How to maximize your double opt-in
The cornerstone of any successful business is trust and integrity. This goes double for online ventures, where facelessness and general anonymity can cause potential customers to think twice about handing over their business. Of course, this reluctance can be overcome, granted companies invest in creating an environment built on security and respect. When it comes to designing and implementing an effective e-mail marketing plan, it’s important to keep this strategy in mind. Getting a potential customer to give you their e-mail address is one thing. Getting them to actually commit to reading the information inside is another. This is where the Double Opt-In proves invaluable.
First, let's explain the difference between an ‘Opt-In’ and ‘Double Opt-In ‘. When somebody submits their e-mail address, they Opt-In. Legally (according to the US laws in the Can-Spam Act of 2003) this is enough to begin mailing to them. As long as you have a functional unsubscribe link, identify the message as an ad, and include a valid physical postal address within the message, you can e-mail these people as much as you want. As a general rule you must also avoid using false or misleading header information or a deceptive subject line. Double Opt-In, on the other hand, refers to when the user securely permits the sending of future e-mails. The mechanism behind this secure authentication ensures that the person whom submitted their e-mail address owns that e-mail address. They will be able to verify that it is their e-mail address securely by checking their e-mail and clicking a link or some other variation that can only be accomplished by having access to the e-mail account.
Consider this: It’s possible for anyone who knows your e-mail address to enter it on the Internet and sign you up for something you don't want and didn't ask for. When this happens, a savvy Internet user could approach an e-mail black list and report that company as a spammer, thereby blocking their mail from landing in inboxes. So, while an Opt-In is not technically illegal, it has a serious, glaring drawback. This said, people can still complain about getting e-mail from you even if you have instituted a Double Opt-in. The major difference is you can fight and eradicate these abuse complaints by providing logs proving the user was a Double Opt-in. If you can provide logs, you’ve confirmed the person’s subscription, making it much easier to get off any black lists. After all, you are not only black listed for that one person who complained, but you are black listed universally. In the end it’s much smarter to send e-mail to Double Opt-In users.
However, Double Opt-In maximization can be very difficult. If not done properly, there can be tremendous fall off between people who submit their e-mail address and those who actually check their e-mail and click a link stating they want more e-mails from you.
Take a look at the Opt-In to Double Opt-In process:
First a user is compelled by an offer and is willing to give their e-mail address to get it. At this point all that stands between this step and the user
getting e-mail campaigns from you is a simple click of a link in their e-mail. After they submit their e-mail address, though, most people just see a screen
that thanks them for their e-mail address. This is hardly an effective way to get people to go to their inbox and verify their address. After much research,
MailPropeller has discovered the best way to get people to check their e-mail is to immediately remind them that they submitted their e-mail, and most
importantly, of why they did so. Then, instruct them that the final step in the process is open the Double Opt-In confirmation e-mail and click the link.
Even with that knowledge, several things can go wrong. If not enough attention is drawn to the fact that they need to open their e-mail and click the activation link they may not realize it is even necessary. If the e-mail does not get delivered immediately, then they could look for it, not find it and give up. If the e-mail lands in their junk mail folder, they may not think to check and become frustrated with you - All not good. This is why MailPropeller has effectively streamlined the process to convert users from Opt-In to Double Opt-In.