15 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
15 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

What Are The Hazards Of Single Opt-in vs Double?

by SandyHall
13 replies
Hi Everyone, Sandy here..

I'm about to switch over to ImnicaMail autoresponder
for my email marketing.

They have the option of single opt-in and double opt-in.
I've only used double opt-in for many years, so I'm
unfamiliar with the reasoning why single is not a good option.

Can I get some feedback please?

And if any Warriors do use Single Opt-in
as their marketing strategy, please say why.

Thanks So Much,
Sandy
----------------
#double #hazards #optin #single
  • Profile picture of the author Jack Bastide
    I Use Imnica .. Love em

    The main Hazard is that you will have too many
    subscribers and Paypal may cancel your account
    for all the suspicious money coming in

    Seriously though ... I don't know of a downside


    Jack
    Signature

    If you can drive Biz Op Phone Calls .... I'm Buying

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2648503].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Jack Bastide
      just Curious Sand ..

      I never did double Optin

      What percentage of your subscribers DIDN'T
      confirm?

      Jack
      Signature

      If you can drive Biz Op Phone Calls .... I'm Buying

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2648506].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author thebitbotdotcom
    My understanding is that usually around 25-30% never confirm and that this is a pretty standard number that I have personally confirmed.
    Signature
    Do Your Copywriting Skills Suck?

    Let Us Help You Develop Your Writing Skills!

    Submit Guest Posts With [ TheBitBot.Com ]
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2648521].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Tommy Perez
      BOTH have their advantages and disadvantages.

      The advantages with single opt-in is that it allows you to reach your marketing message to folks quicker and less-hassle free. Also, it makes for a much smoother process and feel in the eyes of your prospect.

      The disadvantage of single opt-in is that you can potentially get a whole bunch of freebie seekers who use a bogus email just to get your stuff and then forget about you later.

      The advantages of double opt-in is that you get a much higher quality list of people as they have to confirm that they want your info.

      The disadvantage of double opt-in is that you can potentially get a large number of unconfirmed people leaving a "black hole" in your list. Because a lot of people use useless email addresses in the hopes of getting immediate access to your freebie...but they find that they have to confirm, which can be a hassle for many folks.

      My recommendation is that you include a couple of links in your freebie content...so if it really is that good...people will click to your offer regardless.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2648534].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author SandyHall
        Originally Posted by Tommy Perez View Post


        The disadvantage of single opt-in is that you can potentially get a whole bunch of freebie seekers who use a bogus email just to get your stuff and then forget about you later.

        The disadvantage of double opt-in is that you can potentially get a large number of unconfirmed people leaving a "black hole" in your list. Because a lot of people use useless email addresses in the hopes of getting immediate access to your freebie...but they find that they have to confirm, which can be a hassle for many folks.
        Hi Tommy,
        This is the exact reason I'm asking.
        My rate of 'Unconfirmed' double-opt-ins are off the charts.
        And have been for a while now.

        Thanks so much for your great post
        Sandy..
        ------
        Signature
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2648562].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author SandyHall
      Originally Posted by thebitbotdotcom View Post

      My understanding is that usually around 25-30% never confirm and that this is a pretty standard number that I have personally confirmed.
      Hi thebitbotdotcom, That percentage sounds about right.

      @Jack Bastide - Thanks for your input. The one major negative I've heard is:
      that your spam complaints go thru the roof.
      That's why I'm asking for feedback from Single Opt-In users.
      I just don't know about this.

      Again, thanks for your posts,
      Sandy
      Signature
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2648543].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
        Originally Posted by SandyHall View Post

        The one major negative I've heard is:
        that your spam complaints go thru the roof.
        That's why I'm asking for feedback from Single Opt-In users.
        I just don't know about this.
        Not true at all. I've used mostly single opt-in for years with
        very few spam complaints.

        If you're an obnoxious marketer, you'll get complaints - even with
        double opt-in.

        Single opt-in is fine, and your lists will grow faster if you use it.
        The only major downside is that arguably you'll get more bogus
        emails where nobody is home. You can avoid this by making
        your goodie genuinely attractive. In fact, if your goodie is hot
        enough, people will sign up twice, with different email accounts,
        to make sure they get it.
        Signature
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2648652].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author SandyHall
          Originally Posted by Loren Woirhaye View Post

          Not true at all. I've used mostly single opt-in for years with
          very few spam complaints.
          If you're a spammy marketer, you'll get complaints - even with
          double opt-in.
          @Loren Woirhaye,
          Thanks very much for your input..

          This is the kind of answers I'm looking for.

          I'm not in any way a Spam Master, so no worries on that.
          My relationship with my subscribers are very positive.
          This is why I'm looking for reviews on single opt-in.

          I don't want to ruin my reputation with
          'False Spam Complaints' that I can't back up.

          Thanks for the info Loren
          Sandy
          ------
          Signature
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2648691].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author ThomC
    I think the biggest advanteage of a double opt-in is not being accused of "spaming". With a single opt-in if you are accused of spaming you have no recourse. With a double opt-in at least you have the defense that they requested to be placed on your list.

    Also I think you get a better list with double opt-in. These people usually want what your offering and stay on the list longer.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2648560].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author rikkib51
    Double opt-in keeps you subscribers lists clean
    Signature
    Simple Quoting, Client Management & Invoicing Tool In One

    www.inv.nz

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2648571].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author InternetSuccess001
    Hi Sandy --

    I'd say the main disadvantage with single opt-in is that someone could maliciously generate a bunch of bogus accounts and populate your list with that information. I.e., if you had a competitor that wanted to 'get back' at you. It would require 'some' (intelligent) coding, but not too hard if they knew what they were doing.

    However, it is not really something to worry about, unless you happen to get someone really annoyed.
    Signature
    Pick a product. Pick ANY product! -> 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2648668].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author DogScout
    biggest drawback with single opt-in is if your opt-in form is used by someone to screw with someone else and signs up with their email. That has the potential of generating a spam complaint, but many times, the 'victim' ether unsubscribes or ends up actually glad they were signed up to your list. So it is a coin flip deal. Most times a single opt-in is fine; in what I perceive to be rare instances, if your single opt-in becomes know to whackos, there could be a problem. Again, rare circumstances, but they do happen.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2649085].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jimmynickel
    Double opt-in is certainly superior if you want a clean list. I have seen many lists that have things like fu.com . I recommend double opt-in to all my clients. That said if you choose to go with single opt-in there are a few things you can do to protect yourself.

    1. Use a service with good bounce handling. A good service will remove most bad addresses fairly quickly.
    2. Make your opt-out option prominent. If you make opting out easy you decrease the chance of spam complaints from accidental recipients.
    3. Remove old inactive leads. Leads with no click or purchases that are old are a wast of your time and may be ISP spam traps.
    4. Monitor your ISP complaint rates. Watching your ISP complaint rates will help you identify if their is a trending issue. You can usually trace problems back to lead source. I find that magnents that require and opt-in to get a report are the most problematic because people see them as dangerous and use a fake email address.

    Best of luck!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2652912].message }}

Trending Topics