The days when some 'digital marketers' got away with buying mailing lists are over. That much is obvious. The time has come "permission marketing"which in Polish can be called 'permission marketing'. But how do we get this consent? This is where the mechanisms of single opt-in and double opt-in come into play. What are the differences? Which one should you choose? Are you launching an email marketing campaign? Read our article and we'll try to clear up any doubts.
What is an opt-in? Definition of
According to the simplest definition, opt-in is form of consent to receive marketing communications. We are not only talking about messages sent by email, but also those delivered via instant messaging (e.g. Messenger) or web push. Opt-in forms can take many forms, and while the form is important, in this case another issue is most relevant. Opt-in in unambiguous way should allow the user to agree to receive communications. Only when the form is completed and approved have you gained a new subscriber and can you start the communication.
Single opt-in
Single opt-in is a solution we do not recommend using. By using it, you do not require the person who signed up to the list to confirm whether this was indeed their intention. Single opt-in is simply subscribing to the newsletter (e.g. via a form on the page or a pop-up window). The visitor enters his or her details such as name, email address and is automatically added to the list of subscribers. This method requires only one level of authorisation.
Double opt-in
Do you care about the quality of your mailing list? Do you want to make sure that you get subscribers who actually intend to read the content you send out? Then you should get to know double opt-in. Unlike single opt-in, this method requires an extra step during verification.
What does a double opt-in mechanism look like in practice in email marketing? The user subscribes to a list and then confirms its subscription via a separate e-mail or landing page (landing pages). Only then does it officially go into the contact database. This reduces the risk of ending up in SPAM and increases the list with people who are genuinely interested in the content being sent.
Single vs double opt-in clash
The first round between our competitors will be entitled "the rate of growth of the mailing list". And this round is won by single opt-in. There's no fooling around, often the extra step of having to confirm subscription makes less determined people opt out. According to GetResponse data, marketers are seeing the single opt-in list grow 20-30 times faster than when two-step verification is used. For this reason, it may be more suitable for you if you are just starting up your mailing-supported business and are keen to reach as large an audience as possible.
The second round is "quality of the list". Double opt-in decisively defeats the opponent. Why? By requiring confirmation of enrolment, you are assured of getting those on the list who serious about subscribing. They did not press - sign up! - by mistake. They are genuinely interested in your brand and what you have to offer. Because of this, the chances are good that you will see a stronger commitment from them. The list will therefore perhaps be shorter, but of better quality.
It is also worth mentioning the case study conducted by Warrior Forum, which shows that even to 20% addresses obtained using single opt-in may prove... worthless. Why? Because there is a high probability that some people have made a mistake in their address or have entered one that they do not use on a daily basis (only to receive a free sample, for example).
The third round is a battle for "user convenience". Again, single opt-in is gaining the upper hand. With it, the potential subscriber, in order to subscribe to the newsletterThe user only has to give his or her consent once - by entering his or her e-mail address. While it might seem that confirming one's willingness to join a mailing list does not require a lot of work, it does generate additional steps. Not everyone is willing to take them.
Settlement getting closer
Next round - "low unsubscribe rate". Double opt-in attacks and does so effectively. With this method, you make sure that the people subscribed to your list actually want to receive the content you provide. You can therefore rightly expect the unsubscribe rate to be lower than with single opt-in. Subscribers will more involved and will stay with you for longer. That is, of course, if you maintain the high level of content provided.
Last round - "e-mail deliverability" - single opt-in knocked out! If you're interested in email marketing, you're surely aware of how big a threat the SPAM. Due to numerous online scams and attacks, mail users do not think long before pressing the red flag symbol. In the case of a single opt-in, there is a high probability that the person who signed up for your list did so by mistake or without any clear intention of reading the content. Then some of them will decide to mark your emails as spam because it is easier than unsubscribing - especially if you place the unsubscribe button in a small place.
The 'unsubscribe' button in the eyes of the law
Although the battle was fought, you already know that we recommend using the two-step verification of the mailing list sign-up. It is also worth looking at the issue we mentioned a paragraph above at this stage. We are talking about the 'unsubscribe' button. In accordance with the Personal Data Protection Regulation (RODO) in the case of email marketing, the so-called link resignation. It is required. You can use various tricks and make it more difficult to opt out of receiving messages (e.g. by trying to hide the button), but this will work against you - you will be labelled as SPAM.
Summary
We have outlined in our article the advantages and disadvantages of two different consent solutions for receiving marketing content. Deciding which strategy you choose is entirely up to you - there is no unequivocally bad or good option. The tactic you choose will largely depend on the priorities you set for yourself. Do you want to gain a lot of contacts in a short period of time? Perhaps a single opt-in would be appropriate. Are you more interested in quality than quantity? Consider introducing a two-step verification of enrolment.
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