Difference Between Klaviyo Flows and Campaigns

When to build a Klaviyo Flow vs a Campaign.

Shipping Notifications2

Difference Between Klaviyo Flows and Campaigns

Here's the quick and dirty:

Klaviyo Flows are automated sequences triggered by specific customer actions or behaviors, such as a welcome series for new subscribers or an abandoned cart reminder. They run continuously and adapt in real-time to user interactions, providing personalized, timely communications. In contrast, Klaviyo Campaigns are manually created or scheduled broadcasts sent to selected lists or segments, typically for one-time announcements or promotions. Campaigns are static, requiring manual setup and sending, and do not automatically respond to individual customer actions. Essentially, Flows are automated and behavior-driven, while Campaigns are one-time or scheduled broadcasts.

Let's dig a little deeper...

Klaviyo Flows

  1. Automation:
    • Purpose: Flows are designed for automated communication. They are triggered by specific actions or conditions, such as a customer’s behavior or a particular event.

    • Examples: Welcome Series, Abandoned Cart Emails, Post-Purchase Follow-ups.

  2. Trigger-Based:
    • How It Works: Flows are initiated automatically based on triggers, such as someone subscribing to your list, making a purchase, or abandoning a cart.

    • Customization: You can create complex workflows with multiple steps and conditions, including delays, splits, and conditional logic.

  3. Personalization:
    • Tailoring: Flows can be highly personalized based on the data and behavior of individual subscribers. For instance, a welcome flow can send different messages based on how a subscriber joined your list.

  4. Continuous Operation:
    • Ongoing: Flows run continuously and automatically for new or existing subscribers who meet the triggering criteria, ensuring timely and relevant communication.

  5. Use Cases:
    • Behavior-Based: Ideal for scenarios where responses need to be triggered by user behavior or events, such as re-engaging inactive customers or nurturing leads over time.


Klaviyo Campaigns

  1. Manual or Scheduled Sends:
    • Purpose: Campaigns are intended for one-time or recurring broadcasts that you manually create and send to a selected audience or list.

    • Examples: Newsletters, promotional offers, holiday greetings.

  2. Selection-Based:
    • How It Works: You create and design a campaign, then choose the list or segment of recipients you want to target. You can send the campaign immediately or schedule it for a future date.

  3. Less Automation:
    • Customization: While you can personalize campaigns, they don’t automatically adapt or respond to subscriber behavior like flows do. They are more static and focused on a specific message or promotion.

  4. One-Time or Scheduled:
    • Operation: Campaigns are generally one-off or scheduled messages that are sent to your selected audience at a specific time.

  5. Use Cases:
    • Broadcast Communication: Suitable for announcements, sales promotions, or any content that you want to send out to your entire list or a segment on a particular date.


In Summary:

  • Klaviyo Flows: Automated, behavior-triggered communications that run continuously and adapt based on user actions and data.

  • Klaviyo Campaigns: Manual or scheduled broadcasts that are sent to selected lists or segments for specific, often one-time messages or promotions.

Both tools are valuable for different aspects of marketing strategy, and they can be used together to create a comprehensive communication plan. For example, you might use flows for ongoing customer engagement and campaigns for targeted promotions or updates.

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