders. It's important to clean your email list regularly. While you do not need to setup a dedicated domain right away, authentication should be set up as soon as possible. Actively collect customer data and utilize A/B testing to optimize email campaigns.
Key opinions
- Prioritize Sending: Start sending emails early to existing customers to generate traffic and engagement.
- Data-Driven Personalization: Leverage available customer data, including purchase history and website activity, to personalize email content.
- List Segmentation: Segment your email lists based on engagement, purchase history, and demographics to target specific audiences.
- Automated Flows: Set up automated email flows, such as welcome series and abandoned cart reminders, to engage new subscribers and drive sales.
- Permission and Opt-Out: Include a prominent opt-out option in the first email and subsequent emails to maintain list hygiene.
- List Cleaning: Clean your email list regularly to remove invalid or inactive addresses and maintain a healthy sender reputation.
- Focus on Engaged: Start by sending emails to the most engaged subscribers to protect your sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Domain Age: Consider the age of your domain when deciding whether to set up a dedicated sending domain; it may be best to wait until the domain is more established.
- Data Collection: Collect as much customer data as possible from the beginning to enable personalized email marketing.
- Authentication: Set up email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to improve deliverability and protect against spoofing.
- A/B Testing: Continuously A/B test different email elements to optimize campaigns and improve results.
- Legal Compliance: Ensure compliance with GDPR and other email marketing regulations by obtaining proper consent and providing clear opt-out options.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Shopify Community shares that with a new Klaviyo account, segmenting lists based on website activity and purchase history is essential to personalize initial emails and improve engagement.
20 Dec 2021 - Shopify Community
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests that if it’s a young domain, to not set up a dedicated domain just yet. Let it age a bit and to Integrate with your ecom, set up flows, start with a segmented list, and to sign up to google postmaster.
22 Sep 2022 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Launching Klaviyo for a young company with no email history requires careful attention to deliverability. Experts emphasize the importance of implementing a custom sending domain, warming up sending volume gradually, and monitoring feedback loops and bounce messages. Warming up IP addresses in stages and diligently monitoring engagement, deliverability, and reputation during this process are crucial for success.
Key opinions
- Custom Sending Domain: Implementing a custom sending domain is crucial for authenticating emails and improving deliverability.
- Volume Warm-Up: Gradually increasing sending volume is essential for establishing a positive sender reputation.
- Feedback Loop Monitoring: Monitoring feedback loops and bounce messages helps identify and address deliverability issues.
- IP Address Warm-Up: Warming up IP addresses in stages is vital for new senders to build a solid sending reputation.
- Reputation Monitoring: Monitoring engagement, deliverability, and overall reputation is crucial during IP warm-up.
Key considerations
- Sender Reputation: Young companies lack a sender reputation, making deliverability a significant challenge.
- Engagement: Diligently monitor engagement metrics, as they heavily influence sender reputation and deliverability.
- Authentication: Ensure proper authentication of sending domains to improve email deliverability.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that young companies launching email programs often face deliverability challenges due to a lack of sender reputation. It is important to Authenticate your sending domains, control sending volume by increasing slowly, Monitor feedback loops and bounce messages.
15 Mar 2025 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares the most important things to succeed delivering mail from Klaviyo including: 1. Implement custom sending domain fully. 2. Warm up volume. 3. Tonya Gordon and Al Iverson did a whole “Intro to Deliverability” webinar for Klaviyo clients in January. You can find it here: <https://www.spamresource.com/2023/01/klaviyo-users-icymi-intro-to.html>
5 Oct 2021 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Launching Klaviyo from scratch involves several key steps as outlined in various documentation sources. The initial setup includes connecting your e-commerce platform, configuring your sender email, and verifying your domain to enhance deliverability. A warm-up period is crucial for new IP addresses, starting with small email batches to engaged subscribers and gradually increasing volume. Email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records is essential for verifying email legitimacy and improving deliverability. Platforms like Klaviyo provide resources for account setup, list management, segmentation, and email design. Adhering to email authentication best practices is crucial for preventing spoofing and ensuring your emails reach the intended recipients.
Key findings
- Platform Integration: Connect your e-commerce platform to Klaviyo to synchronize data and automate email marketing efforts.
- Sender Verification: Verify your sender email and domain to improve email deliverability and trustworthiness.
- IP Warm-up: Implement a gradual IP warm-up strategy to establish a positive sender reputation and avoid being marked as spam.
- Email Authentication: Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authenticate your emails and prevent spoofing.
- Platform Resources: Utilize the resources and tutorials provided by Klaviyo to navigate the platform and optimize your email marketing strategy.
Key considerations
- Deliverability: Prioritize email deliverability by following best practices for authentication and IP warm-up.
- Sender Reputation: Build a positive sender reputation by sending relevant and engaging emails to opted-in subscribers.
- Authentication Protocols: Ensure proper implementation of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to protect your domain from being used for malicious purposes.
Technical article
Documentation from Google explains the importance of setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authenticate your emails and improve deliverability. These records verify that your emails are sent from a legitimate source and reduce the likelihood of being marked as spam.
30 Dec 2021 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article
Documentation from Klaviyo explains that Klaviyo provides resources and tutorials to help new users navigate the platform and set up their accounts effectively, including guidance on list management, segmentation, and email design.
28 Feb 2022 - Klaviyo
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