Double Opt-in Definition
A double opt-in is an additional step in the email verification opt-in process. Contrary to single opt-in policy, it requires users to verify their email addresses before they can successfully set up an account or activate a subscription. It is primarily used to filter out users with more genuine interest.
The effectiveness of double opt-in versus single opt-in is complicated to estimate. Some marketers drop the double opt-in in fear of users getting annoyed with a lengthy subscription process. On the other hand, the other side believes that double opt-in allows them to acquire fewer prospects but of a higher quality and genuine interest, resulting in a better quality mailing list long-term.
The lack of a clear winner leads most brands to experiment on their own to see which approach yields the best results. The general rule is that if you currently need any leads you can get, going for a single opt-in can be a better bet. However, if you are struggling with hard bounces and spam reports, the implementation of a double opt-in process can successfully alleviate those issues.
How to increase the success rate of your double opt-in process?
Besides optimizing the email subject and content or building a “nearly-there” page, you can also incentivize the double opt-in with a clever coupon campaign. There are two ways to go about this – you can either offer the discount directly in the second opt-in email (which may mark the mail as spam or promotion), or you can share the promo code on the “thank-you” page after the second opt-in. You can mention the discount on the subscription form before the email opts-in to avoid using the word “discount” in your emails.