Grabbing email addresses quickly is tempting, but faster subscriber signups through single opt-in come with big drawbacks. Are spammers and inactive users lurking on your marketing lists? Is each new signup actually hurting your deliverability? Understanding pros, cons and best practices allows your email empire to expand sustainably. Let’s weigh options beyond the single opt-in default to build quality audiences that convert.
What is Single Opt-In?
If you’re just getting started with email marketing, you’ve probably come across the terms “single opt-in” and “double opt-in.” They may sound similar, but these two permission-based email subscription methods have some important differences.
In short, single opt-in (or SOI) is when someone signs up for your email list by only needing to hand over their email address once. No further confirmation is needed before you can start sending them updates, promotions, etc. It’s an easy, frictionless signup process from the subscriber’s point of view.
Let’s break it down step-by-step so you know exactly what happens when a contact opts-in through single sign-up:
How Single Opt-In Works
- Sally visits your website and notices a signup form offering a discount code for new subscribers.
- She enters her email address and presses submit, hoping to save some money on her next purchase.
- With single opt-in enabled, Sally is now instantly subscribed to your email list. No additional confirmation is required.
- Within minutes, your first promotional email arrives in Sally’s inbox telling her to use the coupon code “WELCOME10” for 10% off.
And that’s it! As you can see, single opt-in keeps things quick and hassle-free for subscribers. The downside? We’ll get to that shortly.
First, let’s look at a real-world single opt-in example in action:
Examples of Single Opt-In
Plenty of brands use single opt-in signup forms to rapidly grow their email lists. And it’s easy to see why – people love convenience when handing over their email address.
Take a look at this signup pop-up from Quest Nutrition, for example:
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Once you arrive on their homepage, a pop-up invites you to join their mailing list to receive 10% off your next order. No catches, no extra steps. Just a discount code in exchange for your email address.
So you type in your best email address, click submit, and – bam! – you’re subscribed. Seconds later, a confirmation message appears letting you know to keep an eye on your inbox for that exclusive subscriber promo code.
This is single opt-in in action. And when incentives like discounts or free gifts are on the table, it’s super effective for list growth.
Now let’s talk about why single opt-in isn’t always rainbows and butterflies…
The Advantages of Using Single Opt-In
Single opt-in isn’t the most popular email subscription method just because it sounds fancy. There are some tangible benefits that make it an attractive option, especially when you’re first building your mailing list.
Let’s walk through why over half of email marketers choose single opt-in as their go-to signup process and form strategy.
Simplicity and Ease of Use
Hands down, the #1 benefit of single opt-in is the sheer simplicity of the process – for subscribers AND for you, the email marketer.
Your contacts don’t want obstacles standing in their way when they’re trying to sign up for something. One less hurdle means higher conversion rates on your signup forms.
And for business owners, single opt-in means:
- Easy to explain during setup
- Requires fewer technical skills
- Gets contacts onto your list faster
Ultimately, SOI eliminates friction during signup. People hand over their email address just once without jumping through additional hoops to confirm their subscription. Straightforward for them, easy implementation for you. Wins all around.
Faster List Growth
Let’s do some simple math.
With single opt-in, 100 people put their email address into your signup form or pop-up and hit submit. Congratulations – you now have 100 new subscribers.
With double opt-in, 100 people enter their email and submit…then a percentage fail to confirm their subscription in your follow-up email. So out of those original 100 signups, maybe 55 complete the two-step process.
Research from GetResponse shows that on average, mailing lists grow 20-30% FASTER with single opt-in.
When your #1 goal is lead generation and list growth, single opt-in definitely moves the needle thanks to higher conversion rates. One less step between a prospect handing over their email address and joining your community.
Better User Experience
People expect instant gratification when they opt-in these days. Like literally now now now!
Single opt-in delivers exactly that through quick subscriptions that land contacts on your list straight away. No hanging around in confirmation limbo.
And whatever incentive convinced them to subscribe can kick in immediately…
Like a juicy discount code they receive in your automated “Thanks for subscribing!” email. Or early access to a hot product launch exclusively for email members first.
When users get perks fast, they feel valued. And that goes a long way toward building loyalty and engagement over the long-term.
Works Well for Mobile
Here’s an interesting fact for you:
As of 2021, mobile devices account for over half the web traffic worldwide. And that percentage keeps growing year after year as people increasingly access the internet on the go.
What’s this mean for email marketers?
That a substantial portion of your website visitors are viewing – and potentially signing up – via small screens.
Luckily, single opt-in forms are nicely optimized for mobile interfaces due to:
Lower Friction Signup Process
By removing the two-step confirmation, you create less friction for the constantly-connected, always-distracted people surfing on phones and tablets.
Less stepping through screens. Fewer chances for mobile users to bail out or lose interest.
Fewer Steps to Complete
Single opt-in only requires one field to fill in – the email address. Way simpler than typing on pint-sized touch keyboards.
With double opt-in, mobile users need to enter details AND tap tiny confirmation links in follow-up emails. Challenging.
So if mobile traffic makes up large chunks of your visitors, keep the signup process quick ‘n nimble through SOI to capture more leads.
Now that you know the perks, let’s balance it out with the potential pitfalls…
The Disadvantages of Single Opt-In
Single opt-in isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The quick and painless signup process comes with a few downsides to consider before diving in.
Let’s explore the most common drawbacks emailed marketers face when using single opt-in signup forms and why you need to go into it with eyes wide open.
Lower Quality Subscribers
Here’s the reality about super simple signup processes – they attract subscribers that may not actually care about your brand.
People who are half-paying-attention. Bargain hunters just in it for the discount code. Competitors keeping tabs on you.
And thanks to needing just one field to complete, single opt-in is more susceptible to spambots finding their way onto your list too.
The result?
A portion of disengaged subscribers who rarely open your emails. And when they do, they don’t click on anything. Maybe they’ll unsubscribe immediately after grabbing your lead magnet.
One email marketer found over 20% of their single opt-in members to be low quality and non-responsive. That’s a ton of subscribers receiving your broadcasts with zero interest.
And according to MailChimp, single opt-in email lists have about 15% lower open rates on average.
When a company relies on email revenue, low engagement numbers can seriously limit success. Suddenly growth looks less appealing…
Deliverability Issues
Here’s a scary stat:
Litmus found almost 50% of people mark emails as spam simply because it’s easier than unsubscribing. Even if they signed up willingly in the beginning!
This means your hard-earned single opt-in subscribers may get over the endless promotional emails and report you as spam instead.
Each spam complaint causes your sender score to drop. Too many dings to your sender reputation leads to deliverability issues.
Suddenly your future emails struggle to cut through and reach the inbox. Engagement takes another hit. Recovering from a damaged domain or IP takes serious work.
Other single opt-in deliverability drags come from:
Higher Bounces and Spam Complaints
With zero email confirmation, bounces inevitably creep in from typos, fake addresses etc. Each bounce hurts your sender rating with ISPs.
Spambots have an easier time infiltrating your list too. Even though real subscribers entered their actual email address themselves, they may still report your emails as phishing attempts or spam down the road.
Lots of bounces plus complaints are a recipe for landing in the spam folder.
Hurts Sender Reputation
According to SparkPost, 85% of mailbox providers use engagement rates as a metric for rating sender reputation.
As we just covered, single opt-in subscribers generally have lower open and click-through rates. Strike one against your sender score.
Second strike comes from higher complaints hitting your inbox provider rating.
The result? Your sender reputation tanks, with hurting long-term deliverability being the ultimate consequence.
Inaccurate Subscriber Data
It can be tempting to look at the subscriber number going up and up thanks to frictionless single opt-in signups.
But remember – 20%, even 30% or more may never open or click on a single email from you. They’re essentially ghost contacts.
Still, email service providers charge you based on the total number of “subscribers” you’re supposedly broadcasting to.
Suddenly you realize those attractive growth stats don’t match reality. And there goes more money down the drain.
This also means any campaign statistics get skewed by inactive subscribers that inflate your list without actually engaging.
Making data-driven decisions to improve email marketing performance becomes almost impossible.
Increased Cost
Speaking of wasted money, single opt-in creates unnecessary costs in a couple ways…
Paying to Email Fake Addresses
Whether accidental typos or fake emails entered on purpose to access your lead magnet, you pay for every single inactive address you reach out to.
More List Maintenance Required
With more bogus, inactive or spam-triggering subscribers sneaking onto your lists, you’ll need to continually audit and clean things up to keep deliverability afloat.
Tools like email cleaning services or return path analysis software add even more overhead expenses.
Legal and Compliance Risks
While not universally mandatory, some countries now actually require confirmed double opt-in for legal compliance.
For example, Germany has pioneered strict email regulations stemming from privacy laws. Now double opt-in is considered the standard for protecting contacts.
And as data and privacy legislation evolves worldwide, having proof of consent could save major headaches down the road.
So while single opt-in remains perfectly legal in many places, confirmed permission protects you better long-term.
Now that both sides are laid out, let’s explore how single opt-in compares head-to-head against double opt-in…
Single Opt-In vs. Double Opt-In
By this point, you should have a clear sense of the unique pros and cons that come with single opt-in for email list building.
But how does it stack up against double opt-in? Let’s explore the key differences.
The Double Opt-In Process
First, a quick refresher on what double opt-in entails.
With double opt-in (DOI), visitors go through a two-step signup process:
- Visitors fill out a signup form with their email address.
- They receive a confirmation email and MUST click a verification link.
- After confirming, they get added to your email list.
This adds an extra hoop between initially handing over an email address and joining your list.
The idea is to confirm someone’s identity and willingness to hear from you. But does the extra step pay off?
Pros and Cons Comparison
How do the pros and cons stack up between single opt-in vs double opt-in? Let’s break it down:
List Growth Rates
Winner: Single opt-in
On average, expect 20-30% FASTER list growth with single opt-in. Removing friction and barriers pays off big initially.
Subscriber Engagement
Winner: Double opt-in
Double opt-in subscribers open emails at a 72% higher rate on average. Clicking confirmation links indicates higher engagement.
Managing Inactive Subscribers
Winner: Double opt-in
Inactive or unengaged contacts can’t confirm email addresses. So dead weight doesn’t pile up on lists.
So ultimately…
- Double opt-in offers higher quality subscribers at the cost of slower initial growth.
- Single opt-in gets more email signups quickly but subscribers may not care about your brand.
At the end of the day, neither approach is inherently “better” than the other. It comes down to your unique business goals and email marketing objectives.
If revenue depends directly on email or you want lifelong customers, double opt-in builds that high-value audience.
If lead gen to fuel bottom-of-funnel efforts is the priority, single opt-in gains contacts quickly so you can nurture signups into customers.
Understanding these tradeoffs allows you to strategically choose the right approach per campaign.
Now let’s move on to some single opt-in best practices to offset common pitfalls…
Best Practices for Single Opt-In
At this point, the light bulb probably went off that single opt-in has some risks despite the easy growth.
Luckily, proactive effort on a few fronts helps maximize the single opt-in advantages while preventing the pitfalls that may tempt you to switch formats.
Let’s explore actionable strategies for keeping your SOI list clean, engaged and primed for conversions.
Use Email Verification
The easiest way to safeguard against bounces and fake signups is adding email verification to your signup forms.
Tools like email validation APIs instantly check for typos as visitors submit their address. No more fat finger goofs slipping through.
Bot detection kills spambots attempting to overload your lists too.
Email verification particularly shines by flagging disposable emails before they even get access. This keeps fly-by-nighters from contaminating your subscriber pool.
Set it and your lists stay clean without ongoing overhead.
Offer Strong Incentives
Incentives serve two vital purposes for tackling single opt-in obstacles:
Attract Targeted Leads
Discount codes, free tools and exclusive content access appeal to contacts genuinely interested in your niche. Which means…
More qualified prospects join your list who actually want to engage. Instead of offering incentives that encourage signups from bargain hunters unlikely to ever convert or even open your emails.
Targeted lead gen prevents lackluster engagement and conversions down the road.
Reduce Spam Risk
If the incentive is valuable enough, subscribers don’t WANT to risk missing future special offers. This keeps them opening your emails long-term instead of reporting things as spam while unsubscribing.
The more compelling the reward, the lower your chances of getting axed as spam.
Send a Welcome Series
Make the first impression sparkle after signups instantly join thanks to frictionless single opt-in.
How?
With a targeted welcome series focused on:
Setting Expectations
Prevent future spam complaints or inactive users by frontloading value. Then spell out what subscribers gain by being on your list.
Give a glimpse of your general content style and frequency upfront so contacts know what’s coming. This heads off nasty surprises that trigger spam reports or ignored emails.
Share specifics about special member benefits, discounts, early bird announcements – anything exclusive subscribers access by keeping your broadcasts out of the junk folder.
Providing Value
Then back up those claims with value packed welcome emails. Handpick your absolute best content that resonates with ideal buyer personas.
Send new subscribers your most popular blog posts. Link to that free tool with raving reviews. Excite contacts with samples from a flagship offering.
When that onboarding series overdelivers, recipients look forward to future emails instead of tuning out what they signed up for.
Continually Clean Your List
Despite best attempts at preventing issues, bounces and spam traps still infiltrate single opt-in lists. Mine aren’t perfect either!
Combat subscriber decay using smart email list cleaning tactics:
- Remove hard bounces immediately to limit future issues
- Filter soft bounces regularly as they may turn persistent
- Prune non-openers monthly to keep metrics accurate
- Segment engaged vs inactive users to identify bad seeds
- Watch out for hidden fake signups long term
Staying vigilant maintains your list’s health despite single opt-in risks.
Let’s wrap things up with quick guidance on when single opt-in makes the most sense…
When Single Opt-In Works Best
If reading about the pros and cons of single opt-in hasn’t helped finalize your decision yet, let’s talk specifics.
Certain business situations lend themselves particularly well to frictionless single opt-in signup flows for rapidly expanding email lists.
Starting Out
Just launched and need catalysts to kickstart awareness fast? Embrace single opt-in, my friend!
Removing barriers during onboarding lets any startup accelerate subscribers for building traction.
Then use intelligent lifecycle email campaigns to nurture signups into loyal brand advocates.
Once your legs are under you, consider graduating to double opt-in later to polish list quality.
Prioritizing List Growth
Speaking of needing volume fast…
If your email KPI is purely growing your list as big as possible, single opt-in is your ticket.
The frictionless process keeps signups steadily flowing in so you meet aggressive subscriber count targets.
Just be sure you have the content and segmentation chops to keep such a large list engaged. Otherwise, consider balancing speedy signup growth with strategic re-engagement campaigns.
Relying on One Channel
For solo channel shops fully dependent on email as their bread and butter traffic source, single opt-in prevents leakage.
If you lack alternative lead gen engines like paid ads or chatbots, you simply can’t afford drop-off from two-step opt-in confirmation experiences.
Maximize subscriber signups to fuel the ONE thing driving your entire customer acquisition strategy – email.
Then perfect journeys, promotions and experiences to align with the fast and loose nature of single opt-in subscribers.
Think targeted lead nurturing, aggressive re-engagement tracks, tailored behavioral segmentation, etc.
Now let’s finish up with some real-world examples of single opt-in signup forms in the wild…
Integrating Single Opt-In
Ready to dive into activating single opt-in signup flows to expand your list? Let’s explore top platforms and exactly how to flip the switch.
Leading Email Providers
Most mainstream email service providers either support single opt-in by default or offer straightforward configuration to enable it.
For example:
- Mailchimp recently made single opt-in the default for faster signups
- AWeber offers a simple checkbox to toggle on SOI
- Constant Contact builds opt-in choice right into their signup form builder
- SendPulse, SendinBlue, ConvertKit and dozens more also have SOI switches
The process varies slightly but ultimately comes down to checking a box or adjusting a setting. Nice and easy.
Configuring Your Forms
Email provider in place? Now to build signup touchpoints driving those effortless single opt-in signups.
Let’s examine popular options…
Landing Pages
Dedicated lead gen landing pages present the perfect opportunity to explain an offer or exclusive content. Then have visitors seamlessly subscribe in exchange for the value.
Embedding a lead capture form front and center using your email service provider’s tools keeps the process simple. Make sign up the natural next step.
Website Popups
Another excellent way to incentivize email signups is website popups and overlays. Time triggers when visitors hit key pages or scroll percentages to present special offers for joining your list.
Again, quickly embed opt-in forms served up by your ESP right inside attention-grabbing popups.
Exit intent popups work amazingly well at converting abandoning visitors too.
Post Opt-In Confirmations
Even after contacts join your list, single opt-in provides chances to connect.
Follow up signup form submissions with confirmation messages restating the value subscribers gain by signing up. Or reminding them about exclusive discounts sent to inboxes soon.
Post opt-in confirmations reduce buyer’s remorse and inactive users by underscoring what’s coming to engaged recipients.
Now you’re fully versed on managing single opt-in pros, cons, best practices and implementation. Time to pick the right solution for your email marketing needs!
Key Takeaways – Single Opt-In Email Marketing
If you made it this far, congratulations – you now know everything there is to understand about leveraging single opt-in in your email campaigns and signup strategy.
Let’s bring it all home with some core takeaways:
- Single opt-in allows contacts to join email lists by submitting their email just once without further confirmation. This accelerated path comes with tradeoffs.
- The main benefits of single opt-in are quick and easy signup, faster list growth, and a smoother user experience. Drawbacks can include lower engagement, deliverability risks, inaccurate data and higher costs.
- Overall, single opt-in works best for prioritizing subscriber volume quickly. Double opt-in builds a smaller yet higher quality list over time. Neither is inherently “right” or “wrong” – it depends on your goals.
- Smart strategies like email validation, incentives and welcome campaigns help maximize single opt-in effectiveness while minimizing potential downsides. Continually monitoring and optimizing is key.
- Leading email providers make it simple to integrate friction-free single opt-in signup forms on landing pages, website popups or post opt-in confirmations.
The most important next step is deciding if lightning growth or cultivating an engaged audience is more critical right now. Use that insight to determine if quick and easy single opt-in aligns with your top objectives or if confirmed double opt-in permission suits your needs better.
Now get out there, start plastering some signup forms and watch those email lists grow!
Frequently Asked Questions About Single Opt-In
Still have some lingering questions about effectively leveraging single opt-in signup methods? Let’s tackle some rapid-fire FAQs:
Does single opt-in help you grow your list faster?
Absolutely! By removing friction during signup, single opt-in fuels up to 30% quicker email list growth. More contacts joining means more opportunities to nurture and convert subscribers.
What happens if someone makes a typo entering their email?
Mistyped email addresses can sneak through with single opt-in. Adding email validation catches mistakes upfront before bogus contacts hit your list causing deliverability headaches later.
Is single opt-in riskier for getting spam complaints?
Potentially yes – the convenience of single opt-in means some unengaged subscribers may mark your emails as spam over time instead of properly unsubscribing. Sending engaging, personalized content helps offset this.
How often should you clean a single opt-in email list?
Plan for heavy list cleaning starting 30 days after initial signups, then monthly after that. Prune hard bounces ASAP always. And regularly remove non-openers and complaints to keep your sender reputation healthy.
What countries require double opt-in instead?
Some regions like Germany and parts of the EU highly recommend confirmed double opt-in to align with evolving data regulations. So consider your audience. Many global email providers now default to double opt-in actually.
Is single opt-in fully GDPR compliant?
Mostly – GDPR emphasizes unambiguous consent which subscribers still provide submitting their emails once. However, double opt-in further validates signups under increasingly strict data rules.
Should startups use single opt-in or double opt-in?
Startups still gaining traction benefit highly from single opt-in fueling faster subscriber signup during critical early stages. Just be ready to nurture leads diligently and clean constantly.