Email Marketing & Automation

The Pros and Cons of a Double Opt-In Email Campaign

Customers don’t have the patience to sort through cluttered inboxes. They’re inundated with marketing messages on a daily basis, much of which they never signed up for in the first place.

According to the International Telecommunication Union, 80 percent of global e-mail traffic can be classified as spam. Additionally, the average email open rate among all industries falls between 19 to 25 percent, meaning that a large percent of subscribers aren’t even bothering to click the subject lines.

The fact is, however, that email marketing is one of the most effective ways to target customers. Email marketing is the best method for increasing ROI, and it allows marketers to reach consumers in a direct way.

Marketers want to convert their leads through email, but they don’t want to risk annoying them with their messages or losing them as subscribers. One of the ways to prevent this is to require a double opt-in. This means that after subscribers register their emails with you, they then have to confirm their subscription through email, as seen below:

Subscription Confirmation

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of double opt-ins, so that you can decide if it’s best for you and your business’ needs.

You’ll have fewer subscribers, but higher quality ones

If you’re just starting out with email, you may want to focus on short-term goals and simply grow your list. Single-opt in might be the best option because marketers experience a 20 to 30 percent faster growth on their lists if they only require single opt-in.

The downside of this large, single opt-in list is the fact that these are not quality subscribers. They won’t be as likely to open your email or click through to buy your products. Double opt-in ensures that your subscribers are truly interested in your business and what you have to offer.

You’ll eliminate fake or faulty subscribers

Somebody visits your website and is interested in subscribing to your email list. However, he or she is not the best typist or isn’t paying attention, and ends up inputting an incorrect email. If you’re paying for your subscribers, you can lose a lot of money through their bad emails.

If you want to avoid sending to incorrect or erroneous email addresses, you can do a double-opt in, or include a confirmation email box at sign-up, like Old Navy, did here:

Subscription Offer

While email confirmation boxes are useful, they aren’t as effective as double opt-in when it comes to weeding out bad emails. Though it’s rare, someone may sign up a friend for an email list, even if the friend didn’t request the opt-in. Double opt-in would allow the friend to unsubscribe from the unwanted emails.

You will need better technology

Double opt-in may cost more, or require more technology, depending on how you choose to handle your email marketing. If you’re building the platform on your own, you’re going to need to invest additional time and resources into your IT team so that they can construct the best system possible. If you have an email provider, they may charge you based on how many subscribers you have or emails you send.

There are many email platforms out there that can help you implement your campaigns. You’ll want to choose one that is in line with your goals, has experience with other companies in your industry, and can match your budget.

Remember: If you’re a small business, you don’t need the fanciest, most expensive email marketing provider. You’re just trying to get off the ground, and even a free platform will do for now. However, if you’re a large company, and you’re looking to build meaningful relationships with customers, you should spring for the best provider available.

Do you use double or single opt-in? Which option works best for your business? Let us know in the comments section

Kylie Ora Lobell

Kylie Ora Lobell is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. She writes about marketing for NewsCred, Convince and Convert, CMO.com, Social Media Examiner, and Vertical Response.

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