How to create a text-only email

You will learn

Learn how to send a simple text-only email in Klaviyo. Text-only emails can contain limited formatting and images, but are generally much simpler in style and structure than HTML emails (e.g., those built in Klaviyo’s drag-and-drop editor).

About text-only emails

Text-only emails are a great option if you want your message to have a very personal feel. These emails can look similar to a message you send from your personal inbox, and generally contain less branded content and design elements than a standard HTML email.

A text-only email can be a good option for:

• A message in a welcome series
  You can include a text-only email as a message in your welcome flow with a personal note about how your company got started or what sets you apart from other brands.
• Apology emails
  When your company has made a mistake and needs to notify your customers about it, consider sending a text-only email.
• Text-heavy messages
  If you’re sending a long email that is mostly or entirely text, a text-only email will be easier for screen readers, smart watches, and other assistive technology to read.

Text-only emails are often most impactful when signed by a member of your team (e.g., your founder/CEO). While they aren’t right for every use case, text-only emails often see higher click rates than fully designed HTML emails.

How to create a text-only email

Create a text-only campaign email

1. Navigate to the Campaigns tab in Klaviyo.
2. Click Create campaign.
3. Enter a campaign name and choose Single channel as the campaign type.
4. Review the date, choose Email, and click Continue.
5. Choose recipients and tracking settings for your campaign, then click Next.
6. Enter a subject line and review the sender name and sender email address.
7. Click the additional options (three dots) menu, then select Switch to text only editor.
   

Follow the design and drafting steps below to finish your email, then learn how to send it as a campaign.

Create a text-only flow email

To create a brand new text-only email:

1. Navigate to the Flows tab in Klaviyo.
2. Choose an existing flow you’d like to add a text-only email to, or click Create flow and proceed through the steps to configure a new flow.
3. Once you’ve opened your flow, drag in an Email action.
   

4. Open the message’s additional options (3 dots) menu and select Edit.
5. Select Text only.

To replace an existing flow email with a new text-only email:

Choosing a new text-only template replaces the email’s existing content. Make a copy of any content you want to keep before continuing.

1. Select the email in your flow.
2. From the additional options (three dots) menu, select Edit.
3. On the following page, open the additional options (3 dots) menu and select Change template.
   

4. Choose Text only.
   

Follow the design and drafting steps below to finish your email, then learn how to turn on your flow.

Design and draft a text-only email

1. Once you've created a text-only campaign or flow email, write your message in the text editor.
   

1. Optional: to include an image, place your cursor where you want it, then click Add image in the toolbar.
2. Enter the Image URL and descriptive Alt text. Adjust the width and height if needed, then click Apply.
3. Click Preview email to check your message and personalization before saving.
4. Click Save to save your email content and return to the content overview. Saving does not send the campaign or turn on the flow.

Emoji and text-only emails

As of February 2024, all emoji are supported in all Klaviyo email editors (i.e., the drag-and-drop editor, hybrid editor, text-only editor, and custom HTML editor).

Additional resources