New feature: Keep track of your unconfirmed subscribers
Posted by David Greiner on October 9, 2006
If you're using double opt-in for your subscriber list (which we recommend), you've now got the option of seeing which subscribers have completed your subscribe form, but haven't actually clicked the verification link.
Unlike single opt in, double opt in requires your subscribers to validate their email address before being added to your subscriber list. When a new subscriber completes the subscribe form on a web site, an email is immediately sent to the supplied address containing a verification link. To complete their subscription, that person must click the verification link.
From today, you can quickly see if any potential subscribers have failed to take that final step and click their verification link. This is handy for spotting potential form entry errors like a mis-typed email address.
This feature also helps to identify any potential delivery issues with your confirmation email. We allow you guys to specify your own from name, from address and email content for the verification email. Make sure you always use valid from details and avoid potentially spammy words in your email content.
3 comments so far
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John
wrote on October 10, 2006 2:10 AM
Another great improvement, thanks! Another reason why this is welcome is that it allows the list owner to be absolutely positive in telling potential subscribers they are safe with double opt-in. If they done confirm, they are not subscribed. With this feature I can, after making the checks described, postively remove all trace of the original address. Things are not in limbo.
Nick Finck
wrote on October 17, 2006 2:35 PM
Great feature David! I was wondering if we could take it a step further. I see when you click on the persons email you get a little form to manage their subscription, etc. Perhaps in the case of this report there could be a way that, when you click on their name you get a form to send them a pre-written email..something like I sent one of the subscribers I recognized recently that didn't get all the way through the process.
------
Hey [reader name],
I noticed you filled out our web form to subscribe to our newsletter but never completed the confirmation process by clicking on the link in the email that we send you when you start the sign up process. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help get you signed up.
Thanks,
- Nick
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Not sure how that would work, but the email would have to be sent from an address were I can see the bounces come in (cause 90% of the time they are just email addresses that were improperly typed in). What do you think about that kind of functionality?
- Nick
Dave Greiner
wrote on October 17, 2006 7:38 PM
Nick, that's a top suggestion and one we'll certainly consider. We'd probably extend that to include another verification link they could click to confirm their subscription on the spot. Thanks for your thoughts.
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