Anthony McGrath

Home › How-tos › Klaviyo

How to set up Klaviyo email marketing

Live guide · Checked 26 October 2026 · Updated 26 October 2026 · Checked every week against Klaviyo's own help pages

Connect Klaviyo to your store, set up your sending domain and launch the flows that make money from day one.

Time
1 to 2 hours
You will need
  • A Klaviyo account
  • Your store (Shopify, WooCommerce and so on) admin access
  • Access to your domain DNS for the sending domain
  • Your logo and brand colours
Stuck?
Troubleshooting or ask me a question

Step by step

  1. Create your account

    Sign up at https://www.klaviyo.com and fill in your business details, including your physical address (required by email law).

  2. Connect your store

    Go to Integrations and add your platform, for example Shopify. Turn on customer data sync, onsite tracking and email subscriber sync during setup.

  3. Set up your sending domain

    In Settings > Domains, add a branded sending domain such as send.yoursite.co.uk and add the DNS records Klaviyo gives you. This is essential for getting into inboxes, as Gmail and Yahoo require authenticated sending.

  4. Check DMARC

    Make sure your domain has a DMARC record (at least v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected], as a TXT record named _dmarc). Klaviyo will warn you if it is missing.

  5. Set your brand

    Add your logo, colours and fonts in Brand library so every email and form matches your site.

  6. Create a sign-up form

    Go to Sign-up forms, create a popup or flyout, and offer a reason to join (for example 10% off). Make sure it adds people to your Newsletter list.

  7. Turn on the welcome flow

    In Flows > Create flow, choose the Welcome series template: 3 emails over a week introducing your brand and the offer.

  8. Turn on abandoned checkout

    Add the Abandoned checkout flow: 2 to 3 emails over 2 days. This is usually the highest earning flow.

  9. Add browse abandonment and post-purchase

    Add Browse abandonment (people who viewed but did not add to basket) and a Post-purchase flow (thank you, how to use, review request).

  10. Send your first campaign

    Create a Campaign to your engaged subscribers. Send a test to yourself first and check it on mobile.

Tips from 22 years of doing this

  • Only email people who have opted in, and keep an unsubscribe link in every email.
  • Send to engaged subscribers (opened or clicked in the last 90 days) to protect your sender reputation.
  • Review flow performance monthly in Analytics.

Troubleshooting: questions and answers

My emails are going to spam.

Set up a branded sending domain and make sure SPF, DKIM and DMARC records are all in place. Send only to engaged subscribers and avoid all-caps subject lines and lots of images with little text.

The abandoned checkout flow is not sending.

Check the flow status is Live (not Draft or Manual) and that onsite tracking is on in your store integration. The flow only triggers for people who entered an email at checkout.

Subscribers from my form are not appearing.

Open the form in Sign-up forms and check which list it adds people to, and that the form is Published. Check Lists and segments for that list.

Klaviyo says my DMARC is missing.

Add a TXT record named _dmarc with value v=DMARC1; p=none; in your domain's DNS. It can take a few hours to show as found.

Official help pages

Want this done for you?

I have set these up for over 500 businesses in 22 years. If you would rather spend your time on the business, I can set it up properly, check your tracking and get it working for you.

Get a free consultation

Still stuck, or have a question?

Tell me where you got to and what you see. I read every message and reply by email, usually the same working day.