When inboxes are flooded with messages vying for attention, an opt-in email campaign is your ticket to building meaningful connections with your audience.
It's a courteous and effective way to nurture leads, share valuable insights, and promote your products or services. With this strategic approach, you send targeted messages to subscribers who willingly opt to receive your content.
So, in this post, we’ll talk about how to create an opt-in campaign. You'll discover the essentials for creating a campaign that lands in inboxes and resonates with recipients. Ready? Let’s dive in!
What is opt-in email marketing?
Ever given out your email address for a promotion online and then received a message from the company? You were on the receiving end of an opt-in email marketing campaign.
From a marketer or business owner’s point of view, opt-in email marketing is when you send promotional or informational messages to new subscribers when they opt-in through sign-up forms and indicate their preferences. When you obtain explicit permission, you establish a more respectful and engaging communication channel.
Opt-in vs opt-out in email marketing
When subscribers opt-in to your email list, they’re choosing to receive your emails. On the contrary, when someone opts out, this means they’re unsubscribing and no longer wish to receive emails from you. Simple enough, right?
You may be thinking, “Someone wants to unsubscribe? Oh no!” That’s understandable, but think about it this way. Instead of ignoring your messages or marking you as spam, that subscriber is leaving your list on their own. This means less email costs and better engagement rates.
It bears mentioning that all your emails must include an unsubscribe option, even your opt-in email! If you don’t include it, you could face legal consequences. Plus, the user will probably just block you or mark you as spam anyway.
Opt-in email marketing examples
Opt-in usually starts from a form online and contains three components: a lead magnet (offer), a place to enter the email address, and a call-to-action (CTA).
Here is an example opt-in form from Search Engine Journal:
Here’s another from OptinMonster:
As you can see, each has a special offer that accompanies their lead capture. Search Engine Journal promises SEO insights, while OptinMonster promises free conversion optimization tips. These offers are in exchange for your contact information.
3 email opt-in best practices to follow for your campaign
Set up expectations with subscribers
Setting up expectations with subscribers is critical to establish a transparent and harmonious email relationship. Clearly outline the type of emails they can expect when they opt in. Notice how the above examples spell out clearly what the prospect stands to get in emails: SEO insights and conversion tips.
Early on, let your audience know how frequently you’ll be messaging them, and then strictly adhere to the frequency. Providing this information cultivates trust, whether it's a weekly newsletter, exclusive promotions, or educational content. You can even allow them to pick their own frequency!
You can also emphasize your commitment to respecting their inbox and mention that they can unsubscribe. This upfront approach ensures you only have the most engaged and loyal audience on your list.
Practice double opt-in email marketing
Another good practice is to have a double opt-in email marketing strategy. This adds another layer of action after the initial sign-up where you send a confirmation email. They must verify their subscription from that email in order to receive your messages.
This ensures a highly engaged and quality subscriber base. While you may not get as many subscribers this way, as they might not want to verify, the ones that do are actively seeking out your emails. It also reaffirms subscribers' interest and reduces the chances of fake or mistyped addresses.
Moreover, many email providers monitor engagement metrics, including open rates and click-through rates, to determine whether an email is legitimate or spam. By practicing double opt-in, you can prevent your emails from ending in recipients' spam folders.
Wondering if your emails are going to spam? Here’s what to watch out for.
Pair your contact sheet with your mail merge tool
When sending out an email campaign, it can be difficult to coordinate your tools with one another. Going back and forth between a mass email tool and your contact sheet can be tedious and leave you prone to errors. Especially for unsubscribes, it’s important that you be accurate.
This is why we recommend YAMM. YAMM is a super easy yet highly powerful mail merge tool you can use as an add-on to Gmail. The best part is that you can view all the critical metrics right in your Google Sheets: open rates, click-through rates, unsubscribes, and more!
Send your email campaigns with YAMM!
An opt-in email campaign is vital to your email marketing strategy, as it’s the first touchstone toward a happy subscriber. Starting off on the right foot couldn’t be more important, as people sign up for tons of different services that all want their attention!Email marketing got your head spinning? Try YAMM today for more effective, targeted, and engaging email campaigns. Your subscribers will thank you, and your results will speak volumes.