50% opt-in rate, but it's not what you think

22 replies
My squeeze page converts at 50% routinely. However, only about 35% of my leads confirm their email address. I'm using Aweber, so they have to double opt-in. Is there something I can do to improve this?

Many thanks.
#50% #optin #rate
  • Profile picture of the author brunom
    Do you offer the free product before they confirm?
    Signature
    1500 Backlinks For Youtube Videos

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6276820].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by ShaneBoyd View Post

    I'm using Aweber, so they have to double opt-in. Is there something I can do to improve this?
    Yes, maybe.

    First option: switch to single opt-in (I also use Aweber but have many single opt-in lists there).

    Second option: explain really clearly and in great detail, after they've opted in, exactly how they have to confirm their email address. Give them a picture of how to do it. Explain that they need to check their junk and spam folders, and that they have to add your email address to their safe list, and so on. The more information you give them, the easier you make it for them.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6277040].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author ShaneBoyd
    I didn't realize Aweber had single opt-in. I'll check that out tonight. Thanks.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6277294].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author craigc1980
      Originally Posted by ShaneBoyd View Post

      I didn't realize Aweber had single opt-in. I'll check that out tonight. Thanks.
      Yes under your list settings you can turn single optin on or off.

      If your using certain membership scripts sometimes the single wont work but there is always a work around for scripts.

      -Craig
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6277321].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Shane, here's something you may want to try...

      I'm guessing that you are using the 'standard' confirmation language:

      > "We hate spam as much as you do, yadda, yadda, yadda"
      > To confirm that you asked to receive email, blah, blah, blah...

      Some variation of that?

      Between you, me and the fence post, I don't want the idea of spam, unsolicited email, etc. entering subscribers' heads. I also don't want them to think about changing their mind, and I certainly don't want to plant images wanting to escape.

      They've opted in to receive some type of incentive - ebook, report, email course, whatever - so I ask them to do me a small favor. I tell them that my email program is set up to send a test message to make sure I can deliver what I've promised them to make sure the email goes through to the right place. All they have to do to help me out is click the link in the test email.

      Sometimes I'll sweeten the pot - a bonus of some sort - to thank them for the favor. I don't advertise the bonus up front, I add it to the success message.

      Depending on the sophistication of the target market regarding autoresponders, etc., people are often more amenable to doing someone a favor than they are to verifying their ID (email address) or other authoritarian requests.

      Beyond that, Alexa's suggestions about making the process simple and transparent with instructions and illustrations can help tremendously.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6277339].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Noel Cunningham
    Hi Shane,

    I have the same problem and have tried both Double & Single Opt-ins with Aweber....Here are my thoughts on the matter...

    With Double Optin you see a lot of people who initially subscribe that don't confirm their emails. I think this is because a lot of these folks are just "freebie seekers" and have no intention whatsoever of staying on your list once they get the free product.

    So you could argue that it's a good thing that they haven't confirmed - it's like you've weeded out some of the time wasters...

    Now with Single Options (which you can do with Aweber) everybody who enters an email will get the freebie. The thing with this is if you are hosting your download on a webpage then you'll more than likely have your AR set-up to redirect to that page after someone enters their email...

    This is what I usually do and what I find is that out of the single opt-ins many of them are just fake email accounts so although my list grows faster than DO's it's a kinda false result because the list usually is full of freebie seekers with a low response rate.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6279899].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author petelta
    John and Alexa pointed out some great things above. I will try and add my experiences on helping this issue. I may overlap with what they said though.

    First off, what niche are you building this list in? Is it the IM niche... IM niche seems to typically have a lower confirm rate than any other I've been in. I would assume that's due to the larger amount of freebie seekers and the comfort they have when seeing a squeeze page and a free gift compared to other niches.

    Switching to single opt in is one way to increase that confirm rate becuase they skip the confirm step altogether... but you will want to keep a close eye on your sales conversions from a single opt in traffic. You will pick up a lot more crap traffic using the single opt in. I usually keep the single opt in for lists that I will be leveraging for new leads rather than ones I'm trying to turn and promote too.

    I also like to use single opt in if I'm selling a physical product and I am able to offer a coupon or discount.

    The page they see after clicking submit on your opt in form is really going to be a helping factor too. Like Alexa mentioned, making this page have a simple diagram on how to receive their free gift is a big help.

    If you're using an OTO for this page, you will have a lower confirm rate. The quick offer puts some people off and they won't follow through.

    This is a simple example of one that I use:

    Confirm Your Email Address To Receive Your Goodies

    Sometimes I will have pictures of the steps too just to make it more clear. Adding links to the major email providers out there like Google, Yahoo, and Hotmail is another good way to help increase conversions. Makes it even easier for them to make it to your email.

    Travis
    Signature
    TEESPRING Student Rakes In Over $116k In Less Than 3 Months
    Niche Pro Profits - How I raked in OVER $120k in 9 months with authority niche sites...

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6280040].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author paul nicholls
    shane, to be honest i would not worry about it 1 bit

    heres why

    if somebody opts in to your list because they want your free stuff but they then dont bother to confirm there email it means that he/she isnt really that bothered about getting your free information

    if they are not that bothered in getting your free information then you dont want them on your list anyway

    using double opt in basically weeds out all the time wasters that probably wont end up opening many of your emails or buy anything from you anyway so dont sweat it

    i get the same problem when using double in too and so does everyone else

    some people confirm some dont

    most of my subs do confirm but the odd few dont but like i said it doesnt matter because your weeding out the time wasters and people that are not that interested in what you are giving away

    it really only comes down to how valuable your free offer is, but even if your giving away mega value for free you will still get people that dont confirm

    paul
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6280608].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by paul nicholls View Post

      using double opt in basically weeds out all the time wasters that probably wont end up opening many of your emails or buy anything from you anyway
      This certainly wasn't what I found in any of the niches in which I successfully switched to single opt-in, so long ago now. My successful opt-in rate and my income from them both increased by the same proportions.

      But still, I had a feeling that if the thread went on for long enough, someone might say something similar. Because - to my surprise every single time (I don't learn!) - that always seems to happen. Paul, do you seriously believe that all the people who don't know how to confirm their opt-in because they don't check their spam/junk folders (or for whatever other reason) are "time-wasters" who are "never going to buy anything"? Sorry to make a song and dance about it, but it genuinely mystifies me that people can apparently believe this. It would be a remarkable coincidence, wouldn't it, if they were all exactly the same ones?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6280652].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author retsced
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        This certainly wasn't what I found in any of the niches in which I successfully switched to single opt-in, so long ago now. My successful opt-in rate and my income from them both increased by the same proportions.

        But still, I had a feeling that if the thread went on for long enough, someone might say something similar. Because - to my surprise every single time (I don't learn!) - that always seems to happen. Paul, do you seriously believe that all the people who don't know how to confirm their opt-in because they don't check their spam/junk folders (or for whatever other reason) are "time-wasters" who are "never going to buy anything"? Sorry to make a song and dance about it, but it genuinely mystifies me that people can apparently believe this. It would be a remarkable coincidence, wouldn't it, if they were all exactly the same ones?
        ^^This is bang on the button^^

        Who are these "freebie seekers" anyway? Are they people who have NEVER bought a product within the niche they are interested, or never will? Personally I think bad marketers with crappy products like to use the "freebie seeker" term as an excuse of not having enough valuable information or products to promote.

        So, go ahead, forget about the "freebie seekers" on your list, i won't, because EVERYBODY buys a product in the niche they are interested in, providing the product is valuable and they trust the person selling it to them.
        Signature
        Strong Men and Women put themselves in harms way
        for the freedoms weak people give away for safety
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6280779].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
      Originally Posted by paul nicholls View Post

      shane, to be honest i would not worry about it 1 bit

      heres why

      if somebody opts in to your list because they want your free stuff but they then dont bother to confirm there email it means that he/she isnt really that bothered about getting your free information
      If someone opts in and doesn't confirm it's likely due to the fact that the confirmation email has went to spam/bulk and these people don't remember to check. It's highly doubtful there's a sudden change in mind due to having to open an email and click.

      Aweber has serious delivery issues with free email providers such as Gmail and Yahoo. Double optin therefore literally kills a large portion of potential leads. This is apparent if you check delivery reports.

      I'd worry and I'd switch to single optin ASAP!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6285499].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author paul nicholls
    alexa - there may be some folks that may be interested but are not sure how to confirm there email adress and that is fair enough

    but when i make my squeeze pages i actually tell people verbally go and check and confirm your email

    some people dont confirm and it could be for any number of reasons which is fine

    but the way i look at it is if someone really wanted what i was giving away for free they would bend over backwards to go to there email address and confirm to get what i was sending them

    if someone cant be bothered to do what i say in my video in order to get my free stuff then theres really not much more i can do lol, i mean i actually tell them "do this then do this right now" lol

    i still use single opt in a fair bit too when i use solo ads and it works fine but there are certain times when i still use double opt in too :-)

    PS: i think some people have misunderstood what im saying. I like using double opt in im all for it, all i mean is using double opt in means that people that dont confirm are not that bothered in getting my free offer, so they are probably not the best prospects to have on my list anyway

    paul
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6280782].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by retsced View Post

      ^^This is bang on the button^^

      Who are these "freebie seekers" anyway? Are they people who have NEVER bought a product within the niche they are interested, or never will? Personally I think bad marketers with crappy products like to use the "freebie seeker" term as an excuse of not having enough valuable information or products to promote.
      Hate to ruin your day, but 'freebie seekers' really are out there, and for many of them, the gap between free and paid is larger than they can cross.

      Look at the number of people here who claim they never buy products because they can find anything they need for free.

      Originally Posted by retsced View Post

      So, go ahead, forget about the "freebie seekers" on your list, i won't, because EVERYBODY buys a product in the niche they are interested in, providing the product is valuable and they trust the person selling it to them.
      I can't agree that "EVERYBODY buys a product in the niche they are interested in", but the existence of a confirmation step isn't going to stop the serious freebie hunter.

      After making allowances for the folks that need help with the process, the ones you have left either had no intention of actually subscribing or had insufficient interest in the offer to bother completing more than the impulse step.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6280918].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Nathan251
        I thought aweber strongly recommended the double opt-in setting as they warn there is a higher risk of being reported for spamming and more importantly, having less of a case to defend yourself if you have just a single opt-in

        Is that the case or is that over cautious scare-mongering?
        Signature
        Get your grubby hands on a revolutionary content-grabbing Wordpress plug-in now?? Oh and it's FREE for a limited time only!!!
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6281178].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author petelta
          Originally Posted by Nathan251 View Post

          I thought aweber strongly recommended the double opt-in setting as they warn there is a higher risk of being reported for spamming and more importantly, having less of a case to defend yourself if you have just a single opt-in

          Is that the case or is that over cautious scare-mongering?
          It's also recommended you drive under the speed limit, avoid fried foods, and reapply tanning lotion every hour...

          As they stated, you have a higher risk of being reported as spam... so if you spam much, you are in trouble.

          There's no trouble in creating a single opt in list.

          Travis
          Signature
          TEESPRING Student Rakes In Over $116k In Less Than 3 Months
          Niche Pro Profits - How I raked in OVER $120k in 9 months with authority niche sites...

          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6281232].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Lucian Lada
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        I can't agree that "EVERYBODY buys a product in the niche they are interested in"
        Although I found Retsced's post good, I tend to agree with John on this one. Some people will never buy, like the people who never buy cigars, claiming that they are not smokers, but always ask you for one. They might have the money, but aren't willing to spend them.

        And often they are well intended, but aren't mentally prepared for paying $47 for a few MB on their hard drive. (Because some people actually see it that way, and think that if they can't hold it in their hands, it's not good enough then.)

        Also, a promoted product, no matter how good or how broad, can't satisfy the needs of all your subscribers. So maybe more products (of course, diversified), different sales pages, different price points, and even shipable media could be a way of making freebie seekers jump in the river and swim their way over here, in the Promised Land.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6285442].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author ShaneBoyd
    I contacted AWEBER last night and opened a ticket. You see, I don't have the option on my end to switch from single opt-in to double or vice versa. So I opened a support ticket to ask for their help. Here's the response:

    "It seems that since the list was created before you switched
    to the new Analytics package, there is no option to turn the
    double opt-in OFF. The option is available on a normal Anayltics
    package. However, I may be able to to turn that off
    for your from our end. I will respond to you tomorrow to see
    if we can turn the double opt-in OFF from our end.
    I just wanted to let you know we did receive your ticket and we
    are working on it. In the meantime, If you have any other questions,
    or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to ask. We're happy
    to help!"

    Very professional and polite. But not want I really wanted to hear. In the mean time...I'm swiping Travis Petelle's page and rewording it a little.

    Thanks for all your help.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6286526].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Big Al
    Can't you just create a new list?

    I thought aweber strongly recommended the double opt-in setting as they warn there is a higher risk of being reported for spamming and more importantly, having less of a case to defend yourself if you have just a single opt-in

    Is that the case or is that over cautious scare-mongering?
    I was just creating a new list on Aweber this morning and set it up for single opt-in. It brought up some kinda warning and for a moment I thought it wasn't let me choose 'single opt-in'.

    While it did let me use single, they're definitely positioning double opt-in and trying to discourage users from single. That's obviously for THEIR business reasons and not ours.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6290593].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author AndrewStark
    What traffic source are you using, and what is the typical email address of the people who are not confirming?

    I have found that some traffic sources are just bots which subscribe to make the stats look good at first glance. Typically these will also be really obscure e-mail accounts which are just a jumble of letters and numbers.

    Personally I go for double opt-in and use the video page from aweber which makes it pretty clear that the visitor has to check their e-mail to proceed to the download page.

    This small hurdle will weed out those who are not interested enough in your offer to give an email they can actually check. Ultimately I'm looking to form a relationship, so I would rather have a lower number of subscribers who like me than a large list who think I'm just out to sell stuff to them.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6293609].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Shaun Tango
    Single opt in is not really a good idea. If you do that and your stats stay the same, you'll get a load of bogus email address on your list. They will still boost your Aweber subscriber numbers though (Even though they're dead email address) and make you pay more for your monthly Aweber fee.

    If you want to make sure people don't give you fake email address, simply let them know that they will be receiving your free gift directly to their email. That way they'll know to put the correct email in first time around or they won't get your gift. Hope that helps.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6293743].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author MikeTucker
      Originally Posted by Shaun Tango View Post

      Single opt in is not really a good idea. If you do that and your stats stay the same, you'll get a load of bogus email address on your list. They will still boost your Aweber subscriber numbers though (Even though they're dead email address) and make you pay more for your monthly Aweber fee.
      ...Which is why there is an option to delete
      subscribers. If they don't open your emails,
      delete them. Problem solved.
      Signature

      The bartender says: "We don't serve faster-than-light particles here."

      ...A tachyon enters a bar.

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6293847].message }}

Trending Topics