When it comes to your email list, are you looking for quantity, or quality? Many marketers would say “both!” But what does quality mean when you’re using opt-in advertising? And is it different with single opt-in vs. double opt-in? While we’re strong proponents for double opt-in, we recognize that it doesn’t always make sense for every business. Single opt-in offers a lower cost way to generate leads that are a little less qualified, but still a great addition to your database.
Double Opt-In Advertising
When it comes to opt-in advertising, double opt-in is the gold standard. Users submit their email address to join your database, which triggers an email send that contains a link they must click to confirm they want to join the list. This method ensures that only truly interested and qualified parties receive emails from you. It’s a little extra work, but it leads to a high quality list. The catch? That list can also be a bit small, and the second email required to validate their address can easily be overlooked, leading to unintended opt-outs.
Single Opt-In Advertising
Single opt-in offers several advantages over double opt-in. You can market to these new subscribers much faster, without having to wait for the double opt-in confirmation. And while you don’t have that second safeguard, these users have still volunteered to join your list in some way.
Inadvertent additions are rare, but even if they do occur, a simple “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the email should keep your email list in good standing. Single opt-in leads are less expensive to acquire, and faster to gain at scale, so you can also get out of the leads phase and into the sales process sooner.
Double opt-in and single opt-in both have their merits. Double opt-in can help you build a smaller, more qualified list, which is great for high-cost products or services that have a longer and more expensive sales funnel. But single opt-in has its place, too. Single opt-in leads have still been through some degree of screening process, so you’re not emailing completely cold leads. For high-volume, low-cost products, single opt-in can be a great way to grow your list at scale.
Whichever method you choose, we’re here to help. Let’s get started today.