One effective way to ensure that your contact database is filled with engaged and interested subscribers is to implement a double opt-in process for your sign-up form. While a single opt-in process only requires an email address to subscribe, a double opt-in process adds an extra step of confirmation from the subscriber to verify they want to receive your emails. With Brevo, you can also track the DOI process by maintaining records of your contacts' consent.
What is double opt-in (DOI)?
Double opt-in (DOI) is a process for adding new contacts to your email list. It involves collecting an email address through a sign-up form and sending a confirmation email to that address to validate the contact information before adding it to the list. It also verifies the subscriber's consent to receive your emails. |
In contrast to a single opt-in process, where subscribers are immediately added to an email list upon providing their email address, the double opt-in process adds an additional layer of protection to prevent fake email addresses or uninterested contacts from signing up.
Some marketers may view this process as creating too much friction in the sign-up process. However, it can result in a higher-quality list and reduce the effort required to manage your email list. Additionally, this process is recommended for GDPR compliance.
What are the advantages of the double opt-in process?
Using a double opt-in process guarantees that your list has only valid email addresses. This is because in order to be added to the contact list, new subscribers have to click a link in an email to confirm their subscription. This prevents issues related to typos in the sign-up form or people submitting fake or disposable email addresses.
Furthermore, if your subscribers have gone through a double opt-in process, you can be confident that they are fully aware of their actions and genuinely interested in receiving your emails. This will prevent wasting time and effort on re-engaging someone who was never truly interested in your business or your email campaigns.
The double opt-in method helps marketers eliminate spam traps, emails with typos, and their competitors’ attacks aimed at harming the sender’s reputation. With this method, you’ll collect a high-quality contact list and send campaigns to engaged subscribers that will result in high email deliverability, open rates, and overall email performance. It will also drastically reduce the number of hard bounces (invalid email addresses) you will get after sending your campaigns.
Additionally, if your confirmation email ends up in your recipients' spam folder, they will most probably move the email out of spam, ensuring your future messages will reach their inboxes.
To learn how to set up a sign-up form using a double opt-in process, check our dedicated article Create a sign-up form in Brevo.
Having a GDPR-compliant opt-in process means being able to show proof of consent for every contact in your database. Each step of the DOI process is logged as an event into Brevo.
While this doesn’t mean that a double opt-in is required by the GDPR, it can be helpful for showing easy proof that a contact has consented by clicking to verify their email address. It’s also helpful to have an extra level of protection from someone submitting someone else's email address without their knowledge.
How to create a double opt-in sign-up form?
There are two ways you can create a double opt-in sign-up form:
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[Recommended] Create a sign-up form in Brevo and select the "Double confirmation" option to enable a double opt-in process. Ensure the form asks for the subscriber’s email address. Any additional information you request should be necessary to follow the principle of data minimization of the GDPR.
➡️ To learn more, check our dedicated article Create a sign-up form in Brevo. - Set up a double opt-in subscription automation for forms created outside of Brevo (using a third-party service).
➡️ To learn more, check our dedicated article Set up a double opt-in subscription automation for forms created outside of Brevo.
Keep track of your contact's double opt-in confirmation
You can keep track of your contact's double opt-in confirmation by checking the related events in the transactional logs.
About event logs
Events are logged into Brevo from the submission of your form to the confirmation of the double opt-in by your contact. These logs allow you to show further proof of your contact's consent, which helps you comply with email marketing regulations like GDPR and CAN-SPAM. Below, you can find which information and logs are saved at each step of the DOI process.
Step 1: A visitor submits your form
When a visitor submits your form, the following events are logged:
- The event of the subscription (i.e., Form submitted).
- The time of the form submission.
- The email address of the subscriber.
At this stage, the subscriber has not yet been added to your contact list. Their information is only stored in the transactional logs until they confirm their subscription via the DOI email.
Step 2: The double opt-in confirmation email is sent
When the automated double opt-in (DOI) confirmation email is sent, the following events are logged:
- The date and time the DOI email was sent.
- The content of the DOI email sent, including the confirmation link and consent text you've added.
Having this log is crucial because it serves as proof that you requested the subscriber’s consent and provided them with the necessary information. We recommend regularly extracting these logs from the Brevo platform for archiving purposes. To learn more, check our dedicated article Transactional email logs and previews.
Step 3: The DOI is either confirmed or not
The visitor who submitted the form can confirm the double opt-in by clicking the confirmation link in the DOI confirmation email, or they can choose not to.
If the DOI is confirmed:
- The subscriber’s email address (and potentially other data collected via the subscription form) is added to your contact list.
- The date and time of the confirmation are logged in the transactional logs, ensuring you have proof of when the consent was given.
If the DOI is not confirmed:
- The subscriber will not appear in your contact list.
- Their information remains in the transactional logs, showing:
- The subscription attempt.
- The sent DOI email (with date, time, and content).
💡 Good to knowYou can delete those logs.
⏭️ What's next?
- Guidelines for a GDPR-compliant sign-up form
- Create a sign-up form in Brevo
- Set up a double opt-in subscription automation for forms created outside of Brevo
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