While email marketing remains a cornerstone of e-commerce retention, SMS marketing is rapidly becoming a primary conversion channel. With open rates exceeding 98% and CTRs hover around 15%, adding SMS to your automation stack allows you to reach shoppers directly on their mobile screens. Setting up a professional **Klaviyo SMS marketing setup** is key to building high-ROAS mobile campaigns that complement your email flows.
Why Integrate SMS in Klaviyo?
Using a single platform for both email and SMS allows you to build coordinated multi-channel campaigns. Instead of bombarding subscribers on both channels simultaneously, you can set rules (e.g., "If a user didn't open the abandoned cart email within 4 hours, send them a personalized SMS discount"). This coordinated approach improves user experience and maximizes marketing efficiency.
Step-by-Step Klaviyo SMS Setup Guide
Step 1: Enable SMS in Klaviyo Account Settings
- Log into your Klaviyo dashboard, go to Settings → **SMS**.
- Click **Set up SMS**, select your target country (e.g., US, UK, Canada, Australia), and choose a sending number type (Toll-Free, 10DLC, or Short Code).
- Complete business verification requirements to comply with wireless carrier regulations.
Step 2: Update Sign-Up Forms to Collect Mobile Consent
You cannot legally send SMS marketing messages without explicit, documented mobile consent. Update your Shopify sign-up popups in Klaviyo:
- Add a phone number input field to your popup template.
- Include clear, legally compliant consent language explaining that the user is opting in to receive automated SMS marketing messages.
- Set up double opt-in to verify that subscribers own the mobile numbers they submit.
3. Build Coordinated SMS/Email Abandoned Cart Flows
The abandoned cart flow is the highest-value e-commerce automation. Configure a multi-channel flow in Klaviyo:
- Hour 1: Send a helpful abandoned cart email showing the items left in their cart.
- Hour 4: Check if the user completed the checkout. If not, send an automated SMS with a link to resume checkout.
- Day 2: If they still haven't purchased, send a final email offering a limited-time discount.
E-commerce SMS Automation Best Practices
| Rule Category | Important Best Practice | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet Hours | Enable Quiet Hours settings (e.g., no messages between 8 PM and 8 AM) | Prevents waking customers with middle-of-the-night alerts, reducing unsubscribes. |
| Sending Frequency | Limit marketing broadcasts to 2 to 4 messages per month | Prevents user fatigue and protects your number from spam reports. |
| Opt-Out Instructions | Include "Reply STOP to opt out" in every marketing broadcast | Ensures compliance with TCPA and local mobile regulations. |
| Clear Branding | Start every text message with your company name (e.g., "[Brand]: Save 15% today...") | Ensures recipients instantly recognize who is texting them. |
Need support scaling your customer retention and lifecycle flows? Partner with expert automation engineers. Discover our custom CRM and lifecycle marketing setup plans.