What would make you opt in to a list?

First off it would have to capture my eye and not my automatic response system.

What I mean by that is, 98% of the popups for optin that hit my eyes get closed before I've even taken the time to register what they are offering me. It happens after a while, especially when you make a conscious decision to stop letting crap you never read clog up your hard drive.

So if it's a pop up - it needs to happen long enough after I've been on the site that I may actually give it a chance and LOOK at it. Within the first minute? It's closed. Now - a lot of people may not stay on your site a minute. I put out two thoughts on that. If they aren't staying on your site longer than a minute (or more preferably, more than three), either you aren't doing it right (providing something worth staying for) or they aren't your target list subscriber anyway. You want people to optin who actually want to hear what you have to say.

The second thing that makes me optin (rare these days!) is the offer has to be unique. There are a MILLION "learn how to make money" giveaways - those are only going to catch newbs. It has to be something specific, interesting, and something that implies it's not information I could easily find out on my own.

Something mentally sexy - and that doesn't mean super cover graphics.

Of course, if I get a training, and there's a bonus that I really want that goes with it, that requires optin - I will sign up then. But chances are - unless that bonus is REALLY GOOD - I will never remember the name or listname of that optin, ergo will never open their emails unless they do a fabulous job with headlines.

I usually opt-in when I think the content on the website is genuinely interesting and helpful. I don't like pop ups either - I close them as soon as they appear. I think if you just focus on writing content that is helpful and interesting, people will automatically want to join your list.

Content always it is, No matter how the page looks like and acts like. If the content is great then I'am there.

Its said if you not have a great body, you should hide it with great clothes. That's why most of the people use great graphics to present their products as a top notch product even if its nothing. I have learned this type of lessons too but most of the people fall for it.

I opt-in to lists that are unique and represent authority or are offering something that I want/is desirable or will provide me with good value. Videos along with opt-ins usually convert hire than text/images.

Trusting the webmaster is what it all boils down to, really, for me.

The person whose list it is has to be someone whose list I want to be on (in other words "personal factors"/"credibility"/"trust"). Sometimes (but rarely) I'll want to be on their list just so I can receive the "free report" advertised in exchange, because that appeals so much and is so relevant to me. And if that's so, I'll then try their emails, too.

I have to be willing to give my email address to the person (knowing that they're using a "proper and correct" autoresponder like GetResponse or Aweber, from which I'll be able to unsubscribe when I want, helps with that - and even their assurances that they won't disclose my email address to anyone, and how compliant they look with their affiliate disclosures and other legal niceties on their site, all help as well - these things all "go to credibility".

Like many people who can become really good customers, I'm also (i) a little more likely to opt in to a content-rich site than through a squeeze page, (ii) less likely to opt-in if video's been used, and (iii) extremely unlikely to opt in through a pop-up. Those are all things that typically increase opt-in rates, I think, but not opt-in rates from the far smaller sub-group who are most likely to become the best customers: those are the exact minority of people often driven away by them, and of course there are reasons for all of that. The big mistake, from the marketer's perspective, is to equate "the biggest list" with "the biggest income": typically, they're two very different things (as can reliably be proven by split-testing).

Only great content.

If I visit a site, and the optin form appears, i leave.
Only, if I read on the site, the content is some kind of awesome and I like to hear more, then I may opt in.

This is what normal people do, the most marketer just dont get it and install a popup which asks for an email when the user visits the site the first time.

This is wrong. Track the time the user is on the site and if he visits the site for about 1+min you can ask him. Not earlier.


So this is just my opinion

I usually ignore optins these days. The onl;y way I'll opt in if I know who the webmaster is and trust their content or if the freebie is something I REALLY want for some reason.

A title that forces me to sign up..

But after signing up if I see that the stuffs are not good or he/she starts spamming me then I unsubscribe immediately

I'll opt in if I'm convinced the content I'll receive is as promised. So, no opting in on squeeze pages with a picture of a book and an opt-in form for me. I like to be presented with enough information upfront before I make a decision.

Unfortunate;y (or fortunately depending on how you look at it) most marketers blindly opt people onto their email lists - and then wonder why a large portion of their subscribers ignore their messages.

No matter how compelling website is, If I love the content of any site which can give valuable information on any particular topic, I opt in to that list.

First of all, everyone is in need of something here...kinda solution for a problem, let's say money making for example like me. When I see something which captures our eyes, which gives solutions to my problem I just Opt in for that..

I guess people love stuff for free, therefore I think maybe a decent freebie in exchange for opting into receive information.

Thing that always is strange about emails is people have access to disposable emails which they can "confirm"

Not been into emailing for a while maybe precautions have been implemented to stop such activity ?

But yeah definitely a catchy looking page, with a good freebie.

Adding to what others have said, for me personally the equation is simple. Do you offer me a solution to a challenge/problem I have. Do you add value to my day/life? If you save me some time with that solution I may have some to spare for reading your emails.

Regards,
jim