Migrating from another SMS provider to Klaviyo

You will learn

Learn the steps for migrating from another SMS provider to Klaviyo.  

Before you begin

Klaviyo SMS migration steps

Below, we list out what to do when migrating as well as where these steps fall within the Getting Started with SMS course. 

• In Orientation: 
  
  1. Send a final message from your provider (2 minutes)
  2. Export data from previous SMS provider (11 minutes)
  3. Port phone number (optional) (2 minutes)
• In Add subscribers:
  1. Import SMS contacts (6 minutes)
  2. Create SMS subscribers segment (2 minutes)
• In Build relationships:
  1. Send a campaign from your new number (3 minutes)

Orientation

Send a final message from your previous provider

It's a best practice to tell subscribers when you're about to change your number, and this is required for US short codes. 

If you are not changing numbers (i.e., you're porting your number), skip to the section on exporting your data.

A week before changing numbers, send a final message from your previous SMS provider. Some carriers require this, and failure to comply may result in an audit or deliverability issues.

Include the following in the message: 

• Your organization’s/brand’s name
• Your new phone number
• Key details about the transition, like support/contact care information (e.g., “Reply HELP for help”)
• Opt-out language (e.g., “Text STOP to unsubscribe”)

Export data from previous SMS provider 

After completing the Orientation action steps, you'll need to export your existing data. The steps for migrating vary depending on your previous SMS provider. In general, though, you will need to: 

1. Export SMS contacts
2. Export any additional data you want

If possible, when exporting contacts, we recommend separating subscribers by:

• Country (if you send to more than one country)
• Opt-in status 

The first makes it easier when you’re importing consent, while the second ensures that you don’t accidentally send to non-consented subscribers and risk breaching compliance. 

For specific guidance on how to migrate, check out the available guides:

• Attentive
• Emotive
• Postscript
• Retention Rocket
• SMSBump

Port phone number (optional) 

When switching SMS providers, keeping the same number makes for a smoother transition for your subscribers. They’ll recognize the number as being from your brand, so you’ll be able to pick up exactly where you left off.

Note that porting a number results in the loss of any voice capabilities.

You can port toll-free numbers and short codes; however, porting is not available for shared short codes or branded sender IDs. 

The porting process takes time to complete; allow up to 4 weeks for the number to port into Klaviyo. 

How to port a phone number
Click your organization name in the bottom left.  Navigate to Settings > SMS. Select Port an Existing Number. Click Submit Port Request. Check your email for a message from the SMS team at Klaviyo. Fill out the relevant application for your number type. Allow up to 4 weeks processing time.

Add subscribers

Import SMS contacts (7 minutes)

1. Format your CSV

It’s time to import your contacts into Klaviyo. Before uploading the data, check that it’s formatted correctly; otherwise, the import won’t work. 

In your CSV, you must include:

• Phone number 
• Country (either through the country code or as a separate column)

4. Import opted-out contacts

If you want to add in the information for opted-out contacts, you can upload them into Klaviyo and mark them as unsubscribed. This way, you'll have the data you've already collected but won't risk texting them. 

The first step is creating a list of opted-out contacts. You can do this by filtering your unsubscribed contacts from your CSV and adding them to a new list, as discussed above. Note that you'll need to have the phone number and country in order to upload opted-out contacts. 

Once that's done, follow these steps:

1. Format and check your CSV.

2. Turn any list-triggered flows (e.g., your welcome series) to manual. 

3. Navigate to Audience > Lists & Segments.

4. Choose the list to import to (e.g., your main subscriber list).

5. Click the Manage List dropdown.

6. Choose Import Contacts.
   

7. Select your CSV.

8. Map your data to fields.

9. Important: Do not apply SMS consent.

10. Click Import Review.

11. Click Start Import.

12. Wait at least 10 minutes for the profiles to import.
13. Open the dropdown under your account name.
14. Click Settings > Other > Profile maintenance.
15. Scroll to the Import SMS Unsubscribes section.
16. Click Browse Files and upload your CSV file of SMS contacts to unsubscribe.
    
17. Click Unsubscribe Phone Numbers.
18. Confirm your selection in the modal that appears.

The import process may take a few minutes to complete.

Create an SMS subscribers segment

Segments update automatically; profiles will enter or leave the segment when they meet or fail to meet the segment’s conditions. This is different from lists, which are static. 

Without a segment, it can also be difficult to know how many SMS subscribers you have, as subscribers may be spread throughout different lists or you may have a list that shows both your email and SMS subscribers together. An SMS segment will show you everyone who is consented to your SMS marketing, letting you see all of your subscribers at once. 

How to create an SMS subscribers segment
Go to Audience > Lists & Segments > Create List/Segment > Segment. Name your segment  Add the condition: If someone is or is not consented to receive SMS.  Keep the condition as: Person is consented to receive SMS. Click Save.

Build relationships

Send an SMS campaign

What you want to send depends on your audience as well as if you kept the same number when you migrated to Klaviyo. 

Journey Check: Click the link that best fits your situation: 

• I changed my sending number 
• I ported a toll-free number 
• I ported a short code
• I previously only used an branded sender ID

If you switched numbers or ported a short code

If you ported a short code or switched SMS sending numbers, your first campaign from your new number should act as a follow-up to your last message from your old number, informing subscribers about the change and how you’ll be texting them going forward. 

In the text, you’ll want to let subscribers know certain information, including:

• Your brand’s name
• The recurring-SMS program’s name or product description
• Support/customer care information (e.g., “Reply HELP for help”)
• Opt-out instructions (e.g., “Text END to unsubscribe”)
• Disclosure that message and data rates may apply
• Disclosure for message frequency

Example text: "[Organization Name]: Hi from our new number! Thanks for sticking with us.[Add offer, if desired]. Text STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Msg & data rates may apply. Msgs are recurring."

How to send an SMS campaign (number change)

Navigate to the Campaigns tab. Click Create Campaign. Select SMS in the modal. Click Create Campaign in the modal. Name the campaign. Choose which list(s) or segment(s) to send to. Click Save & Continue to Content. Write out your text in the Message Content box. Click Save & Continue to Review. Review the settings for the campaign, confirming that the message will send to the right audience and tracking is enabled. Click Schedule or Send. Choose Schedule to send the campaign at a later date, or Send Now to send the campaign immediately.

If you kept the same number

If you kept the same number (and it’s not a short code) or previously only used a branded sender ID, you’ll want to continue your previous SMS strategy. Were you sending out text alerts every Thursday? If so, keep the same cadence and content. In the first message, though, we recommend including a reminder about who you are and how to opt out. 

For future sends, think about how you can use your data in Klaviyo to better target your audience, such as personalizing your messages and creating segments around location, purchase history, gender, etc. 

Additional resources

• Learn the basics of Klaviyo SMS: see Getting Started with SMS 
• Find out how to collect SMS subscribers
• Understand and review your SMS deliverability