The Single vs Double Opt-in Debate Put to Bed? (Nearly)

[Shaun OReilly]

The single vs double opt-in debate has been had numerous
times on this forum and elsewhere.

However, the important question is - who has actually TESTED
the difference between the two in the real world?

Well, Daniel Levis has just posted his results from split-testing
single vs. double opt-in subscribers over the course of a year:

Split Test SHOCKER! | The Total Package (no affil.)

Unsuprisingly he got more subscribers using single opt-in (37%
more in fact).

The interesting part is that after a year the total number of
opens and click-throughs from the double opt-in subscribers is
still higher (41% and 46% higher respectively).

He claims that this is in part due to the lower deliverability
for e-mails sent via the single opt-in server. So, although
you have more subscribers on a single opt-in list, less of
those e-mails will get through and responded to.

The disappointing part is that it hasn't been thoroughly
split tested all the way through to the effect on actual
SALES (as far as statistical relevance goes anyways).

Still useful insights though.

You can get the full scoop here:

Split Test SHOCKER! | The Total Package (no affil.)

Note that these are HIS split-test results for HIS list
and your mileage and results will of course vary.

To get your definitive answer - do you own split-test.

Dedicated to your success,

*Shaun O'Reilly

[TLTheLiberator]

If I read the study correctly the double opt-in people earned him more money.

But if you double you must urge your prospects to confirm asap and most will especially if they can not get their gift unless they confirm.

TL

[Gary McCaffrey]

The main thing that annoys me about being forced to use confirmed opt-in is having to ask people who have just purchased a product to confirm their email.

[TLTheLiberator]

Originally Posted by Gary McCaffrey

The main thing that annoys me about being forced to use confirmed opt-in is having to ask people who have just purchased a product to confirm their email.

If they want the updates and great bonuses you offer - they will.


TL

[Zack Lim]

Hi Shaun,

Thanks for sharing this interesting post.

At the end of the day, split testing is the real way to get the true results as everybody's business is different.

Zack

[Alexa Smith]

Originally Posted by Gary McCaffrey

The main thing that annoys me about being forced to use confirmed opt-in is having to ask people who have just purchased a product to confirm their email.

I suspect that very few buyers will mind that, as long as you don't pull it as an "additional term of sale" after they've paid, that they have to double-opt-in in order to get what they've already paid for - that's the sure way to p1ss people off.

[Anonymous Affiliate]

It depends on the niche: on the IM niche where everyone KNOWS what double opt-in is and why it's there, I reckon it's best to go double opt-in.

In a niche that targets non-internet-savvy people, they will probably feel weirded out by the freaky Aweber's Confirm Your Subscription email, so they will regard it as something spammy or even hazardous. In this case, I'd go for single opt-in.

[Kevin-VirtualProfitCenter]

Maybe I'm missing something, but the final results don't seem to be statistically significant. Please correct me if I am wrong.

It looks to me like he sent 43 people from the DOI group and 29 people from the SOI group to a sales page and only 1 sale was made--and that single sale was from the DOI group.

Statistically there seem to be several problems with this test:

1. The sample size of < 5,000 total subscribers is too small
2. The difference in open rate is also too small (199 v. 141 - it's impossible to say with certainty that these numbers would hold for 10x that number.)
3. The difference in click throughs is too small
4. One conversion is NEVER enough to make any conclusions about

Overall I think it's cool he's testing, but unless I am missing something I wouldn't depend on these results for my own business.

[TheWealthSquad]

I agree the sample size is pretty small all things considered but it does show some interesting information that we can draw some conclusions from. So given it may not be statistically significant lets play along

Double opt in has a lower attrition percentage. Double opt has a higher open and click rate. Both of these are Pavlovian responses. You conditioned them in the first email that if they open and click they get a reward. The more you do it up front the better your long term click through rates will be.

Make the best content the first they get. (I need to go redo some of my autoresponders now

His one sale was $773 (not sure what kind of product but an unusual amount to say the least). It does show he was selling a higher end product. Not a sales funnel concept. Just a free offer leading to an high end upsell. The double opt in traffic is always going to be more motivated because they had to work to get on the list. Look at fraternities. You go through a very rough road to get int but once you are in you are a member for life.

I forget which psychological book I read where they discussed this phenomonum but I believe it was Cialdini in the Science of Persuasion. The harder it is to get in the more zeal you have once you get there.

I realize that double opt in doesn't compare to frat initiation. But it does require more committment up front to get on the list. And combined with the Pavlovian response you can explain the better performance.

Just my two cents worth

[James Clark]

Yeah, it appears to me that he is during a lot of testing here. Testing on long copy, short copy, etc. As I mention before, do your own testing. To me it depends on how you feel that day and that changes from day to day.

Also, it depends on your persuasions skill at the time you write the sales copy. My experience has been my skills change sometimes. Some days I have it and some days I don’t.

So, as a Internet Marketer you must become a great Tester if you want to be successful in this business.

If you don’t believe me, doesn’t is seem strange that if you educate people you can get them to do just about anything. Just kept telling them what’s in it for them and watch your sales increase.


Jimmy

[JohnMcCabe]

Originally Posted by Gary McCaffrey

The main thing that annoys me about being forced to use confirmed opt-in is having to ask people who have just purchased a product to confirm their email.

Originally Posted by Anonymous Affiliate

It depends on the niche: on the IM niche where everyone KNOWS what double opt-in is and why it's there, I reckon it's best to go double opt-in.

In a niche that targets non-internet-savvy people, they will probably feel weirded out by the freaky Aweber's Confirm Your Subscription email, so they will regard it as something spammy or even hazardous. In this case, I'd go for single opt-in.

You can lessen any damage and even make it a positive if you spin it right. I've been using the following approach for years...

I don't mention spam, as I don't want to plant that thought in anyone's head. I just tell them that I want them to get what they've requested, and the extra step is to make sure I can do that.

Put another way, I don't tell them they need to jump through a hoop and confirm their subscription. I ask them to click the link to confirm my ability to get email through to the correct address.

It's pure Cialdini. Offer a small favor (free gift or bonus). Ask a small favor in return, along with a reasonable reason why.

Maybe it's time to test the idea again, but when I did the original testing, I got almost 100% confirmation using that approach.

I'm not saying it's the absolute answer. But it's something you may want to test to see if it improves your results.