Email Marketing: Single or Double Subscription? That is the question

As an email marketer, you understand the value of using an autoresponder when building your email list. You will inevitably be faced with the question of whether you should use the single or double opt-in option. It’s a common question in email marketing and a very important question in my opinion.

Many believe that the single subscription is better, since they prefer not to send a visitor through many channels to acquire information. Believing that fewer channels equal more sales. This can be true depending on the offer and the list, however along with the one time sign up usually comes more SPAM complaints for various reasons:

• I don’t like the offer…
• Sent by snail mail because you are promoting something for money, even if you provide free useful information initially…
• Send a follow-up email 2 days or 2 weeks later

Can be anything. The thing is, when these complaints pile up, you have no recourse to prove that these were legitimate requests made through your signup form. And if they don’t scream spam, the one-time signup tends to clog your list with non-responders. Main reason, subscription options are not made to say “Yes, I want this information”. When they take the time to go into their inbox and click on a “confirmation link,” they are reaffirming, “Yes, I definitely want to receive this information.”

When you require a potential subscriber to go through these motions, you are moving them away from simply acting on instinct. You’re making them not just say “Yes.” (passively, unconsciously) but “Yes, yes!” (consciously, actively).

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I prefer double opt-in. Mainly because I spend time and effort creating quality content for my subscribers and I want those who request it to really want it, pay attention when they receive it and really value what I offer.

3 reasons to use the double subscription

One – You make potential subscribers pay attention to what you’re offering – double opt-in does just that.

Sorry folks, but human nature does not naturally (or on first impulse) value opportunities or information that is easily given to you, sad but true. Therefore, it is up to you to make visitors recognize the information they request as valuable and very important.

Two – You have confirmed data (proof) that someone at THIS email address used THIS name on THIS date at THIS time requested to be sent information after visiting your website, AND actually clicked on a link to confirm that it was made the request.

Although anyone can report a breach or, in this case, SPAM, you are safe…protected because you now have valid proof on your part. That’s why explaining to visitors “How to Confirm” and “How to Unsubscribe” helps decrease spam complaints.

You want to make it clear that if they no longer want to receive information from you, they can simply click unsubscribe in the email (or follow the instructions for your particular autoresponder system). What I’ve found helpful is using tags that display the name, email, and date a subscriber used to opt-in to my list at the bottom of each email.

What’s particularly irritating is when you’ve done all of the above and someone still chooses to click “SPAM” out of laziness vs. doing what you have kindly asked me. We can’t control everything, right?… but at least we are protected and armed with evidence, which is the most important thing.

Using double opt-in in email marketing puts me at ease in a way that allows me to relax without worrying about something coming to bite me in the ass later. You don’t want anything negative (that is within your control to prevent) to interfere with your ability to earn money. I’m a risk taker, but single acceptance is a breeding ground for gift seekers and spam complaints. They are like mosquitoes, troublesome and annoying.

Three – Grow and maintain a clean and responsive email list. Email marketing is the easiest way to earn quick and consistent income over the long term, and the way you do it is a key element in cultivating a receptive list, a list that responds to the information you give them and acts quickly. based on their recommendations, either by downloading, purchasing or clicking a link. A receptive list emerges as a result of earned trust and respect.

You get a certain amount of respect when someone has to confirm your request, whether it’s apparent or not, because what you’re saying is, “If you want this content, you’ll do what I’m asking you to do.” True subscribers will respect that because the initial impression is…

1) you know what you are doing and

2) you’re in it for the long haul (not just as a data collector)

You are also saying that you respect them in return. As a professional, you’re taking extra steps to make sure your information goes to the right place. People respect professionalism. People also value what is made to appear valuable. The value becomes apparent once they receive your information and it turns out to be some really great content that does something for them.

If your offer or content lives up to its perceived value, you’ve earned a subscriber’s trust. If it proves worth taking the time to participate and confirm their request, they will value what you have given them and, most likely, any content that follows. Maintain your newly established reputation and subscribers will trust, value and respect what you have to say.

Owning a clean and ultra-responsive list (which numbers in the thousands) is a prized gold mine for any serious internet marketer. It’s what we all look for with every online project.

I’ll conclude by saying that getting options to confirm can be very easy when your offer is…

=> Free (unique and cannot be easily found anywhere else)

=> Attractive (tempting; I have to have it)

=> Solves/answers an immediate problem/question (self-explanatory)

When your offer oozes all 3 of these ingredients, people will perceive it as valuable and will walk through fire (double confirm your request) to get their hands on it. Although there may be arguments in favor of the single subscription option, my experience has found them to be very weak and not worth the money.

You know, I hate SPAM as much as anyone else, and as an email marketer, I certainly don’t want “spam allegations” cluttering up my company’s inbox. If a spam allegation comes up, I can easily extinguish it with valid evidence.

I’d rather have a legitimate and responsive list that values ​​what I share (one where I’ve developed a relationship of mutual trust and respect), than an email list riddled with junk data… incapable of producing long-term results. sustainable benefits. I want to separate as much as possible “the genuine and the serious” from the “unconscious diggers and gift seekers”.

Wearing double subscription as part of your email marketing strategy allows you to do just that. The gains are definitely worth the effort.