How to Split Test Flows (aka Email Sequences) in Klaviyo

In this article, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to split test the path of your email automations in Klaviyo.

The timing of your email sequences can significantly impact their success.

We understand that setting up your Klaviyo account can be challenging. That’s why we’ve created a Klaviyo Setup Checklist to ensure you don’t overlook any crucial steps in the setup process.

First, open Klaviyo and create a flow from scratch. Testing is key. For example, if you want to add a delay, choose metrics like “Place Order.” Once that’s set, you can split test when to send the email—whether it’s 15 minutes or one hour later—and analyze the results to see what works best.

If you have a trigger, like someone placing an order, and you want to test different time delays, you would use a conditional split or trigger split. In this case, we’d choose a conditional split, set it to a random sample, and if you want a 50/50 split, you can do that. However, for other types of split tests, you’ll need to strategize differently, and I’ll explain what I mean.

Let’s set up a time delay—one path with a one-hour delay and another with a 15-minute delay. This way, you’re testing the difference between one hour and 15 minutes. You can do the same with emails by creating two separate paths in Klaviyo. If you want to test variations within a single email, it’s even easier to set up.

Let me show you how it works. If you want to split test a single email, you can just add variations without needing a conditional split. Simply create and save the variations. However, if you want to test two different email sequences, you’ll need to use a conditional split for that.

For instance, in this sequence, you might want to test sending an email every 15 minutes versus sending one every day. This would be your A/B split test, with one path being version A and the other version B. If you want to test a third version, you can simply add more conditionals to the sequence.

Here’s how you do it: Start by dividing the sequence into 33%. It won’t be exact, but it will be close. From that 33%, you’ll set up a random sample, and then divide the remaining 67% in half. So, 33% will go down one path, while the other 67% will split into two equal parts. This approach can be a bit tricky, but it’s how you handle split tests when you want to compare more than two variations.

As you grow your eCommerce store, having the right tools is essential. We offer a collection of must-have eCommerce resources, including an NPS calculator and an email campaign checklist, all available for free download.