Step by Step Guide to Building a Klaviyo API Integration in Python

Aug 11, 2024 • 6 minute read

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your marketing automation with Klaviyo? Let's dive into building a robust Python integration with Klaviyo's API. This guide will walk you through the essentials, assuming you're already familiar with Python and API basics. We'll keep things concise and focused on what matters most.

Prerequisites

Before we jump in, make sure you've got:

A Python environment (3.7+ recommended)
A Klaviyo account with API access
Your favorite code editor at the ready

Setting up the project

First things first, let's get our project structure in place:

mkdir klaviyo-integration
cd klaviyo-integration
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows, use `venv\Scripts\activate`
pip install requests

Authentication

Klaviyo uses API keys for authentication. Let's set that up:

import os
import requests

KLAVIYO_API_KEY = os.getenv('KLAVIYO_API_KEY')
BASE_URL = 'https://a.klaviyo.com/api/v2/'

headers = {
    'Accept': 'application/json',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'Api-Key': KLAVIYO_API_KEY
}

Pro tip: Always use environment variables for sensitive info like API keys!

Basic API Requests

Let's start with some basic GET and POST requests:

def get_request(endpoint):
    response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}{endpoint}", headers=headers)
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()

def post_request(endpoint, data):
    response = requests.post(f"{BASE_URL}{endpoint}", headers=headers, json=data)
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()

Key Klaviyo API Endpoints

Klaviyo's API offers a wealth of endpoints. Here are some you'll likely use often:

Lists: lists
Profiles: person
Metrics: metric
Events: event

Implementing Common Use Cases

Adding a subscriber to a list

def add_subscriber(list_id, email):
    endpoint = f"list/{list_id}/members"
    data = {"profiles": [{"email": email}]}
    return post_request(endpoint, data)

Updating profile information

def update_profile(email, properties):
    endpoint = "person/update"
    data = {"email": email, "properties": properties}
    return post_request(endpoint, data)

Tracking custom events

def track_event(event_name, customer_properties, properties):
    endpoint = "track"
    data = {
        "event": event_name,
        "customer_properties": customer_properties,
        "properties": properties
    }
    return post_request(endpoint, data)

Klaviyo has rate limits, so let's implement some retry logic:

import time
from requests.exceptions import RequestException

def make_request_with_retry(func, *args, max_retries=3, **kwargs):
    for attempt in range(max_retries):
        try:
            return func(*args, **kwargs)
        except RequestException as e:
            if attempt == max_retries - 1:
                raise
            time.sleep(2 ** attempt)  # Exponential backoff

For pagination, use the count and page parameters in your GET requests.

Best Practices

Always validate your data before sending it to Klaviyo
Use asynchronous operations for bulk operations
Implement proper error logging for easier debugging

Testing and Debugging

Unit testing is crucial. Here's a simple example:

import unittest
from unittest.mock import patch

class TestKlaviyoIntegration(unittest.TestCase):
    @patch('requests.post')
    def test_add_subscriber(self, mock_post):
        mock_post.return_value.json.return_value = {"id": "abc123"}
        result = add_subscriber("list_id", "[email protected]")
        self.assertEqual(result["id"], "abc123")

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've now got the building blocks for a solid Klaviyo API integration in Python. Remember, this is just the beginning – there's so much more you can do with Klaviyo's API. Keep exploring, keep coding, and most importantly, keep automating!

Additional Resources

Happy coding, and may your email campaigns be ever successful!