Klaviyo Predictive Analytics: A Deep-dive into Strategy & Examples

Automated doesn’t mean automatic. Some of our own clients have learned it the hard way, while others, luckily for them, have been more cautious. 

And if you thought your business could run on autopilot, think again. 

Klaviyo predictive analytics, for all its reliability and precision, can work against your best interests IF you’re using it in a strategic vacuum. Getting the most out of it takes a bit of a balancing act. Stuff like your business model, the kind of products you sell, and that unpredictable human factor all play a big role in how well the tools actually perform. 

And here’s the thing: “Strategy” might sound like a big, fancy word, yet at its core, it’s really just a kind of enlightened common sense. 

That’s our learning from dealing with over 100 Klaviyo-focused clients so far. In retrospect, all it boils down to is this: Arbitrate, then automate. 

So, if you really want to get the most out of Klaviyo, stick around. 

In today’s guide, our in-house Klaviyo expert breaks down how to use its top feature strategically. Let’s get started. 

Understanding Klaviyo predictive analytics

How to implement Klaviyo predictive analytics

Wrapping up!

Understanding Klaviyo predictive analytics

Predictive analytics in Klaviyo uses machine learning models to analyze customer data and forecast customer behavior in Klaviyo. These models are part of the robust Klaviyo data analytics tools suite.

The benefits? Too many. But predominantly, it enables you to:

• Deliver targeted email campaigns based on Klaviyo’s customer behavior forecasting.
  
• Focus efforts on customers who are likely to convert.
  
• Identify at-risk customers and take proactive engagement steps.
  
• Drive more sales by reaching the right customers at the right time with the right offer.

But keep in mind that you’ll only be able to view Klaviyo’s predictive analytics features section on customer profiles if certain requirements are met:

• A minimum of 500 unique customers must have successfully completed purchases (not just created profiles). These purchases must be of non-zero value and cannot be canceled or refunded.
  
• Your store needs to be connected via an e-commerce platform like Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, WooCommerce, or through Klaviyo’s API with placed order data.
  
• Your account should have at least six months of order history, including recent activity within the past 30 days.
  
• Additionally, there should be at least a few customers who’ve made three or more purchases.

If the section appears but shows no data, it simply means there’s not enough information for Klaviyo to generate predictions for that customer.

Alright then. Let’s deep-dive into the strategy pool. So, predictive analytics in Klaviyo includes these parameters to begin with:

1. Expected Date of Next Purchase 

Estimating when a customer is likely to make their next purchase. For example, consider the following scenario. 

Imagine a customer typically buys coffee beans from your online store every 30 days. Klaviyo’s predictive analytics might analyze their purchase history and, considering their last purchase date, estimate their “Expected Date of Next Purchase” to be around May 23rd, 2025 (if their last purchase was April 23rd, 2025). So this allows you to proactively send them a targeted email with a coffee bean promotion a few days before that expected date. This is a direct example of how to forecast customer behavior in Klaviyo.

It enables precise targeting based on anticipated actions, a key strength of Klaviyo analytics.

But, what if it doesn’t happen as predicted? Remember, Klaviyo’s predictions are no better than “predictions.” 

Now, the immediate logical conclusion would be that if the customer doesn’t purchase within that predicted 30-day window, they shouldn’t just languish in the same flow. It signals that their buying behavior might have shifted. 

Or perhaps the initial promotion wasn’t compelling enough. Therefore, moving them to a different flow right away is the smart move.

However, a single instance of not purchasing within the predicted window doesn’t necessarily mean a permanent shift in their buying habits. It could very well be a one-off situation due to various reasons: they might still have enough coffee left, they were traveling, they had an unexpected expense, etc.

Instead of immediately moving them to a completely different flow the day after the predicted purchase date passes, you could introduce a short delay (e.g., 3-7 days). During this time, you might send a gentle reminder email related to their usual purchase. If they still don’t purchase, then it’s more likely not just a one-off delay.

The point is, don’t immediately assume they’re no longer interested. A sudden shift in the frequency or tone of your communication could be jarring for the customer. 

Also, consider the degree of deviation. So, if the predicted purchase date was May 23rd and they purchase on May 25th, that’s a very minor deviation and might not warrant a complete shift in their flow. However, if it’s June 15th and still no purchase, it’s a stronger signal.

2. Predicted Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) 

Klaviyo marketing analytics help you assess a customer’s lifetime value. 

These insights are part of Klaviyo data analytics tools that inform how you treat high-value customers.

Now, if Klaviyo predicts a customer’s CLV to be $300, it means the platform expects that customer to spend $300 with your brand over their entire relationship with you. Now, whether or not $300 is a good margin will depend on what you’re selling, right? So, if you cater to a very specific need that customers only have once in their lifetime or very rarely, the CLV of those individual customers might be high due to the nature of the purchase. 

But that wouldn’t translate into a segment of highly valued customers. 

Turns out, when it comes to Klaviyo customer behavior forecasting, churn risk scores give marketers the upper hand in retention campaigns.

3. Churn Risk Prediction

Identifying customers who are at risk of disengaging. It’s this you should keep an eye on before rolling out your campaigns. 

If you’re a niche seller, you may expect a high CLV alongside a high churn rate.

In that case, for one-time buys, you shouldn’t be sending emails with special offers, discounts, or highlighting new products they might be interested in.

Nor should you be reaching out to understand why they haven’t purchased recently, and if there’s anything you can do to improve their experience. 

Instead, to keep them engaged with you, consider investing in educational content. So the goal here isn’t an immediate sale, but rather nurturing a long-term connection, building trust, and ensuring that when the customer or someone they know has a relevant need, your brand is the first that comes to mind. (Here, a referral program can work wonders for you.)

This use of Klaviyo marketing analytics can nurture long-term brand loyalty.

4. Gender and Product Preferences

Inferring demographic and behavioral tendencies for better targeting. Now, segmenting by gender through Klaviyo predictive analytics features is useful, though data should always be interpreted responsibly.

Klaviyo does include a predictive field for gender, which can be used for segmentation. To use it, you navigate to Predictive analytics about someone > Predicted Gender is > [Male/Female/Unknown]. 

This value is estimated based on the customer’s first name, matched against public census information to infer the most likely gender. Keep in mind, it’s a data-driven prediction—not a confirmed attribute.

But then, you might have customers who don’t identify themselves with either gender. How do you leverage Klaviyo’s advanced analytics then?

Unless gender attribution isn’t crucial for your products, you’d do well to prioritize progressive profiling. Progressive profiling can offer better results than inferred attributes when using Klaviyo analytics for personalization.

Empower customers to explicitly state their preferences, including gender identity, in a dedicated preference center. Also, occasionally send out targeted surveys asking for demographic information, including gender, with clear explanations of why this data is valuable for them and for you.

How to implement Klaviyo predictive analytics

Here’s how you can implement predictive analytics in Klaviyo. 

(Remember, the technical implementation should progress in lock-step with the strategic angles we just ended studying.)

1. Collect & analyze customer data

To utilize predictive analytics in Klaviyo, ensure you have comprehensive data on customer interactions, including:

• Purchase history
• Email engagement
• Website activity
• Demographics
• Past behaviors and preference

This holistic view empowers Klaviyo analytics to generate more accurate predictions regarding churn risk, expected purchase dates, and even inferred attributes like gender. 

2. Leverage predictive analytics reports

Use Klaviyo data analytics tools to access:

• CLV insights
• Next order date estimates
• Churn risk scores

Once again, remember to pull the relevant strategic levers while leveraging Klaviyo advanced analytics. 

3. Create segments based on predictions

Use Klaviyo’s segmentation tool to group customers based on insights gained from Klaviyo marketing analytics. Examples include:

• High CLV Customers: Prioritize these customers for VIP offers.
• Likely to Purchase Soon: Send timely product recommendations.
• At-Risk Customers: Engage with win-back campaigns.

As already discussed, approach CLV with caution. When you do recognize VIP customers, pause, consider, before you target them with offers. 

Carefully assess the financial implications of your VIP program. Determine the cost of the rewards you’re considering, and project the potential impact on your profit margins, especially when applied to your most valuable customers.

In addition, assess the core objective of a VIP program. For example, are you aiming to increase their purchase frequency, boost their average order value, foster stronger loyalty and advocacy, or simply express appreciation? 

4. Automate personalized campaigns 

Set up automated email flows based on predictive insights:

• Replenishment Reminders:Target customers predicted to reorder soon.
• Win-Back Emails: Reach out to customers flagged as high churn risk.
• Offers for VIPs: Reward high CLV customers with special deals.

In line with the VIP offer considerations in the last section, be careful with the triggers you’re setting up. (Arbitrate, then automate, remember?) 

VIP campaigns must not misfire. Take one step forward, two steps backward.

Coupled with Klaviyo advanced analytics, this kind of strategic heavy-lifting should prove a powerful combination for email marketing. 

5. Monitor & optimize performance

This is arguably the most important part. Regularly review Klaviyo’s predictive analytics reports and adjust your marketing strategies based on data-driven insights. Prioritize A/B testing. And not just basic testing. 

Jessica Best, email marketing pro, strongly recommends these best practices: 

• Before launching any test, you should pinpoint the specific metrics that will determine success.
  
• Formulate a hypothesis. But, frame your test to potentially disprove your hypothesis to mitigate confirmation bias.
  
• Ensure statistical significance. For email metrics like opens or clicks, aim for a minimum segment size of around 10,000. For conversion-focused tests, larger segments and longer testing periods may be necessary.
  
• Finally, take a test-and-learn approach (e.g., 10/10/80 split) to identify a winning variation before deploying it to a larger audience.

For more info on Klaviyo advanced analytics, turn here. 

Wrapping up!

You have the tools—from Klaviyo predictive analytics features to full-scale Klaviyo analytics dashboards—but using them is still a tightrope walk; and the certainty of every next step you take is directly related to your strategy.

It’s simple: Any next step without a strategic foothold is actually a misstep. 

Need help with Klaviyo email marketing? We can be your analytics fanatics.  Schedule a call with our team, and let’s talk about your unique requirements today! Access our proven six-tier email marketing framework to keep in step with Klaviyo, and one step ahead of your e-commerce competitors.