Double Opt-In List

Businessmen often ask whether email a double-opt in procedure is more efficient than single-opt in list. Before answering the question, let us define the terms.

A double-opt in procedure is when the site visitor fills up a form and leaves his email address, signing up for a newsletter that will be sent to him at this address. By responding to this email, they are confirming that they are really signing up to the opt-in list. This is to prevent spam from taking place.

A single-opt in procedure is when the site visitor inputs his email address and then receives an email which includes instructions for the subscriber to leave when he chooses to do so. If not, he is kept signed up.

Now the question companies have to ask is which opt-in procedure equate to less unsubscriptions and more sign-ups?

In e-zine subscribing, double versus single opt-in is a highly debated subject matter for many reasons.

There are some good points to double opt-in list and most companies nowadays opt for this procedure.

1. You reduce the risk of addresses being forged. Therefore there is an assurance that the email address on your opt-in list are really from the people who are interested about your services and your products.

2. You reduce the risk of being referred to as a spammer because the email you send out to the addresses on your opt-in list were really requested for in the first place by the recipient.

3. Your subscriber listing is valuable to advertisers because it allows them to know that these people are subscribed by their own will, not just by chance.

On to the other side of the coin, there are also benefits to opting for a single-opt in list. That is why other companies prefer this one.

1. You will be able to build a mailing list much faster. By sending the subscriber a confirmation email instead of waiting for the subscribers to confirm, the figures of the names on your opt-in list are doubled.

2. Single opt-in is perfect for newsletters that are targeted to a niche market. These focus markets do their best to avoid pranksters. With the help of single-opt in, people subscribe to the list know that these aren’t hoaxes.

As elaborated previously, double opt-in cuts down the bad email addresses and there are less spam complaints. However, it will take a longer time for the businessman to build up his contact list.

Nonetheless, double opt-in has a higher value, as perceived by the ad buyers, because of the additional step the subscribers had to make, proving that their name is on the list for a reason. The response entails commitment. Thus there will be more attention to the email sent and responses are higher.

To answer the question presented above, statistics show that double opt-in is the perfect method to build an an email listing. This is used for newsletters. However, the results is slower than single opt-in.

To be on the safe side, some e-zine publishers combine the single and double-opt in. Depends on where they are getting their subscribers.

Just like any marketing decision, each choice has its advantages and disadvantages. If you want to build up your mailing list as fast as possible, then stick with the opt-in list. But if you prefer to be of high value in the e-zine industry, then go for the double opt-in.