This article is only applicable for forms created outside of Brevo (using a third-party service). If you want to set up a double opt-in process for a form created in Brevo, check our dedicated article Create a subscription form in Brevo, which explains the whole process.
If your subscription form was created outside of Brevo using a third-party service, you can still implement a double opt-in process for your contacts before adding them to Brevo. This can be done by creating a double opt-in automation that consists of the following steps:
- A contact fills out a subscription form with their email address.
- They are added to a temporary list in Brevo.
- A confirmation email (double opt-in) is sent.
- They confirm their subscription by clicking the button in the email.
- They are added to a final list in Brevo.
- (Optional) A final confirmation email can be sent to notify the contact that they were successfully subscribed
- Contacts who do not click the confirmation button within a certain timeframe are blocklisted.
Create the double opt-in email templates
We recommend you first create the double opt-in email templates that will be sent to contacts who fill out your subscription form. Two different emails will be sent during this process:
Mandatory double opt-in email | This email contains a double opt-in link that contacts have to click to confirm their subscription. |
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Optional confirmation email | This email informs contacts that their subscription has been successfully confirmed. |
To create these email templates:
- Go to Campaigns > Templates > Email.
- Click New Template.
- Set up and design your email template. To learn more, check our dedicated article Create an email template.
- Ensure the double opt-in email template includes:
- A button that clearly invites the contact to confirm their subscription (e.g., "Yes, I confirm my subscription").
- The URL of your confirmation page or website homepage linked to the button. We will track this URL to monitor when contacts confirm their subscription as explained in Step 3: Wait until transactional email activity.
In our example below, we used the URL https://xxx.sibpages.com.
❗️ ImportantWithout including both the button and the URL linking to your confirmation page or website homepage, the automation will not function correctly.
- Save the double opt-in email template.
- Ensure the confirmation email template clearly states that the contact has been successfully subscribed and will now begin receiving your communications. You can also suggest that they return to your website, for example.
- Save the confirmation email template.
- Ensure the double opt-in email template includes:
Create the double opt-in subscription automation
- Go to Automations.
- Click Create an automation.
- Click Use the classic editor.
- Name the automation (e.g., "Double opt-in subscription automation for [name of subscription form]".
- (Optional) Add a description.
- Activate the Allow your contacts to enter the automation more than once option. This ensures that if a contact unsubscribes and then re-subscribes, they will go through the double opt-in process again.
- Click Create automation.
Step 1: A contact is added to a list
We will start by adding the entry point where a contact is added to a list. This list should be a temporary list for all contacts who have submitted your subscription form but have not yet confirmed their subscription. Your automation will be triggered every time a new contact is added to this list.
- Click Add an entry point.
- Select Contact Details > A contact is added to a list.
- Select the list where you gather all the contacts who have submitted your subscription form.
- Click OK.
Step 2: Send a double opt-in email
Then, we will send an email to the contact who was added to the temporary list. This first email is the mandatory double opt-in email that allows the contact to confirm their email address by clicking a button that you previously created.
- Click the + sign under the entry point.
- Select Send an email.
- Select the double opt-in email template that you previously created. The email template used in our example is called Double opt-in confirmation.
❗️ ImportantDo not use the default double opt-in confirmation email as it is, since it only works for subscription forms created in Brevo. If you choose to use it, ensure you add your home page/confirmation link to the button beforehand, as explained in Create the double opt-in email templates. - Click OK.
Step 3: Wait until transactional email activity
We should now wait for the contact to click the button in the email to confirm their subscription before adding them to the final list. Since you linked the button to your confirmation page or website homepage, we can track who has clicked on it and been redirected to this page.
- Click the + sign.
- Select the condition under Wait until > Transactional Email Activity.
- Select Clicked and choose the same double opt-in email template you selected in Step 2: Send a double opt-in email.
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Enter the same URL of the confirmation page or website homepage that you linked to the button in your double opt-in email.
In our example below, we have selected the Double opt-in confirmation email template with a button that redirects to a URL starting with https://xxx.sibpages.com. - Under Contacts who have not carried out this action will exit the step after, specify after how much time we should consider that a contact hasn't confirmed their subscription.
- Click OK.
Step 4: Send a confirmation email (optional)
We will add the action to send a confirmation email to a contact. This action is triggered by the previous step, when your contact clicks the button in the double opt-in email you sent them. It notifies the contact that their subscription has been successfully confirmed. This step is optional; you can alternatively redirect to a confirmation page when the client clicks the button.
- Click the + sign in the Yes branch of the automation.
- Click Send an email.
- Select your confirmation email.
In our example below, we use the "Double opt-in final confirmation". - Click OK.
Step 5: Add the contact into a final list
Now, we will add the action to add a contact to a final list. This list will gather the contacts who have subscribed through your double opt-in process.
- Click the + sign.
- Select Add the contact into a list.
- Select or create your final list.
In our example below, the list is called "Double opt-in list". - Click OK.
Step 6: Blocklist the contacts who didn't click the double opt-in link
If a contact didn't click the button in your double opt-in email after the delay specified in Step 3: Wait until transactional email activity has passed, it means they haven't confirmed their subscription and you shouldn't send them any emails. To prevent sending emails to them inadvertently, we recommend blocklisting them.
- Click the + sign in the No branch of the automation.
- Click Blocklist a contact.
- Select For Marketing Communications.
- Click OK.
That’s it! Your automation is now set up to manage the double opt-in process for your subscription form created outside of Brevo.
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