#19: How to Use Canva Email Templates in Klaviyo (Without Landing in Spam!)

Are your Canva-designed emails getting low open rates, poor engagement, or—worst of all—going straight to spam? You’re not alone.

Most e-commerce store owners aren’t graphic designers, and Canva has been a game-changer for creating beautiful branding. But if you’re designing entire emails in Canva, downloading them as images, and uploading them to Klaviyo—that’s a big mistake that’s hurting your deliverability.

In this guide, I’ll show you exactly why image-only emails get flagged as spam and how to use Canva the right way in Klaviyo to create visually appealing, high-converting emails.

🎥 Watch this quick breakdown, and don’t forget to subscribe for more Klaviyo tips!

Why Your Canva Emails Aren’t Performing in Klaviyo

• If you’ve ever:
• Designed a full email in Canva
• Downloaded it as an image
• Uploaded it straight to Klaviyo
• Sent it out… only to get crickets—low open rates, few clicks, and worse, spam complaints…

Then you’re making the #1 mistake that kills engagement.

Here’s why image-only emails don’t work:

• No real text → Spam filters can’t read images, so your email looks like junk mail.
• Slow loading times → Large images frustrate users, especially on mobile, leading to higher bounce rates.
• Poor accessibility → If images don’t load, your audience sees nothing—not even your CTA.
• Low click rates → Image-based buttons are often unreliable and harder to track.

But don’t worry—you don’t have to ditch Canva completely. The secret is using Canva strategically inside Klaviyo.

The Right Way to Use Canva for Emails (Without Hurting Deliverability)

Follow these steps to get the Canva aesthetic while keeping your email text-based and optimized in Klaviyo:

Step 1: Think Sections, Not One Big Image

Instead of designing a single full-image email, break it into sections:

• Headers & banners → Designed in Canva, uploaded as images
• Body text & product descriptions → Typed directly in Klaviyo
• Call-to-action buttons → Created inside Klaviyo for higher clickability

Tip: If an email is 50% text and 50% images, it’s more likely to land in the inbox instead of spam.

Step 2: Use the Right Canva Image Sizes

To keep your emails mobile-friendly and readable, use these Canva sizes when exporting images for Klaviyo:

• Headers/Banners: 600px–800px wide
• Product Blocks: 1080px x 1080px (Instagram square size)
• Thin Banners: 600px x 200px

Avoid using full-width images over 1200px, as they can get resized awkwardly on different devices.

Step 3: Buttons Belong in Klaviyo, Not Canva

❌ Don’t design CTA buttons in Canva.
✅ Instead, use Klaviyo’s built-in button block.

Why?

• Klaviyo’s buttons are clickable even if images are disabled.
• You can track button performance more accurately.
• They are more accessible for visually impaired users.

Pro Tip: Always link buttons to specific product pages or collections—not just your homepage.

Step 4: Layering Text Over Images (The Right Way)

Want to add text on top of images without hurting deliverability?

Here’s the trick:

• Use a background image in Klaviyo
• Overlay live text inside Klaviyo’s email builder

This way, your email looks visually stunning, but the text is still searchable and readable by inbox providers.

Step 5: Always Test Before Sending

Before hitting send, preview your email on mobile, desktop, and dark mode inside Klaviyo.

Check for:

• Readable text (not too small!)
• Properly spaced images
• Buttons that stand out

A quick test can prevent major deliverability issues.

Case Study: How One Small Fix Doubled Click Rates

I’ve seen e-commerce brands double their click rates just by following these Canva-Klaviyo best practices.

One of my clients went from image-only emails (terrible engagement) to text-based designs with Canva accents. The result?

• 📈 Higher open rates
• 📈 More clicks
• 📈 Better conversions

Simply making text and images work together properly can completely transform your email engagement.

Final Thoughts: Get the Canva Look Without the Spam Risk

Canva isn’t the problem—how you use it inside Klaviyo is.

If you’ve been uploading full-image emails, try breaking them up instead. You’ll see an instant difference in:

• ✅ Deliverability (landing in inboxes instead of spam)
• ✅ Engagement (higher open & click rates)
• ✅ Conversions (more sales from email!)

And if you want a shortcut, I’ve put together a list of my Top 9 Easy-to-Recreate Canva Email Templates that work perfectly in Klaviyo—without hurting deliverability.

📩 Drop a comment below, and I’ll send it your way!

📌 Resources to Help You Grow

Looking to take your email marketing to the next level? Here are some free and premium resources to help you build, optimize, and scale your Klaviyo strategy:

• Get My Free Quickstart Checklist – Learn how to create high-converting pop-ups & a welcome flow that turns visitors into subscribers and buyers.
  
• Join the Klaviyo Launchpad Waitlist – My upcoming step-by-step course that will teach you everything you need to start, grow, and profit from your email list using Klaviyo.
  
• Grab the E-Commerce Email Planner – A done-for-you planner to help you map out campaigns, track email performance, and stay consistent with your email marketing.
  
• Grow Your Store with Klaviyo – Ready to scale? Sign up for Klaviyo and start building automated email flows that drive sales on autopilot.

🚀 Need more email marketing tips? Stay connected for more strategies to help you turn subscribers into loyal customers!