Why Your Klaviyo Flow Open Rates Are Low (And How to Fix Them)

If you’ve spent any time crafting email flows in Klaviyo, you’ve inevitably dealt with the dreaded low open rates. 

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. 

A quick Google search pulls up hundreds of threads, forums, and comments from frustrated marketers asking the same thing. Why are my flow open rates so low in Klaviyo?

Low open rates are a total vibe killer. 

You put hours into designing the perfect flow, agonize over every pixel and CTA, and then… crickets. 

But here’s the thing. This isn’t just an annoying issue, it can hurt your bottom line.

If your emails aren’t being opened, your messages aren’t getting read, and that means fewer clicks, fewer conversions, and fewer dollars in your pocket.

The good news? 

Low open rates aren’t a death sentence for your Klaviyo flows. They can be fixed and that’s what we’re going to do. 

We’re going to tackle why your open rates might be slumping and, more importantly, how to fix them. From subject line hacks to segmentation strategies, we’ve got the insights you need to level up your email game.

Understanding Open Rates in Klaviyo Flows

Let’s start with the basics. 

Open rate is the percentage of people who opened your email out of the total number it was delivered to. 

It’s calculated like this:

∗∗OpenRate∗∗=(EmailsOpened÷EmailsDelivered)×100

So, if you sent your flow to 1,000 subscribers and 200 of them opened it, your open rate is 20%.

While some might think open rates are just a vanity metric, I can assure you they are not. They’re your first signal of how effective your email strategy is. 

Low open rates can mean your subject lines aren’t doing their job, your emails are landing in spam, or (worst case) your subscribers just don’t care. 

For ecommerce brands, it’s revenue left on the table. If your customers don’t open your emails, they can’t click through to buy.

Campaign Emails vs. Flow Emails in Klaviyo

Along with understanding the basics of open rates, we also need to clear up a common point of confusion – the difference between campaign emails and flow emails in Klaviyo.

• Campaign Emails
  These are your one-off broadcasts. You’re sending a single email to a specific list or segment – maybe a holiday promo, a flash sale, or a product launch. These emails are time-sensitive and usually sent to a broader audience.

• Flow Emails
  These are your automated workhorses. Flows are triggered by customer behavior or specific events, like someone signing up for your newsletter, abandoning their cart, or making a purchase. Flows are tailored to the customer journey, meaning they’re highly targeted and more personal.

Why does this matter? 

Open rates for flows and campaigns are measured the same way but the strategies to improve them are totally different. 

Flows are all about relevance and timing, so if your flow open rates are low, it’s a sign that something in your setup isn’t clicking. Maybe the timing feels off or the content isn’t hitting the mark.

By understanding these differences, you’ll be better equipped to pinpoint what’s going wrong and start fixing it.

Why Are My Flow Open Rates So Low in Klaviyo?

Low open rates in Klaviyo flows don’t happen randomly. There’s always a cause and if you know what to look for, you can identify the problem and fix it. 

Let’s look at the most common culprits and how to diagnose and tackle them.

Low Flow Open Rate Issue #1: Poor Subject Lines and Preview Text

We all know the importance of a subject line. If it doesn’t catch attention, if it isn’t interesting, if it isn’t targeted properly…your email won’t even get a glance. 

Similarly, preview text (the snippet of content that appears alongside the subject line) can either add to the intrigue or completely miss the mark.

Common mistakes include:

• Subject lines that are vague or too “salesy” (e.g., “Don’t Miss This” or “Big News Inside!”).
• Misleading subject lines that create distrust if the email doesn’t deliver on the promise.
• Ignoring preview text, resulting in random, unformatted text like “View this email in your browser” showing up in inboxes.

How to Fix It:

• Be Specific: Instead of “Special Offer Inside,” try “20% Off Your Favorite Products—Today Only.”
• Leverage Curiosity: Use phrases that spark interest without being clickbait, like “You Won’t Believe What’s Back in Stock.”
• Optimize Preview Text: This should complement your subject line. Think of it as the next sentence in a conversation.

Diagnosing the Problem:

• A/B Testing: Experiment with different subject lines to see which ones resonate.
• Analyze Open Rates: Compare emails with varying subject lines to identify patterns in what works. If “Sale” emails get high opens but “Newsletter” emails flop, you’ve found a trend.

Low Flow Open Rate Issue #2: Poor Audience Segmentation

Sending generic messages to a broad audience dilutes your relevance and reduces the chance that individual subscribers feel the email is meant for them. You have to segment your audiences. 

If you aren’t, it could be leading to low open rates in your Klaviyo flows.

Common Segmentation Mistakes:

• Using default lists instead of creating segments based on behavior (e.g., recent purchases, browsing history).

• Overlooking key traits like geographic location, which can affect relevance (e.g., promoting winter gear to subscribers in tropical climates).

How to Fix It:

• Use Klaviyo’s segmentation tools along with Customers.ai audiences to create detailed audience groups based on behavior, preferences, or lifecycle stage.

• Test campaigns tailored to these segments. For example:
  • A cart abandonment flow for shoppers who didn’t complete checkout.
  • A post-purchase flow for repeat buyers offering loyalty perks.
  • Return visitors vs. new visitors in Klaviyo

Diagnosing the Problem:

• Segment Performance: Review open rates by segment. If one group performs significantly worse, it’s time to refine your targeting.

• Compare Engagement Metrics: Compare segmented flow performance against generic campaigns to see the lift segmentation provides.

Low Flow Open Rate Issue #3: Sending Frequency and Timing Issues

Email frequency is a balancing act. If you send too often, you risk overwhelming your audience, leading to unsubscribes and email fatigue. 

On the flip side, sending too infrequently can make subscribers forget about you altogether.

Timing Pitfalls:

• Sending emails at odd hours (e.g., midnight on a weekday).
• Failing to account for time zones, especially for global audiences.
• Overlapping emails from multiple flows, like a welcome series and a cart abandonment email being sent within hours of each other.

How to Fix It:

• Use Klaviyo’s smart sending feature to ensure you’re not bombarding your subscribers.
• Analyze historical engagement data to identify when your audience is most active, and schedule emails accordingly.

Diagnosing the Problem:

• Monitor Engagement: Check open rates by send time. If you notice lower engagement during certain periods, adjust accordingly.
• Subscriber Feedback:  Look at unsubscribe rates for flows as higher rates might indicate over-sending.

Low Flow Open Rate Issue #4: Deliverability Challenges

Deliverability issues are often the biggest culprit as they can make your emails invisible, no matter how great your content is. This includes emails landing in spam, getting clipped, or being blocked outright.

Common Deliverability Issues:

• Spam Filters: Poor sender reputation, spammy content, or excessive images can send your email straight to spam.
• Email Clipping: If your email is too long, it may get clipped by Gmail or other providers, removing the tracking pixel and skewing open rate data.
• Domain Issues: If your sending domain isn’t authenticated (e.g., with SPF, DKIM, or DMARC), it can hurt deliverability.

How to Fix It:

• Authenticate your domain by setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC policies.
• Keep emails concise to avoid clipping—aim for 102KB or less.
• Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers and reduce bounce rates.

Diagnosing the Problem:

• Check Spam Placement: Use Klaviyo’s deliverability tools or third-party tools (including the Customers.ai Email Deliverability Audit tool) to check where your emails land (inbox, spam, or promotions).
• Compare Email Domains: Analyze performance by domain (e.g., Gmail vs. Yahoo) to identify patterns.
• Email Clipping: Ensure your emails aren’t too lengthy, causing them to be clipped.

Low Flow Open Rate Issue #5: Content Relevance and Quality

If your email doesn’t provide value, your subscribers won’t bother opening future ones. Content that feels irrelevant or repetitive can erode trust and lead to low engagement over time.

Common Content Mistakes:

• Sending the same discount email multiple times without variation.
• Using overly generic messaging, like “Check out our products!” without personalization.
• Failing to deliver on promises made in the subject line or preview text.

How to Fix It:

• Use dynamic content in Klaviyo to personalize emails based on subscriber behavior (e.g., recommending products they’ve browsed).
• Experiment with interactive content, like quizzes, polls, or countdown timers, to keep things fresh.
• Focus on storytelling. Highlight customer success stories, share behind-the-scenes content, or explain how your products solve specific problems.

Diagnosing the Problem:

• Engagement Analysis: Monitor engagement metrics like click-through rates alongside open rates to see if the issue is with content quality.
• Subscriber Surveys: Use subscriber feedback (e.g., surveys or direct replies) to learn what type of content they value most.

Diagnose, test, and iterate. That’s the secret to improving your Klaviyo flow open rates. 

By diving into these areas, you’ll not only uncover why your open rates are low but also have actionable steps to turn things around. 

6 Key Strategies to Improve Flow Open Rates in Klaviyo

1. Crafting Compelling Subject Lines

Your subject line is the first thing your subscriber sees and it has a massive impact on flow open rates. 

According to Campaign Monitor, emails with personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened. 

To entice opens:

• Keep It Concise: Aim for subject lines between 17-24 characters to ensure full visibility, especially on mobile devices.
  Campaign Monitor
• Personalize: Incorporate the recipient’s name or reference past interactions to create a sense of individual attention.
• Create Urgency: Phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Only a Few Left” can prompt immediate action.
• Avoid Spam Triggers: Steer clear of excessive punctuation, all caps, and overly promotional language to prevent landing in spam folders.
• A/B Test: Experiment with different subject lines to identify what resonates with your audience.

Example: Outdoor Gear Retailer

An outdoor gear retailer tested two subject lines for a promotional flow:

• “Big Savings on Gear You’ll Love”
• “Hiking Boots for Half the Price? Yes, Please!”
  The second subject line outperformed the first by 40%, proving that specificity and a touch of excitement can make a huge difference.

Tips for Writing Better Subject Lines:

• Be clear and direct: “20% Off Back-to-School Essentials—Today Only.”
• Use questions to pique interest: “Need a Winter Coat? We’ve Got You Covered.”
• Incorporate emojis sparingly to add personality: “🚴‍♂️ Your Next Adventure Awaits.”

Remember, the subject line sets expectations. Ensure the email content delivers on its promise.

2. Effective Audience Segmentation

Sending tailored content to specific audience segments increases relevance and engagement. In fact, segmented campaigns have an open rate that’s 14.31% higher than non-segmented ones.

Consider:

• Behavioral Segmentation: Group subscribers based on actions like past purchases, browsing history, or engagement levels.
• Demographic Segmentation: Customize emails according to age, location, or gender to align with subscriber interests.
• Lifecycle Segmentation: Address subscribers differently based on their stage in the customer journey—new subscribers, repeat customers, or lapsed users.

Example: Skincare Brand

A skincare brand used segmentation to target two distinct groups:

1. Subscribers who browsed anti-aging products but hadn’t purchased.
2. Customers who bought anti-aging products in the last 30 days.

The first group received an email titled, “Discover the Secret to Younger Skin,” with a special discount on anti-aging serums. 

The second group got a different email: “Keep Your Glow Going—Here’s How to Maximize Your Serum Results.” 

The result? The segmented emails achieved a 28% higher open rate compared to their generic campaigns.

How to Segment:

• Behavior: Target cart abandoners, frequent buyers, or those who’ve clicked on specific categories.
• Demographics: Segment by age, location, or gender for more personalized messaging.
• Engagement Level: Create “VIP” flows for your most active subscribers or win-back emails for lapsed customers.

By delivering content that speaks directly to each segment’s interests, you enhance the likelihood of opens and interactions.

3. Optimizing Send Times

When you send your email matters as much as what you send. Studies show that the best time to send emails is typically midweek, with Tuesday and Thursday mornings performing best. 

But don’t take this as gospel as your audience’s habits may vary. Time emails to align with when YOUR subscribers are most likely to check their inboxes. 

Strategies include:

• Analyze Engagement Data: Review past campaign data to identify peak engagement times.
• Consider Time Zones: Segment your list by geographic location to send emails at appropriate local times.
• Test and Refine: Conduct A/B tests to determine optimal send times for different segments.

Example: Fitness Apparel Brand

A fitness apparel brand noticed their global open rates were lagging. By reviewing engagement data, they discovered most of their U.S. customers opened emails around 8 a.m., while European subscribers preferred mid-afternoon. 

They adjusted their flow timing using Klaviyo’s time zone settings and saw a 17% lift in open rates within a month.

Align your send schedule with subscriber habits and you will increase the chances of your emails being opened and read. Simple enough, right?

4. Ensuring Email Deliverability

According to HubSpot, 21% of legitimate emails never reach their destination. Deliverability issues like landing in spam or getting clipped are often caused by poor sender reputation or technical missteps.

To maintain a good sender reputation and avoid spam filters:

• Authenticate Your Domain: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to verify your sending domain’s legitimacy.
• Maintain List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list by removing inactive subscribers and correcting invalid addresses.
• Monitor Engagement: Keep an eye on open and click rates; low engagement can signal to ISPs that your emails aren’t wanted.
• Avoid Spammy Content: Use a balanced text-to-image ratio and steer clear of trigger words that might flag your email as spam.

Ensuring your emails are technically sound and desired by recipients helps maintain deliverability and open rates.

5. Enhancing Content Quality

Delivering valuable and relevant content keeps subscribers engaged and encourages them to open future emails. Data from Adobe shows that 39% of consumers want emails that are more informative and less promotional.

Focus on:

• Provide Value: Share content that addresses your subscribers’ needs, interests, or pain points.
• Be Consistent: Maintain a regular sending schedule so subscribers know when to expect your emails.
• Use Engaging Visuals: Incorporate high-quality images and a clean design to make your emails visually appealing.
• Include Clear CTAs: Guide your readers on the next steps with prominent and compelling calls to action.

Example: DTC Coffee Company

A DTC coffee company saw their engagement drop when they sent the same “10% Off Your Next Order” email three times in a month. 

They pivoted, creating a flow with personalized brewing tips, user-generated content, and a discount code buried in a helpful guide. 

The result? A 22% increase in open rates and a boost in click-throughs.

How to Enhance Content Quality:

• Offer value first: Share tips, tutorials, or exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
• Use dynamic content to tailor emails based on subscriber behavior or preferences.
• Include strong CTAs that guide the reader to the next step.

By consistently delivering quality content, you build trust and anticipation, leading to higher open rates over time.

Look, when it comes to implementing these strategies, it requires ongoing analysis and adaptation. 

Regularly review your email performance metrics to understand what’s working and where there’s room for improvement.

6. Monitoring and Analyzing Performance

Improving your flow open rates isn’t just about implementing a few strategies and hoping for the best. You have to monitor your performance, analyze trends, and refine your approach based on what the data tells you. 

Start With the Right Metrics

When it comes to improving open rates, you need to focus on the numbers that matter:

• Open Rates: The percentage of subscribers who opened your email—your baseline for success.
• Click-Through Rates (CTR): How many people clicked links inside your email, a sign of engaging content and clear CTAs.
• Unsubscribe Rates: Spikes here indicate something’s off—maybe your content isn’t hitting the mark, or you’re emailing too often.
• Bounce Rates: High bounce rates mean deliverability issues, often caused by invalid emails or poor sender reputation.

Use A/B Testing to Optimize

Data-driven decision-making is essential for continuous improvement, and A/B testing is one of the best tools to identify what works. By testing one variable at a time, you can make informed changes that boost engagement.

What to Test:

• Subject lines: Try something straightforward like “New Arrivals Are Here” vs. something more intriguing like “What’s New? Click to See.”
• Timing: Send emails at different times of day to see when your audience is most responsive.
• Content: Test a simple text-focused email against one with more visuals to see which performs better.
• CTAs: Experiment with different wording, such as “Shop Now” vs. “Learn More.”

Example:
A pet supply company A/B tested two subject lines for a cart abandonment flow:

1. “You Forgot Something in Your Cart 🐾”
2. “Ready to Check Out? We’ve Got a Treat for You!”
   The second subject line increased open rates by 18%, proving that playful, pet-themed language resonated better with their audience.

Identify Trends Over Time

Email marketing is not a “set it and forget it” operation. Trends in your data can reveal opportunities or signal problems before they snowball. 

For example:

• Are certain flows (like your welcome series) outperforming others?
• Does seasonality impact engagement, with higher open rates during certain months?
• Are open rates dropping for a specific audience segment?

By reviewing these trends regularly, you can make proactive adjustments rather than scrambling to fix issues after they’ve hurt performance.

Make Tracking a Habit

Set aside time each month to review your email performance. 

It doesn’t need to be a deep dive every time. Sometimes even a quick glance at your flow performance dashboard in Klaviyo is all it takes to spot trends or outliers.

And don’t forget that your audience evolves. What worked six months ago might not resonate now. Regular tracking and testing ensure you stay aligned with your subscribers’ preferences.

By making performance monitoring part of your workflow and pairing it with the other strategies outlined in this guide, you’ll have everything you need to keep your Klaviyo flows improving and your open rates climbing.

Say Goodbye to Low Flow Open Rates in Klaviyo

Low open rates in Klaviyo flows don’t have to be the bane of your ecommerce marketing efforts. 

With the right strategies and a commitment to improvement, you can turn things around and make your email flows a powerful tool for driving engagement and revenue.

Here’s a quick recap of the 6 key strategies we covered:

1. Craft Compelling Subject Lines: Hook your readers with subject lines that are clear, engaging, and relevant. Test, tweak, and repeat.
2. Segment Your Audience: Send the right message to the right people at the right time.
3. Optimize Send Times: Align your emails with when your audience is most active for maximum impact.
4. Ensure Deliverability: Keep your emails out of spam folders and in front of your subscribers with technical best practices.
5. Enhance Content Quality: Deliver value, stay consistent, and always provide a clear call to action.
6. Monitor and Analyze Performance: Regularly track your results, test new ideas, and refine your approach based on the data.

Remember, improving open rates isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s an ongoing process that requires you to adapt to your audience’s evolving preferences and behaviors. What works today might need a refresh tomorrow so keep experimenting, learning, and optimizing.

The best part? 

Each small improvement adds up, leading to stronger engagement, happier customers, and more conversions over time. So, start implementing these strategies today. 

Your inbox (and your revenue) will thank you for it.

Ready to improve your flow rates in Klaviyo? Get a free Klaviyo signal audit and see how we can help improve your email performance today!

Important Next Steps

• See what targeted outbound marketing is all about. Capture and engage your first 500 website visitor leads with Customers.ai X-Ray website visitor identification for free.
• Talk and learn about sales outreach automation with other growth enthusiasts. Join Customers.ai Island, our Facebook group of 40K marketers and entrepreneurs who are ready to support you.
• Advance your marketing performance with Sales Outreach School, a free tutorial and training area for sales pros and marketers.

FAQs About Low Flow Open Rates in Klaviyo

What are open rates in Klaviyo flows?

Open rates in Klaviyo flows refer to the percentage of recipients who open your automated emails. It’s calculated by dividing the number of unique opens by the total number of emails delivered. This metric helps you understand how effective your subject lines and preview text are in grabbing attention.

What is a good open rate for Klaviyo flows?

A good open rate for Klaviyo flows typically falls between 20-30%, depending on your industry and audience. Flows, being behavior-triggered, often perform better than broadcast campaigns because they’re more personalized and relevant to the recipient’s actions.

Why are my Klaviyo flow open rates so low?

Low open rates can result from several factors, including unengaging subject lines, poor audience segmentation, deliverability issues (like landing in spam folders), or irrelevant content. Reviewing these areas and testing improvements can help boost your rates.

How does Klaviyo calculate open rates?

Klaviyo calculates open rates by dividing the number of unique email opens by the number of emails delivered and multiplying by 100. This percentage reflects the effectiveness of your email in capturing the recipient’s attention.

What factors affect open rates in Klaviyo flows?

Open rates are influenced by subject lines, preview text, send times, audience segmentation, email deliverability, and content relevance. Even external factors, like inbox clutter during busy seasons, can play a role.

How can I improve the subject lines in my Klaviyo flows?

To improve subject lines, make them concise, clear, and relevant. Personalize them with the recipient’s name or preferences, create urgency with time-sensitive language, and avoid spam triggers like excessive punctuation or all caps. A/B testing is key to finding what resonates with your audience.

Does segmentation impact open rates in Klaviyo flows?

Yes, segmentation has a huge impact. Sending targeted emails based on customer behavior, demographics, or lifecycle stage ensures the content is relevant, which significantly increases the likelihood of an open.

What is A/B testing in Klaviyo, and how does it help improve open rates?

A/B testing in Klaviyo involves creating two versions of an email (varying one element, like the subject line) and sending them to different segments of your audience. By comparing the results, you can identify which approach drives higher open rates and optimize future flows accordingly.

What are the most common deliverability issues in Klaviyo?

Common deliverability issues include emails landing in spam folders, high bounce rates due to invalid addresses, poor sender reputation, and overly large email files that get clipped. Ensuring proper domain authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and maintaining list hygiene can help.

How does email clipping affect open rates in Klaviyo flows?

Email clipping occurs when the size of an email exceeds 102KB, leading to part of it being hidden in certain email clients. This can remove tracking pixels, making opens harder to track and skewing your open rate data.

What is the role of time zones in Klaviyo email open rates?

Time zones play a critical role. If you send an email at 9 a.m. for a global audience, some recipients may receive it in the middle of the night. Using Klaviyo’s time zone settings ensures emails arrive at optimal times for engagement.

Why does my welcome flow have a higher open rate than other flows?

Welcome flows often have higher open rates because they’re sent to new subscribers who are highly engaged. These emails also set the tone for your relationship, making recipients more likely to open them.

How often should I monitor Klaviyo flow open rates?

Regular monitoring is key. Check your flow analytics monthly to track performance trends, identify underperforming emails, and test new strategies. Frequent reviews allow you to make timely adjustments.

What is the best time to send Klaviyo flow emails?

The best time to send emails depends on your audience. Studies suggest midweek mornings (like Tuesday at 10 a.m.) often perform well, but your own audience data might reveal different peak times. A/B testing can help pinpoint optimal times.

How does sender reputation impact open rates in Klaviyo?

Sender reputation affects whether your emails reach the inbox or get flagged as spam. A high reputation is built by consistent engagement, low bounce rates, and good email practices. Poor reputation can result in low deliverability and poor open rates.

Can cleaning my email list improve open rates in Klaviyo?

Yes, regularly removing inactive subscribers and invalid email addresses improves your open rates by focusing your efforts on engaged recipients. This also enhances your sender reputation.

What is Smart Send Time in Klaviyo, and how does it work?

Smart Send Time is a Klaviyo feature that identifies the best time to send emails based on your audience’s engagement patterns. By analyzing historical data, it helps you optimize timing for better open rates.

Why do my promotional flows have lower open rates than transactional ones?

Transactional emails like order confirmations or shipping updates are expected and highly relevant, leading to higher open rates. Promotional flows can feel less urgent, so crafting compelling subject lines and relevant offers is essential.

How can I use dynamic content to improve open rates in Klaviyo?

Dynamic content personalizes emails based on the recipient’s behavior or preferences. For example, including product recommendations based on past browsing can make emails more relevant and increase open rates.

Does Klaviyo track opens on mobile devices?

Yes, Klaviyo tracks opens on both desktop and mobile devices. This data can help you understand how your audience engages with your emails and optimize designs for mobile-first experiences.

What are some examples of bad subject lines that hurt open rates?

Examples include vague phrases like “Check This Out!” or overly aggressive ones like “BUY NOW!!!”. These lack relevance or feel spammy, leading recipients to ignore or delete the email.

How do emojis in subject lines affect Klaviyo open rates?

Emojis can increase open rates by adding personality and visual interest, but they should be used sparingly. Overusing emojis or selecting irrelevant ones can make your email appear unprofessional.

Why is personalization important for Klaviyo flow open rates?

Personalization, such as including the recipient’s name or tailored content, makes the email feel relevant and engaging. Emails with personalized subject lines have been shown to achieve 26% higher open rates.

How can I identify underperforming flows in Klaviyo?

Use Klaviyo’s flow analytics to compare open rates, click-through rates, and conversions across different flows. Look for flows with below-average performance and focus on testing improvements.

What’s the biggest mistake marketers make with Klaviyo flows?

The biggest mistake is “set it and forget it.” Flows need regular monitoring, testing, and optimization to stay effective as your audience evolves and expectations shift.