What is ‘double opt in’ and how do I do it?
I’ve covered ‘opt in’ and how important it is in previous posts – so you know that it’s important that the people you’re emailing your marketing emails to have opted in or asked to receive your information.
To be doubly sure, and to ensure everything goes smoothly, you need them to have ‘double opted in’ – which is pretty much what it sounds like; they’ve said yes twice.
Why? Because it’seasy for someone to forget they’ve said yes to receive your info,and it’s easy for them to deny asking to get your newsletter, but if your email marketing system asks for a double opt in, it’s easy for you to prove that they’ve done so.
Double opt in usually means that in the first instance someone will either fill in a form on your website, or reply to an email from you saying yes, they want to receive your info.
If it’s a form on your website, the information from the form should feed directly into your email marketing software. If it’s in reply to an email from you, you may have to enter their details into your software by hand. That’s the single opt in – you have their permission to send them your marketing info.
Now the system will send them an email automatically, asking them to confirm that they want to receive your info. Only once they respond to or click on the link within this email are they opted in – if they ignore this email or don’t click on the link then they won’t be added to your list. That’s the double opt in.
Double opt in is safer for everyone – it cuts down on people complaining that you are spamming them (they have to CHOOSE to receive your info, and then confirm their choice), and ensures that your list is comprised of people who actually WANT to get your info.
Is your list double opt in? And if not, why not?
