How to Use Custom Properties and Dynamic Data in Klaviyo Emails: Klaviyo Custom Properties Guide

Introduction

Personalization is a powerful tool in email marketing, and using Klaviyo custom properties allows you to deliver highly targeted and dynamic content to your subscribers. By leveraging custom properties and dynamic data, you can create personalized email campaigns that resonate with your audience, improve engagement, and boost conversion rates. This guide will provide a step-by-step approach to using custom properties in Klaviyo, share best practices, and show you how to effectively use dynamic data to enhance your email marketing strategy.

How Do I Use Custom Properties and Dynamic Data in Klaviyo Emails?

To use Klaviyo custom properties and dynamic data in emails, you need to add custom properties to your subscriber profiles, integrate dynamic tags into your email templates, and configure your flows and campaigns to display personalized content. This technique enables you to personalize emails in Klaviyo by inserting subscriber-specific information, such as first names, purchase history, or customized product recommendations.

Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Up Custom Properties and Using Dynamic Data in Klaviyo

1. Add Custom Properties to Subscriber Profiles

a. Navigate to a Subscriber Profile

• In your Klaviyo dashboard, go to Profiles > Search for a specific subscriber.

b. Manually Add Custom Properties

• Under the Properties section, click Add Property.

• Enter the Property Name (e.g., Favorite Product) and Property Value (e.g., Organic Coffee).

• Click Save to apply the changes.

c. Automate Custom Properties Using Signup Forms

• Create a Signup Form that asks for additional information, such as birthday, preferred product type, or shopping preferences.

• Map the form fields to Custom Properties in Klaviyo to automatically enrich subscriber profiles.

  
  

2. Incorporate Dynamic Data in Email Templates

a. Open the Email Template Editor

• Go to Campaigns or Flows > Select Create Email or Edit Template.

b. Use Dynamic Tags for Custom Properties

• Insert dynamic data using Klaviyo's Template Tags:

html

CopyEdit

Hi {{ first_name|default:'there' }},

• For custom properties:

html

CopyEdit

We think you'll love our latest products in the {{ person|lookup:'favorite_category' }} collection!

• In this example:

  • first_name is a default Klaviyo property.

  • favorite_category is a custom property added to the subscriber profile.

c. Preview Dynamic Data in Emails

• Click Preview > Preview as Specific Profile to see how dynamic data appears for different subscribers.

• Test the email by sending it to yourself with different profile properties applied.

  
  

3. Trigger Flows with Custom Properties in Klaviyo

a. Create a Custom-Triggered Flow

• Go to Flows > Create Flow.

• Choose Metric Triggered Flow or List Triggered Flow, depending on your use case.

b. Add Conditional Splits Based on Custom Properties

• Add a Conditional Split to your flow that uses a custom property as a filter.

• Example: "If favorite_category equals 'Coffee'", then send a Coffee-Themed Email.

  
  

Best Practices for Using Klaviyo Custom Properties and Dynamic Data

1. Keep Property Names Consistent

• Standardize the naming of custom properties to avoid confusion.

• Use clear and concise names like preferred_color instead of color_pref.

  
  

2. Use Default Values for Missing Data

• Prevent empty fields in emails by using the default filter:

html

CopyEdit

Hi {{ first_name|default:'Valued Customer' }},

3. Segment Your Audience Using Custom Properties

• Create dynamic segments using Profile Properties.

• Example: Segment users with a 'Loyalty Member' property set to True to send exclusive offers.

  
  

4. Combine Custom Properties with Personalized Flows

• Use custom properties to trigger personalized automations:

  • Birthday Flows using the 'Birthday' property.

  • Winback Campaigns targeting users with a specific purchase history.

    
    

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Custom Properties in Klaviyo

• Not Adding Default Values: This can lead to emails displaying placeholders like "Hi ," if the first_name property is missing.

  
  

• Mismatched Property Names: Ensure custom property names in email templates match those in subscriber profiles exactly.

  
  

• Overcomplicating Dynamic Content: Keep dynamic content manageable and test thoroughly to avoid rendering issues.

  
  

Conclusion

Utilizing Klaviyo custom properties and dynamic data in your email marketing strategy enables you to deliver highly personalized messages that engage and convert subscribers. By following this guide, you can set up custom properties, use dynamic tags effectively, and avoid common pitfalls to optimize your email marketing efforts.

📩 If your email and SMS marketing strategies are underperforming and you’re unsure how to maximize custom properties and dynamic data, let’s talk.

At Dispatch, we help brands maximize revenue from email & SMS without damaging subscriber engagement.

👉 Connect with Dispatch today to optimize your email marketing strategy.