How to create an email campaign
A successful email campaign proves its value to brands in opens, clicks, and attributed revenue. They provide space for longer-form content, allowing you to include images, GIFs, and other media along with your message.
In this video, you will learn step-by-step instructions on how to create an email campaign.
Speed up content creation and enhance your emails with AI
Klaviyo’s AI tools simplify email creation by quickly generating core elements, from engaging subject lines, to captivating content, eye-catching imagery and more, allowing you to focus on execution. Explore some examples of how these features can streamline your email marketing strategy.
Email AI
Email AI helps you draft a new email in seconds, giving you time back in your busy day for other priorities.
First, provide a reference template and a brief description of what you want your email to be; then, Email AI will generate 3 drafts for you to preview. You can always generate new drafts if the first few aren’t satisfactory. Once you find a draft you like, select it and add your final touches.
Email AI can also create email content within sections (such as draft copy, layout, product blocks, etc.).
While Email AI produces a robust draft, it’s important you review it and add any additional context or personal flair before sending.
Learn how to use Email AI to draft an email campaign.
Image Remix
Do you have an idea for a great image, but can’t seem to find one that does the trick?
Image Remix enhances your existing images, allowing you to swap backgrounds, adjust colors or add objects without needing design software.
Briefly describe how you want to enhance your image, and then watch it update before your eyes.
Learn how to Remix an image in an email.
Subject line assistant
Subject lines can make or break your open rate, so the pressure is on to create ones that stick out amongst a crowded inbox. Klaviyo’s subject line assistant is here to help!
Describe the context for your subject line, and the tool will generate 3 high-quality examples you can use. You can always generate new ideas if the first few aren’t what you’re looking for.
Learn how to use the subject line assistant tool.
Brand voice AI
Using a clear and consistent voice across all of your communications is crucial for brand recognition and recipient engagement.
Produce effective email copy that sounds like your brand every time by applying brand voice guidelines to Email AI.
First, set up your brand voice guidelines by going to Content > Image and brand > Voice.
When you use AI to generate email content, Klaviyo will automatically apply your configured brand voice settings to drafted content. You can revise your email campaign copy to align with your proposed guidelines.
Learn how to update your copy to align with your brand voice.
Smart Translations
If you have a global customer base, you must create translated versions of your communications to effectively engage all recipients.
The Smart Translations feature allows you to quickly translate email campaigns into multiple languages using AI-generated translations.
Make sure it’s enabled in your settings first by clicking on your account name > Settings > Translations > toggling on the tool. Then, when drafting your emails, click the Translate button in the editor to select your language and generate your localized versions.
Learn how to translate your emails using Smart translations.
Follow email campaign best practices
Campaigns are an effective way to reach subscribers when sent strategically. Regardless of the channel you use, here are a few strategies to get your campaigns to stand out from the crowd and make an impact.
Establish one clear call-to-action for your campaign
It is best practice to include one main call to action in your email, which should be front-and-center and easy for the recipient to find and take action on.
Focus your campaign on the key information your subscribers are interested in seeing. Over time, subscribers will become familiar with your rotating topics and get excited to receive new content. Consider who your customers are, what they want, and what you can offer. For example, your campaign content may fall into 1 of the following categories:
- Educational: In a blog post, for instance, direct the reader to learn something related to your brand.
- Engaging: Amuse, delight, or captivate your subscribers to take a particular action, say shopping with an exciting new sale.
- Inspiring: Use brand storytelling to influence shoppers and motivate them to buy additional items from your brand.
The recipient should walk away with a clear understanding of the value your campaign provides. Beantown, for example, designs an educational campaign to teach subscribers about the history of their coffee via their new Beantown Blog.
Create enticing subject lines
The subject line is your email campaign's first impression, so ensure it speaks to your audience. Keep it short, use urgency, and create a curiosity gap.
A curiosity gap is the space between the information someone is given (what they know) and the information initially withheld (what they don’t know). Your audience closes that gap themselves upon opening your email.
You can also add an emoji to stand out with a visual trigger. Choosing an emoji for your brand and using it often will help subscribers recognize your content as they glance at their inbox.
For example, SWAK Cosmetics promotes a new store opening with an exciting subject line that offers an incentive and includes their signature lipstick emoji.
Target relevant segments
Send targeted campaignsto segments instead of sending mass campaigns to everyone in your contact list.
We recommend segmenting your audience based on engagement, demographic, psychographic, or behavioral characteristics. For instance, here are common segments to send to:
- First-time purchasers
- VIP customers
- 30-90-120 day engaged segments
- Customers with a high predicted customer lifetime value (CLV)
Take advantage of the data in your account and send these segments personalized product recommendations, promotions based on lifestyle and interests, and discounts they've engaged with in the past. Make sure you provide a consistent brand experience across all marketing messages. This helps your subscribers recognize your business by its tone, brand colors, and images.
Use email campaigns to encourage text message and push sign-ups
Encourage your email subscribers to sign up to receive text messages or download a brand app and enable push notifications. This will enhance the customer experiences across multiple channels, improve message visibility, and reach consumers through various marketing touch points.
As shown in the example below, Beantown motivates email subscribers to sign up for text messages; that way, they can be the first to know when new flavors drop (this provides a sense of exclusivity and a reason for customers to sign up). Since email subscribers already care about their brand, they may be more likely to subscribe to text messages than new website visitors.
Can't get enough best practices? Bookmark our email marketing best practice guide.