How to Use Kajabi Step by Step (Beginner Guide)

If you’ve been wondering how to use Kajabi step by step (beginner guide included), here’s the short version: create your account, configure your product (course, coaching, or membership), build a landing page, set up an email sequence, and publish. The full process takes most beginners one to two focused weekends. This guide breaks down each phase so nothing slips through the cracks.

Photo: RDNE Stock project (Pexels)

What Kajabi Is — and Who It’s Actually For

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform that combines course hosting, website building, email marketing, and sales funnels under one roof. The starting price is $69/month (billed monthly) or $55/month billed annually on the Basic plan.

That price point is higher than individual tools like Teachable ($39/month) or a standalone Mailchimp account. The trade-off is that you don’t stitch multiple subscriptions together. If you sell digital products and want one login to manage everything, Kajabi makes sense.

Kajabi is a good fit if you:
– Plan to sell online courses, coaching programs, or memberships
– Want email automation built into the same tool
– Prefer a hosted solution (no WordPress maintenance)

Kajabi may not be the right fit if you:
– Only want a blog or simple website
– Are on a budget under $55/month
– Primarily sell physical products

How to Use Kajabi Step by Step (Beginner Guide): Account Setup

Step 1: Start Your Free Trial

Kajabi offers a 14-day free trial — no credit card required during the trial period on most promotional links. Go to Kajabi.com, click “Start Free Trial,” and enter your business name and email.

Once inside the dashboard, you’ll see the main navigation on the left side: Products, Website, Marketing, People, Sales, and Analytics.

Step 2: Configure Your Business Settings

Before building anything, fill in your business profile. Go to Settings → Business Info and add:

• Business name and logo
• Custom domain (you can connect one you already own via GoDaddy or Namecheap — the DNS propagation takes 24–48 hours)
• Default time zone and currency

Setting up your domain first prevents broken links later. Kajabi’s free subdomain (yourname.mykajabi.com) works fine during testing, but buyers expect a branded URL at checkout.

Step 3: Connect a Payment Processor

Kajabi integrates natively with Stripe and PayPal. Go to Settings → Payments and connect at least one. Stripe is the standard recommendation because it supports one-click upsells and subscription billing within Kajabi’s native checkout.

Without a payment processor connected, you can build everything — but you can’t collect money.

Building Your First Product

Step 4: Create a Course or Coaching Program

Navigate to Products → New Product. Kajabi gives you six product types:

1. Course — self-paced video or text lessons
2. Coaching — session-based 1:1 or group delivery
3. Community — forum-style member spaces
4. Podcast — audio-only private feeds
5. Membership — recurring access to a content library
6. Webinar (via Zoom integration or pre-recorded)

For most beginners, start with Course. Choose a theme (Kajabi offers about a dozen layout options), name your product, and click Create.

Step 5: Build Your Course Outline

Inside the course editor, the structure is:

• Sections = modules
• Posts = individual lessons

Add a Section, then add Posts inside it. Each Post can contain:
– Video (upload directly or embed from Wistia/YouTube/Vimeo)
– Text
– Audio
– PDF or downloadable file
– Quiz

A practical starting point: record your lessons in Loom or ScreenFlow, upload the MP4 files to Kajabi, and add a short text recap below each video. Kajabi transcodes video automatically — a 500 MB file typically processes in under 10 minutes.

Step 6: Set Pricing and Access

Go to the Offers tab inside your product. An “Offer” in Kajabi is the purchasable package — it sets the price, billing type, and what the buyer unlocks.

Click New Offer, then choose:
– One-time payment, subscription, or payment plan
– Which products are included (you can bundle multiple)
– Whether there’s a free trial period

Example: A $297 one-time course with a 7-day money-back policy. Set the price, enable checkout, and save.

Designing Your Landing Page and Funnel

Step 7: Build a Landing Page

Go to Marketing → Funnels → New Funnel. Kajabi’s funnels (called “Pipelines” in older documentation) include pre-built templates for:
– Free-opt-in lead magnets
– Mini-course launches
– Sales page + thank-you page sequences
– Webinar registration flows

Choose the Opt-In pipeline if you want to grow your email list first, or the Sales Page pipeline if you’re sending warm traffic straight to checkout.

Inside the page editor, Kajabi uses a block-based drag-and-drop interface. You’ll add sections for your headline, benefit bullets, instructor bio block, testimonials, and a call-to-action button. No HTML knowledge needed — but you can add custom code via the HTML block if you want.

Step 8: Write Your Sales Copy

The page editor won’t write the copy for you. A minimal sales page needs:
– A headline that names the result (“Build Your First Online Course in 30 Days”)
– 3–5 bullet points listing what’s included
– A short “who this is for” section
– One clear call-to-action (“Enroll Now — $297”)

Keep your checkout button above the fold and repeat it at the bottom of the page.

Setting Up Email Marketing Inside Kajabi

Step 9: Create an Email Sequence

Kajabi’s built-in email tool handles broadcasts (one-time sends) and sequences (automated drip campaigns). Go to Marketing → Sequences → New Sequence.

A basic welcome sequence for a new course buyer might look like:

1. Email 1 (Day 0): Welcome + login instructions
2. Email 2 (Day 2): Quick-start tip from Lesson 1
3. Email 3 (Day 5): Community invite or FAQ
4. Email 4 (Day 10): Check-in + “stuck?” support link

Connect the sequence to a trigger: in this case, “Offer purchased → [Course Name].” Kajabi fires each email based on the delay you set.

Step 10: Set Up a Broadcast for Launch Day

Before your launch, write a broadcast email to your existing list (if you have one). Go to Marketing → Broadcasts → New Email and:
– Choose your subscriber segment (all contacts, or a filtered group)
– Write the subject line and body
– Schedule a send time or send immediately

Kajabi’s email deliverability is generally solid for lists under 10,000 [verify], but heavy senders may still prefer a dedicated tool like ActiveCampaign or Kit (formerly ConvertKit) plugged in via Zapier.

How to Use Kajabi Step by Step (Beginner Guide): The Automation Layer

Step 11: Use Kajabi Automations

Automations in Kajabi live under Marketing → Automations. They work on an “if this, then that” logic:

• Trigger: Contact completes a course
• Action: Tag them “Completer” + send a re-engagement email + offer an upsell

You can also pull contacts out of a sequence when they purchase, so buyers don’t keep getting sales emails after converting. Set trigger: “Offer purchased” → Action: “Remove from Sequence [Launch Sequence].” This prevents an embarrassing experience where a paying customer still gets “last chance to buy” emails.

Kajabi vs. Alternatives: Quick Comparison

Our take: Kajabi earns its price if you’re actively selling and want zero integration headaches. If you’re pre-revenue and testing ideas, Systeme.io’s free plan or Teachable’s $39/month tier is a smarter starting point.

Publishing, Testing, and Going Live

Step 12: Preview and Test Everything

Before going live, run through this checklist:

• Checkout flow: Use Stripe’s test mode to place a fake order and confirm the buyer gets course access automatically
• Email sequence: Add yourself as a test contact and trigger the sequence manually
• Mobile view: Kajabi’s editor has a mobile preview toggle — your landing page must look clean on a phone
• Thank-you page redirect: Confirm buyers land somewhere useful after purchase, not a blank page

Step 13: Publish Your Product and Funnel

When tests pass, set your product to Published (toggle in the top-right of the product editor). Do the same for your landing page inside the funnel.

Share your landing page URL to traffic sources: your email list, social profiles, or a paid ad campaign. Kajabi’s Analytics dashboard (under Analytics → Sales) will track visits, opt-ins, and revenue from day one.

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the custom domain setup. A mykajabi.com checkout URL signals “unfinished business” to buyers.
• Building 10 lessons before testing checkout. Validate the offer with a minimal version first — even a three-lesson beta course.
• Ignoring automation triggers. Without automations, buyers can fall through the cracks and never receive onboarding emails.
• Using Kajabi’s email tool for large cold lists. Kajabi email is designed for warm, opted-in audiences. Cold outreach risks deliverability problems on your domain.

How to Use Kajabi Step by Step (Beginner Guide): A Realistic Timeline

Most beginners can reach a published, purchasable course in the following timeframe:

That’s a realistic two-weekend project, not a two-month ordeal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need technical skills to use Kajabi?

No. Kajabi is built for non-developers. The page builder is drag-and-drop, course uploads are handled through a file browser, and email sequences use simple form fields. The steepest part of the learning curve is understanding how Products, Offers, and Funnels connect to each other — which this guide covers.

How much does Kajabi cost for beginners?

The Basic plan starts at $55/month billed annually (or $69/month billed monthly). It supports up to 3 products, 3 funnels, and 1,000 active members. Most beginners stay on this plan through their first $10,000–$30,000 in revenue before upgrading.

Can I use Kajabi without running ads?

Yes. Many creators drive all their traffic through organic social media, a podcast, or an email list. Kajabi doesn’t require paid advertising — it’s just a delivery and checkout platform. Traffic strategy is a separate question.

What’s the difference between a Pipeline and a Funnel in Kajabi?

They’re the same thing. Kajabi rebranded “Pipelines” to “Funnels” in recent platform updates. Older tutorials and help docs still use “Pipeline,” so don’t be confused if you see both terms.

Is Kajabi better than Teachable for beginners?

It depends on budget and scope. Teachable is cheaper ($39/month) and simpler if you only want to host a course. Kajabi costs more but replaces separate email marketing and landing page tools. If you plan to run email sequences and build landing pages anyway, Kajabi’s all-in-one pricing can be comparable or cheaper in total.

This guide covers how to use Kajabi step by step (beginner guide) from first login to your first paying customer. The platform has a learning curve, but it’s a structured one — each section of the dashboard maps to a specific business function. Work through the steps in order, test before you launch, and keep your first product scope tight.

Want more step-by-step guides on course platforms, funnels, and email marketing? Bookmark Two Funnels Away and check back regularly — new guides publish weekly.