Double versus single opt-in for email lists. It’s been a topic of contention for as long as I’ve been in online business.
People who favor single opt in feel like it grows their list faster and is easier for their new subscribers.
Double opt in champions tout a cleaner list, more engaged subscribers and increased deliverability.
But what are single and double opt-in?
Single v Double Opt in: What do they mean and which one is right for you?
Single opt in means when someone fills out a form and then clicks “submit” they are immediately added to your list. There are no extra steps they have to take.
Double opt in means when someone fills out a form they will get an email from you when they click submit asking them to confirm they want to be added to your list. They have that one extra step before they are added.
Here’s a better explanation on single versus double opt in:
I’m a proponent of double opt-in for number of reasons:
- It gets people to engage with you from the start. More engagement is a good thing.
- People who confirm their email address are willing to go through an extra step to get your freebie. That’s a good thing because it means they really want it. They aren’t just cruising around websites signing up for any ole thing.
- It helps you to comply with SPAM laws in various countries. Note: double opt-in isn’t the only step you need to take to be email compliant, but it does hep.
- It keeps keeps bots off of your email list. This will help your deliverability AND keep the cost down for your email service provider.
Regardless of which camp you’re in, it’s a good idea to know how to set up double opt-in on your email service provider should you need or want to. Not all email services allow you to adjust your double opt-in settings on your own and some default to being on, so you’ll have to check the settings of your email service provider.
You are able to change your settings for double opt in on ActiveCampaign. Here’s how to do it:
How to Remove Double Opt in On ActiveCampaign
Double opt-in is the default setting for every form in ActiveCampaign. If you decide you don’t want your new email subscribers to confirm their email addresses, you have to turn of ActiveCampaign’s double-opt in default. You do that at the form level as well.
If you’re familiar with ActiveCampaign, you can find the double-opt in settings (including the spot to customize your confirmation page and what will happen when they confirm their email address) in Sites>Forms. Edit your form and you’ll find the settings here:
Here’s a quick video walk-thru if you prefer…
How to Set Up Double Opt in on Active Campaign
If you’ve ever turned it off double opt-in and need it turned back on, here’s how to do it…
When Single Opt in Is a Good Thing
There are times when single opt in can be the right choice for a form. If the form is part of a checkout process when a client is buying from you, they shouldn’t need to worry about the confirmation email. Of course if they’ve purchased from you they are going to want to get more info about the purchase, and they are probably already on your list, so there’s no need for them to confirm again that they want to be added.
If someone is already on your list, there’s no reason they would need to confirm their email address to get a different freebie. Some email services are smart enough to understand this and don’t send confirmation emails to existing subscribers, some are not. Again, it’s something you’ll have to check with your specific email service.
Whether you use single opt in or double opt in for your email list, is largely personal preference, but it’s always good to know and understand your options and why to choose one over the other.
Take a look inside of ActiveCampaign to see if you think it’s a good fit for you and your business.
Having trouble with your ActiveCampaign integrations? Maybe a 20-minute tech support call will do the trick.
**updated 2020
