Klaviyo Profiles Vs. Subscribers: What's the Difference?

A Klaviyo question that crops up a lot is: what's the difference between profiles and subscribers? It's a good question, and one that we'll be answering today. So, grab a chai latte, sit back, and let's unravel this mystery together. We’re going to break this topic down in a digestible way so you can get a clear picture of what's happening behind the scenes.

What is a Subscriber in Klaviyo?

In Klaviyo, a subscriber is someone who has explicitly signed up to receive your email communications. Think of them as the cool kids who handed you their email addresses at your party and said, "Yes, I want to hear from you!" They’ve opted in, and they’re ready for your newsletters, promotions, and the occasional meme.

What is a Profile in Klaviyo?

A profile in Klaviyo, on the other hand, is a bit more complex. Every individual who interacts with your brand in any way—whether they’ve subscribed to your emails, visited your website, made a purchase, or started the checkout process—gets a profile. In a nutshell, a Klaviyo profile is anyone who has left a digital footprint with your brand.

What is the Difference between Profiles and Subscribers?

So, let’s break it down: Subscribers are a subset of profiles. Every subscriber is a profile, but not every profile is a subscriber. Subscribers are those who’ve given you the green light to send them emails, while profiles are contacts who may, or may not have, opted in to receive your emails.

If you’ve ever found yourself in a daze, wondering why your profiles outnumber your subscribers, you’re not alone! It’s totally normal to have more profiles than subscribers. Why? Because profiles encompass every single person who has ever interacted with your brand, even if they haven’t subscribed to your emails. So, breathe easy—those numbers are supposed to be different!

What do Active Profiles mean in Klaviyo?

Now, you might be wondering, 'What the heck is an active profile?' Good question! Active profiles are contacts who have not been suppressed/unsubscribed. This, admittedly, is quite confusing, as an 'active profile' in Klaviyo doesn't necessarily mean they are active or engaged with your brand.

Viewing Your People: Profiles, Subscribers, and Active Profiles

So, how do you see all these different groups in Klaviyo?

• Subscribers: To see your subscribers, navigate to the “Lists & Segments” tab and select the list that includes your email subscribers. If you have more than one list, create a segment that encompasses all of your lists to get a total count of all subscribers.
• All Profiles: Head over to the “Profiles” tab in Klaviyo. Here, you’ll find a list of everyone who has ever interacted with your brand, sorted and searchable. This is your entire audience database.
• Active Profiles: To see your active profiles, go to the "Profiles" tab in Klaviyo; your total number of active subscribers is displayed at the top. To drill down even further, you can create a segment for your active profiles using the following segment definition:

How do I Email All Profiles in Klaviyo?

Want to email everyone who has ever interacted with your brand? Here’s how you can do it:

• Go to the “Lists & Segments” tab and click “Create List / Segment.”
• Select “Segment” and give it a name like “All Profiles.”
• In the segment conditions, add a filter for “Properties about someone.” Set it to include anyone where “Email” is set. This will capture everyone with an email address in your database.
• Save the segment. Now you can use this segment when creating a campaign to email all your profiles.

Remember, emailing all profiles, including those who haven’t subscribed, can be risky. Make sure you’re complying with all relevant laws and email marketing best practices to avoid potential issues.

How do I Email All Subscribers in Klaviyo?

To email all your subscribers in Klaviyo, follow these steps:

• Go to the “Lists & Segments” tab.
• Select the list that contains your email subscribers. Typically, this is named something like “Newsletter Subscribers” or “Main List.”
• Create a new campaign by navigating to the “Campaigns” tab and clicking “Create Campaign.”
• During the campaign setup, choose your subscriber list in the "Recipients" field.
• Design your email and schedule it or send it immediately.

This will ensure that your email reaches everyone who has opted in to receive emails from you. However, it won't send to contacts who have unsubscribed. 

The Billing Breakdown: Profiles or Subscribers?

Now, the million-dollar question: does Klaviyo bill based on profiles or subscribers? Klaviyo bills you based on the number of active profiles. This means you’re charged for the profiles that have interacted with your brand in any shape or form (as long as you have their email address). Starting the checkout process, signing up via a popup form, viewing a product, or clicking an email from you—these are some of the ways people can interact with your brand and become an active profile.

So, just to clarify, if an email address is in your Klaviyo account and they haven't unsubscribed, you're being billed for that subscriber.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it! The next time you log into Klaviyo and see a sea of profiles, remember: not all profiles are subscribers, but all subscribers are profiles.

Understanding these distinctions can help you better manage your audience, keep tabs on your billing, and ultimately make the most out of Klaviyo.