SMS lists
Build and grow an SMS list that drives revenue, loyalty, and real customer connections
What are SMS lists?
An SMS list is a collection of customers who have opted in to receive text messages from your brand. These lists are the foundation of any SMS marketing strategy, giving you a permission-based channel to send updates, offers, alerts, and more. Unlike email, where your message is competing with many others in a crowded inbox, SMS gives you access to a more intimate space: someone’s phone. That means your SMS list is one of the most direct and high-performing ways to engage with your audience.
An SMS list isn’t just a static group of phone numbers. It should be made up of real customer profiles, complete with purchase history, engagement data, preferences, and behaviors. That depth of information means you can use your list more strategically—not just to blast messages, but to send personalized texts that convert.
Why do SMS lists matter for marketers?
The strength of your list determines the strength of your results. A high-quality, engaged SMS list drives clicks, purchases, and long-term customer loyalty. Marketers across ecommerce, hospitality, and wellness are seeing SMS become a top-performing channel for revenue—but only when the list behind it is built intentionally.
Growing and maintaining your SMS list isn’t about quantity alone. It’s about attracting the right people, collecting the right data, and sending the right message at the right time. Klaviyo gives you the tools to do all of the above. With AI-powered forms display optimization, compliant opt-in experiences, and seamless integration with your website and tech stack, Klaviyo helps you grow your SMS list faster—and use it more effectively.
Why choose Klaviyo for creating your SMS list?
1. Seamless opt-in experiences that convert
Building a strong list starts with getting the opt-in right. Klaviyo gives you tools to create high-converting forms, pop-ups, and landing pages that match your brand, reduce friction, and appear the moment a visitor is most likely to subscribe.
Here are two features from Klaviyo that help customer seamlessly opt-in to your SMS list:
– Forms display optimization: Show pop-ups at the time users are most likely to convert, based on behavior and AI.
– Flexible opt-in options: Collect consent via web forms, keywords, QR codes, and at checkout.
2. Smarter segmentation from day one
Unlike standalone SMS tools, Klaviyo’s built-in customer data platform (CDP)—Klaviyo Data Platform—means every phone number on your list is linked to a full customer profile. That means you can start segmenting by purchase behavior, product interests, location, loyalty status, predicted next order date, and more—even if you only have a phone number and a few interactions to start with.
Here are two powerful segmentation features from Klaviyo that can help you create and optimize your SMS list:
– Unified customer profiles: Every list member comes with rich data from across channels.
– Segments AI: Build dynamic SMS audiences in seconds using natural language prompts.
3. Compliant, flexible list management
SMS compliance is non-negotiable. Klaviyo has built-in safeguards to ensure you collect and store consent properly, manage opt-outs automatically, and avoid over-messaging. You can configure SMS quiet hours, smart sending rules, and consent filtering with just a few clicks. You can also set up transactional SMS (like order confirmations or shipping updates) separately from marketing messages—so customers stay informed without needing to opt in to promos.
Here are two ways Klaviyo helps ensure your SMS list, and your business, stay compliant:
– Built-in compliance tools: Automatically manage opt-ins, opt-outs, and sending rules.
– Transactional vs. marketing SMS: Separate flows based on consent and message type.
4. Campaigns and flows that maximize list value
SMS subscribers are often your most valuable customers—and with Klaviyo, you can act on that insight immediately. You can set up automated flows to welcome new subscribers, recover abandoned carts, offer birthday discounts, or win back lapsed shoppers. You can also create one-time SMS campaigns to promote sales, product drops, or events—all using filters based on list engagement.
Here are two features from Klaviyo that make sure you’re getting the most out of your SMS list:
– Automated flows: Trigger SMS series based on list sign-ups, behavior, and engagement.
– AI and testing tools: Optimize message timing, copy, and targeting to drive results.
Key features of Klaviyo’s SMS list management
|
Feature |
Description |
Available on Klaviyo |
|---|---|---|
|
List building |
SMS opt-in forms: Collect subscriber phone numbers via website forms & pop-ups. | |
|
Compliance |
Double opt-in verification: Confirm new subscribers with an extra step to stay compliant. Automatic unsubscribe management: Allow easy opt-outs to maintain compliance. | |
|
Segmentation |
Dynamic list updates: Automatically refresh segments based on behaviors. Geo-targeting segments: Send localized SMS promotions based on subscriber locations. | |
|
Automation & tracking |
SMS flow integration: Use segments to trigger automated texts. Growth & engagement metrics: Track list size, engagement rates, and opt-out trends. | |
How to get started with an SMS list on Klaviyo
1. Sign up for a Klaviyo account. If you aren’t a Klaviyo customer, get started with SMS automation by signing up for a free Klaviyo account.
2. Enable SMS in your account. Activate SMS capabilities in Klaviyo’s platform.
In the navigation menu, click “Audience” > “Lists & segments”Click “Create New” > “Create list”Name your list, then click “Create list”
3. Add profiles to your SMS subscriber list. Some ways to grow your SMS subscriber list include creating a sign-up form that collects SMS consent, or adding SMS consent at check-out to your ecommerce storefront.
Remember, it’s essential to collect consent compliantly.If you already have SMS contacts that aren’t yet in Klaviyo, you can upload a CSV file of those subscribers to add them to your list.
4. Important note: You should only set up a single SMS subscriber list which houses all your SMS opted-in profiles. From there, you can create multiple segments using criteria to make dynamic groupings of your SMS subscribers.
With Klaviyo’s SMS list management tools, businesses can effectively collect, segment, and engage subscribers while ensuring compliance and personalization at scale.